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With the re-elected Sask. Party government expected to deliver a budget in coming weeks, the president of the University of Saskatchewan is highlighting the school’s contributions to the provincial economy.
During a state of the university speech on Friday, U of S president Peter Stoicheff pointed to a study completed by RTI International in January 2016.
The study claimed the school’s per capita impact on the provincial economy ranks either first or second in the country depending on what measure is used.
Quoting the study, Stoicheff said the U of S contributes about 1.5 per cent of Saskatchewan’s GDP. For comparison, he said the entire agriculture sector is worth about 11 per cent of provincial GDP.
Stoicheff said he’s hopeful the province will keep those numbers in mind when it comes to budget time.
“We feel that we are in a stable financial position. But we do want to see a recognition by the provincial government…of the value we add to this province,” he said.
Stoicheff said officials are working out plans for any number of possible budget scenarios. While the province is the school’s biggest single source of funds, he said the U of S has other resources it is prepared to draw on.
He pointed out that the U of S alumni community numbers around 150,000 people, with many showing generous support over the years. He also mentioned the school’s significant investment portfolio.
“We have very good people who are making very good investments on our behalf,” he said.
Stoicheff said another potential revenue stream is the large amount of land owned by the university. While he ruled out selling off land outright, he said the school could look at deals along the lines of the 100-year lease it made on land used for the Preston Crossing development.
“I’m not going to say we have plans for specific 100-year leases. I’m just going to say, we know that we have this land and that it’s a priority for us to understand how to use it for our own sustainability,” he said.
