Collaboration with Saskatoon Airport Authority, City of Saskatoon, and other stakeholders helped fast-track Kahkewistahaw First Nation’s commercial development

Located in southern Saskatchewan, Kahkewistahaw First Nation envisioned developing land as a legacy for future generations. Leaders conceived a commercial development on their 16-hectare urban reserve in Saskatoon to attract and support First Nation businesses and entrepreneurs, diversify the Kahkewistahaw economy, and provide permanent jobs for their people. However, a number of complex challenges stood in the path of development.

Located close to Saskatoon’s John G. Diefenbaker Airport, strict zoning regulations governed development of the land. Building height restrictions to ensure safe runway approaches would need to be relaxed, but regulatory approval of new airport zoning regulations could take up to five years, delaying development.

The Kahkewistahaw First Nation retained Associated Engineering to provide project management, land-use planning, and engineering expertise to develop the land and help realize Kahkewistahaw’s vision for a business park near Saskatoon’s airport.

Project Manager, Bill Delainey, tells us, "Associated Engineering participated alongside leaders and members of the Nation to develop a project vision, learn the Nation’s goals, understand the limitations of the site, and agree on what could be built. In collaboration with the Nation, the team undertook site and infrastructure planning, including developing complex approaches to overcome regulatory aviation restrictions and infrastructure issues."

City of Saskatoon infrastructure was needed to service the site, in particular, a stormwater pond, which was projected to take years for the city to design and construct. Furthermore, Associated Engineering determined that the neighbourhood pond could not service an area in the northeast corner of the site. As well, to comply with Transport Canada regulations, the stormwater ponds had to drain within 48 hours.

In addition, the project had to meet the expectations of the First Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), which had purchased land on the site and were anxious to construct their new headquarters.

As lead consultant, Associated Engineering led communication and collaboration efforts with stakeholders to facilitate the approvals required for the project to proceed, as well as undertaking project management, planning, design, and construction administration. Our team engaged in consultation and negotiation with the City of Saskatoon, the Airport Authority, NavCanada, and Transport Canada, along with contractors, utilities, and other stakeholders, all the while keeping Kahkewistahaw fully informed and in control.

"To address the lack of municipal stormwater infrastructure, we designed an interim stormwater system that can easily be converted to eventually connect to the city’s permanent stormwater system, once constructed in the future. Advanced modelling was conducted to inform the design, and facilitate a successful transition to a future, permanent infrastructure network."

The temporary ditch system can be filled-in without affecting any paved surfaces or buildings. The site was divided to store some of the stormwater by directing it to the northeast. A portion of the land was allocated to build a stormwater retention pond so that the area to be developed would be drained by ditches into the pond.

The Kahkewistahaw Landing Business Park opened in November 2022, delivered on time and within the Nation’s $4 million budget. Kahkewistahaw First Nation realized their dream for a business park that provides economic development opportunities, offering jobs and long-term economic security for their people.