Sweetgrass Daycare and Early Learning Head Start Centre Project

The proposed project is the construction of a New K-12 School with an area of 3,871 m2, including parking area and access road, playing fields, rink, fenced playground areas, and extension of the community's water, sewer, power, and gas infrastructure to support the new building.

The farmland will only need to be graded to the extent required to ensure positive drainage away from the new building and off the developed green areas - no clearing of vegetation is required. Excavation will be required for the crawlspace/basement underneath the building, and drilling of piles will be also be required. The size of the project area is 3 871 m2. The legal land description is the Northeast Corner, Section 5, Township 44, Rage 19, west of third meridian.

The new building will be located on farmland that is currently not in use. The portion of land required for the New K-12 School will be set aside as per the requirements of Section 18(2) of the Indian Act. All lands on the Sweetgrass Reserve No. 113 are governed by Sweetgrass First Nation, with administrative support from Indigenous Services Canada. The Reserve title is held by Canada.

The proposal includes upgrades to the school that will make the building more energy efficient and higher performing. Reducing GHG emissions, reducing the cost of heating and cooling, increasing building resiliency to climate change, and providing emergency shelter in the case of a climate emergency are all important to the Sweetgrass community and to future generations.

The Daycare and Head Start facilities are to be located within a New K-12 School, which is already approved for funding under the Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) capital program for educational facilities.

The new day care will provide essential childcare for parents, and the Head Start program will provide crucial care and education, health promotion, culture and language, nutrition, social support, and parental family involvement for pre-school age children, all in a dedicated, accessible, safe community space. Both the Daycare and Head Start are essential to keeping young parents in school and Sweetgrass is adamant these spaces need to be included. Community togetherness, healing, and starting children off with an excellent support system are essential for miyo-ohpikihawasowin—raising children well.

Sweetgrass First Nation have self-funded the design of both the Daycare and Head Start to date. Schools are always the centre of a small community. The building incorporates space for the elders to congregate, as well as to provide support to the students, parents of the Daycare children, and Head Start children.

Please note that Infrastructure Canada (INFC) is aware that Indigenous Services Canada posted the proposed project on the Impact Assessment Act Registry on October 28, 2021, and posted/completed the Notice of Determination for the project on December 6, 2021. However, INFC is now identified as a Federal authority for this project and will need to complete a Notice of Determination for the project. The Registry reference number for ISC's posting is: 83126.

Link to the Registry Posting: Sweetgrass New School - Canada.ca (iaac-aeic.gc.ca)

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Disclaimer

This map is for illustrative purposes. The markers represent the approximate locations based on available data. More than one marker may be identified for a given assessment.

 

Latest update

2023-01-24 The public comment period on the project is closed. Infrastructure Canada is considering comments received to help inform its determination on whether the carrying out of the project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

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Contacts

Lily Comeau
Infrastructure Canada
Lily Comeau, Environmental Review Officer
180 Kent Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 0B6
Telephone: 343-551-0230
Email: lily.comeau@infc.gc.ca


  • Location

    • Saskatoon (Saskatchewan)

  • Nature of Activity

    • Building and Property Development

  • Assessment Status

    In progress

  • Start Date

    2022-12-20

  • Proponent

    Sweetgrass First Nation

  • Authorities

    • Indigenous Services Canada
    • Infrastructure Canada

  • Assessment Type

    Project on federal lands

  • Reference Number

    84177

Nearby assessments

...within 200 kilometres
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