Meanwhile, construction is thriv- ing. LeClair says the city broke records last year with more than $1 billion in building permits and is on target to be close to that again this year. The biggest challenge with this growth is ensuring sufficient skilled trades are in place. As part of a proactive plan, strategic partner- ships have been formed with the University of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Institute of Ap- plied Science and Technology. “We have strategies in place for devel- oping skills internally, attracting skill from other parts of Canada and in- ternationally. We have joint strate- gies with Regina to attract skilled trades, scientists and engineers.” A new website www.liv- ingsaskatoon.com, created out of discussions with human resources professionals, answers questions to make relocation to Saskatoon easier. For more information about SREDA, visit sreda.com. The Canadian Design and Construction Report — Fall 2013 – 55