Sask. government called upon to fix crumbling Highway 9 near Hudson Bay
CBC
The provincial government is neglecting the highway heading into Hudson Bay, Sask., from the south, according to Kelly Stonehouse.
"I've never seen ruts in asphalt before and we've got them. We've got lumps, we've got ruts, we've got humps, we've got holes, we've got cracks, we've got crumbling," said Stonehouse, who lives in Hudson Bay and is a town council member.
Stonehouse wants the provincial Ministry of Highways to overhaul Highway 9 near the community. It's no secret the ramshackle road needs more than a simple tune up.
The stretch of road made CAA Saskatchewan's infamous list of "Top Ten Worst Roads" this year. It clinched the third spot in 2021, moving up from its fifth place spot in 2018.
A spokesperson for the provincial Ministry of Highways said "routine maintenance was completed this summer on this section of Highway 9 to repair cracks, potholes and surface breaks. Spot sealing was also completed."
Stonehouse said routine maintenance is all well and good, but it doesn't last.
"This isn't a shot at our local guys at the Highways Department. They're doing the best they can," he said. "But at this point, they're like shooting BBs at a tank.… they don't have the big equipment to strip it down and actually give it the work it needs. All they can do is just patch the holes until the next six semis pull it back up."
The road is frequented by heavy logging trucks driving through the east-central town in Saskatchewan.
Stonehouse said the government won't offer up concrete answers about when serious road work might begin. Furthermore, it doesn't appear to be a priority.
"It's not even just that we're not getting it fixed today, as far as I know, there's no plan to fix it in the next few years."
The Ministry of Highways spokesperson confirmed that the government has no plans to accelerate major upgrades to the road unless they secure a "potential partnership" for the work.
Stonehouse and other locals reached out to the ministry earlier this year with their concerns. He wants Highways Minister Fred Bradshaw — who is also the MLA for the area — to hear their concerns directly.
"What we get is generic letters ... 'we're working on it' or 'I don't have an answer for you,'" he said. "A lot of people in town, they just want something that makes it seem like the Sask. Party and Mr. Bradshaw are actually trying to help with this problem."
The spokesperson said the ministry will continue to "monitor" this road on a regular basis. They said roadways are prioritized for construction based on several factors, including the quality of the roadway as well as daily traffic counts.
A surgeon who used to work at Flin Flon's hospital says residents in the northwestern Manitoba city have been left in a precarious situation after more than five years without general surgery services.
Moubarak Bokhit Ali's memories of his home country of Sudan are punctuated by flashes of violence.
The man behind the Moose Jaw health centre that has claimed “a 100 per cent success rate in stopping the progression and in restoring function of people with ALS” says a recent CBC story about his company is evidence that he is seen as “a direct threat to the ALS drug industry.”
The Neighbour to Neighbour Centre’s trans and non-binary grocery program, which offers free food and household products to community members once a month, began with a simple question: how do we get free menstrual products to trans people without being awkward?
Bill Van Vugt is living a life that's unlike most other people his age, and one which has seen him turn a longtime hobby into championship gold.
The provincial government is taking steps toward improving Alberta's lucrative sand and gravel industry.
As medical labs across Ontario remain understaffed, one medical association is calling on the province to expand labs’ capacity for student placements by funding positions to train them.
The year wrapping up means it's getting closer to tax season, and the federal Community Volunteer Income Tax Program will once again be offering free filing services for Islanders with modest incomes.
It's not so easy to remove a politician from office between elections in Canada.
Natasha Martin-Mitchell says creating art gives her a sense of calmness that acts as a medicine during stressful times.
Gabriel Vilardi scored twice and star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 24 saves in his first game back from injury to power the Jets to a 5-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Saturday that snapped Winnipeg's three-game losing skid.
Alberta’s auditor general Doug Wylie says his office's budget will be $1.5 million short next fiscal year.
British Columbia has filed a civil claim against e-cigarette giant Juul Labs, alleging the company developed highly addictive nicotine products and fuelled youth nicotine addiction with “deceptive marketing practices.”