THE BOTTOM LINE
SHCA Members,
YOU’RE ESSENTIAL
PAUL MARTIN
MARTIN CHARLTON COMMUNICATIONS
Depending on which source you look at, the infrastructure
deficit in this country is huge. Some say it’s north of $125
billion. You can even find some putting the number somewhere
closer to $600 billion.
Either way, it’s a big number and may just be part of the key to reloading
the Canadian economy once the pandemic is wrestled to the ground.
In previous economic meltdowns, public-sponsored projects played a
key role in stimulating jobs, which fired up the consumer economy. It’s one
of the reasons Saskatchewan has more roads than just about anywhere – we
built them in the 1930s.
These roads are in need of maintenance and new roads are begging to
be built.
Several communities within Saskatchewan and within our country have
announced business closures and have stated that only organizations necessary
to provide essential services are permitted to operate.
One of those such industries is construction.
Many can forge ahead with projects this season, albeit under strict health
and safety guidelines. Canada’s National Strategy for Critical Infrastructure
lists transportation infrastructure as an essential service to the health, safety,
security and economic well-being of Canadians and the effective functioning
of government.
Services and functions essential to preserving life, health and basic societal
functioning also are included. Our first responders, health care
workers, hydro and natural gas workers and those who supply food and
medicines all rely on our network of roads and highways to perform.
It is critical that these services continue to operate, just as it’s critical for
our construction industry to continue to operate.
While billions of dollars have already been pledged by the federal government
to get us through the immediate problems related to temporary
business closures and layoffs, we will soon need ideas for longer term economic
expansion – approval and support for everything from mining projects
to renewing our infrastructure.
And here’s why it’s important. The money being spent now – while important
– will leave no long-term assets behind. It’s consumptive spending.
Building infrastructure will create a legacy serving the economy for
the next 50 years.
And that’s when it will be our construction industry’s time to shine.
YAUHENI MESHCHARAKOU / 123RF
Critical services rely on Saskatchewan’s roads
and highways to perform
Our first responders, health care
workers, hydro and natural gas
workers and those who supply food
and medicines all rely on our network
of roads and highways to perform.
44 | Quarter 3 2020 | saskheavy.ca
/saskheavy.ca
