PRINCE ALBERT — Parks, Culture and Sport Minister and Prince Albert Northcote MLA Alana Ross joined representatives from the Royal Canadian Legion and Sask Command to see first-hand the improvements at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 2 that were funded through the Saskatchewan Veteran Service Club Support Program.
Ross said that supporting veteran service clubs was important.
“We owe who we are today to our veterans,” she said. “We have a lot of veterans who gave up their lives to make Canada the free and wonderful place that it is to live today, and the Legions are here to help support veterans, their families, and also to support communities. They become hubs in many of our communities, and it is very, very important that we maintain that in our province.”
The Saskatchewan Veterans Service Club Support Program was introduced in 2019-20. The program provides grants up to $30,000 to organizations such as Legion branches, Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans (ANAVETS) units, and more. The grant is used to support facility upgrades, operations, events, and other activities to advance the work and help strengthen the long-term sustainability of veteran service organizations across the province. Ross said that since 2019, there has been nearly $6 million given out to 393 applicants from across the province.
"We estimate there's approximately 170 veteran service organisations in the province that are eligible to apply for these grants annually, that’s the Legion and the ANAVETS,” Ross said.
"Both clubs in Prince Albert have benefited from them. I think our Legion 2 here, it's been approximately $115,000, and the ANAVETS have received approximately $118,000.”
Work is mostly done on maintenance projects, including painting, plumbing and structural repairs. Ross said that specific events can also qualify.
In 2024-25, grants were provided to 81 Legion branches, ANAVETS units, and other veterans organizations across the province, including both the Legion and ANAVETS in Prince Albert.
The 2025-26 application intake will close on June 1.
Sask Command Vice President Patti Paul said the Legion will be celebrating their 100th Anniversary in 2026 and will be hosting a Dominion Convention in Winnipeg, the location of the first convention.
“It's going back to Winnipeg for 100, and there'll be a lot of special events coming out. Keep track of our Legion Web page as items are finalized,” Paul said.
Paul explained that as World War II veterans pass away, the Legion uses word of mouth to get new veterans from more recent conflicts to join. They do this through events like Legion Week in September.
"Now we have to look towards Afghanistan and any future conflicts, so we have to reach out to those younger veterans, and one of the things—maintaining the buildings—is to make it more welcoming to the younger veterans,” Paul said.
The Legion can be a hub in communities, according to Paul, especially in smaller communities.
"I look at Frenchman's Butte, that is the meeting place. There isn't a store, there isn't a restaurant, but everybody meets at the Legion, and they've used a lot of the money; their building almost looks brand new now. I was just up there, and I think the last thing they have to do is a little bit of work in the basement,” Paul said.
She said that the service club funding is important, and Legions do have their own fundraising for building projects.
"Things like accessible entries with elevators and lifts. Can't be done on the small project, so they can accumulate over the years. If they need a $75,000 lift, they can apply for three years and get that lift, so it is more accessible. It is very important, and the Legion is so grateful to the government for considering these grants to the service.”
She said that projects like the ones completed in Prince Albert are common in Legions around Saskatchewan. She said many buildings have roof problems due to their age.
Last year, Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 2 in Prince Albert received $30,000 to help replace a leaky roof.
In previous years, the Branch also received funding to repair sidewalks, renovate bathrooms, replace heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit and two windows, paint the building exterior, install outdoor lighting and upgrade their parking lot.
"Thank you to the Government of Saskatchewan for their leadership in continuing to recognize the work that the Royal Canadian Legion branches do in each community for our Veterans and their families," Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 2 President Rick Hodgson said in a press release.
Hodgson could not attend and was represented by first Vice President Deanne Riese. Suzanne Bantle, Administrative Secretary with the Prince Albert Legion, said more Prince Albert Legion projects could be coming up in the future.
"We are wanting to improve our kitchen because we do a lot of meals and that,” she said. “We do meals, and a number of seniors come here, so we need to upgrade our kitchen, (and) need to upgrade our carpet. In regards to our kitchen, we have to update our fire suppression system. Those are some of the areas also that we need to improve, so that's what we'll be working on this year.”
Following the speeches, representatives from the Legion and government toured the branch. The event was emceed by Prince Albert Carlton MLA Kevin Kasun.
Also in attendance were representatives from the Royal Canadian Legion branch in Melfort and other representatives of Sask Command.
The program is delivered collaboratively by the Royal Canadian Legion Saskatchewan Command, the Saskatchewan ANAVETS and the Government of Saskatchewan.
More information about the program, guidelines, applications and eligibility is available through the Royal Canadian Legion Saskatchewan Command at 306-525-8739 or [email protected].
