ECONOMY

The development and growth of the Fransaskois community in Saskatchewan is closely tied to economic factors. It was with this goal in mind that the first “caisse populaire” (credit union) was set up in Albertville in 1916. At present, three “caisses populaires” exist in four Saskatchewan communities (Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert and Bellevue).

In addition, there are 32 Fransaskois cooperatives in Saskatchewan offering various services ranging from preschools to a housing cooperative. The Fransaskois cooperatives have over 15 million dollars in assets and provide employment for over fifty people.

The economy of Fransaskois communities is not based solely on cooperatives but also on the spirit and drive of individual entrepreneurs. There are many examples of Francophone entrepreneurship in the province. Bourgault Industries in St-Brieux and HighLine in Vonda are just two of the companies that have contributed to the economic vitality of rural communities.

Fransaskois women are playing an increasingly important role in the economy. Their dynamism is showed by their numerous business ventures and the provincial economic symposium they organized, in the spring of 1993, to examine the economic future of Fransaskois women.

In agriculture, business, the service sector and in many other sectors of the Saskatchewan economy, the Fransaskois have shown and continue to show a great sense of leadership and initiative which contributes to the economic vitality of Saskatchewan.

Tourism

Tourism has an important growth potential for Saskatchewan's economy. Hoping to attract tourists, Fransaskois communities have started to invest in recreational facilities.

Some communities, such as Duck Lake, Willow Bunch, Prud'homme have built museums that illustrate the history of their part of the province

Private francophone entrepreneurs are also very active in this field. For example, Arthur and Thérèse Denis operate a successful vacation farm in Saint-Denis, near Saskatoon.

Every year, le Conseil de la coopération de la Saskatchewan publishes La Saskatchewan et ses attraits, a French language tourist guide that invites tourists to visit Saskatchewan and emphasizes Francophone communities.