The Saskatchewan government is increasing its investment in the Saskatchewan Highway Patrol (SHP) by more than $700,000 this year, a move officials say will put more officers on the road to disrupt organized crime and improve commercial vehicle safety.
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The 2026-27 provincial budget allocates $8.5 million to the SHP, up from $7.8 million the previous year. The funding boost will allow the agency to hire five additional traffic officers, expanding its operational capacity across the province’s highway network.
Community safety minister Michael Weger said the investment is a key part of the province’s strategy to deter unsafe driving and criminal activity.
“Keeping Saskatchewan strong, safe and secure means ensuring we have the right people and the right tools,” Weger said in a statement Monday. “This investment strengthens enforcement and supports the Saskatchewan Highway Patrol in protecting Saskatchewan families, communities and roadways.”
Targeting Contraband and Organized Crime
A primary focus of the increased funding is the disruption of illicit supply chains. Since 2022, the SHP has seized more than 78.3 million illicit cigarettes. In the 2025-26 fiscal year alone, officers intercepted nearly 30 million unstamped cigarettes, representing:
- $15 million in estimated street value.
- $8.7 million in recovered tax revenue for the province.
Superintendent Greg Park said the additional resources will allow the patrol to respond faster to calls for assistance and better protect the province’s commercial corridors.
“With more enforcement capacity on our highways, we can ensure unsafe vehicles are removed from the road and disrupt criminal activity that tries to move through our province,” Park said.
Commercial Vehicle Safety
The SHP also reported significant enforcement numbers for the 2025-26 period. Officers conducted more than 8,000 commercial vehicle inspections, resulting in:
- Nearly 30 per cent of vehicles being pulled out of service due to mechanical defects.
- More than 4,000 tickets issued for various violations.
The patrol is part of the provincial Protection Response Team (PRT), alongside the RCMP, conservation officers, and the Saskatchewan Marshals Service. The new funding is expected to improve the SHP’s ability to support the RCMP during emergency calls involving drug trafficking, serious collisions, and property crimes.
The provincial government stated the investment aligns with its Growth Plan for 2030, which anticipates Saskatchewan’s population reaching 1.4 million, leading to increased commercial traffic and infrastructure demands.
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