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Many industry experts agree Regina and Saskatchewan’s technology sector is at a crucial period where there’s great potential. O’Connor says the city is currently seeing momentum build in its startup scene, and things are moving in the right direction. It may take a few years, but O’Connor foresees a near future when the city has some big companies making “a lot of noise.”

“I think that we’re going to look back at this point in time we are right now as one of the key moments in Regina’s startup resurgence,” says O’Connor.

While in the past Saskatchewan has lost talent to other provinces, McFarlen is starting to see a reversal. Companies outside the province are expressing interest in Cultivator based on the activity they’re seeing, and one is considering relocating to launch in Saskatchewan.

“I think that in the past that typically would have been the other way around, so seeing that kind of come full circle is pretty exciting,” says McFarlen.

For Cain, the tech sector is the next economic boom. There are hardly any industries that don’t have a major technology component, including sectors that already have a strong presence in the province, such as agriculture and mining.

And much like the decisive and gutsy mentality startup founders need to have, Cain says the city and province as a whole needs to be ready to seize these opportunities.

“We collectively cannot be shy or cautious when it comes to our technology ecosystem. This is a time to be bold and to significantly invest collectively in getting this right, because if we miss the boat, it will be hard to claw it back in the future.”

Photo by BRANDON HARDER / Regina Leader-Post

mmelnychuk@postmedia.com