Safety Fund projects help drive traffic safety in 92 Saskatchewan communities

Posted on 5 January 2022 by Ryan Dahlman

A total of 98 applications across 92 Saskatchewan communities will benefit from traffic safety initiatives, thanks to the latest round of funding from the Provincial Traffic Safety Fund Grant program. Communities will receive grants ranging from $502 to $53,685, for a total of $1.18 million.

The funding will help communities manage speed, improve school zone safety, and install pedestrian crosswalks in rural, urban and Indigenous communities across the province. A full list of approved projects and grant amounts is attached.

“The Provincial Traffic Safety Fund Grant program is incredibly important in funding projects to improve safety on Saskatchewan roads,” Minister Responsible for SGI Don Morgan said. “I’d like to thank all communities for applying, and for the work they do to reduce traffic collisions, injuries and fatalities in our province.” 

Provincial Traffic Safety Fund grants are awarded to communities twice a year, using a portion of the proceeds from Photo Speed Enforcement (PSE) in the province.

Since the Provincial Traffic Safety Fund was established in 2019, a total of 407 community traffic safety projects have now been funded, totalling nearly $5 million.

Eligible traffic safety initiatives (including projects, equipment, programs, and public awareness) must focus on one of the specified priority areas: speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, occupant protection and intersection safety. 

Submissions are evaluated by a PSE Committee made up of representatives from the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, the Prince Albert Grand Council, the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Highways, and SGI. 

Applicants must submit a well-defined action plan as well as specific, measurable traffic safety objectives and evidence-based information. 

The Provincial Traffic Safety Fund Grant program will start accepting applications for the next round of Traffic Safety Fund grants on Jan. 1, 2022. The deadline for applications is March 31, 2022. For more information, visit SGI’s website at https://www.sgi.sk.ca/community-grants-programs.