Wanuskewin Heritage Park is entering the final phases of its long-standing bid to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with an official decision anticipated in July 2028.
The heritage park first launched the World Heritage Site bid in 2018 and has done several major upgrades in the years since.
While the process has spanned several years, CEO Jenaya Chutskoff notes that a decade-long timeline aligns with expectations provided by Parks Canada.
“Parks Canada said 10 years is usually, not necessarily even an average, but a more realistic timeline,” Chutskoff said, explaining that UNESCO’s operational guidelines are intentionally flexible to be implemented globally, which adds uncertainty to the process.
“You in some ways kind of only get one kick at the can with this,” she added.
The heritage park completed a preliminary assessment step in September 2024, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from advisory bodies.
Chutskoff described the response as a “sneak peek of what the nomination will look like,” giving park leadership the confidence that they remain on the right track.
The formal nomination process is now being finalized. An international site visit is scheduled for the summer of 2027, where delegates will confirm the park’s claims in person.
The final milestone will take place during a week-long UNESCO committee meeting in July 2028, where decisions on new site inscriptions will be rendered.
To better prepare for the final stage, a Wanuskewin staff member traveled to Busan, South Korea, to observe the UNESCO committee meetings firsthand.
Chutskoff hopes to have a full delegation present in July 2028 when the final decision is delivered.
“It would just be really incredible to have a delegate attend that and find out in real time that Wanuskewin is now the 23rd UNESCO World Heritage site in Canada, and the first in Saskatchewan,” she said.