Kahkewistahaw Landing Infrastructure

Congratulations to Chief Taypotat and Kahkewistahaw First Nation Council and team for being the first First Nation in Saskatchewan to secure this innovative financing through the Canada Infrastructure Bank. The investment KFN is making in the City of Saskatoon is very significant for our community. We are grateful they have chosen our community for this development. As we see growing interest and capacity among First Nations to invest in large scale urban developments like this, financing solutions are needed to facilitate the required infrastructure and servicing. This CIB agreement will help ensure benefits for generations to come for both Kahkewistahaw First Nation, the City of Saskatoon and the Province. It will support opportunity and growth for everyone here.

Working with the CIB has been a very positive experience for us. The CIB really took the time to understand every aspect of this project and work with our team as a true partner in developing a financing model that works within our specific circumstances. We’re extremely pleased to have them as our project partner alongside the City of Saskatoon, Indigenous Services Canada, the First Nations Bank of Canada and Export Development Canada. We thank all for helping Kahkewistahaw First Nation in this step towards sovereignty.

I see this financing structure as a game changer in terms of First Nations’ infrastructure project financing. The missing link for Indigenous community led major projects, has always been a good mechanism to allow for financing the underlying infrastructure which has hindered the progress of many First Nation’s projects based on the issues surrounding on-reserve lending. The CIB’s financing is a very elegant model that addresses these issues and I believe will be a major catalyst for the development of many First Nations infrastructure projects across Canada.