The City of Saskatoon and the Saskatoon Tribal Council have come together to sign an agreement that will see the two entities work together over the next number of years to work together in creating services for that help deter youth from a life of drugs and crime and provide more education opportunities.

Mayor Charlie Clark says the “Sharing Prosperity Through Reconciliation” agreement will also look at potential energy collaborations.

“We’ve talked about the weir, we’re still trying to figure out energy production at the weir, but we know there’s other areas as solar power becomes more of an opportunity.”

Clark says the agreement will also allow the City to try and help people who leave their reserve to get an education, receive the funding they would have gotten if they stayed on reserve.

“Too often if someone leaves a reserve and goes into a city to try and get education or to get opportunities, the federal government will say, well if you’re not on reserve, we don’t provide benefits.”

Mayor Clark says he recently talked to Whitecap Dakota First Nation Chief Darcy Bear and Chief Arcand about the fact that that there is an agreement with the federal government to have a $1500 dollar per student support for First Nations Schools on reserve for language and cultural programs.

Clark adds kids that are living in cities and going to schools in the public and Catholic systems, the schools in the city aren’t entitled to that funding.

The mayor says the City and the STC can work together to say whether or not a student is living on reserve or in the city, people are facing the same issues and challenges.

Chief Arcand says Friday’s signing is tremendous and hopes more jurisdictions will sign similar agreements in the future.