MOOSOMIN — On Friday, June 12 the Saskatchewan Highways Minister Kim Gartner announced the official opening of the truck pull out rest area expansion at the Moosomin Weigh Scales east of town.
The expansion is to provide easy access for breaks while travelling along the Number 1 Highway near the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border.
Minister Gartner highlighted the safety benefits for travellers along the Trans Canada Highway.
“This new $3.1 million truck pull out rest area is to enhance safety for truck drivers and motorists travelling Trans-Canada Highway 1, a key trade corridor supporting Saskatchewan’s export-based economy.
“This new facility near the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border provides a safe and convenient location for commercial truck drivers to inspect their vehicles and check their loads, along with giving all drivers an opportunity to take a break.”
He explains construction at the new pull out was completed this spring.
“The onsite construction began in September 2025 with the project completed in spring of 2026 adjacent to the existing Moosomin Vehicle Inspection Station. The truck pull out includes 24-hour, four-season washrooms with running water, garbage, and recycling receptacles, lighting, space for up to six turnpike double semi trucks, along with other truck and passenger vehicle parking.”
The Ministry and provincial trucking association are working toward building more truck stop areas around the province.
“The Saskatchewan Trucking Association has been working with the Ministry of Highways to review rest areas to meet the needs of our hardworking professional truck drivers,” says Gartner. “The work the organization does to advance safety, sustainability, and industry standards is important. It plays a key role in shaping a strong and reliable transportation sector in Saskatchewan.
“I want to also recognize the drivers. Every day, in all conditions, professional truck drivers are on Saskatchewan highways.”
The expansion at the Moosomin weigh scales is the first in the province.
“There are 200 rest stops in the province, but this is the first one with additional amenities such as washroom facilities,” Gartner explains. “It’s just completed this year, and we’re looking to complete two more. The ministry has work underway to develop similar rest areas on Highway 7 next to the existing Kindersley weigh scale, and along Highway 1 between the Alberta-Saskatchewan border and Swift Current.
“The Ministry has also invested more than $715,000 toward a pair of new electronic variable message signs activated this spring near Fleming and Grenfell along Highway 1.”
“These signs are to provide drivers in Saskatchewan more time to make a better-informed decision during winter storms about where to stop, including if Highway 1 is closed at the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border.”
Current highway construction in the area
Minister of Highways Kim Gartner lists the variety of highway construction happening in the area.
“Other projects and maintenance work has being underway in Southeast Saskatchewan. Eight kilometers of Highway 1 micro-surfacing in the Moosomin area. The $537,000 project was completed this spring. Seal coating on 27 kilometers of Highway 8 south of Moosomin. The $3.1 million project begins in late June and is expected to be completed this construction season. Micro-surfacing on 32 kilometers of Highway 9 north of Carlyle. The $1.44 million project was completed in May.
“There’s a lot of highway projects going on in this area, a lot of work taking place in the Moosomin area. It’s a very busy part of the province and our biggest goal at Highways is to have a safe, reliable, and sustainable transportation system. The highway system that we have is 26,500 kilometers. We do our budgeting as a province, not in specific areas. Moosomin has been very fortunate with the amount of investment in Highways, and we’re doing that all across the province.”
Over $35.5 million has been invested by the provincial government into transportation systems in Southeast Saskatchewan.
“From the truck rest area project, to variable message signs, to various maintenance work and projects, more than $35.5 million of investment work will occur to improve Southeast Saskatchewan’s transportation system.”
Safe place to stop
Minister Gartner explains the expansion at the weigh scales is in part to accommodate truckers during winter months when Manitoba may close their highways.
“We’re on a very busy section of highway, and it is not a practice we do in Saskatchewan, but Manitoba will close the highway due to weather, and sometimes travellers are caught in between with no place to go. So, this location is very important, so truckers and people travelling have a safe space to pull off the highway.
“That precipitated the discussion on the new pull out, and how we could help people have a safe place to stop. Then, with the weigh scale being here, and enough space for trucks to pull in, and motorists, as they’re traveling across the province, it’s just a logical place to have it.”
He says safety was the top priority. “One of the key reasons the pull out was needed is for safety. If you’re traveling long distances, you need a place to pull out and have a rest, the truckers need a place to pull in and check their loads, inspect their vehicles, they’re required under legislation to do that every so often, so this gives them a safe place to do it. They can use the washrooms, they can have a break, have a nap. It’s also a link for people traveling. So families with young children, they need a place to stop, this is a good place to do it.”
Minister of Highways Gartner says he enjoys his new role as Highways Minister for the province of Saskatchewan.
“I love highways. I love the ability to talk about infrastructure, and the sustainability of infrastructure.
“If you look at an asset, 20 per cent of the actual life cycle cost of an asset is the construction, 80 per cent of it is maintenance. So, when we build something, we have to make sure that we’re maintaining it, that extends the life of it, gets the most out of your dollars in your ability to maintain and produce and let people travel on highways.”
Saskatchewan Trucking Association
Susan Ewart of the Saskatchewan Trucking Association is happy to see the new truck pull out open at the Moosomin weigh scale.
“We are very excited to open the new weigh scale and washrooms outside of Moosomin.
“We know that the Moosomin weigh scale has been undergoing important upgrades, including replacing aging infrastructure to ensure accurate measurements and continued reliability. We are seeing continued investment in this region and across Saskatchewan, including enhancements to weigh scale sites, truck routes, and rest areas, reflecting how important this corridor is to trade and economic activity.”
She says the trucking industry is essential to Saskatchewan and the future growth of the province.
“Trucking is essential to Saskatchewan. The goods our families and businesses rely on every day move on these highways, and that means safety and compliance must always be a top priority for our members, for government, and for the public. Weigh scales and commercial enforcement play a critical role in supporting that shared priority. At the Saskatchewan Trucking Association, we are encouraged to see projects like this, and we look forward to continuing our work with the Ministry of Highways and our enforcement partners to build on this momentum. Together, we can ensure Saskatchewan remains a leader in safe, efficient, and responsible transportation.”
The Moosomin weigh scale expansion has been talked about since 2017. “We have been working with the Ministry of Highways collaboratively since about 2017, and so we’ve identified spots where it’s critical. Saskatchewan has the most roads in the country to try and manage, so we recognize that we have to be strategic in where these types of facilities are placed, and so this is one of those enhancements. I am really happy to see that.”
She says she was proud to be there for the opening of the truck pull out east of Moosomin.
“It’s definitely a proud moment when government and industry can come together and identify those needs. We just talked to a couple from BC, they wanted to know what was happening, so they stopped today to check it out. These types of things are very important, especially for professional drivers. They need a place to stop on the road. Their office is the open road, they need a safe place to stop, so these types of investments are really important.”
The Saskatchewan Trucking Association is hosting a free barbecue at the Moosomin Weigh Scales on July 16. Everyone is welcome.
