Concerns about emergency vehicle fuel shortage raised by municipalities

Concerns about fuel shortages for emergency vehicles in small-town Saskatchewan were raised during the Municipalities of Saskatchewan bear pit session in Regina on Wednesday.

Wakaw Mayor Steve Skoworodko went to the microphone and told cabinet ministers he received a number of messages from ambulance services in regards to the fuel rationing taking place at Co-op cardlocks across the prairies.

Customers are being told they can take only 300 litres of diesel and 100 litres of gasoline per card per day.

It’s because the company is having trouble distributing fuel due to Unifor’s blockades at various Co-op properties, including the Regina refinery.

Skoworodko said he’s concerned that emergency vehicles like fire trucks and ambulances won’t be able to do the work they need to do during this rationing. He asked if there was any other way to help, or provide some sort of backup to access more fuel in an emergency situation.

Premier Scott Moe agreed the blockade — which he has called “illegal” — impacts communities across the province.

“That impact can lead to fuel shortages for our school buses that are taking our children to school. It can lead to fuel shortages for our ambulances, our fire trucks (and) our emergency services, never mind the impact that it can have on our broader economy,” Moe said.

He said that’s why the province has offered to appoint a special mediator for the dispute at the refinery, a move that has only been done six times in the past 15 years. The mediator will be made available only once the barricades come down.

Moe believes that’s the best way to resolve the situation.

“We again ask that all parties accept that offer — (and) accept that offer sooner rather than later — so that we can get to a more collaborative spot with respect to the labour dispute, get to a place where everyone’s in compliance with the law and get to a place where we can access fuel resources for our emergency services,” Moe said.

Moe wouldn’t comment on what police feel they need to do to enforce the court injunction at the refinery but added the law is the foundation of democracy.

“In this particular case, the law has been created, the courts have interpreted the law (and) there’s only one step left. The fact of the matter is we expect the laws to be enforced across this province,” Moe said.

Minister of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety Don Morgan also responded to Skoworodko’s concern during the bear pit session but stopped short of offering any immediate measures to ensure emergency vehicles don’t run into a gas shortage.

“It’s a problem. We’re worried about it. We’re watching it and we’ll continue to watch it,” Morgan said.

The lockout at the refinery began Dec. 5.