WATCH ABOVE: Global’s Mike McKinnon breaks down the big request being made by the premiers of Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia
REGINA – At the latest meeting of Canada’s western premiers, transportation needs were front and centre.
“(It’s) a top priority for the private sector, a top priority for the provincial government and, we hope, a continuing top priority for the federal government,” said Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall.
The ask from Ottawa is more than $1 billion for upgrading major highways and improving rail access to shipping ports in British Columbia.
BC Premier Christy Clark pointed to western Canada’s exports to Asia.
“We know they want it. Their complaint is often we don’t have a way to get it to them fast enough,” Clark said. “That’s what we’re trying to resolve.”
From pacific ports, commodities like potash make their way to Asia – in particular, India, where Saskatchewan leads the country in exports.
Twinning and widening roads has already been made a priority by the provincial governments, including Saskatchewan’s.
According to Wall, the partnership recognizes the importance of those roads across other borders.
“That’s the advantage of the New West Partnership. We can come together and support initiatives that aren’t in our province all the time necessarily, but are in our provinces interests,” Wall said.
Since the agreement was signed in 2010, most initiatives have been funded solely by the provinces, such as a move to allow business registrations to hold up across all three.
Jim Farney, a University of Regina political scientist, believes Thursday’s announcement indicates these governments need a hand to achieve more ambitious goals.
Agreeing to synergies on textbooks and vehicle inspections doesn’t need outside help, but finding a way to avoid future rail backlogs does.
“With the (2015 federal) election coming, with the way the budgets in the jurisdictions look, they have to say to Ottawa, ‘We’re not looking so good budget-wise. You’re going to have to carry the ball on this,’ Farney said.
Alberta Premier Jim Prentice believes the hefty handout would benefit the entire country.
“We’ll shoulder our share of the burden, we’ll have the private sector certainly involved as well,” Prentice said. “The specific request we’ve made today is that the federal government be at the table as well.”
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