Our History.
The evolution of the Saskatchewan Safety Council began on November 15, 1955 in Regina, Saskatchewan. Beginning as the Saskatchewan Highway Safety Council, the agency was developed primarily to help reduce the growing number of deaths and injuries on Saskatchewan streets and highways.
The Honourable C.M Fines was the Minister in Charge of the Highway Traffic Board and S.G.I.O., two government agencies that had a direct interest in reducing the fatalities and economic cost of traffic collisions. Mr. Fines recognized the need for a safety agency that was independent from government and able to tap into a broader range of expertise. This became the basis for the Saskatchewan Safety Council vision.
Mr. Fines initiated the process by calling a meeting of select individuals who, besides being directly involved in safety, were active in the enforcement, education and engineering fields. This meeting, in Room 218 of the Saskatchewan Legislative Building, marked the birth of the Saskatchewan Safety Council. Mr. Fines served as interim chairman and Leonard Bowman, safety director for the Saskatchewan Motor Club and a 25 year veteran of the RCMP, was elected the first president and general manager.
By 1962 it became clear that the other safety areas needed to be addressed. An all inclusive Council was officially launched on June 1, 1963. The Council added two new divisions, Farm and Public (now known as Home & Community). A fourth division, Occupation, was added in 1970. Each division actively adapted and developed programs to meet Saskatchewan needs and increase public awareness.
Today the Council is a central voice wherever safety education and promotion is concerned. The Council continues to operate as a non-profit organization and has approximately 500 members representing business, industry, government, organizations, and other groups and individuals. The Council offers over forty comprehensive safety education programs throughout Saskatchewan at all levels of expertise. Expert training is provided by Council staff, industry specialists, on-call consultants, and executive members from a variety of backgrounds.
The Council is supported financially by annual membership contributions, corporate and government sponsorship and the distribution of safety programs and materials. Funds are used to research, promote and sponsor safety programs to educate the public and other sectors on safety. Council policies are set by its Board of Directors. Council programs are administered by a staff in Regina, Saskatchewan.
