Hill and Knowlton Strategies communications firm is following booming businesses to the province.

This will be the first national communications firm to open an office in Saskatchewan.

Jill Jennissen is the senior vice president of Hill and Knowlton for the western region. She says the decision to open their newest office in Saskatchewan made sense.

"The opportunity here in Regina and Saskatchewan frankly has really grown in over the past couple of years so for us it really is the next step," she said.

A deadly explosion and fire at a saw mill in British Columbia this week, is hitting very close to home for those who work in Saskatchewan's forest sector.

"You know being that it's a similar business, it always puts a lump in your throat when you hear these things," said Andy Borsa, General Manager of Edgewood Forest Products' mill in Carrot River.
He said tragedies like this cause you to re-evaluate your own house-keeping, to make sure you are doing everything you possibly can to prevent fires.

It's considered a small business, but Saskatoon's DIG Animation is getting some big exposure after being nominated for the Saskatoon Awards for Business Excellence (SABEX).

They are offering up a taste of Regina's diversity and expanding to meet demand for a grocery store.

The Cau family is opening the doors to a bigger location for Ngoy Hoa Asian Foods in Regina's Warehouse District on the corner of Albert Street and 9th Ave.

Ngee Cau is part of the family business that sells ingredients for Japanese, Korean, Phillipine, Burmese, Thai and western dishes to name a few.

"Residents of Regina are more adventurous in trying out new food, so even in recent months we've seen new restaurants popping up," he said.

Premier Brad Wall indicated on Monday he’s open to a review of the alcohol sale system between private businesses and the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority.

There’s room for discussion to fix the current problems associated with the lack of communication between businesses and the SLGA, the premier said during an interview with News Talk Radio’s John Gormley Live.

It's been a fixture in Saskatoon's Fairhaven neighbourhood for 30 years, but some unique renovations earned a hotel an award nomination.

The Confederation Inn is up for a Saskatoon Awards for Business Excellence (SABEX) in the Environmental and Sustainability category.

"Well I was pleased. It's nice to get that word out," said owner Brian Sawatzky.

During the last five years he's worked hard to reduce the modest hotel's carbon dioxide emissions, but admitted he's never marketed the Confederation Inn as a "green hotel."

Albertan's head to the polls this morning to elect a new provincial government, and for the first time in a long time there is no predictable winner.

A Saskatchewan First Nation is set to introduce its own form of the Goods and Services Tax where the collected revenues will be diverted back to the band instead of Ottawa.

The Nekaneet First Nation, located near Maple Creek, has been given the nod of approval from the federal government to begin charging taxes on its own land under the First Nations Goods and Services Act.

This is not the first time a First Nations group has launched its own GST. Three years ago, the Whitecap Dakota First Nation, located south of Saskatoon, was the first to introduce a band-wide levy.

What do a cupcake shop, an animation studio and SARCAN have in common?

They're all nominated for the Saskatoon Awards for Business Excellence (SABEX), where winners in nine different categories will be announced on May. 17.

The Confederation Inn, Sarcan Recycling and Sun Country Farms are nominated in the Environmental and Sustainability category.

The Marketing category includes The Cupcake Conspiracy, Decora Homes Ltd., Flaman Group of Companies and Innovative Residential.

The goal may be to come away with a new combine or sprayer, but many say a Richie Bros. auction is all about the atmosphere.
 
It was evident during the auctioneer's grand reopening just north of Saskatoon where the the company had moved to a larger facility to accommodate its customers.
 
"I just love the fast-paced environment that we're in. Of course there's a lot of equipment moving, I like the smell of the diesel fumes," said Jordan Clarke, regional sales manager for Richie Bros. Auctioneers on Wednesday.