Saskatoon philanthropist and real estate developer Joseph A. Remai dead at 89

A well-known Saskatoon philanthropist and real estate developer, who donated tens of millions of dollars to a variety of causes and projects, has died at the age of 89.

Joseph A. Remai died on June 12 due to health challenges related to Parkinson’s disease, his son Barry said.

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Barry said his father would have considered himself a “late bloomer” when it came to philanthropy, because he never planned on retiring.

“He only took an interest in it when he was in his 70s, and he set up a family foundation for that purpose, and for the last 12, 13 years he’s distributed funds to a large number of organizations – most of them in Saskatoon,” he said.

That includes a $25 million donation he made last year to the new Saskatchewan Polytechnic campus at the University of Saskatchewan, which will be named in his honour.

“Joe” was always a builder, Barry said, and with a civil engineering degree he went into construction along with his brother Frank. The two started their own general contracting firm, building schools, hospitals and apartment buildings.

Barry said his father’s death is a huge loss for the family and for the community.

“He really enjoyed giving, and he took a keen interest in all of the projects he was involved in,” Barry said.

“He wanted to be kind of hands on, which is how he ran his business, too.”

According to a statement from Dr. Larry Rosia, president and CEO of Sask. Polytechnic, the elder Remai had a transformative impact on the school and its students.

“Joe was an entrepreneur, an inspiring community builder and a real estate developer with a remarkable career,” Rosia said.

“His generosity will have a lasting impact through the Joseph A. Remai Saskatoon Campus and will benefit the lives of our students, their families and Saskatchewan communities well into the future.”

Rosia said the school has also established the Joseph A. Remai Legacy Endowment Fund to help support future students.