The University of Saskatchewan (USask) has broken ground on two new state-of-the-art agricultural research facilities designed to advance crop and soil science in Western Canada. Located on the Saskatoon campus, the Harrington Plant Growth Facility and the Soil Science Field Facility will boost research capacity and enhance student training through the College of Agriculture and Bioresources and the Crop Development Centre (CDC).
The project also includes renovations to the Crop Science Field Lab, providing additional workspace to support CDC’s expanding research needs. Construction is underway and expected to be completed by July 2026.
The infrastructure is being developed with funding from the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) Phase 2 Capacity Initiative, a program that supports infrastructure projects aimed at accelerating crop research for the benefit of prairie farmers.
The Harrington Plant Growth Facility is named in honour of Dr. James Bishop Harrington, a USask alumnus and respected plant breeder. It will feature indoor growth rooms—crucial in Saskatchewan’s short growing season—that allow researchers to grow multiple crop cycles per year. The facility will also expand seed processing, storage, and lab capacity to support the CDC’s world-class plant breeding programs.
The Soil Science Field Facility will centralize and modernize soil research operations. It will include dedicated space for drying, processing, and storing plant and soil samples, and support research in areas such as soil fertility, health, sustainability, Indigenous agriculture, and climate adaptation.
Funding for the project reflects strong support from across the agricultural sector:
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$7 million from the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF)
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$2.3 million from the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission
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$1 million from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP)
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$850,000 from the Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission
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$400,000 from the Saskatchewan Oilseeds Development Commission
Additional support has been provided by BASF Canada, SeCan, the Saskatchewan Cattle Association, Bob and Norma McKercher, and several commodity organizations including SaskOats, the Saskatchewan Alfalfa Seed Producers Development Commission, and the Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Commission.
Sustainable CAP is a five-year, $3.5 billion investment by federal, provincial, and territorial governments to support Canada’s agri-food and agri-product sectors. It includes $1 billion in federal programs and $2.5 billion in cost-shared funding for regionally delivered initiatives.
The Government of Saskatchewan emphasized that this investment helps bring cutting-edge research into the hands of producers and agribusinesses, strengthening their global competitiveness.
USask researchers are expected to use the new infrastructure to deliver innovations that support sustainable agriculture and address emerging challenges. The facilities will also provide students with hands-on training opportunities, further strengthening the future of Canadian agriculture.
