By Alice McFarlane

Indigenous-led canola crushing educational program

Jan 17, 2025 | 2:53 PM

Yorkton, Sask. is home to two canola crushing plants that have created demand for skilled labour.

A new program will help students build the skills they need to prepare for the work in this industry.

“Introduction to Canola Crushing Careers,” is a new program built on a partnership with the Yorkton Tribal Council (YTC).

Greg Tomcala, Suncrest College Applied Research Coordinator, who will be instructing the program said the 12-week program runs until Apr. 11 at Suncrest’s Yorkton Main Campus.

“The goal of the program is to provide a foundation of knowledge about canola, oilseeds, the crushing process and why this industry is thriving in Canada,” Tomcala said. “With this knowledge base, the students are now the ideal candidates for positions within the Canadian oilseed crushing industry.”

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The program will include two phases, the first as more of a generalized course in employment with crush plants, the second to go more in-depth on aspects that include power engineering.

The first intake of the program will include exclusively Indigenous students, with plans to expand to the public.

Tribal Chief Isabel O’Soup, Yorkton Tribal Council said they believe the pursuit of education and the drive for economic self-sufficiency are a direct exercise of treaty and inherent rights.

“It is within this framework that we’ve wholeheartedly engaged in partnership with Suncrest College to launch the program,” O’Soup said. “This First Nation-led initiative represents both a commitment to the empowerment of our community and an affirmation of our sovereignty. We celebrate the inception of this program as a landmark progression toward equipping our First Nation youth with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in the agricultural sector.

O’Soup said collaboration is not just about building a workforce but also nurturing the next generation of leaders who will continue the legacy in stewarding and prospering from the land.

All successful applicants for the program needed their grade 12 diploma or GED, and a driver’s license.

In the first intake, 12 to 15 students are taking part.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

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