Regina’s place brand takes centre stage for Grey Cup
With the Grey Cup Festival running this week in Regina followed by Agribition, Economic Development Regina (EDR) and its partners are promoting the city’s new place brand.
“Regina has a great story to tell about opportunity, growth, and optimism,” said Chris Lane, EDR president and CEO. “More than ever, Regina has an opportunity to take its place on the global stage and, together with our partners, we’re going to do exactly that.”
The partners – EDR, Regina Hotel Association, Tourism Regina, Harvard Diversified Holdings, the Regina Downtown Business Improvement District, and FrontRunner Technologies – will showcase EDR’s brand campaign through TV ads, targeted online advertising and promoted social media posts, window projection ads, a digital art installation, and a new landing page for Regina’s growth story – GrowYourWorldRegina.com.
The campaign features three key messages:
- Regina is the heartbeat of the new prairie economy: Already a global powerhouse in ag and food, Regina is a place of opportunity for residents, businesses, and investors to grow and prosper.
- Regina is a great place to make a home: Regina is a city where quality of life and community matter.
- Regina is the ultimate host city: Whether you are attending or hosting an event, our community rallies around you with energy and prairie hospitality. Proudly located on Treaty 4 land, Regina is a vital hub for trade, culture, and community.
The multi-platform campaign will run for several weeks, spanning two major events and showcase Regina to hundreds of thousands of people.
SaskTel invests in rural internet
On Nov. 15 the Government of Saskatchewan announced that SaskTel is investing an additional $100 million in its Rural Fibre Initiative to expand SaskTel infiNETservice to another 80 towns and villages in the province.
“Once we’ve completed these phases of the Rural Fibre Initiative, our infiNET network, which is already the largest fibre optic broadband network in the province, will reach approximately 80 per cent of all Saskatchewan households,” Doug Burnett, SaskTel president and CEO, said. “This, combined with the significant investments we are making to deploy our 5G wireless network will ensure we remain one of the most well-connected regions in the country while also helping to accelerate Saskatchewan’s transition to becoming a smart province.”
The Rural Fibre Initiative, first announced in 2020, is a multi-phase program to bring infiNET service “to over 110,000 residents and businesses living and operating in more than 130 rural communities,” according to the government. SaskTel anticipates communities included in the initiative will be fibre-ready by early 2025.
Pivot Furniture receives timber allocation
Saskatoon’s Pivot Furniture will receive a timber allocation of 101,000 cubic metres from the Government of Saskatchewan. The Saskatchewan tech company owns furniture design centres in Saskatoon and Prince Albert, and was awarded the allocation on Nov. 16.
“It is exciting that the Government of Saskatchewan is supporting the circular economy with this timber allocation,” Pivot co-founder Brendon Sled said. “This is a major signal for climate tech companies to consider investing in Saskatchewan.”
Unifor files for mediation with Mosaic
Unifor Local 892 announced on Nov. 17 that it has mediation because contract negotiations with Mosaic Potash Esterhazy Limited reached an impasse.
“Mosaic is a multi-national corporation that rakes in billions yet refuses to help its workers keep up with the cost of living,” said Unifor western regional director Gavin McGarrigle.
Collective bargaining commenced in March 22. Unifor represents 750 workers at the Esterhazy mine.
BDO Canada acquires PwC Canada’s Saskatchewan practice
BDO Canada announced on Nov. 16 it has acquired PwC’s Saskatchewan audit, accounting and tax practice. The PwC practice in Saskatoon, made up of three partners and approximately 40 professionals, joined BDO Canada officially on Nov. 16.
“Welcoming the PwC team to BDO is an important part of our efforts to expand our assurance, accounting, tax and advisory services for the Saskatchewan business community,” said Jim Krahn, partner, corporate growth and operational excellence.
The partners and professionals will remain in Saskatoon, with a satellite office in Humboldt.
“It’s been a pleasure to service our clients in Saskatoon and we would like to thank our partners and staff for their support over the years,” said Reynold Tetzlaff, managing partner Alberta & Prairies region. “Although PwC will no longer have a physical presence in Saskatoon, we will continue to have strong ties to the province and remain committed to our clients throughout Saskatchewan by continuing to build trust in society and solve important problems.”
MAS Gold Corp and Kitsaki Management Limited Partnership sign MOU
MAS Gold Corp. (MAS) announced on Nov. 15 it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Kitsaki Management Limited Partnership (Kitsaki) regarding the mining firm’s exploration activities in the La Ronge Gold Belt region.
According to MAS, the agreement “establishes a basis for maintaining a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship between MAS, Kitsaki, and its shareholder, which respects the rights and interests of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band and Kitsaki while supporting MAS’s exploration and development activities.” MAS hopes through collaboration with Kitsaki the company can work toward consent for its mining work in the region.
FSIN opens new office in Saskatoon
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) officially opened its new office in the Kahkewistahaw Landing, on land owned by the Kahkewistahaw First Nation in Saskatoon on Nov. 15. The ceremony was held with FSIN Regional Chief Bobby Cameron and the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, and the two leaders also signed a Statement on Joint Priorities that affirms Canada’s commitment to advancing the important and ongoing work toward reconciliation in partnership with First Nations in the province.
The FSIN office is the first building to open at Kahkewistahaw Landing, a 40 acre parcel of urban reserve land managed and developed by the band’s Kahkewistahâw Economic Management Corporation (KEMC).
