Saskatoon’s Gather Local Market seeks new ownership

WATCH: Gather Local Market is under new ownership and the long-term plans for the space are in limbo as the city seeks out a new operator for the market.

Gather Local Market vendors are patiently waiting for an update on the future of their businesses.

“There’s a lot of heritage; I think this building’s 100 years old. It’s very important to everyone in the community. All these vendors are locally owned and operated, and I think the city knows and understands that, and we’re here for the city,” Dan Belhumeur, owner of Deadly Dan Sauces, said.

The market operates out of the farmer’s market building at 414 Avenue B South.

The City of Saskatoon recently took back ownership of the market after a local non-profit, Ideas Inc., ran the space for about a year.

In a statement released last week by Gather Local Market, the organization said, “the market now requires a new operator to meet its full potential,” going on to cite financial and operational constraints.

Saskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block says the city is committed to seeing the location succeed.

“That is such an amazing space. And I’m excited to make sure that space has the opportunity to become all it can be,” Block said.

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The market closed for a significant period of time during the COVID-19 pandemic. The indoor portion of the market is now open five days a week, with plans for the outdoor market to return within a few weeks.

“We were just, I think, starting to get our rhythm back to get Street Stall Saturdays going again. And we’re not going to miss out on that,” Block said.

The mayor went on to say that as the city looks at different ownership options, there may be some changes from the current format.

“I’m grateful that the residents can depend on that. But I do think as we go forward with a potential new provider of the services in that space, how might we experience that differently as we go forward?” Block said.

Belhumeur is one of the market’s built-in vendors. The space is a mix of pop-up vendors and those with permanent locations in the indoor portion.

Belhumeur says he is putting his trust in the city.

“We’re very confident. The city came in, took control, and we’re leaning on them for their support. And we know that they can get us through it to the next step,” Belhumeur said.

The business owner went on to share how the market is something special to many in Saskatoon.

“People from out of town come here, and they’re like, ‘Oh, we’re from Montreal or Vancouver or Toronto, and this reminds me of this place that is a cornerstone in our community.’ So, we kind of transcended small-town Saskatoon, and we’ve got a big city feel here,” Belhumeur said.