Saskatchewan unveiled a permanent memorial in Regina on Sept. 26 honouring protective services personnel who died in the line of duty, according to the Government of Saskatchewan.
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The Saskatchewan Protective Services Memorial stands on Memorial Way southwest of the Legislature Building in Regina and carries 66 inscribed names, with room left to add more in future years.
Who the memorial honours
The tribute recognizes firefighters, police officers, paramedics, correctional workers, emergency communications personnel, conservation officers and other protective services professionals, according to the province.
The province said those honoured served in fire services, police services, emergency medical services, federal and provincial corrections, victims services, mobile crisis services and the Canadian Armed Forces, with their service spanning more than a century of Saskatchewan history.
“The Saskatchewan Protective Services Memorial honours the women and men who made the ultimate sacrifice to others, reflecting on their courage, dedication, and unwavering commitment to protecting the people of Saskatchewan,” Community Safety Minister Michael Weger said.
“The memorial now stands as a permanent reminder that their service will never be forgotten,” Weger said.
How the memorial was built
The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) developed the memorial at a cost of roughly $900,000, including a $100,000 contribution from WorkSafe Saskatchewan, a partnership between the Workers’ Compensation Board and the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety, the province said.
“Protecting the people and property of Saskatchewan often comes at a tremendous personal cost, and those sacrifices deserve to be remembered with the utmost respect and gratitude,” SPSA president and fire commissioner Marlo Pritchard said.
“This memorial is ultimately about people. It honours the lives that were lived, the families who loved them, the colleagues who served beside them and the communities that were made safer because of their dedication and sacrifice,” Pritchard said.
Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board CEO Phillip Germain said the structure is meant to do more than mark the past.
“It also challenges us to do everything within our power to prevent others from being added to this memorial,” Germain said.
The design features an image of the Saskatchewan Protective Services Medal, a “helping hands” structure and a commemorative message, selected through a process led by a working group representing first responder and public service organizations, according to the province.
Local relevance for Border City first responders
The province’s release did not include the full list of names inscribed on the memorial, so it is not confirmed whether any Lloydminster-area first responders are among those honoured.
The unveiling nonetheless resonates locally, where Legacy Regional Protective Services personnel respond regularly to fires, collisions and medical calls on both sides of the Alberta-Saskatchewan boundary.
Lloydminster has held its own remembrance events for fallen first responders and community members in past years, including one memorial gathering that drew residents together to reflect on loss and service.
Legacy crews have also spent time building relationships with the community they protect, from visits to local daycares to hands-on training exercises meant to prepare new members for the risks of the job.
The Saskatchewan Protective Services Memorial is intended as a permanent site of reflection for families, colleagues and the public, the province said, with the ceremony bringing together dignitaries, personnel and family members of the fallen.
Further information on the memorial is available through the SPSA media inquiry line at 306-798-0094.
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