Saskatchewan road conditions comes up at SARM convention
Read more:NDP MLA Trent Wotherspoon said the province needs to invest in highways and it needs to ensure it’s not a “quick fix.”
“All too often, the province is going in for a quick fix that then is being repaired two, three years down the road as it’s falling back apart,” Wotherspoon said.“We need to ultimately make sure we’re investing in systems and rebuilds that are going to get the public the value for money they deserve and the safety and integrity of those highways that people deserve and need.”
With news earlier this week that Saskatchewan Government Insurance would be handing out $100 to customers who had a vehicle registered as of March 9, officials were questioned why that money couldn’t be put toward funding like road repairs and upgrades.The minister responsible for SGI, Don Morgan, responded that the money in the auto fund, where the rebate cheques will be coming from, doesn’t belong to the government.
“It belongs to the people that put it in there by rates by what they paid for in their license plates,” Morgan said, noting there is an investment return on that money. “It’s expected to be returned to those people either by way of paying out premiums or claims or by a refund back to the people.”Morgan said the extra money is due to low claims because of the pandemic and high investment return.The provincial government is set to deliver its 2022-23 budget on Wednesday.