Calling it a historic agreement, the City of Saskatoon and the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Tuesday to work together on strengthening the community.
Among the issues that the partnership aims to address are urban planning, land development, reconciliation, and transit.
Mayor Charlie Clark said the agreement is a perfect fit as the two parties share many of the same values and goals and have had a long and productive relationship in the past.
“The university and the city are interdependent, and our relationship has helped to define the evolution of our community,” Clark said in a statement.
“As we look to the future, this MOU helps to improve our opportunities for collaboration, builds on each other’s strengths, and positions ourselves for success in a changing world.”
U of S president Peter Stoicheff said one thing that makes cities great is a great university and the MOU formalizes the partnership between the City and the university.
“The university community has a wealth of knowledge, expertise and human power – faculty, staff and students – that can help find solutions to issues of mutual concern,” Stoicheff said in a statement.
“Our goal is to harness that and inspire the world through meaningful change. That starts right here in Saskatoon.”
Clark said a working group will be formed to determine issues that need to be addressed going forward as the city grows.
“What we have committed to today is about the future, because in Saskatoon we have all of the elements in place to work with our university and lead the country in many of the biggest issues facing cities today,” Clark stated.
Both Clark and Stoicheff said they are confident in the potential outcomes and hope the MOU serves as a model for partnerships in other cities.
“We are proud to be a part of this vibrant community and today the long-standing relationship between the City of Saskatoon and the U of S becomes a formal partnership,” Stoicheff said.
“Saskatoon and the U of S are leaders in Canada and in time our partnership will also set an example for other cities and their universities to follow.”