Saskatoon will soon be home to Canada’s first co-working space on an urban reserve.
Co-working is where people working independently or for different companies share one work space.
A co-working space called Uspace that includes meeting rooms, business class equipment and supplies, high-speed internet connection and a kitchenette is nearing completion in Saskatoon.
The new space is being designed in the second floor of the First Nations Bank building, which recently became an urban reserve.
“Our mission is to create a space that fosters and grows a diverse and prosperous Indigenous business community while creating sustainable relations between First Nation, Métis, Inuit people and Canadian Businesses,” reads a Kickstarter for the space.
According to Tim Cook, who is helping launch the facility, the space will be designed to promote “synergy” amongst Indigenous and Métis business people.
He said the most exciting thing about the space is it could create more opportunities for Indigenous and Métis people to break into a market and become a successful enterprise — while supporting each other.
“I’m already seeing it in our space,” Cook said. “For the amount of people that are in there, they’re talking to me and saying ‘hey Tim. What do I do about this?’ or, ‘How do we get involved with this?'”
Cook said while it’s a space that’s geared towards Indigenous people, it’s also a place that’s welcoming to non-Indigenous business people as well.
“We’re focusing on Indigenous, it’s on reserve, there’s some opportunity for First Nations people with tax issues, there’s some benefits there,” Cook said.
Co-working is something that’s taking shape in Canada. Cook said it has taken over in Europe and Asia, but it’s just starting to catch on in larger city centres like Toronto.
He said in Saskatchewan, and in Saskatoon, it’s just starting out. But there’s been a lot of interest in the space so far.
“The [amount] of people that come into the space and talk to me, I get nothing done in a day,” Cook said. “Everyone says it’s an amazing idea.”
According to the Uspace Kickstarter, the new co-working space will be open on April 15.