After decades at Innovation Place in Saskatoon, the University of Regina's faculties of Social Work and Nursing are preparing for a new chapter.
The faculties' current location has been a long-standing arrangement that allowed the University to maintain a strong presence in Saskatoon. This spring, both programs will relocate to a newly renovated, standalone building in the city's north following the expiration of their lease and a review of the University's space needs.
"This is simply a case of a lease coming to an end and the University of Regina needing space that aligns with its own academic priorities," says Cathy Rocke, dean of the Faculty of Social Work. "Our commitment to Saskatoon hasn't changed. If anything, this move allows us to strengthen it."
This is our first real opportunity to design a site from the ground up with flexibility in mind. We're balancing assigned offices with bookable workspaces, building teaching studios for online delivery, and creating spaces that can adapt as needs change.
Paula Matz, Director, Planning, Design and Construction, Facilities Management
The Faculty of Social Work has operated in Saskatoon since before the University of Regina became an independent entity. Today, approximately half of its faculty and staff are based in Saskatoon, alongside a substantial online cohort serving communities across Saskatchewan.
Rocke says the new location offers an opportunity to design space around how social work education is actually delivered.
"The new site gives us enhanced classrooms, improved student study and lounge spaces, and dedicated teaching studios that support online and blended learning," she says. "It also allows us to create a place where community partners can come in and work with us, which is central to social work education."
Finding the right location was the result of an extensive search process led by Facilities Management, says Paula Matz, the director of planning, design and construction for the U of R.
"Once it became clear we couldn't extend the lease at Innovation Place, we worked to identify potential sites across Saskatoon," Matz says. "We reviewed more than 20 properties, narrowed that down to five, then to two, before selecting this site."
She says the final decision was based on a range of criteria, including safety, accessibility, parking, cost, and the ability to retrofit the space effectively.
"This location ranked at or near the top across all of our key measures, including safety, lease cost, renovation cost, and overall suitability," Matz says.
The selected building is a standalone facility entirely occupied by the University of Regina, a significant shift from the shared, multi-tenant environment at Innovation Place.
"The entire building is ours," Matz says. "The space is designed specifically for our needs and it gives the University a clear, visible presence."
The Faculty of Nursing, which is also relocating, sees similar advantages. The Saskatoon site houses faculty and staff but delivers classes to the approximately 750 nursing students in Saskatoon, primarily at the campus of their collaborative partner, Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
"In Saskatoon, space is limited, and with our lease ending, we needed a location that would support our faculty and staff in a sustainable way," says Robin Evans, dean of the Faculty of Nursing. "This move gives us stability and allows us to plan with confidence."
While nursing students will continue to complete their studies through established academic and clinical partnerships, Evans says the new site improves how faculty support learners across the province.
"One of the real benefits of the new space is access to dedicated rooms for distance education," she says. "That creates a more reliable environment for virtual teaching and collaboration, which ultimately benefits students wherever they are learning from."
Matz says the renovation process has allowed the University to rethink how space is used, particularly in a post-pandemic academic environment.
"This is our first real opportunity to design a site from the ground up with flexibility in mind," she says. "We're balancing assigned offices with bookable workspaces, building teaching studios for online delivery, and creating spaces that can adapt as needs change."
The approximately 16,000-square-foot building will include classrooms, offices, student lounge space, teaching studios, and shared meeting areas. Construction is now well underway, with completion expected this spring and a transition period planned ahead of the May 2026 move-out deadline at Innovation Place.
The new site also allows the U of R to expand programming, including a La Cité office to support the nursing bilingual option and the upcoming bilingual social work program in Saskatoon.
Rocke says the University has made a long-term commitment to the new location, signing a 10-year lease.
"The University of Regina is fully committed to maintaining a strong presence in Saskatoon for the next decade and beyond," says President and Vice-Chancellor Jeff Keshen. "This move ensures that both the Nursing and Social Work programs will have the facilities, support, and space they need to continue delivering high-quality education to students and serving communities across the province well into the future."
Matz says recent tours of the site have helped faculty and staff better visualize the finished space.
"Once people can see the layout taking shape, it starts to feel real," she says. "There's a sense that this will be a place that supports their work and builds community."
