The City of Saskatoon and Muskeg Lake Cree Nation signed a new urban reserve agreement for land at 125 Aspen Place, making it the nation’s third urban reserve and the city’s 11th. The signing ceremony took place at Saskatoon City Hall with representatives from both the city and the Cree Nation, including Mayor Charlie Clark and Chief Kelly Wolfe. The Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners also approved a service agreement to address municipal and police services for the reserve.
The new reserve is located next to the Asimakaniseekan Askiy urban reserve, established by the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation in 1988 as Canada’s first commercial urban reserve. The community’s development has since grown significantly, now home to 50 businesses and over 750 employees, with nearly $100 million in assets.
During the ceremony, Mayor Clark, moved by emotion, expressed his hope for a lasting partnership between the city and the Cree Nation, highlighting the importance of unity for future generations. Chief Wolfe reflected on the significance of the original urban reserve and emphasized the responsibility of the current leadership to expand on the foundation laid by previous generations. The event was marked by symbolic gifts of star blankets for city leaders.
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