Farmers forced to find better roads to move grain, cattle
KAP makes better roads a top priority for provincial election campaign advocacy
The Keystone Agricultural Producers has sent four major political parties a survey and one of the three priorities focuses on the condition of municipal and provincial roads in this province.
KAP has asked that the parties return the surveys with answers to questions about improving the way education now is funded on property, the impact of climate change policies on agricultural producers and the level of the highways capital budget – the current government cut highways budgets since 2016 and it now sits at $350 million. In 2015-16, the province’s actual expenditure on highways was $628 million.
“Farmers have reported that due to deteriorating municipal and provincial roads, they have been forced to alter their routes when selling their grain to market of moving livestock, which increases both costs and emissions,” the survey notes. It then asks:
Would your government spend more than $350 million on new highway capital each year over the course of your four-year mandate?
“We sympathize with Manitoba’s farmers; we know at this budget level the province cannot adequately maintain its deteriorating highways and municipal roads,” MHCA Chris Lorenc said.
“Decaying roads and inadequate maintenance cost everyone – farmers, families, businesses – more money, ultimately, because of increased transportation costs, and equally important is the cost to Manitoba’s economy because our economy depends on trade, which rides on roads.”
The MHCA has sent its own questionnaire to the leaders of the province’s three main political parties, seeking replies to questions about the highways capital budget, strategic investment in our trade transportation system and assistance to municipalities, which cannot afford to maintain and build core infrastructure on their own.
To read KAP’s survey click here.
