Innovation Week Celebrates Saskatchewan's Research, Talent and Tech

Released on May 26, 2025

The Government of Saskatchewan, in partnership with Innovation Saskatchewan, has proclaimed May 26-30, 2025, Innovation Week across the province. 

Innovation Week in Saskatchewan is an annual celebration of the people and ideas shaping the province's future, aligning each May with Canadian Innovation Week, a national initiative led by the Rideau Hall Foundation.    

To celebrate, organizations across the province are opening doors to spaces rarely seen by the public offering a unique look at where innovation happens. The inaugural Inside Innovation tours by Innovation Saskatchewan feature more than 15 organizations across a dozen sectors, proving that transformational change can happen anywhere and in any industry. 

"Innovation thrives when people can see it, experience it and feel connected to it," Minister Responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan Warren Kaeding said. "Inside Innovation opens doors to some of the most dynamic spaces in our province - sparking opportunity, collaboration and a deeper understanding of the innovation and technology shaping our future." 

In addition to tours by the likes of Canadian Light Source (Saskatoon), the Saskatchewan Cyclotron Facility (Saskatoon), Vendasta (Saskatoon), STARS Air Ambulance (Regina and Saskatoon), the Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC) (Regina), Saskatchewan Science Centre (Regina), University of Regina (Regina), Southeast TechHub (Estevan) and Suncrest College (Yorkton), tours are available to the public at the Innovation Place research and technology parks in Regina and Saskatoon. 

"Our parks are designed to bring innovative businesses closer to the supports they need to grow - whether that is cutting-edge research, top talent or collaboration with others," Innovation Saskatchewan CEO Kari Harvey said. "These parks are living proof that when the right elements come together in one place, innovation accelerates." 

To sign up for tours throughout the week, visit goinsideinnovation.ca and share your experience on social media with Innovation Week participants across the country using the hashtag #CIW25. 

Here is what some of Saskatchewan's innovation leaders are saying about being part of this province-wide celebration: 

"As one of Saskatchewan's leading technology companies, we are excited to be part of the Innovation Place tour in Saskatoon," Calian Advanced Technologies President Valerie Travain-Milone said. "We work in a beautiful building, but it is also a secure facility due to the nature of our work. This is a rare opportunity for the public to tour our building and also learn about the innovative work we do here every day." 

"Co.Labs is thrilled to open its doors for the Inside Innovation tours, giving others a chance to see where some of our most promising technology startups are building their companies," Co.Labs Executive Director Jonathan Lipoth said. "Our team is lucky enough to work directly with early-stage entrepreneurs and new technologies every day - we love being able to share these innovations with Saskatchewan!" 

"The Digital Integration Centre of Excellence, also known as DICE, is a hub for digital innovation at Saskatchewan Polytechnic," Digital Integration Centre of Excellence Director and Research Chair Terry Peckham said. "As Saskatchewan's pioneering Technology Access Centre, we serve the growing need for applied research in the digital age by collaborating with businesses of all sizes to derive insights from data. We are excited to join the first-ever Inside Innovation tours this spring!" 

"PTRC is pleased to participate in Innovation Week to showcase Saskatchewan's global leadership in carbon storage, geothermal energy and subsurface energy research and development," PTRC President and CEO Ranjith Narayanasamy said. "Saskatchewan innovation inspires the next generation of leaders shaping the province's future." 

"As a 'Made in Saskatchewan' technology success story, Siemens Electronic Design Automation (EDA) is thrilled to celebrate Innovation Week," Siemens EDA Vice President Amit Gupta said. "From founding startup Solido in 2005 to its acquisition by Siemens in 2017, we have built the province's largest technology company. We take great pride that our AI-powered software developed right here in Saskatoon is used by the world's top tech companies to make the chips in everyday electronic devices we all rely on." 

"STARS has a history of seeing problems and innovating ways to solve them with our high-performance team as well as industry," STARS Chief Information Officer Mark Boots said. "We invite our fellow innovators to attend our open houses in Saskatoon May 27 and Regina May 28."  

"Inside Innovation is a time to celebrate the powerful role research plays in driving progress in our province," Suncrest College President and CEO Alison Dubreuil said. "At Suncrest, we are not just observing innovation - we are actively participating in it."  

"The University of Regina (U of R) campus is home to 18 different research centres that are part of our dynamic community of researchers dedicated to discovering evidence-based solutions to societal challenges," University of Regina Vice President Research Dr. Chris Yost. "The U of R is committed to working with our researchers to advance knowledge and innovation and support groundbreaking research initiatives. We are pleased to be a part of the Inside Innovation tours and to showcase a selection of our world-class research facilities."  

"USask's unique cluster of extraordinary infrastructure is unmatched among Canadian universities," University of Saskatchewan Vice President Research Dr. Baljit Singh. "Our state-of-the-art research centres and programs allow researchers from around the world to find solutions to the world's most pressing problems. USask is thrilled to have a few of our centres and technology on display as part of Innovation Week and we are looking forward to the public learning more about what these unique centres and programs have to offer."   

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