Community groups and non-profits in the Yorkton and Melville area are sharing more than $97,000 in charitable gaming grants, part of a broader provincial initiative that delivered $2.49 million in funding across Saskatchewan in the first quarter of the 2025–26 fiscal year.
The funding, administered by Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan (LGS), supported more than 1,000 groups in 250 communities across the province.
“Our government is committed to delivering for Saskatchewan communities, and one of the ways we do that is through charitable gaming grants,” said Minister Responsible for LGS Jeremy Harrison. “Proceeds from gaming in Saskatchewan support charitable organizations and activities across the province, including the arts, culture and sport, hospital foundations, service clubs and more.”
In the Yorkton region, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Yorkton and Area is one of the organizations that has benefited from the program. The group used past funding to enhance youth mentoring initiatives with items such as art supplies, sports equipment, and board games.
“Big Brothers Big Sisters of Yorkton and Area enables life-changing mentoring relationships to ignite the power and potential of young people,” said Executive Director Irma Van De Bon-Nicol. “The money we received from this grant was used to fund the casework support and supplies needed for our one-to-one and group mentoring programs. It helps bring smiles to the children’s faces, builds confidence and helps them develop healthy relationships that will assist them in reaching their goals.”
The grants are paid out quarterly to eligible organizations that conduct licensed charitable gaming events such as raffles, bingos, break-open ticket sales, and Texas hold ’em tournaments. Each grant equals 25 per cent of the net proceeds raised by the event, up to an annual maximum of $100,000 per group.
Other regions also received significant funding this quarter, including:
- Saskatoon – more than $498,000
- Regina – more than $410,000
- Prince Albert and area – more than $269,000
- Meadow Lake and area – more than $207,000
- Humboldt, Melfort and area – more than $148,000
- Weyburn, Estevan and area – more than $119,000
- Swift Current and area – more than $58,000
The grants aim to help Saskatchewan communities continue offering valuable programs that enhance the quality of life for residents, especially in rural and smaller centres like Yorkton, Melville, and surrounding areas.
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