Water Security Agency Self Declares Westside Irrigation Project for Environmental Assessment

Water Security Agency Self Declares Westside Irrigation Project for Environmental Assessment

by | Apr 14, 2025 | News, Update

Today, the Water Security Agency announced it would be proactively self-declaring the Westside Irrigation Rehabilitation Project (WIRP) for a provincial environmental assessment.

“The Water Security Agency is committed to ensuring the environment is protected as this project develops through the provincial environmental assessment process,” Minister responsible for the Water Security Agency Daryl Harrison said. “We are committed to engaging with rights holders and stakeholders in an open and transparent way and this formalizes the work that we have started.”

Baseline data collection and the planning and design work will go into a proposal, which is then submitted to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment. Collecting feedback with rights holders and stakeholders through various engagements will help incorporate their input into the design of the project as part of the environmental assessment.

“Irrigation Saskatchewan is pleased to see this project moving forward and the government’s commitment to doing it in the right way,” said David Bagshaw, Chair of Irrigation Saskatchewan. “Our members are producers and strong stewards of the land they farm, and we believe in responsible irrigation expansion while protecting the environment.”

Announced in July 2024, the planning and engineering design work for WIRP is being worked on by Prairie Engineering Partners, a joint venture from Stantec and MPE engineering firms. Baseline work was commissioned as part of the environmental assessment field work for both aquatic and terrestrial components, including water quality and quantity.

WIRP has the potential to add 100,000 acres of irrigated land. A recent analysis of the 100,000-acre project was done by KPMG LLP. It shows an increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $5.9 billion while generating over 30,000 jobs (person years of employment) and 9,500 jobs during the construction phase.

For media inquiries, contact:
Patrick Boyle
Water Security Agency
306-631-6997
Patrick.Boyle@wsask.ca

Public Information Sessions

Public Information Sessions

by | Apr 1, 2025 | News, Uncategorized

As planning continues for the Westside Irrigation Rehabilitation Project – the Government of Saskatchewan will be hosting a pair of public information sessions to provide important information about the project, engage with the community, encourage open dialogue and gather valuable feedback to shape the future of the project.

The sessions will give the attendees a chance to learn about the scope of the Westside Irrigation Rehabilitation Project, what work is underway, any updates about the project and its anticipated benefits as well as the steps that are being taken to protect the environment while developing the project. Participants will be asked to share their thoughts, ask questions and provide input on a variety of topics.

The public information sessions are a critical component of this project, as they provide an avenue for open dialogue and feedback. The feedback gathered will be integral in refining the project design and addressing any potential concerns. The format of these sessions is designed to be interactive and informative, creating a platform for meaningful engagement.

The Westside Irrigation Rehabilitation Project aims to create approximately 100,000 irrigated acres by modernizing and expanding decades-old infrastructure. This scope includes updating 50 kilometers of underutilized canal infrastructure, building a new pump station and completing the Conquest Reservoir near the Village of Conquest. It’s an essential step toward creating water security to an area that has traditionally not had access to high-quality water resources.

Engineering and design work is already underway, with completion expected later this year. Major construction on the project is targeted for late 2026.

Westside Irrigation Rehabilitation Project
Public Information Sessions
April 15th, 2025
Conquest School located at 401 Pacific Ave, in Conquest, SK.
1:30pm and another at 6:00pm.

Choose the time that works best for you to come to learn about the project and provide your input on this important initiative.