Legislative Report
April 27, 2023

Saskatchewan Tourism Week – Investing in Saskatchewan Parks

April 24-30 is Saskatchewan Tourism Week, a week dedicated to bringing attention to the vibrant and diverse tourism sector. Now is a great time to start making vacation plans in Saskatchewan and discover something new this summer. To ensure everyone can enjoy our province’s beauty, the Government of Saskatchewan continues to invest in provincial parks and highways in the 2023-24 Provincial Budget.

The 2023-24 Provincial Budget includes nearly $14 million in capital projects and upgrades for Saskatchewan’s Provincial Parks. In Rowan’s Ravine Provincial Park, guests will soon be able to host large gatherings in a new group pavilion, which will be constructed in the day use area. A new Visitor Reception Centre at Crooked Lake Provincial Park will provide enhanced customer service and visitor information to park guests. The new 40-site serviced campground project at Meadow Lake Provincial Park will be completed under this year’s Budget. This budget also includes funding to improve common areas such as washrooms and showers to ensure they remain safe, accessible and modern.

New this year, Sask Parks is offering additional Camp-Easy yurts at Pike Lake, Good Spirit Lake and Greenwater Lake. The old Camp-Easy tent at Crooked Lake has also been replaced by a new yurt. Sask Parks has also introduced a new events guide that includes all interpretive programming, theme days, special events and summer cinema locations. Parks reservations opened online on April 3 for seasonal campsites and April 4-12 for nightly reservations and remain open on the Tourism Saskatchewan website.

For those who want to show their love of Sask Parks, there is a new line of custom-designed Sask Parks apparel.  The clothing celebrates the natural wonders visitors can discover, featuring a park-inspired design that showcases the lush boreal forest and awe-inspiring living skies. Bunny hugs and t-shirts are available in various colours and sizes for youth and adults.

Whether you want to have fun with your family and friends or experience a wilderness adventure, Saskatchewan’s Provincial Parks are a great place to connect with nature and recharge. To view the new events guide, make a camping reservation, shop for Sask Parks apparel or learn more, visit tourismsaskatchewan.com.

Improving Saskatchewan’s Highway Network

As people prepare to head out on Saskatchewan’s roads for their vacations this summer, our government is investing in roads and highways to ensure they remain safe and accessible. In the 2023-24 Budget, $776 million is invested into operating, maintaining, building and improving roads and highways. This includes constructing twinning projects on Highways 6 and 39 between Regina and Weyburn, completing the passing lanes and widening on Highway 5, and upgrading Highway 15 east of Kenaston. Several gravel, pavement and road maintenance projects will begin in northern Saskatchewan. In addition, the budget will fund planning to extend the twinning of Highway 5 east of Saskatoon and the final phase of the Saskatoon Freeway functional study.

Our government set a Growth Plan goal of improving 10,000 kilometres of highways between 2020 and 2030. After this year, over 4,600 kilometres will be completed, which is well ahead of the pace needed to meet this target. With this year’s budget, more than $12 billion has been invested into transportation infrastructure since 2007, improving more than 19,400 kilometres of provincial highways.

Improvements to Saskatchewan’s provincial highways and roads ensure everyone can get where they want to go safely. To learn more about this year’s highway projects or the 2023-24 Provincial Budget, visit Saskatchewan.ca/budget.