Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. (PotashCorp) today announced a $1,000,000 donation to the Saskatoon Public Schools Foundation to construct the PotashCorp Eco-Science Centre – a new facility that will help teach pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12 students the importance of sustainability and our natural environment. Bill Doyle, President & CEO of PotashCorp, made the announcement at Buena Vista School surrounded by administrators, educators and students in the Saskatoon Public Schools’ EcoQuest Classroom.

“Growing sustainable communities starts with teaching young people that the land and its natural resources are a gift,” explained Doyle. “At PotashCorp, sustainability is among our highest priorities. We hope the new PotashCorp Eco-Science Centre will inspire young people to think about sustainability and teach the importance of good stewardship over our natural resources.”

The new facility will be located at the school division's Brightwater site near Beaver Creek and will give students the chance to learn about environmental sustainability, ecology and ecosystems in a natural setting. It will house classroom and exhibit space, kitchen and washroom facilities, and incorporate components that reflect the important role Aboriginal perspectives will play in its programming.

“We want to give our students a well-rounded and balanced understanding of biology, ecology and our natural environment,” explained George Rathwell, Director of Education for Saskatoon Public Schools. “That’s why the centre’s programming will blend Western science and Indigenous Ways of Knowing and will involve Traditional Knowledge Keepers who can provide cultural insight into the dynamics of our natural environment.”

Rathwell expressed appreciation to PotashCorp for its significant contribution to the project and the division’s eco-science curriculum: “We cannot thank PotashCorp enough for its leadership in helping to make this project possible. The new PotashCorp Eco-Science Centre will provide hands on experiences and inspire learning for a new generation of Saskatoon public school students.”

Headquartered in Saskatoon, PotashCorp is the world’s largest fertilizer company by capacity, producing the three primary crop nutrients – potash, phosphate and nitrogen. With five potash operations in Saskatchewan, and one in New Brunswick, it is responsible for about 20 percent of global capacity and is the world’s leading potash producer. Its operations and business interests span seven countries, making PotashCorp an international enterprise and a key player in meeting the growing challenge of feeding the world.

For more information, please contact:

PotashCorp Saskatoon Public Schools Foundation Rhonda Speiss
Manager, Corporate Philanthropy
Phone: (306) 933-8544
E-mail Corporate Philanthropy Bruce Cory
Executive Director
Phone: (306) 683-8440
E-mail: coryb@spsd.sk.ca