Northern Liberal MP and Secretary of State for Rural Development Buckley Belanger believes the north deserves a Northern Saskatchewan University.
Belanger, the MP for Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River was in Prince Albert on Friday to announce the formation of an exploratory process to examine the establishment of a Northern Saskatchewan University.
“In keeping with my emphasis and our northern emphasis on building a strong northern Saskatchewan, I am committed to expanding university opportunities for residents of the region,” Belanger said
“Local university training in the north is a critical piece of what I think is a required infrastructure to build a new north. Ladies and gentlemen, northern Saskatchewan needs this focus.”
The exploratory process will begin in early fall and culminate before the end of 2026 with a final report detailing options, strategies, and required steps towards establishing a Northern Saskatchewan University.
Belanger said it will help students trying to navigate post-secondary life.
“I think it is time that we not have an ad hoc approach,” Belanger said. “We need to improve our process for Northern Saskatchewan.”
Belanger said it was important to promote education at the local level and not require people to move.
“With the introduction of connectivity, with the ability of technology today, there’s no reason why we can’t strengthen Northern Saskatchewan from every single community throughout our province, so to those that think that business investment to the south is what we’re arguing against, the answer is absolutely no,” Belanger said.
Belanger said too many northern students are forced to leave home and relocate to southern Saskatchewan to pursue university degrees, taking on extra costs and challenges in the process.
Belanger said that any path toward establishing a Northern Saskatchewan University would ultimately require close collaboration with the Government of Saskatchewan, northern and Indigenous leadership, existing post-secondary institutions, industry, and other partners. This exploratory process is intended to bring those voices together, examine what is possible, and identify a practical path forward.
The process will be initiated by Belanger’s office in close coordination with Geordy McCaffrey, who brings over 30 years of experience developing university opportunities for Saskatchewan’s Indigenous and northern residents through his work with Gabriel Dumont Institute, the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Regina.
McCaffrey said northern Saskatchewan currently has several institutions offering programming, but described the system as fragmented.
“When you look at the landscape of the North, we have about five different institutions operating there,” McCaffrey said. “It’s kind of an ad hoc approach to university training. There’s a program here, a program there, and there’s no continuity.”
McCaffrey said the committee will look at options and consult with northern and Indigenous leaders, industry, existing post-secondary institutions and other stakeholders. He said the work could include examining different models, including the affiliated or federated college structures, as possible first steps.
“We’re looking at options and the best options to meet northern needs,” McCaffrey said. “Other jurisdictions all have northern universities. Saskatchewan becomes one of those agencies that, for whatever reason, does not yet.”
A team representing northern leaders, industry, and other stakeholders will be assembled to advise and guide this work. Belanger said that the entire team will be announced in the coming weeks. Belanger said that they will have 90 days to complete the work.
“We’ve asked them to do this within a 90-day period and as I mentioned, he’ll have some technical and political help with committee members that will be announcing early next week,” Belanger said.
McCafferty said they will not be looking at locations specifically because it is so early in the process.
“This is an exploratory process,” he said. “There’s been no commitments, albeit with infrastructure or communities. I think as an exploratory process, we want to get out and engage with 30 to 50 stakeholders in the field, find out from Indigenous leadership what their thoughts are, what their needs are, most importantly. Again, we want to identify champions
who want to develop a strong north and we’ll involve those people where we can in this process.”
Prince Albert Grand Council Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte was also on hand for the announcement. Hardlotte welcomed the announcement, but also understood it was the beginning of the process.
“I think it’s a very, very important announcement, and I thank the Minister, our MP, and I also thank the Government of Canada for this. They are part of this announcement,” Hardlotte said.
“I want to acknowledge also the province. They’ll be part of it. This is just a start. But everything that we accomplish has to have a starting point.”
Belanger said education will be central to his broader goal of changing how northern Saskatchewan is viewed, particularly as resource development continues in the region.
“We must create a University of Northern Saskatchewan. It is time,” Belanger said. “Every other northern jurisdiction across this country has one. Why can’t Northern Saskatchewan have one too?”
Belanger, Hardlotte and McCafferty all said that the lack of a dedicated university is leading to issues like a dire lack of trained teachers in primary and secondary education along with the chronic shortage of health professionals. They all also pointed to the need for professionals because of the growing mineral extraction in the north.
“I live in the north and I see the gaps and I see the problems and we’re not going to fix it without education and without higher learning,” Belanger said. “This is a critical piece of what I make reference to when I talk about building a new north and really radically pivoting from the direction we’re heading now.”
Further details on who will be on the committee will be announced in the coming weeks.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
