(Image Credit: File photo/northeastNOW Staff)

By Cam Lee

Replacement comes in under budget

Nipawin Council greenlights purchase of grader

Apr 1, 2026 | 10:27 AM

The Town of Nipawin will be purchasing a new grader.   

Council has approved moving ahead with the purchase of a new motor grader for $395,671.95, taxes included, to replace their current unit. 

“We chose the option that made the most sense overall in terms of cost, reliability, and how it will perform for our needs,” General Manager of Operations and Engineering Services Jamie Fast told northeastNOW. 

Fast said the decision came down to the best value for the community. 

“The option we selected gives us strong performance and reliability, without overspending, and it fits what our operators need day to day.” 

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The current grader is a 2005 model, and Fast said the machine is getting older and requires more frequent repairs. He said they are seeing more downtime with their current grader, and that starts to affect how consistently the town can maintain roads. 

“This is one of the key pieces of equipment we rely on, especially during winter,” Fast explained. “Having something dependable means safer roads and fewer disruptions.” 

Fast said funding for the new grader will come from the capital budget, which is set aside for equipment replacement and long-term planning. 

Some good news for Nipawin and its residents is that the grader came under the budget they had set aside. The capital budget had allocated $415,691 for the grader replacement and an additional $19,000 for a grader wing. 

“It’s a great outcome,” Fast said. “Coming in under budget shows that we did our homework and made sure we were getting good value for taxpayers.” 

The Town will proceed with the purchase right away, and the goal is to have the grader in service as soon as possible, depending on delivery timelines. 

“At the end of the day, this is about making sure we can keep roads in good condition and respond when we need to. It’s an important investment in service for the community.” 

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cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com