Saskatchewan residents are being asked to put forward the people who quietly keep communities running: volunteers. Nominations have opened for the 2026 Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal, the province’s formal recognition of sustained and exceptional volunteer service.
What the medal recognises
Established in 1995, the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal honours individuals who have shown significant, long-term commitment to volunteer work across the province. The award highlights citizens who act as role models through their service — from grassroots sport and youth groups to cultural organisations and major events.
“Much of what is great about living in our province is made better by enthusiastic volunteers from our hockey rinks to the Roughriders, from community choirs to symphony orchestras and from local 4‑H clubs to the Canadian Western Agribition,” Lieutenant Governor Bernadette McIntyre said, urging residents to consider nominees whose efforts have made a difference in their communities.
Who can be nominated — and how to apply
There are clear rules about eligibility. Nominees must be Canadian citizens who are current or former long‑term residents of Saskatchewan. The medal is for individuals only — organisations are not eligible — and posthumous nominations are not accepted. Sitting members of Parliament, members of the Saskatchewan legislature and serving members of the judiciary are also ineligible.
Nominations for the 2026 medal will be accepted until Oct. 31. Applications received after that date will be considered for the following year. The office encourages online submissions, but nominations can also be submitted by mail, courier or in person.
Practical guidance for nominators
Anyone thinking of nominating a volunteer should gather clear examples of the nominee’s contributions and explain how those actions have sustained or improved community life. Useful details to include are length of service, roles held, initiatives started or led, measurable outcomes (such as programs created or people served) and any barriers the volunteer overcame.
- Deadline: Oct. 31 — late nominations considered for the next year
- Eligible nominees: Canadian citizens who are current or former long‑term Saskatchewan residents
- Ineligible: organisations; posthumous nominations; sitting MPs, MLAs or serving judiciary
- Submission methods: online (encouraged), mail, courier or in person
Why the award matters locally
Across Saskatchewan, volunteer labour keeps small towns and big events alive. The Lieutenant Governor’s remarks highlighted familiar touchstones that depend on volunteers — hockey rinks, 4‑H clubs, community choirs, symphonies and large agricultural events such as the Canadian Western Agribition. The medal is meant to put those individual efforts on the public record and offer a formal thank‑you on behalf of the province.
For many communities, the recognition also helps preserve volunteer legacies. It raises the profile of local champions, which can encourage younger people to step into unpaid leadership roles and reinforce the value communities place on civic service.
Selection and timing
The medal has been awarded annually since its creation in 1995. While this year’s process begins now with nominations, recipients are chosen after the submission deadline and announced at a later date. The province’s encouragement of online nominations aims to make it easier for neighbours, colleagues and community organisations to nominate people they see doing sustained work.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Nomination deadline | Oct. 31 |
| Established | 1995 |
| Eligibility | Canadian citizens; current or former long‑term Saskatchewan residents |
Residents who are aware of long‑time volunteers — coaches, event organisers, cultural leaders, 4‑H mentors or anyone who has helped sustain community life — are being asked to consider whether those people might be suitable candidates. The nomination process is an opportunity to record service that might otherwise go unremarked.
More information about how to nominate, including the online application form and any supporting document requirements, is available through the provincial honours program. Nominators should ensure submissions arrive before the deadline to be considered for the 2026 awards.
The call for nominations comes each year as an invitation to Saskatchewan communities to spotlight those whose unpaid work shapes daily life across the province. The medal is both recognition and storytelling — a way to mark the labour that knits towns and cities together.
