The federal government is committing $5.4 million in new operational funding toward a First Nations-led virtual health facility that will have numerous applications in northern Saskatchewan.
Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty joined Whitecap Dakota Nation Chief Darcy Bear and Virtual Health Hub CEO Dr. Ivar Mendez on Thursday to announce the funding, which will support the hub’s 2026–2027 operating budget.
The investment builds on more than $28.2 million previously provided by Indigenous Services Canada to construct the state-of-the-art facility, which is slated to open in early 2027.
Operating in Whitecap Dakota Nation, the Virtual Health Hub will utilize telehealth, artificial intelligence diagnostics, and remote-presence robotics to connect patients in northern and remote areas with health specialists.
“When those doors open, people in rural and northern Saskatchewan will get public healthcare closer to home,” Chief Darcy Bear said.
Once fully operational, the hub is expected to create 80 jobs and serve up to 30 communities, with plans to expand services to 90 northern and remote communities by 2029.
The project also includes partnerships with the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies and the University of Saskatchewan to train Indigenous students and health professionals to deliver care within their own communities.
(TOP PHOTO – Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty speaks at an event at Whitecap Dakota Nation announcing the funding for the Virtual Health Hub. Photo by Joel Willick)