North West College in North Battleford. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

College funding

NWC receives $11M in funding from province

Mar 24, 2025 | 5:12 PM

With economic uncertainty hanging over Saskatchewan and the rest of Canada, North West College is taking the temperature and planning for its future.

“Colleges in this type of environment play a very pivotal role if there is a very significant impact on the economy,” said Dr. Eli Ahlquist, president and CEO.

“If there is a drastic change it could leave a number of people that are looking for retraining and reskilling to reenter the workforce.”

The provincial budget came out last week and this year, the college administration is working to build on a business case that began last year. The plan was to allow them to define what they needed and now, they’re drilling down on details.

The college received over $11 million in funding to support a number of areas including training programs, capital funding and operations. Ahlquist said it makes way for multiple pathways.

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“Basically, the work that we’ve done is put forward a few different recommendations, different configurations and then now it will be wait and see what the province decides is the best fit and what will build the community here,” said Ahlquist.

“As far as the college goes, our job is to be responsive to regional and provincial workforce needs,” he said, referring to programming focuses on healthcare and skilled trades.

“The building we’re sitting in doesn’t have trade space so we have to lease spaces and things like that.”

Under capital funding, $470,000 will be earmarked for the North Battleford Campus Project.

The funding sources were the Saskatchewan Ministry of Advanced Education and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Immigration and Career Training. In North Battleford, they’ve seen an uptick in applications to the health programs, human services and trades and the president and CEO said they’re looking towards expansions.

“With respect to a campus, we’re optimistic that we’re making some decisions soon or at least the province will makes some decisions that will allow us to really flesh out what that plan looks like,” he said.

“I’d say right now, we’ve certainly established the foundation for what that could be and then now the work will be pivoting into the details of what that growth would look like, maybe what colour of siding down the road,” added Ahlquist, laughing.

Currently, they’re working on a multi-year business plan that will focus on growth and supporting their students. Ahlquist explained they are grateful to the province and they’re working to use the resources in the most efficient way possible.

Amid everything, however, remains the unknown “interesting times” that may lie ahead.

“Colleges are well positioned to do that with quick short burst programs that allow people to get back into the workforce,” he said of potentials for industry and economic changes.

“I think colleges will potentially have a very strong role depending what happens in the next little bit here politically.”

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

On BlueSky: juleslovett.bsky.social