Prince Albert took what leaders described as a breakthrough step toward its long-planned Convention and Cultural Event Centre on Friday, securing a $15 million federal commitment while reinforcing a shared ownership partnership with Woodland Cree Nations.
The funding announced at the Lake Country Co-op Leisure Centre comes through the federal Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program and marks the first major contribution toward the proposed facility in the city’s Yard District.
Federal Secretary of State for Rural Development Buckley Belanger said the investment reflects the kind of infrastructure that strengthens communities over time.
“Good infrastructure helps communities grow,” Belanger said, describing the centre as an energy-efficient and fully accessible space that will bring people together for events, trade shows, and gatherings.
A site map showing future development plans for the area around the proposed Convention and Cultural Event Centre.
Mayor Bill Powalinsky called the announcement “a breakthrough moment” for a project more than a decade in the making.
“We finally have secured the first funding, a big step forward,” Powalinsky said. “This adds the next dimension of our hub status.”
The mayor said the facility would position Prince Albert to host concerts, cultural events, pow wows, conventions, and potentially major sporting events, reinforcing its role as a northern hub for healthcare, education, transportation, and government services.
“It gives us the opportunity to pull in provincial, regional, national events,” he said.
While the funding is significant, city officials acknowledged that more work lies ahead before construction can begin.
Acting Director of Community Development Micheal Nelson said the project is fully designed, but a final construction cost will only be known once tender drawings are issued and bids are received.
“We don’t have an actual projected total cost yet,” Nelson said. “Some of the next milestones that we will be looking for is securing different funding opportunities before we’d be in a position to put it out for tender.”
Former Mayor Greg Dionne, who championed the concept during his time in office, said major civic projects rarely happen overnight. He noted that the leisure centre itself took nearly a decade from concept to completion.
“We went to Ottawa looking for 45 million. We know that one department can’t get it, so we made presentations of five departments,” Dionne said. “This is just one of them. They gave us 15 million. So if we get two more out of the five, we’ve reached our goal.”
Dionne said rising construction costs following the COVID-19 pandemic have added pressure to the project’s budget but emphasized the long-term benefits.
“When I bring the grandkids here and say, ‘Hey, this is the facility for you.'” Dionne said. “It’s not for us. It’s for the future.”
A defining feature of the proposal is its shared ownership model between the City of Prince Albert and Woodland Cree partners, including the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, Montreal Lake Cree Nation, and Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation.
Chief Tammy Cook-Searson of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band said the partnership is intended to reflect meaningful collaboration rather than symbolic involvement.
“We don’t want to just be a partnership on paper,” Cook-Searson said. “We want to have a meaningful partnership with the City of Prince Albert.”
She said the centre is envisioned not only as a cultural and economic gathering place but also as a centralized emergency hub during northern evacuations caused by wildfires.
“We are looking at this place as a hub where all agencies, all governments can come together and work together,” she said, noting that evacuation services are currently fragmented across multiple organizations.
Chief Bobby Cameron of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations described the day as historic and urged leaders to continue pushing for investment.
“In 100 years from now, many of us will not be around,” Cameron said. “But our children and grandchildren will see this significant day.”
City officials, federal representatives, and Woodland Cree leaders gather for a group photo in front of the future gateway of the proposed Convention and Cultural Event Centre at the Lake Country Co-op Leisure Centre.
Mayor Powalinsky said the partnership reflects a broader shift in how municipal and First Nations governments work together.
“This is a shining example of how we can move together as municipalities, as governments,” he said.
City officials confirmed that additional federal, provincial, and corporate funding will be required before construction begins. Fundraising efforts are expected to continue in the months ahead.
For now, leaders say the announcement signals momentum and confidence in Prince Albert’s long-term growth.
“It’s a big leap forward for amenities in the community,” Powalinsky said. “This is the tip of the spear.”
As the city continues to pursue the remaining funding, Friday’s announcement marked what many described as a clear statement of intent: Prince Albert aims not only to grow, but to grow together.
arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca
