Saskatchewan Funding 13 Small-Road Infrastructure Projects

Stewart Southern Railway will receive $28,297 under the government of Saskatchewan’s 2023-24 Short Line Railway Improvement Program. (Government of Saskatchewan Photograph)

The government of Saskatchewan is awarding $530,000 in grants to 13 provincially regulated short lines for track upgrade and expansion, highway/rail grade crossing surface and sightline improvement, bridge maintenance, and other projects.

The grants will be distributed through the Ministry of Highways’ 2023-24 Short Line Railway Improvement Program (SRIP) and cover up to 50% of eligible project costs, the government reported June 8. Awards are based how much track each railroad owns; short lines that are less than 50 miles (80 kilometers) receive at least $25,000.

The award recipients, which run on a total of 1,319 miles (2,123 kilometers) of track and primarily transport grain, are:

1. Thunder Rail, $25,000
2. Torch River Rail, $25,000
3. Northern Lights Rail, $25,000
4. Southern Rails Cooperative, $25,000
5. Long Creek Railroad, $25,000
6. Wheatland Rail, $25,000
7. Red Coat Road & Rail, $25,000
8. Stewart Southern Railway, $28,297
9. Last Mountain Railway, $29,155
10. Carlton Trail Railway, $37,515
11. Great Sandhills Railway, $43,089
12. Big Sky Rail, $87,035
13. Great Western Railway, $129,909

“The SRIP grants go to support more efficient operations for Saskatchewan short line rail,” Western Canadian Short Line Railway Association Director of Communication and Government Relations Rachel Mackenzie said during the announcement. “Improving infrastructure ensures safe and efficient rail service for our members in Saskatchewan, which is critical to support exporters of agricultural and other commodities.”