Waskesiu Foundation

01/01/2026

From all of us here at Waskesiu Foundation HQ, Happy New Year! All the best in 2026.

12/25/2025

To all of our Foundation friends & supporters, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and all the best this holiday season.

12/12/2025

Waskesiu’s winter magic is here - snowy trails, the sparkling lake, and memories that stay with us all year long. ❄️ We’re so grateful for your support, especially after a summer of wildfire challenges and a cancelled shindig that paused our usual fundraising.

As we look ahead to a fresh new season, we invite you to make a holiday gift to our Where Needed Most Fund (or any cause close to your heart). Every donation - big or small - helps us meet community needs, seize new opportunities, and keep the spirit of Waskesiu thriving. 💚

Give in honour of someone special, support future projects, or create a lasting legacy. And don’t forget - December is your last chance for a 2025 charitable tax receipt!

Let’s build a brighter Waskesiu together. 🌲

⭐️ Follow the link to donate online:
https://waskesiufoundation.ca

11/11/2025

November 11 is Remembrance Day - the most unforgettable day of the year. Honour those who served and continue to serve our country in times of war, military conflict, and peace. 🇨🇦

08/24/2025

Indigenous Talent Showcase plus a Street Fair and Car Show?!!! We can’t wait.

The Indigenous Talent Showcase is stacked this year with amazing artists. Join us today on Lakeview Drive for free live music, Street Fair, and Car Show.

Here are the showtimes for the Indigenous Talent Showcase:

✅ 12:00pm • Mitch Daigneault
✅ 12:35pm • Raven Reid
✅ 1:10pm • Dakota Favel
✅ 1:50pm • Krystle Pederson
✅ 2:25pm • Julianna Parenteau
✅ 3:00pm • Donny Parenteau
*showtimes subject to change

Waskesiu Lakeside Music Festival
Aug 22 to 24, 2025 presented by Phantom Light Distillery.

🎵 Follow the link for full Festival information:
https://www.lakesidefestival.ca/festival-lineup

08/23/2025

This really is the Best Weekend of the Year! We ❤️ Waskesiu Lakeside Music Festival.

Here is the updated complete schedule of activities for the best weekend of the year, including the addition of Donny Parenteau to the Indigenous Talent Showcase lineup on Sunday.

Note: Original 16 Beer Gardens on Saturday along with food vendors, shopping, and Kids Zone with free face painting and bouncy castles.

Support the Festival by purchasing 50/50 tickets and sweet new Festival Merch.
⭐️Follow the link to purchase 50/50 tickets:
https://www.rafflebox.ca/raffle/waskesiu-rec

🎵 Follow the link for full festival information:
https://www.lakesidefestival.ca/festival-lineup

08/21/2025

08/11/2025

Siblings Brent and Janice reached out to us earlier this year, wanting to honour the memory of their parents. With long term connections to Waskesiu, the families graciously stepped forward to sponsor the camp kitchen on Waskesiu Drive near Loon and Mallard.

A plaque paying tribute to their parents is inscribed as follows:
In loving memory of Clayton & Bev Hesje
The Fagnou and Hesje Families

We're grateful for the support of the Hesje and Fagnou families for their thoughtfulness in remembering Clayton and Bev in this way.

08/06/2025

Last evening, Parks Canada lifted the pre-evacuation alert for Prince Albert National Park including the Waskesiu Lake townsite. This decision was taken in light of the significant progress towards containment of the Buhl Wildfire within the national park, alongside more favourable weather conditions and a decrease in fire behaviour.

🔥 Although recent rainfall is welcome, the Buhl Wildfire is still classified as “out of control” and the situation could change quickly. Public safety is a top priority for Parks Canada, and an evacuation alert or order could still be issued if deemed necessary by fire management experts.

Parks Canada continues to manage this wildfire in unified command with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency. 🤝

ℹ️ A fire ban and several area closures in Prince Albert National Park remain in effect while the wildfire response is ongoing. For the safety of yourself and others, please respect all closures and the fire ban as the fire danger remains “extreme”.
https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/sk/princealbert/securite-safety/bulletins

➡️ Parks Canada looks forward to continuing to welcome visitors in Prince Albert National Park. As always, emergency situations can happen at any time – we encourage all visitors and residents to be prepared and stay informed with official sources in case of any emergency.

08/06/2025

Be sure to take in this free Waskesiu Heritage Museum event this Saturday, August 9 at 7:30 pm at the Hawood Inn. Looking forward to it!

At the Museum, we relate the history of Waskesiu through donated artifacts. You can learn about the shacktenting era in Waskesiu through our displays. But what about the days before the National Park was created? The Métis families who lived here traditionally were displaced. We have recently received a 48 minute film called Jim Settee: The Way Home that tells the story of one Métis man’s search for a home for himself and others. Métis film maker Jeanne Corrigal tells the story of Jim’s extraordinary ability to find people lost in the woods, notably a young boy at Kingsmere. Jim helped many people experience “coming home” through his work to create the Fish Lake Métis Settlement north of Prince Albert and to preserve oral histories of First Nations and Métis peoples. Please join us to view the film, chat with Jeanne who will share items given to her by Jim, and meet members of Jim’s family. Saturday, August 9 at 7:30 at the Hawood Inn. Free admission.
Thanks to our event sponsors: The Waskesiu Foundation, the Waskesiu Community Council, Be Smart Communications, and the province of Saskatchewan.
Prince Albert National Park is located on Treaty 6 territory and the traditional lands of the Métis.

07/26/2025

Parks Canada is taking action to FireSmart areas surrounding critical infrastructure in the Waskesiu community. You may see an increased number of Parks Canada staff in the townsite as a result.

Everyone can be FireSmart! FireSmart Canada is a national program that helps Canadians increase neighbourhood resilience to wildfire and minimize its negative impacts.

How can YOU help? Reduce the impact of fire within Waskesiu and make your property FireSmart by following these simple steps:

OUTSIDE THE HOUSE:

✔️Clean and remove all dead needles, leaves, and dry grass from on or under your house gutters, roofs, and decks/porches and for a minimum of 2 metres surrounding your buildings. Move debris to the staging area (Narrows cut-across Road). Contact [email protected] to unlock the gate.

✔️Install a non-combustible skirting to block ember entry underneath your elevated home or deck.

✔️Mow or “weed whip” and rake all grass on your lot.

✔️Move all firewood piles a minimum of 10 metres away from your house, if possible.

✔️Move all combustible items such as patio furniture and cushions, decorative items, doormats, and potted plants inside or a minimum of 10 metres away from your house.

✔️Until September 1 2025, you may prune and remove limbs up to 2 metres from ground level on spruce trees located within 10 metres from your house.

‼️Tree removals still require a permit: [email protected].

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
📞 Visitor Centre : 306-663-4522
📧 Townsite Office: [email protected]
🌐 www.firesmartcanada.ca