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By Alice McFarlane
The Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways increased its contribution to the short-line railway industry in the spring budget.
The Short Line Railway Improvement Program (SRIP) will receive $1,000,000, which is to be distributed across 13 short line railways in Saskatchewan.
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SRIP is a provincial grant program that aims to support infrastructure maintenance and safety improvements on short lines. Provincial funding is complemented by industry investments from the railways.
The Western Canadian Short Line Railway Association represents 19 short line railways across British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, as well as rail suppliers. It speaks for the sector at federal, provincial and municipal levels and promotes business development on short-line railways, safe and efficient rail service in rural Western Canada, and fluidity in the Canadian supply chain.
Association president Andrew Glastetter said short-line railways have been recognized as playing a key role in Canada’s supply chain by ensuring safe and efficient movement of goods in the first and last segment of the freight cycle, and the industry originates one in five freight rail carloads across Canada.
“In Saskatchewan, short line railways operate almost one quarter of all rail kilometers in the province,” he said. “The increase in the SRIP fund from $530,000 to $1 million will provide resources to further enhance our robust safety regime, while supporting the highest level of service to our valued customers and the communities in which we operate.”
Glastetter said the members of the association are committed to a high degree of re-investment and improvement of infrastructure, and the expanded financial commitment from the provincial government will serve to add to those investments, resulting in further improvements in safety, reliability, and efficiency.
With the recent shifts to the U.S.-Canada trade relationship, Saskatchewan is facing new challenges with possible changes to export markets and supply chains, according to Rachel Mackenzie, the association’s director of communications.
“The short-line railways help Saskatchewan producers and businesses transition their goods onto rail, find creative and flexible solutions for emerging transportation needs, and get Saskatchewan exports on their way,” Mackenzie said, “Short-line railways also remove heavy loads from rural roadways and onto their own rail infrastructure.”
She said the province’s increased investment though the SRIP program acknowledges the role that private rail infrastructure plays in preserving rural roads and supporting the economy of Saskatchewan.
