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REGINA — Crews are mobilizing on project sites in communities around the province, as part of government's record $3.2 billion capital plan.

The Government of Saskatchewan is investing $1.4 billion in capital projects this year, which includes $156.6 million in health care capital, $168.6 million in education capital, $31 million in post-secondary infrastructure, $479.5 million in transportation infrastructure, $268.6 million in transfers to municipalities to support infrastructure projects and $291.8 in government services infrastructure.

"Communities throughout the province will see construction crews hard at work on projects funded through this year's record capital plan investment," SaskBuilds and Procurement Minister Jim Reiter said.  "We are building, expanding and improving the schools, hospitals, long-term care centres, parks and transportation infrastructure that improve quality of life, support economic growth and job creation, and make Saskatchewan attractive to private sector investment."

In Lloydminster, crews from Saskatoon-based Quorex Construction have begun work on the $28.8 million expansion and renovation of Lloydminster Comprehensive High School and are also working on a $10 million expansion and upgrade project at Holy Rosary High School. In Yorkton, crews from Regina-based Westridge Construction Ltd. have begun work on the $19.1 million roof replacement and upgrades to Yorkton Regional High School.  In Clavet, crews from Regina-based Hipperson Construction are hard at work on a $5 million upgrade to Clavet Composite School. 

In Regina, crews from Graham Construction, founded in Moose Jaw, have begun work at the site of Regina's new Urgent Care Centre, with full construction expected to start this spring and be largely completed early next year. Quorex Construction crews are also hard at work in Regina on a new joint-use facility with two elementary schools to replace Argyle Elementary and Ecole St. Pius X schools.

In Saskatoon, PCL Construction Management Inc., originally founded in Stoughton, is getting ready to begin preliminary site preparation work this spring for the new remand expansion at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre. 

Construction is nearing completion on several projects at parks around the province and will soon be open for the public: 

• New day use pavilions at Pike Lake, Buffalo Pound, Blackstrap and Echo Valley provincial parks;
• Upgrades to the Visitor Resource Centre at Echo Valley Provincial Park;
• Renovation and redevelopment of the former ski chalet at Buffalo Pound Provincial Park to create a new Visitor Interpretive Centre;
• Natural playgrounds at Duck Mountain and Great Blue Heron provincial parks;
• Water system upgrades at Candle Lake Provincial Park; and,
• Expansion of the Lac La Ronge Provincial Park Boat Launch facility and access road near Stanley Mission.

Work is expected to begin later this fiscal year on even more education and health facilities, including new elementary school replacement and consolidation projects in Blaine Lake, Carrot River, La Loche, Lanigan, Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Regina and Saskatoon as well as a new long-term care centre in La Ronge. 

Two important health care projects are currently in procurement: a new general hospital in Weyburn and the expansion and redevelopment of Prince Albert Victoria Hospital, while more than a dozen projects in the education, post-secondary, health and parks sectors are proceeding with planning, design or tendering:

• New elementary school replacement and consolidation projects in Harbour Landing and North Regina and in Saskatoon; 
• The Saskatchewan Polytechnic Saskatoon Campus renewal project;
• Renovation of the University of Saskatchewan dental clinic in Saskatoon;
• Retrofit Great Plains College Auditorium in Swift Current; 
• A new Urgent Care Centre in Saskatoon;
• Long-term care projects in Grenfell, Estevan, Regina and Watson;
• Replacement of the Yorkton Regional Health Centre;
• A new parkade at Regina General Hospital;
• Replacement of service centres at Duck Mountain and Sask Landing Provincial Parks;
• Replacement of the pedestrian bridge at Candle Lake Provincial Park;
• Road improvement projects at Battlefords Provincial Park and Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
• Water and wastewater upgrades at Rowan's Ravine, Moose Mountain, Saskatchewan Landing, Meadow Lake, Echo Valley, Porcupine Hills Provincial Parks; and 
• Accessibility improvement upgrades at Buffalo Pound Provincial Park and Regina Beach Recreational Site.

This year's capital investment of almost $3.2 billion, combined with close to $12 billion projected for the next four years, is a significant step toward meeting the Growth Plan commitment to invest $30 billion in infrastructure by 2030.