By Alice McFarlane

Funding for short line rail infrastructure to increase

Jun 18, 2025 | 1:52 PM

Short lines are a safe and efficient way to move bulk commodities, which reduces wear and tear on Saskatchewan highways.

The provincial government is allocating $1 million from the Ministry of Highways’ Short Line Railway Improvement Program (SRIP) for infrastructure like track upgrades and expansion, improved crossing surfaces and sightlines, bridge maintenance, and track rehabilitations. This is an increase of $470,000 from last year’s budget.

Thirteen provincially regulated short line railways operate on 2,123 kilometres of track in Saskatchewan.

Andrew Glastetter, the President of the Western Canadian Short Line Railway Association, said rising material costs over the last three years means that it is now more expensive per mile for railways to maintain tracks to meet and exceed the safety and performance standards required.

“A lot of the funding doesn’t necessarily go towards just the day-to-day maintenance. A lot of us are also working on infrastructure projects. We’re looking to build a business and explore trade and export opportunities,” he said. “So, sometimes we’re also looking into actually improving the track or bringing it up to faster speeds or being able to handle heavier axle loads so we can work one-on-one with the class line railways.”

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Funding allocations for 2025-26 are:

• Big Sky Rail (Delisle, Eston, Elrose region) $167,541.
• Carlton Trail Railway (Saskatoon to Prince Albert area) $71,391.
• Great Sandhills Railway (Swift Current to Leader area) $82,945.
• Great Western Railway (Assiniboia, Shaunavon, Coronach area) $250,073.
• Last Mountain Railway (Regina to Davidson) $56,122.
• Long Creek Railroad (west of Estevan) $45,000.
• Northern Lights Rail (west of Melfort) $45,000.
• Red Coat Road and Rail (Ogema area) $47,456.
• Southern Rails Cooperative (south of Moose Jaw) $45,000.
• Stewart Southern Railway (southwest of Regina to Stoughton) $54,471.
• Thunder Rail (Arborfield area) $45,000.
• Torch River Rail (Nipawin to Choiceland area) $45,000.
• Wheatland Rail (Cudworth, Wakaw area) $45,000.

Provincial grants provide up to 50 per cent of eligible project costs and are determined by how much track each short line owns. Short lines with less than 80 kilometres of track receive at least $45,000. Larger networks receive a proportional amount based on how much track they operate on.

As the SRIP is a 50-50 cost-sharing program between the provincial government and privately-owned short lines, the total short line rail infrastructure investment will be up to $2 million this year under this program.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com