Sept. 26, 2025 – Today, the Government of Saskatchewan released the Economic Analysis for the Westside Irrigation Rehabilitation Project (WIRP), the first part of the overall Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Projects.
The analysis was done by KPMG LLP and 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. A conservative estimate of tax revenues to governments is projected to be upwards of $770 million with value added processing.
“Our government believes in supporting the economy by making sound investments to create a stronger Saskatchewan,” Minster Responsible for the Water Security Agency David Marit said. “This is only start of what could be done, we have a truly remarkable opportunity in front of us to create a better quality of life for all Saskatchewan people for generations to come.”
The overall GDP impact will increase significantly when factoring in the potential value-added benefits over a 50-year period. As seen in other jurisdictions, there is a direct connection to expanding irrigated acres and value-added processing investments.
“The Government of Saskatchewan continues to discuss the project with the federal government,” Marit said. “We are hopeful they will come as a funding partner as this project is a major economic benefit to the Canadian economy and our country’s food security.”
The work done by KPMG assessed the influence of increased crop production expenditures on GDP, employment, and taxes, using the 90,000-acre Westside Rehabilitation Irrigation Project.
As announced in the spring of 2024, the engineering and design of the WIRP is moving forward with the engineering firms of MPE and Stantec as the joint venture Prairie Engineering Partners.
The Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Projects are made up of three distinct projects: the Westside Rehabilitation, Westside Expansion, and the Qu’Appelle South Water Conveyance Project.
The current focus is on the WIRP as it expands and modernizes infrastructure constructed nearly 40 years ago to irrigate up to 90,000 acres of land.
For project updates and to view the report, click here.
Today, the Government of Saskatchewan announced the awarding of the next planning and engineering design work for Westside Irrigation Rehabilitation Project (WIRP) to Prairie Engineering Partners, a joint venture from Stantec and MPE engineering firms.
“Our government is committed to this project, and this is the next step in moving ahead the Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Projects to the construction phase,” Minister Responsible for the Water Security Agency David Marit said. “This project starts at the waters of Lake Diefenbaker but has the potential to create major benefits for all of Saskatchewan.”
In March, Premier Scott Moe announced the province is moving forward with constructing the early works of the first 90,000 acres of the Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Projects (LDIP). The WIRP is the first part of the overall LDIP. It will optimize the existing infrastructure and develop new infrastructure from Lake Diefenbaker to the Ardath-Swanson area near Conquest to create 90,000 acres of irrigated land.
A government team evaluated the proposals based on three main areas: technical criteria, financial costs and face-to-face interviews. Prairie Engineering Partners will be responsible for completing the fieldwork, planning and engineering to the next stage of project design.
The engineering, design and engagement with stakeholders and Indigenous rights holders is expected to be done over the next year with major construction of the 90,000 acres being targeted to start in 2025 to 2026.
Since 2020, over 58,000 acres of irrigation have been developed, the largest growth since the early 1980s. This is on track to achieve and exceed the goal of 85,000 acres in the Saskatchewan Growth Plan for 2030.
For media inquiries, contact: Patrick Boyle 306.631.6997 Patrick.Boyle@wsask.ca Water Security Agency Moose Jaw
Visit our open house on June 25, from 12pm to 7pm, at the Heritage Centre in Outlook to learn about the Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Projects and how we’re starting on the Westside.
In February 2021, Regina-based Clifton Associates Ltd. (Clifton) was selected to begin engineering work for the Westside Irrigation Project. Clifton will also be partnering with Stantec and Associated Engineering to start the Westside Projects.
Clifton’s team will complete the overall engineering preliminary design for Westside Rehabilitation and Expansion, projects 1 and 2. Their work is expected to take 12 to 18 months, and will inform the next project of work, including:
Preliminary engineering design for project 1 and 2
Geotechnical, soil suitability and geographical mapping
Environmental consulting services
Playing a central role in the extensive consultations with First Nations and other stakeholders, which will also start in the near future.
Clifton has spent more than a decade intensively involved in a variety of irrigation studies within Saskatchewan. They are among the most experienced engineering firms across Western Canada and have delivered on other large-scale infrastructure projects in the past. Clifton provides a strong team to review the environmental scope of the work required to complete the initial stages of the necessary provincial and federal regulatory approvals and permits. There will be careful assessment of potential impacts to environmental protection, downstream users, and communities, including consultations with First Nations and other stakeholders as part of the process.
