For immediate release: May 9, 2025
Sask. Party’s attempts to rescue ridiculous transportation hub sees $7M wasted in bidding war with City Council
The Saskatchewan NDP is demanding the Minister responsible for the beleaguered GTH formally apologize for robbing Regina taxpayers of nearly $7 million and risking a much-needed second Costco location for the region.
Regina City Council had been negotiating to put the city’s second Costco in Westerra when the GTH put forward a more lucrative offer to move the store to the GTH.
Ultimately, City Council was forced shell out nearly $7 million to keep the original location in Westerra, but not before lambasting the Sask. Party for engaging in a bidding war using taxpayer dollars.
“The Sask. Party should be ashamed of itself, for risking Costco and wasting taxpayer dollars,” said Jared Clarke, Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister for Municipal Affairs.
“The damage is done — clearly there are no bounds to the lengths the Sask. Party will go to rescue the GTH boondoggle, even engaging in a bidding war with another level of government, the City of Regina, where only the people of this province lose out.
“I am calling on the Minister responsible for the GTH Dave Marit to stand in the Legislature on Monday and apologize to the people of this province.”
When the Sask. Party created the GTH, Sask. Party donors made huge profits buying and selling parcels of land, costing taxpayers millions. Sask. Party cabinet minister Bill Boyd oversaw the scandal and the independent Provincial Auditor found that the government failed to follow best practices for buying land for the GTH and Regina Bypass. The Sask. Party repeatedly blocked calls from the NDP for key officials to testify at committee about the scandal and the Sask. Party voted against an independent public inquiry in 2019.
“If the Minister refuses to find his feet and apologize for this mess, it will show just how little the Sask. Party cares about the very people that elected them,” Clarke said. “I am warning the Minister here and now that I will be demanding a formal apology on Monday when the Legislature sits.”
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