Stimulating conversation
City has projects totalling $200M in federal program, $40M more than Regina
Saskatoon and Regina are set to embark on an unprecedented spending spree on local infrastructure, together allocating more than $360 million on projects meant to prop up the economy after the sharpest downturn in decades.
But which of the rival cities is spending more so-called stimulus dollars?
A breakdown of stimulus funding shows more federal infrastructure stimulus funding has been given to Saskatoon, a difference that can mostly be explained by per-capita population, officials said.
The City of Saskatoon is tackling projects totalling $167 million compared to projects totalling $139 million for the City of Regina.
That works out to $760 per capita in Saskatoon compared to $730 per capita in Regina using the most recent population figures.
When other projects in each city are accounted for -- such as upgrades to universities, colleges and funding for other local organizations -- Saskatoon will undertake more than $200 million in stimulus construction compared to more than $160 million in Regina.
The analysis includes money that has flowed through various programs under the new stimulus fund, announced in January, and the Building Canada infrastructure program, an older program that has seen its disbursements accelerated.
Critics have said the two-year limit on stimulus spending is causing a rush to build infrastructure, forcing cities to make hasty decisions and prompting construction prices to soar. Several municipalities have called on the federal government to relax its two-year limit.
CONSTRUCTION BOOM ANTICIPATED 
Regina will undertake $41 million in projects that have a completion date of March, 2011, $2 million more than in Saskatoon.
But here, it all adds up to a coming construction boom for the city, said Linda Andal, Saskatoon's financial policy and strategy analyst, with some projects already completed and many more to get underway across the city next year.
The city has the capacity to finish the projects on time, with final approvals coming soon, Andal said.
"There's no reason to worry if we can handle these projects," she said.
The 58 Saskatoon projects include a $21-million expansion of water reservoirs, $850,000 for LED screen upgrades at Credit Union Centre, along with dozens of smaller road and sidewalk repairs, upgrades to tennis courts and other recreational facilities, and the $51-million River Landing destination centre.
All those infrastructure projects won't stretch city coffers since they have financing in place through capital reserves, said Mayor Don Atchison. He was criticized during the election for taking on too many big projects, thereby increasing city debt.
"We had a lot of shovel-ready projects," Atchison said. "It's quite interesting that (Saskatoon and Regina) are relatively close now. I can imagine what the headlines would be if we hadn't participated and Regina gets $150 million more in projects than Saskatoon."
The city administration worked hard to secure funding and move capital projects forward from 2010 and 2011, he said.
A recent analysis showed Regina MP Ralph Goodale's riding -- the only Liberal riding in the province -- received about $4.8 million compared to $6.5 million in the riding next door.
The most telling arithmetic is going to come when a province-by-province analysis comes out, Goodale said Thursday, because Saskatchewan may be short-changed thanks to a strong economy and less perceived need.
The entire program should have been administered through the gas tax on a per-capita basis to ensure politics stayed out, he said.
"This whole program has unfortunately been skewed by politics from the very beginning," said Goodale.
"It's important for the whole country to be treated fairly."
SNAPSHOT: SASKATOON
STIMULUS GRANTS
$167 million
City: $84 million
Province: $25 million
Federal: $58 million
Key Projects
- Funding for destination centre: $51 million
- Credit Union Centre screen upgrades: $850,000
- Landfill gas collection: $10 million
- Twin Wanuskewin Road: $6.3 million
- Water main renewal: $9.1 million
Source: City of Saskatoon
SNAPSHOT: REGINA
Stimulus grants: $139 million
City: $70 million
Province: $20 million
Federal: $49 million
KEY PROJECTS
- Evraz Place redevelopment: $60 million
- Widening of Ross Avenue: $3.3 million
- Wastewater system for transit hub: $13.3 million
- Drainage system for transit hub: $4 million
- Arcola Avenue rehabilitation: $4.5 million
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Sorry, I think I got a little giddy with the bolding tool, but that's so exciting to hear such high-profile, mainstream figures declaring in the media that we're expecting a construction boom.... with projects
moved ahead from 2011 and 2010 .... to now? Even if these projects don't show themselves as (for instanace) gleaming, skyline-changing towers, they'll dump a bunch of money into the local economy, further strengthening our reputation as a place to invest.
Not sure why S-P took so many chances to flare up the Stoon-Regina rivalry. Seems kinda cheap.
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