Grants and Contributions:

Sturgeon River Pedestrian Bridge

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$1,300,000.00

Feb 15, 2024 - Mar 31, 2026

Sturgeon Lake First Nation (SLFN) is a community of 1867 members living on Reserve 101, with more than 40% of those being between the ages of 0-19 and an additional 51% of members being between 20-64 years old. The current development patterns are a blend of rural and suburban development strategies, which resulted in a subdivision being located at each end of the community - more than 15 kilometers apart from one another, with the east subdivision complemented by the store and sprots grounds, and the west subdivision complemented by primary community services such as the school, Child and Family Services, the Health Clinic, to name a few. This development pattern results in a long commute for our members, many of which are reliant on social assistance and Band-owned housing to survive. Similar to most indigenous communities, SLFN members face a number of significant health challenges (ex. Diabetes, mental health, etc.) that stem from living in poverty and/or contending with intergenerational trauma caused by systemic failures over time. Unfortunately, our community has never been afforded the opportunity to provide a parks and network of safe pathways to promote healthy and active lifestyles and offer members opportunities to be healthy and to bypass automobile transportation for more active modes of transport. Over the past number of years, a concerted effort has been put towards improving our community to a level somewhat consistent to our municipal neighbours. We recognize a shift away from being auto-dependent will require educational components, which will be delivered as part of our Active Transportation Plan, but also the capital infrastructure to help bring convenience to the decision to shift away from our current auto-dependent mentality. For many years, our members have be relegated to walking along the 17 kilometer Sturgeon Lake Road, which serves as a transportation spine through our community. Our members contend daily with vehicles travelling at high rates of speed and billowing a cloud of exhaust, wind, debris and dust behind them. These conditions are not only unsafe, but are unhealthy for our community members who have no where else to gain safe access the daily services and programs our community administers. For time immemorable, our community members have been asking for a pedestrian bridge to be developed across the Sturgeon River, to offer a safe corridor from our east subdivision to the Sturgeon Lake Store, where groceries and other household items are sold, and the sports grounds where baseball, soccer and other sports are held. Currently, pedestrians are required to walk around on the Sturgeon Lake Road, crossing the Sturgeon River on a narrow two-lane bridge at the bottom of a valley and curve. There have been many near misses and incidents involving vehicles and pedestrians at this location in our community, with dusk, dawn and evening presenting the most significant risk.

Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

Shellbrook No. 493, Rural Municipality of, Saskatchewan, CA

278-2023-2024-Q4-00055

Contribution

Grants and Contributions

Multi-year award for fiscal years 2023-24 to 2025-26.

Sturgeon Lake First Nation

Active Transportation Fund