Gov’t announces funding for correctional centres, community airports

Some of Saskatchewan’s correctional centres are to get $6.3 million worth of improvements through funding from the provincial government.

On Friday, the ministries of corrections and policing and justice announced the upgrades. The funding is part of the government’s two-year, $7.5-billion capital plan.

“These projects will modernize our existing facilities to ensure they provide a safe environment for staff and offenders,” Corrections and Policing Minister Christine Tell said in a media release. “A large portion of this investment will go toward modernizing programming that helps rehabilitate offenders.”

Among the projects are:

• The replacement of the Urban Camp and related facilities at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre ($4.6 million);
• The expansion of the Cultural Lodge program to the Regina Correctional Centre, Saskatoon Correctional Centre, Prince Albert Correctional Centre and Kilburn Hall Youth Centre ($920,000);
• Kitchen upgrades at the Regina Correctional Centre ($110,000); and,
• Razor wire upgrades at the Regina, Pine Grove, Saskatoon and Prince Albert correctional centres ($450,000).

As well, the province is spending around $150,000 to replace porcelain toilets in the detention area at the Regina provincial courthouse with stainless steel toilets and sinks designed to reduce any potential for self-harm.

The projects are to be completed over the next two years.

Community airports getting support

The provincial government also revealed the details of its increased investment in the Community Airport Partnership (CAP) program.

The province is investing $1.5 million in improvements to 15 community airports. Local matching dollars mean a $3-million investment in airport infrastructure.

The investment will result in improvements to the following airports:

• Esterhazy: $5,883 for runway and apron repairs;
• Humboldt: $12,500 for relocating power lines;
• Kindersley: $9,000 for crack filling runway and apron, surface repairs to taxiway;
• Leader: $36,172.50 for crack repair and slurry seal;
• Maidstone: $5,926.17 for crack sealing runway, taxiway and apron;
• Maple Creek: $43,965 for runway sealing;
• Melfort: $275,000 for full rehabilitation of apron;
• Moosomin: $275,000 for Phase 2 of runway construction;
• North Battleford: $135,000 for final phase of resurfacing main runway;
• Prince Albert: $241,500 for Taxiway F edge lighting, pull-pits, and information sign, Taxiway B installation of storm sewer and catch basins;
• Rockglen: $5,000 for bringing the airport back into service;
• Swift Current: $275,000 for paint markings, major rehabilitation of asphalt surfaces;
• Unity: $88,450 for runway resurfacing;
• Weyburn: $72,500 for full rehabilitation of main runway; and,
• Wynyard: $45,000 for repairing cracks, slurry seal and paint markings.