Jade Roberts is an indegenous artist from Lac La Ronge. (Submitted/ Jade Roberts)

By Nigel Maxwell

Public safety

Over 50 Sask. First Nations receive first of their kind gas safety signs

Jun 18, 2024 | 3:26 PM

New safety signs, designed by a Saskatchewan Indigenous artist, are being rolled across 52 gasified First Nations throughout the province.

SaskEnergy’s aim with the project is to deliver natural gas safety messages in a way that resonates with Indigenous communities and customers. An official unveiling ceremony was held Wednesday at Whitecap Dakota First Nation.

“SaskEnergy has provided natural gas capacity to our Nation since the mid 1980s and together we have made safety awareness a top priority,” said Whitecap Dakota First Nation Chief Darcy Bear. “Today marks that continued effort and we are pleased to see this new, Indigenous designed, reminder about natural gas safety. We welcome this new addition and congratulate Jade Roberts on this design.”

SaskEnergy’s project supports awareness and authentic engagement while communicating messages that are preventative and solution focused. The new designs build on two of SaskEnergy’s core safety messages: ‘dig safely’ and ‘If you smell natural gas’ – a message reminding customers that if they smell gas to evacuate the premises and call SaskEnergy.

“SaskEnergy is committed to the safety of the public, including the Indigenous communities we serve,” says President and CEO Mark Guillet. “These signs help us to highlight how safety is a shared responsibility — in a way that’s visually and culturally appealing — while demonstrating that we value our relationships with First Nations as we work together to create safer communities.”

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(Submitted/ Jade Roberts)

Following the unveiling of the safety signs at Whitecap Dakota First Nation, SaskEnergy plans to work with the remaining gasified First Nations to see their signs installed through the spring and summer with all installations completed by fall of 2024.

The artist, Jade Roberts, is from Lac LaRonge and currently resides in Treaty 6 Territory in Saskatoon. She said she was happy to be contacted to create the art for these signs.

“To have my artwork shown in 52 communities is a big deal and I feel honoured. I was given two prompts for the artwork by SaskEnergy that were related to the safety messaging they use for their brand. So I used their prompts as a starting point, but the inspiration comes from culture and Cree tradition,” she said.

Roberts explained she often includes florals in her work because they remind her of the beadwork of her people and her family.

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell