This Timeline starts almost twenty years before Heritage Saskatchewan’s incorporation (2009) and includes reports produced as early as 1988, with plans for the management and development of Saskatchewan’s heritage resources.
Government Report
Heritage 2000 – A Strategy: for the Management & Development of Saskatchewan’s Heritage Resources
March 1988, the Honourable Colin Maxwell, Minister of Parks Recreation and Culture, presented the report Heritage 2000 – A Strategy for the Management and Development of Saskatchewan’s Heritage Resources. In his cover letter, Minister Maxwell stated “this discussion paper sets out the vision [government] has for the conservation and use of our heritage assets over the next decade or so. It is intended to serve as a catalyst, a means of jointly establishing directions for the future.”
One of the conclusions of the report was “through an integrated program of planning and development, heritage resources such as museums, provincial heritage parks, municipal heritage sites, artifacts or archives can deepen and broaden our appreciation of the province. ... With the resources and leadership of the [Provincial Government’s Ministry of] Saskatchewan Culture, Multiculturalism and Recreation, the dedicated efforts of the province’s heritage organizations, the entrepreneurship and expertise of the business and academic communities, coupled with a new Heritage Foundation, Saskatchewan can realize the full range of benefits of its heritage resources.”
Following are two of the nine goals from the Heritage 2000 Strategy:
Heritage 2000: A Strategy for the Management and Development of Saskatchewan's Heritage Restoration
March 1988 cover letter from the Honourable Colin Maxwell, Minister of Parks Recreation and Culture
Formation of the Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation
Established as a Crown agency on February 18, 1991, through an act of the Legislature, the Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation is governed by a board of directors appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.
Government Report
Responding to the Community – Proposals for Cultural Development, A Discussion Paper
January 1995, the Honourable Carol Carson, Minister of Saskatchewan Municipal Government, presented the report Responding to the Community – Proposals for Cultural Development, A Discussion Paper. In her cover letter she stated “Saskatchewan’s arts, cultural industries, multiculturalism and heritage sectors contribute enormously to the quality of life in our communities, to the creation of jobs, to the diversification of the provincial economy and the creation of cultural products and services which proclaim our unique identity to Canada and the world. ... This discussion paper is presented to facilitate the process of rejuvenation and reform of Saskatchewan support for all cultural institutions and activities.”
One quote from the report “Heritage is often equated with the past, but it also involves interpreting living cultural expression through sons, costumes, dances and stories passed from generation to generation among First Nations and other cultural groups. ... heritage resources define the natural features that form our economic and social resource base.”
The report (like the 1988 report) requested proposals for change; and leading the cause, Government established an Interim Heritage Council.
Responding to the Community: Proposals for Cultural Development
Government Report
A New Vision for Saskatchewan’s Heritage
In November 1995, the Honourable Carol Teichrob, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Culture and Housing, established an Interim Heritage Council in response to one of the proposals for change included in the Discussion Paper Responding to the Community – Proposals for Cultural Development, released earlier that year.
The mandate of Interim Heritage Council was “to examine the desire and potential of consolidating heritage funding within one agency or structure; and to develop a report which reviews the entire spectrum of heritage issues, to complement the work of previous arts and multiculturalism task forces.”
The report identified two streams of heritage – tangible and intangible and made several recommendations including “Dual organizations should be developed ... form a heritage caucus within SaskCulture ... secure staff and resources .... and the Government of Saskatchewan should begin to coalesce Provincial heritage activity under the governance of a single Board and organization.”
Letter from the Government of Saskatchewan’s Minister of Municipal Affairs, Culture and Housing, the Honourable Jack Hillson
In November 2000, the Honourable Jack Hillson, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Culture and Housing, wrote a letter to the community, responding to the report, which came out in 1999, entitled A New Vision for Saskatchewan’s Heritage. He stated “the report will guide our work over the next few years. ... as many of the recommendations involve the implementation of new programs or require additional resources.”
Formation of the Heritage Community of Interest (HCOI)
In 2001, SaskCulture established the Heritage Community of Interest (HCOI) Committee. From 2001 to 2009, HCOI, working as a committee of SaskCulture, organized and hosted several Heritage Forums, co-sponsored studies, and authorized various reports relating to heritage issues and trends; and held a strategic planning session in Gravelbourg (September 2009).
Consultations were held province-wide, as a lead up to the formation of Heritage Saskatchewan
In 2008, SaskCulture contracted Ken Alecxe of Alecxe Business Consulting “to work with the Heritage Community of Interest (HCOI) Committee and conduct research and a broad-based set of consultation interviews to test the proposition that a new community-based heritage leadership organization might be relevant and timely for heritage institutions, associations, academics and practitioners in Saskatchewan.”
Heritage Forum and presentation of the discussion paper Saskatchewan’s Heritage: Looking Forward”
On 21 February 2009, a Heritage Forum was held at which time the findings of the consultations of the previous year were presented in a discussion paper, prepared by Alecxe Business Consulting for SaskCulture Inc., entitled Saskatchewan’s Heritage: Looking Forward. The document outlines the key issues, purposes, challenges, and support for a new heritage leadership and development organization that is being called Heritage Saskatchewan.
Heritage Saskatchewan opens an Office
In September 2009, Heritage Saskatchewan secured office space in Regina, at 200 – 2020 – 11th Avenue.
Incorporation of Heritage Saskatchewan
On 14 October 2009, the entity Heritage Saskatchewan Alliance Inc. became incorporated as a non-profit, provincial organization, in the Province of Saskatchewan. The name Heritage Saskatchewan is the common name given to the organization.
Interim Board established
In October 2009, as part of incorporating the entity, the HCOI Committee morphed into the Interim Board for Heritage Saskatchewan Alliance Inc. The Interim Board included Kristin Enns-Kavanagh as the Chair, and eleven others - Finn Anderson, Ingrid Cazakoff, Doug Chisholm, Audrey Dreaver, Wally Dyck, Joe LeClair, Sandra Massey, Dave Norris, Gary Seib, Terry Sinclair, and Jack Walton.
First Annual General Meeting of Heritage Saskatchewan
On 20 February 2010, Heritage Saskatchewan held its first Annual General Meeting, at which time the first election of directors took place. The first elected board comprised of President Kristin Enns-Kavanagh; Vice President Anne Reinhardt, and Directors Finn Anderson, Dough Chisholm, Jyotsna (Jo) Custead, Wally Dyck, Joe LeClair, Sandra Massey, Dave Norris, Gary Seib, Terry Sinclair, Linda Young.
Government Report
Pride of Saskatchewan: A Policy Where Culture, Community and Commerce Meet
In March of 2010, the Government of Saskatchewan produced a Policy Paper, entitled Pride of Saskatchewan: A Policy Where Culture, Community and Commerce Meet, which stated “Pride of Saskatchewan provides a framework to help make the cultural sector an important part of the government’s priority of improving quality of life, building pride in our province, and sustaining economic growth.”
The Pride of Saskatchewan document was accompanied by Moving from Reflection to Action – Towards a Cultural Policy for Saskatchewan
Pride of Saskatchewan: A Policy Where Culture, Community, and Commerce Meet
Hired the first CEO, Ingrid Cazakoff
Heritage Saskatchewan hired its first Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ingrid Cazakoff, in September 2010.
Our Work in the Early Years
Our work has been based on our research and stakeholder feedback and has led us to focus upon heritage and its connection to our sense of identity, belonging and place. The following reports were produced between 2012 and 2018:
Living Heritage & Quality of Life, Reframing Heritage Activity in Saskatchewan, 2012
Heritage Fairs Acquisition
In 2013, the Heritage Fairs program transitioned to Heritage Saskatchewan from the Saskatchewan Youth Heritage Fair Association.
Heritage Awards Acquisition
In 2016, the Lieutenant Governor Heritage Awards programs transitioned to Heritage Saskatchewan from the Architectural Heritage Society of Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan Index of Wellbeing
In 2016, Heritage Saskatchewan partnered with the Community Initiatives Fund to support the production of a Saskatchewan index of wellbeing entitled How are Residents of Saskatchewan Really Doing. The research team, led by Bryan Smale (Canadian Index of Wellbeing, University of Waterloo), produced the report.
How Are Residents Really Doing? A Report by the Canadian Index of Wellbeing - Full Report
Recipient of the National Trust for Canada Governor’s Award
Heritage Saskatchewan was honored to receive the National Trust for Canada Governor’s Award in 2019 because of our pioneering work on the Saskatchewan Index of Wellbeing.
UNESCO Accreditation for Heritage Saskatchewan
In November 2020, Heritage Saskatchewan became an accredited Non-Government Organization (NGO) under the 2003 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.