In November 2007, ministerial authority and responsibility for The Geographic Names Board Act was transferred from the Minister responsible for the Information Services Corporation of Saskatchewan to the Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport (PCS).  Within PCS, the responsibility for geographic place naming operations was assigned to the Heritage Conservation Branch.

In May 2010, as part of an initiative to streamline government operations and improve administrative efficiency, The Geographic Names Board Act was repealed and the authority for geographic place naming was re-established under Part V.1 of The Heritage Property Act.  Under the Act, reviewing nominations for a new geographic place name or name change, recommending its approval to the Minister, and advising the Minister on any related matter, is the responsibility of the Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation or a committee thereof. 

Besides providing administrative, technical and research support to the Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation's geographic naming committee, the Heritage Conservation Branch's Saskatchewan Geographic Names Program also: maintains the official registry of Saskatchewan geographic place names; responds to public and other requests for information on Saskatchewan place names; administers the GeoMemorial Commemorative Naming Program; and represents Saskatchewan on the Geographic Names Board of Canada which develops national toponymy (place-naming) policies, procedures, and standards and maintains the national geographic names database.

In addition to serving a vital administrative function, geographic place names typically reflect the culture and heritage of the province and its people from earliest recorded history to the present day.   Today, there are approximately 14,000 official names of populated places, geographic features, parks and reserves in Saskatchewan, including nearly 4,000 named under the GeoMemorial Commemorative Naming Program. 

New Saskatchewan place names are proposed from various sources, including the general public, and become official through a process of advisory board review and recommendation, followed by approval of the Minister responsible for The Heritage Property Act.

If you wish to propose a new geographic place name or a name change, please follow these Procedures for Geographic Place Name Requests and complete Part 3 of the Geographic Place Name Nomination Form (WORD or PDF versions). 

If you wish to propose a new GeoMemorial commemorative place name, please follow these Commemorative Naming Guidelines and complete Part 1 or Part 2 of the Geographic Place Name Nomination Form (WORD or PDF versions).

Competed nomination forms, including all appropriate supporting documentation, should be forwarded to:

Saskatchewan Geographic Names Program
Heritage Conservation Branch
Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport
9th Floor, 1919 Saskatchewan Drive
REGINA SK   S4P 4H2