MOOSE JAW — The provincial government is providing nearly $1.6 million to 79 communities for traffic safety initiatives, including over $220,000 to three Moose Jaw-area municipalities.
The province — in partnership with SGI — approved 82 applications from those 79 communities, totalling $1,583,086, with nearly three-quarters of the projects focused on speed reduction measures.
The City of Moose Jaw received $100,000, the Town of Shaunavon received $22,603 and the Town of Assiniboia received $100,000, for a total of $222,603.
Shaunavon will use its funding for a school zone crosswalk safety initiative, Assiniboia will pursue a speed awareness and youth pedestrian safety project and Moose Jaw will pursue enhanced pedestrian crossings throughout the community.
“The 2025 grant funding will go towards three to four Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacon (RRFB) crossings — the city will provide locations at a later date,” a spokesman at city hall said by email.
The city received similar grant funding last year with one of four enhanced crossings installed at Second Ave Northeast and Manitoba Street, the email added. The remaining 2024 funding will go toward installing two RRFB crossings on Grace Street and one more at Thatcher Drive/Fourth Ave Northwest this spring.
"There are hundreds of municipalities in Saskatchewan, and every community has specific needs," MLA Jeremy Harrison, the minister responsible for SGI, said in a release.
"These grants are extremely beneficial because they fund safety improvements directly identified by each community. Thank you to everyone who took the time to apply for these grants and for working to make your communities safer."
Grants in this round of funding range from $197 to $100,000, while the maximum amount of funding municipalities and Aboriginal lands or territories can apply for is $100,000.
Provincial traffic safety fund grants are given to communities twice a year, using proceeds from photo speed enforcement, and since the program was established in 2019, the province has provided $13.1 million for 870 projects in Saskatchewan, the news release said.
Eligible projects must focus on one of the following traffic safety issues: speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, occupant protection, intersection safety, aggressive driving, vulnerable road users, or medically-at-risk drivers.
A committee comprised of representatives from the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, the Prince Albert Grand Council, the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Highways and SGI reviews all applications and then either approves or denies the requests.
The provincial traffic safety fund grant committee is accepting applications for the next round of funding, with the deadline being Monday, March 31.
Interested applicants should visit SGI's website for more information at www.sgi.sk.ca/community-grants-programs.
