SASKATOON, Sask. — The federal government has announced $195 million in health infrastructure funding for Saskatchewan over three years, including $7.25 million toward a new cancer patient lodge in Saskatoon.
The investment is part of the federal government's Building Canada Strong initiative, aimed at strengthening Canada's economy and reducing reliance on a single trading partner.
Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson said on Friday, Oct. 16, that the federal government will invest in each province, allocating money based on population, and that the project will be funded in collaboration with each provincial government, which chose a cancer patient lodge in Saskatoon.
Robertson announced $195 million in health infrastructure funding for Saskatchewan over three years, including a $7.25-million federal contribution toward the lodge. The project will provide accommodation for cancer patients and their companions, particularly those travelling from rural and northern communities.
“In this case, the health infrastructure funding is over three years. [But] we have also infrastructure funding for community infrastructure that is housing enabling. In particular, water, wastewater, transit, different investments like that,” said Robertson, who is also the minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development.
“Again, that's a different bucket of the Build Community Strong Fund, and that's a collaboration between federal and the provincial government. The cities are also important partners in this city… If all levels of government work together and invest together, we're going to get a lot more done together.”
Robertson said the federal government is taking a new approach to health infrastructure investment as communities face growing pressure on hospitals and health facilities, and deemed it necessary to fund these projects.
“The Government of Canada historically hasn't invested in health infrastructure. There are health transfers to the provinces to support health care across the country, but the actual infrastructure has been funded by the provinces,” said Robertson.
“Given the importance of infrastructure investment right now to our economy, and the backlog of infrastructure and the pressure on hospitals and health centres all over Canada, we made a decision as a new government to start investing and supporting the provinces with health infrastructure dollars.”
He added that these investments would help provinces like Saskatchewan catch up on the backlog, address aging health facilities, ensure that more and better facilities are built, and modernize the country’s health care system.
“It's an intervention to make sure health care improves faster. And it's good for our economy to be building this infrastructure. That's what we need in these times,” said Robertson, adding that the Saskatchewan government chose the project that will be funded.
In Saskatchewan, the investment will support cancer patients through a housing facility that helps those who need care away from home. For Saskatoon, federal support for a cancer patient house represents an investment in health-related infrastructure that can help address the needs of patients and families navigating cancer treatment.
The broader funding strategy reflects the federal government's effort to work with provinces and municipalities to address infrastructure backlogs, improve public services and build facilities that respond to local needs.
Robertson added that the federal government’s collaborative approach is intended to ensure that investments are directed toward projects identified by provinces and communities as important to improving services and strengthening local infrastructure.
The federal and provincial governments will invest $7 million each, and the Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan will contribute $10 million for the Cancer Patient Lodge, which will be built on College Drive, a few metres from the Royal University Hospital and the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital. The new Saskatoon Cancer Patient Lodge is expected to be completed in spring 2028.
Bilateral agreement
Provincial Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said the province identified the new Saskatoon Cancer Patient Lodge as its top priority for federal health infrastructure funding, with the province and Ottawa partnering to help rebuild the facility for patients travelling to the city for cancer treatment.
Cockrill said the bilateral agreement lets Saskatchewan bring forward projects that address the province’s most pressing needs, adding that CFS strongly supports the cancer lodge and allows both levels of government to fund the project and help make it a reality together.
“As we work together between provincial and federal governments, we have an opportunity through this health stream to bring projects forward to the federal government that we see as a priority for Saskatchewan people. We have the opportunity to address some of these challenges,” Cockrill said.
“We need to make sure that we have those health care services available as close to home and renewed infrastructure so that people look at our province, look at the city of Saskatoon as well as the country of Canada, as really the choice place,” said Cockrill.
Cockrill added that the province will work with Robertson’s office to submit additional projects for consideration under the funding program. He pointed out that other health infrastructure investments are underway across Saskatchewan, including the Weyburn hospital, the Saskatoon urgent care centre and upgrades to Prince Albert’s Victoria Hospital, as well as investments in northern Saskatchewan.
The new cancer patient lodge is expected to provide 33 patient suites and 14 companion suites, offering a safe and affordable place to stay near the Saskatoon Cancer Centre.
