Saskatoon cancer lodge to offer temporary ‘home’ for patients and families

Construction of a cancer lodge in Saskatoon is underway, with shovels in the ground and government funding secured.

Ottawa and the Saskatchewan government are contributing approximately $7 million each to the construction of the new lodge as part of the Build Communities Strong Fund, said federal Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson.

He touted the federal-provincial agreement as being “the first of its kind,” while speaking with reporters in Saskatoon on Friday.

“The federal government has never historically contributed to health infrastructure. It’s been solely a provincial responsibility, but given the times, and given the importance of this infrastructure, the Government of Canada is now at the table as a partner,” he continued.

“Health infrastructure is about more than just the buildings. It is about ensuring that patients and their families can access the care and the services they need, when they need them the most.”

The Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan will also spend $10 million on the construction of the new facility. A contract for that work has been awarded and site preparations have started at the future location of the lodge at 1036 College Drive in Saskatoon, provincial Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said.

It will replace the now-demolished lodge that was built in 1928.

Cancer lodges house patients who are undergoing treatment at nearby health-care facilities, along with their loved ones. In the case of the Saskatoon site, those clinics are located at the nearby Royal University Hospital and Saskatoon Cancer Centre.

Thirty-three private patient rooms, including three suites dedicated for stem cell transplant recipients and 14 spaces for the loved ones of patients will be available at the cancer lodge, according to Saskatchewan’s health minister.

The facility will also have a kitchen, lounge areas, common spaces, a reflection room and an exercise room with light equipment.

“Those receiving care at the cancer clinic here in Saskatoon, they may not all live in Saskatoon. They may not all live in Warman or Martensville or a community nearby. And they may be coming from the north, they may be coming from rural communities to receive care here. And so, while they’re receiving care, this will be their home,” Cockrill continued.

Construction is expected to be completed in the spring of 2028. While construction work is ongoing, temporary lodge services will be made available, the province said in a news release.

The federal infrastructure minister said the funds for this project are part of a larger agreement between Ottawa and the Saskatchewan government, which will see it receive $195 million over the next three years. Robertson said the money is being provided to the province to modernize facilities and ensure they can provide reliable care.