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In 1977, the Government of Saskatchewan adopted a bold and modern symbol: a stylized wheat sheaf designed to reflect the province’s deep agricultural roots and forward-looking identity. Created during a period of increasing interest in modernist visual systems across Canada, the mark distills the essence of Saskatchewan’s prairie heritage into a simple, graphic form. Adapted from elements on the province’s shield, fourteen golden wheat stalks, fanned and bundled in a symmetrical arrangement, suggest both abundance and unity — echoing the growth of the province and the vitality of its people.

The sheaf was the product of a larger provincial initiative led by Regina-born designer Vic Sotropa. A lifelong student of art and design, Sotropa brought a rich and eclectic background to the project — from formal training at the Ontario College of Art (including summer workshops with members of the Group of Seven), to work as an editorial cartoonist and a stint at Disney, to years in sales and marketing with 3M. In the early 1970s, he approached Premier Allan Blakeney with a proposal to establish a unified visual identity for the province — a progressive move at a time when few provincial governments were exploring branding in such a systematic way. Approved and implemented over the following years, the program was directed by Sotropa for more than two decades. Ever pragmatic and aware of his audience, he once joked that with a cabinet full of farmers, ‘it was going to be wheat.’ Yet within that constraint, he created a mark that is both grounded and modern — a clean, geometric icon that communicates Saskatchewan’s character with clarity and strength.

The sheaf was part of a broader effort to update the province’s visual communications and convey a sense of renewal, professionalism, and regional pride. The choice of wheat was both practical and poetic: Saskatchewan is the country’s breadbasket, and the sheaf a timeless emblem of labour, growth, and prosperity. Used across government signage, stationery, and publications for decades, it became a visual shorthand for the province itself.

Although it was officially replaced in 2013 by a new provincial logo (known as the Stylized Wheat Sheaf), the original wheat sheaf continues to be used on signs and buildings, and resonates with many as an iconic representation of the province’s agrarian heritage. As with many symbols from this era, it endures not only as a piece of graphic design but also as a cultural artifact — capturing a moment when provinces, like the nation, were asserting their presence through thoughtful and enduring design.

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