Preparations Underway for Link to Fort McMurray

Preparations Underway for Link to Fort McMurray

Monday, February 09, 2004 at 15:47

Business and community leaders in northwest Saskatchewan are trying to make sure they’re ready for the completion of a link connecting La Loche and Fort McMurray.

Last week, Premier Lorne Calvert announced that he had received assurances from Alberta Premier Ralph Klein that the long-awaited Alberta portion of the highway would be in place by next year.

Northwest Economic Development Council co-chair Isadore Campbell says he isn’t sure if the region is ready to handle the increased traffic that will result from the new link.

Campbell says his group has been lobbying the provincial government for things like better roads to accomodate the expected tourism expansion, but he says the government has been slow to respond.

Campbell says northern communities were left out of the loop when the first uranium mines were developed and that’s why they want to be front and centre when the link to Fort McMurray produces its expected spinoffs.

Campbell says, among other things, his group is trying to encourage west side businesses in the hospitality industry to make sure their level of service is up to standard.