Communities in the southwest corner of Saskatchewan have a lot to offer – and a group of them recently made the ingenious move of forming a co-op to promote themselves collaboratively.

The Southwest Saskatchewan Tourism and Investment Attraction Hub is a co-operative that raises awareness and actively promotes economic development in the region. It’s designed to showcase tourism and investment opportunities, while reimagining and redeveloping the traditional visitor centre.

The group includes seven communities, plus three economic and tourism organizations, that wanted a structure that facilitated collaboration, shared ownership, and long-term benefits. It operates a tourist information centre on Highway 1, and a website with information about how to live in, invest, and explore the member communities: Maple Creek, Swift Current, Frontier, Shaunavon, Gull Lake, Cypress Hills, and Eastend.

“One of the biggest advantages we’ve seen is that co-ops naturally build trust and accountability, which has helped, we believe, form deeper connections both within our board and with the communities/agencies and organizations we serve in SW Saskatchewan,” a representative of the co-op said.

The co-op allows every member to have a voice and a stake in Southwest Saskatchewan’s success while building trust, accountability, and deeper connections between communities.

“Working with Co-operatives First has been an outstanding experience from start to finish. Their team is incredibly knowledgeable, approachable, and genuinely committed to supporting rural sustainable businesses.”