The one thing missing from the provincial budget, which many were hoping for, was the announcement of capital funding for the new hospital in Weyburn. The work isn’t set to start for the time being, which Weyburn Big Muddy MLA Dustin Duncan explained is due to the current status of the project.

“It’s hard to put capital dollars into a project that isn’t yet completed the planning,” Duncan, who is also the Minister of Environment and the Minister Responsible for SaskPower, told Discover Weyburn Tuesday afternoon. There were new capital projects announced as part of the healthcare spending. There was some money announced for other projects which are currently underway in Saskatoon and North Battleford. “In my mind, there’s two projects which are still under planning that will be the next to be funded when the dollars are available and Weyburn is one of them.”

The budget didn’t include any increases in tax rates in the province, and as expected, did not include a carbon tax.

Duncan said there were a lot of mentions of the Weyburn area in the budget. There is $12.2 million coming to the city for the construction of the new elementary school at the site of the old junior high school.

“I think it continues a long line of education construction projects that this government has done in Weyburn,” Duncan said, pointing out the work done at Weyburn Comprehensive School, as well as work at the Southeast College.

There was also money invested in the starting of the twinning and passing lanes work which is expected to be done on Highways 39 and 6. It will begin with passing lanes along Highway 6 just south of Regina. Highway 35 will also receive work south of Weyburn, and construction will be done along Highway 13 from Weyburn heading to the junction with Highway 6.

“We have a lot of important highway links coming in and out of Weyburn, so we’re going to see significant work, not just this year, but I think it will begin a couple of years of important work right across the Weyburn area,” Duncan further related.

Duncan also addressed the restoration of the Grants-in-lieu program, which sees money from SaskEnergy and SaskPower paid to the city in lieu of property taxes for the buildings the Crown corporations own within the city. Weyburn will be receiving a total of $465,000 in funding from the provincial government through transfer payments.