Saskatchewan’s Duck Lake to sell naming rights to historic community

It’s common practice with sports arenas, but a Saskatchewan town is taking the unprecedented step of selling its naming rights to a corporate partner.

Duck Lake — an historic community best known as the site of a key battle during the North-West Rebellion in 1885 — is looking for a new name, municipal leaders say, as a way to kickstart efforts to revitalize the community after decades of stagnation.

Mayor Jason Anderson said the initiative, which the town’s council voted in favour of, will help usher in a new era in Duck Lake … or whatever it ends up being named.

“Renaming a town as historic as Duck Lake doesn’t come cheap,” Anderson said in a statement Thursday.

“We’re not talking about a rink or a stadium here — we’re talking about a living, breathing community with deep roots in Canada’s story.

“Brands will need to put their best foot forward if they want to be part of that legacy.”

The price tag, Anderson said, is in the $10-million range, to ensure a potential partner takes it seriously.

The new name of the community would be “(BrandName), Saskatchewan,” and would be the first time a Canadian city has attempted it.

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“Duck Lake has always been more than a dot on the map,” the mayor said. “It’s been a symbol of resilience, identity and possibility.

“Now we’re inviting forward-thinking companies to write the next chapter with us.”