By KEVIN BERGER, Local Journalism Initiative
Yes, it’s true what you’ve heard: the Town of Duck Lake is indeed entertaining serious offers from individuals, families, companies and brands for the naming rights to the community.
That said, Duck Lake Mayor Jason Anderson has made it clear that they won’t change the town’s historic moniker for peanuts, and any potential name change has to fit the community and ultimately be approved by its residents, as well as the provincial government.
“We have to have someone that’s going to want to share our history and our values, and our ideals, and to actually partner with us on this one. Because we’re not going to just do this for nothing,” said Anderson, in an interview.
During a public meeting on October 22, Town of Duck Lake Councillors voted 3-2 to approve the naming rights project, which was then publicized via a news release sent out to provincial media the following day. Since then, the story of this unusual move has grabbed headlines in provincial and national media.
For historical context, the community of Duck Lake was founded in the 1800s and was the site of the initial engagement of the North-West Resistance, also known in the past as the Riel Rebellion.
As noted in the October 23 media release, this small prairie town of approximately 500 to 600 residents “has long stood as a crossroads of cultures, commerce and identity. Now, after decades of economic stagnation, Duck Lake is ready to reinvent itself as a beacon of innovation, investment and opportunity.”
In an interview, Anderson indicated he came up with the idea of renaming a municipal facility prior to his election as mayor after reading about a deal in the U.S. where the naming rights to a stadium was sold for millions of dollars.
Investigating the matter further, he learned of the deal for the naming rights to the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, which was renamed the Crypto.com Arena for $35 million per year for the next 20 years.
However, Anderson acknowledged that re-naming the town hall or skating rink would, at best, net the municipality a couple hundred thousand dollars.
“Really, with that kind of funds, all we can really do is just put some work into both of the buildings and that’s it. It really doesn’t do anything for us,” he said.
“And then I thought, well, you know what? Why not thename (of the town?)”
Anderson said he posed the idea to council, gave them a month to think on it and then they finally held a recorded vote on October 22.
“We did decide that we’re going to pursue this and just give it a try, see what happens.”
Though other communities have done something similar, those arrangements have typically been gimmicks, Anderson said, adding that to his knowledge, no one has ever tried to sell the naming rights to a whole town.
He acknowledged there has been some pushback to the idea since it’s been put out there, but no one’s really had a chance to sit on it.
“Like I say, the idea is very, very different. And it’s going to take some time for people to actually digest this,” he said.
Anderson said they will accept tenders up until March 31, 2026, at which point town council will hold a public meeting at the beginning of April.
If no offers are received, then the town continues on with business as usual, Anderson said. But if there is at least one offer, “we’re going to open them at the public meeting, so that the residents actually get a chance to see exactly what this is, and what we were offered.”
To be clear, Anderson said town council will not make this decision on its own; any offer would have to be considered by the entire community, likely via a plebiscite, and ultimately approved by the province.
The October 23 release suggests that brands will have to “put their best foot forward” if they are seriously interested in the town’s naming rights, noting that an offer of $5 million won’t cut it, but $10 million or more might be worth asking the community about.
What could Duck Lake use that money for? Anderson noted they would like to re-do their water and sewer lines, noting that while many people complain about the state of local roads, that work can’t be done until the water and sewer system is upgraded. As of now, the town will likely have to tackle that project piecemeal over a long period of time.
Anderson indicated they would probably dismiss an offer for an ill-fitting brand name; for example, the video game franchise World of Warcraft would be rejected, but McDonald’s would be more palatable.
“I’m not advocating for McDonalds to come here. That’s not what I mean. My point is just simply the name itself still has to offer something too. It has to be a decent sounding name,” he said.
Anderson suggested there may also be a rich family or individual that may be interested in leaving a lasting legacy, using the example of Canadian billionaire Jim Pattison who financed the Saskatoon children’s hospital with a $50 million donation.
He also pointed out a successful offer doesn’t just have to be strictly monetary; for instance, a company offering the town $5 million and the placement of a head office or a manufacturing plant within the community might be worth considering.
“The thing is, we have a lot cheaper land than what it is for in Warman, in Saskatoon, in Prince Albert, or anywhere around that area,” he said. “And we’re basically the midpoint between Prince Albert and Saskatoon, or very close to it. And with Highway 11 being right there, we have just about 6,000 vehicles passing by us every day.”
Interested individuals, families, brands and companies are encouraged to contact the Town of Duck Lake by calling (306) 467-2277 or by e-mailing cao@ducklake.ca.