SaskTel Sponsors Humboldt Broncos Memorial Forest

It can be said that a forest is a powerful metaphor for memory containing layers, growth, roots, paths, and things that endure long after people have passed through.

Such a place will be found at the edge of Saskatoon on property owned by the Saskatoon Wildlife Federation.

It is there that trees were planted on October 9, 2026, for the Humboldt Broncos Memorial Tree Planting event. The event honours the 16 lives lost and the 13 survivors of the Humboldt Broncos bus tragedy of April 6, 2018.

SaskTel was a sponsor for the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas project.

“The idea for this project was inspired by the Highway of Heroes in Ontario, where they planted thousands of trees in honour of veterans,” said René Kreutzwieser, Project Manager, Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. “I am from the Nipawin area and have some connections to the Humboldt Broncos crash; I was the same age as many of those players who were lost.”

“This was such a devastating event for so many people, including the families and first responders who showed up that day. We want to help preserve their memory and plant a living tribute to all involved.”

While the project honours the past, it also serves as a reminder to drivers on the road today to give their full attention to driving.

It also symbolizes life since the tree planting will create a more diverse habitat for wildlife in the area featuring four different kinds of trees - spruce, paper birch, dogwood, and willow.

“These trees will sequester carbon for hopefully the next few decades, said René. “There are so many reasons why we believe projects like this can be so valuable. We want to do more of these and are always looking for small parcels of land and donors to help purchase the trees. This year we were fortunate enough to receive support from many including SaskTel. We are so thankful for this support!”

The forest is a fitting tribute to hockey players whose legacy, like roots, will deepen over time and, like tree branches, will continue to reach out and inspire future generations.