Highway Transportation in the Moose Jaw Region

Saskatchewan follows a fixed central time zone year round.  The City of Moose Jaw is located, halfway between Calgary and Winnipeg on the Trans Canada Highway #1.  Highways#2 and #39 also connect Moose Jaw to major U.S. markets.  There is a three-day trucking service to Montreal, Toronto, and the eastern seaboard, a two-day service from Vancouver and Chicago, and overnight service from Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Minneapolis.  Each of these major all weather highways provide a fast and safe way of transporting bulk products.

Topography

Moose Jaw lies at the eastern edge of the Missouri Coteau,at an elevation 550 metres (1,800 feet) above sea level. The Coteau separates the flat Regina Plain to the east, and gently rolling landscapes of the Alberta Plateau to the southwest.

The Regina Plain represents the bottom of a glacial lake that covered the area after the last Ice Age. It provides some of the best and most productive agricultural land in Saskatchewan. The hundreds of lakes and pothole sloughs offer an ideal habitat for wildlife and waterfowl.

The largest lake in the area is Lake Diefenbaker, a reservoir formed behind the South Saskatchewan River Dam. Thirty kilometres north is the Qu’Appelle River Valley and Buffalo Pound Lake. The lake attracts water sports and fishing enthusiasts, while the adjacent valley slopes provide opportunity for skiing, hunting, nature interpretation, and wildlife viewing. A large Provincial Park provides campgrounds, swimming and picnic areas.

Two hours south of Moose Jaw, near the American border, is the Big Muddy Valley and spectacular Badlands, characterized by high plateaus and rolling hills.

The City of Moose Jaw is situated beside Moose Jaw Creek and Thunder Creek. Spreading across uplands and valleys, Moose Jaw provides a most attractive mix of urban development on the uplands, and park and open space in the valleys.

The Moose Jaw area soils are comprised of a mixture of clay loams, silty clays, and clays. These soils are naturally very fertile and are ideal for cereal cropping and livestock production.

Traffic Patterns

Highways

Average daily traffic on the Trans Canada Highway east of Moose Jaw exceeds 9,400 vehicles, reflecting the volume of trucking and commuter traffic between Moose Jaw and Regina. Traffic volumes on the Trans Canada west average 4,449 daily, and traffic on Highway #2 north and south averages 1,200 to 1,800 daily.

Bus

Bus service connections for passengers or freight are provided daily by Greyhound Bus Lines and the Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC). Greyhound connects directly to major Canadian cities east and west, while STC connects to Regina, Saskatoon, and smaller Saskatchewan centres.

Hobo Express is a shuttle service for passengers and freight between Moose Jaw and Regina and offers door to door service.

Trucking

Trucking service is supplied direct to Moose Jaw by Saskatchewan, national, and international firms. These services include grain and livestock haulers, fuel and bulk commodities carriers, refrigeration units, gravel trucks, and flat beds.

Three-day service from Toronto or Montreal, two-day service from Vancouver or Chicago, and next day service from Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg and St. Paul gives Moose Jaw businesses the ability to economically balance their inventory and provide excellent customer service.

Railways

The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) Mainline runs through Moose Jaw linking the City to Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal for direct rail freight services, as well as the regional centres including Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg. CP Rail offers intermodal benefits combining rail and truck service to final destinations. Moose Jaw is the Canadian terminus of the Soo Line to Minneapolis and Chicago. The Soo Line is a subsidiary of CP Rail and allows for connection to centres throughout the U.S. northeast. In 1999 CP Railway constructed a high-speed refueling facility in Moose Jaw. This makes Moose Jaw the only major refueling centre between Vancouver, BC, Chapleau, ON, and Glenwood, Minn and the largest main line fuel facility on CPR's North American network.

The Canadian National Railway Moose Jaw yard links to CN's Transcontinental mainline in Melville, Saskatchewan enabling access to all parts of North America. The company operates approximately 16,700 route miles (26,800 kilometres) of track in Canada and the United States. Revenues are generated from a diversified and balanced portfolio of 8 commodity groups: petroleum and chemicals, forest products, intermodal, automotive, grain, coal, metals, minerals and equipment, and fertilizer

CN Rail has more than 85,000 railcars for various shipping purposes. CN Rail employs approximately 23,500 people in Canada and the United States.

Container Port

The first container port specializing in Agri-Products opened in Moose Jaw in 2003. The first of its kind in North America, the terminal is designed to assist the shipment of agricultural products from the producer to the buyer.  Operations were suspended in 2005.

Airlines

Airline service provided through Regina International Airport is serviced by major national and regional airlines with connections to major Canadian,U.S. cities and sun destinations in Mexico and the Carribean. Air charters and rental firms supply service connections to northern Saskatchewan and smaller regional airports. Airlines offering service in/out of Regina:

Moose Jaw's municipal airport has licensed airport facilities. A 900 metre paved and lighted runway can handle aircraft up to 6,000 Kg. Facilities include flying instruction, repair shops, charter services, aircraft rental, crop spraying and fuel.