On August 14, 2013, the Ministry of the Economy (ECON) launched a public review of The
Surface Rights Acquisition and Compensation Act (the “current Act”). The current Act regulates
the relationship between surface rights holders and operators respecting access to the surface of
land for mineral exploration and development. It also establishes the Surface Rights Board of
Arbitration to resolve disputes between surface rights holders and operators on the terms of
surface access.

The current Act was introduced in 1968 and has remained largely unchanged despite significant
changes in the oil and gas and agricultural industries in recent decades. The review was initiated
to ensure that legislation continues to serve the needs of all property holders—surface and
mineral.

During the course of the public review, ECON received extensive feedback regarding the current
Act from a broad range of stakeholders. In response to these comments, ECON is preparing a
bill for introduction during the fall 2014 session of the Legislature of Saskatchewan to update
and modernize the current Act. This document sets out ECON’s current thinking on the potential
content of the bill.