The provincial government is announcing new funding that will help communities transition from coal, centred on the Estevan and Coronach regions.
"This investment by the Government of Saskatchewan will develop a strong business environment in the communities that are most impacted by the federal government's decision to force the closure of coal power facilities by 2030," said Crown Investments Corporation Minister Dustin Duncan. "The funding will directly contribute to economic development and investment attraction, bringing new projects and ideas to grow local economies and keep these communities strong and vibrant."
The province is hoping to retain and develop a skilled workforce and technical expertise in both areas as the energy grid is changing across Saskatchewan.
This new funding is in addition to $10 million invested by the province back in 2020 to support coal transition in the area.
The investment will be distributed equally between areas - $5 million to Coronach and $5 million to Estevan.
"With the challenges imposed by the federal government's decision to force the shutdown of Saskatchewan's coal-fired power plants, retaining and reskilling the workforce in this sector through business opportunities in this region is crucial," said Highways Minister and MLA for Estevan Lori Carr. "Power generation has always been an important part of Estevan's economy, and with the recent SaskPower announcement that identified two high-potential Small Modular Reactor sites in the Estevan area, our community has many new opportunities to look forward to."
The government will send Coronach's investment to South Saskatchewan Ready, an economic partnership of nine rural communities and RMs in the Coronach region.
For Estevan, the money will be used by the Municipal Coal Transition Committee, comprised of representatives from the City of Estevan, RM of Estevan, RM of Coalfields, and the Town of Bienfait
Both organizations will be administering the new funding in partnership with local municipalities.