City administration seeks approval to negotiate DEED partnership

Saskatoon’s city council will be asked soon to approve talks starting between city administration and Muskeg Lake Cree Nation representatives.

The negotiations will be to “explore a strategic partnership toward the development of the Downtown Event and Entertainment District,” according to a release from the City of Saskatoon.

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More details about this development will be in a report presented to council on June 24, during the regular business city council meeting.

“The recommendation before Council is not to approve a final agreement,” the city clarified. “It is to authorize Administration to enter direct negotiations toward a potential development partnership.”

Dan Willems, director of technical services for the city, said the Saskatoon Tribal Council’s seven chiefs are in support of the proposal to enter negotiations, with the city also willing to talk.

“Early discussions have identified opportunities that could extend beyond entertainment and hospitality development to also include an operating partnership for the new convention centre and event centre, and finally, the lands for these venues potentially established as new urban reserves within Saskatoon,” Willems stated in the release.

Saskatoon has eight urban reserves with three in various stages of the approval process and two more in beginning stages, according to the city. Canada’s first commercial urban reserve was also established in Saskatoon by Muskeg Lake Cree Nation in 1988.

“Saskatoon has long been recognized as a national leader in urban reserve creation and partnership-based economic development with First Nations,” the release said.

“By creating meaningful opportunities for Indigenous ownership, economic development, operations, employment, career development, cultural expression, and Indigenous placemaking and placekeeping, the District can move beyond symbolic recognition and embed reconciliation directly into one of Saskatoon’s most significant city-building initiatives,” Willems said, calling the approach a demonstration of “practical leadership in reconciliation,” and adding that it supports the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

Should city council approve the start of negotiations, those talks are expected to include defining the proposed partnership structure, roles and responsibilities, land and development arrangements, governance considerations, operating opportunities and any financial or legal implications that might require future approval.

Once key terms have been sufficiently defined, city administration would report details back to city council with recommendations required to move the agreement forward.

“All substantive financial commitments, land disposition, or governance arrangements will be subject to future City Council approval,” the city stated in its release. “Any future agreement, land arrangement, governance structure, financial commitment or legal agreement would also be subject to Muskeg Lake Cree Nation’s own governance and approval processes.”

The city said administration will also report back to city council every two months with progress updates on the negotiations.

This latest update on Saskatoon’s DEED comes months after city council rejected a proposed manager for the district on March 25.