A tire fire is very difficult to extinguish. With lots of fuel to keep it going, tire fires can burn for weeks, or even months.
The Sask Party has been trying to put out a metaphorical tire fire for a couple of years.
Tire Stewardship of Saskatchewan and the provincial government recently split the province-wide contract into two, north and south.
For the last 30 years Shercom Industrries in Saskatoon had been the only company in Saskatchewan tabbed with recycling tires from all corners of the province. It fought against the move, saying there isn’t room in Saskatchewan for two tire recyclers.
The Sask Party Government disagreed, and awarded the southern Saskatchewan contract through TSS to California based CRM (Crumb Rubber Manufacturers) which has a facility in Moose Jaw. That company had former Sask Party MLA Kevin Doherty lobbying the provincial government on its behalf.
Shercom did not bid on the northern tire recycling contract. It has been forced to layoff 60 employees, although some have been called back to work in other parts of the company.
Now, the NDP says tires are being shipped from Moose Jaw to a facility in Calgary for recycling.
“We should be putting local Saskatchewan businesses and workers first, not bankrolling American-based companies operating in Alberta. It’s common sense,” said NDP Leader Carla Beck in a statement to the media. “Premier Moe and his minister need to be straight with the people of Saskatchewan. It’s time for a change.”
The NDP points out Environment Minister Christine Tell was asked twice in April, if tires from Saskatchewan were being taken our of province to be recycled. Both times, Tell said “no”.