Saskatchewan
Thirteen provincially regulated short-line railways run connected implicit 2,100 kilometres of way successful Saskatchewan. It's an alternate to Class 1 lines like Canadian National Railway. The smaller trains transport goods to the larger obstruction lines.
13 regulated short-line railways run much than 2,100 kilometres of way successful Sask.
Laura Sciarpelletti · CBC News
· Posted: Jun 17, 2025 7:30 PM EDT | Last Updated: 40 minutes ago
The Saskatchewan authorities highlighted its caller summation in funding for short-line railways astatine a quality league on Tuesday, but an adept and the province's Opposition accidental the manufacture needs more.
In the 2025/2026 budget, released successful March, the state raised its backing for short-line obstruction to $1-million — an summation of $470,000, oregon 88 per cent, from past year's budget.
Thirteen provincially regulated short-line railways run connected much than 2,100 kilometres of way successful Saskatchewan. It's an alternate to Class 1 lines like Canadian National Railway. The smaller trains transport goods to larger obstruction lines.
"We are the archetypal mile and past mile of the operation. So our occupation is to enactment producer agricultural products similar fertilizer, springiness them a spot wherever they tin load and unload, and get that merchandise to a market," said Glenn Pohl, elder railway specializer with Xpert Railway Consulting, connected Thursday.
Highways Minister David Marit said connected Tuesday that the authorities recognizes the cardinal relation obstruction proscription plays successful supporting Saskatchewan's export-based economy. That, helium said, is wherefore it chose to re-announce the $1-million from the budget.
"Short-line railways are an integral nexus that assistance determination our commodities to markets astir the world," Marit said.
He added that short-lines are a harmless and businesslike way to determination bulk product, reducing wear and teardrop on Saskatchewan highways.
Upgrades and expansion
Funding from the Ministry of Highways' Short Line Railway Improvement Program (SRIP) volition beryllium utilized for way upgrades and expansion, upgrades connected crossing surfaces, span maintenance, way upgrades and different projects.
According to the province, SRIP is simply a 50-50 cost-sharing programme betwixt the provincial authorities and privately-owned short-lines, meaning full backing for short-line obstruction infrastructure is acceptable to beryllium $2-million this twelvemonth nether the program.
Saskatchewan's Opposition NDP says much wealth should spell to short-rail infrastructure.
On Thursday, Opposition Leader Carla Beck called connected the national and provincial governments to enactment unneurotic to enactment expanding short-line obstruction arsenic captious trade-enabling infrastructure.
"Since the precise opening of the threats from our neighbours to the south, radical successful this state person been talking astir the value of gathering retired commercialized infrastructure, reducing our reliance connected the United States," Beck said.
"One happening we request to guarantee is that we get [our] world-class products to marketplace efficiently."
Pohl said Xpert Railway Consulting is grateful for the province's $1 million, but that it's not enough. That wealth is divided betwixt the 13 Saskatchewan railways.
"The short-line manufacture has galore challenges — infrastructure growth, attraction costs, spot taxation — but it's becoming much important to the web wrong the network, to supply an enactment to complement our Class 1 partners connected archetypal and past mile service," Pohl said.
"Our proviso concatenation volition flourish with the maturation of short-lines, inter-provincial utilization, and concern partners. Our proviso concatenation needs america much than ever and we are present acceptable to turn and service those needs."
Meanwhile, Andrew Glastetter, president of the Western Canadian Short-line Railway Association and wide manager of the Great Western Railway of Saskatchewan, said helium is blessed with the magnitude of backing the state has allocated to short-line.
"I don't deliberation we privation to beryllium seen arsenic each lined-up with our hands out," Glastetter said.
Like Beck, Glastetter said the Great Western Railway of Sask. is keen to look extracurricular the state for much ways to fortify its short-line railways.
"Our relation is precise robust successful the proviso concatenation and we're really looking for growth. How bash we lend further to the proviso concatenation and look to assistance turn commercialized and export?" helium said.
"One of our adjacent steps is to really enactment much astatine the national level."
Provincial funding allocations for 2025-26
- Big Sky Rail (Delisle, Eston, Elrose region) - $167,541.
- Carlton Trail Railway (Saskatoon to Prince Albert area) - $71,391.
- Great Sandhills Railway (Swift Current to Leader area) - $82,945.
- Great Western Railway (Assiniboia, Shaunavon, Coronach area) - $250,073.
- Last Mountain Railway (Regina to Davidson) - $56,122.
- Long Creek Railroad (west of Estevan) - $45,000.
- Northern Lights Rail (west of Melfort) - $45,000.
- Red Coat Road and Rail (Ogema area) - $47,456.
- Southern Rails Cooperative (south of Moose Jaw) - $45,000.
- Stewart Southern Railway (southwest of Regina to Stoughton) - $54,471.
- Thunder Rail (Arborfield area) - $45,000.
- Torch River Rail (Nipawin to Choiceland area) - $45,000.
- Wheatland Rail (Cudworth, Wakaw area) - $45,000.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Laura is simply a writer for CBC Saskatchewan. She is besides the assemblage newsman for CBC's virtual roadworthy travel bid Land of Living Stories and big of the arts and civilization vigor file Queen City Scene Setter, which airs connected CBC's The Morning Edition. Laura antecedently worked for CBC Vancouver. Some of her erstwhile enactment has appeared successful the Globe and Mail, NYLON Magazine, VICE Canada and The Tyee. Laura specializes successful quality interest, arts and wellness attraction coverage. She holds a maestro of journalism grade from the University of British Columbia. Send Laura quality tips astatine [email protected]