Santa in the North: A Tradition of Partnership & Care

April 9, 2026 in Giving Back
Explorer: Spring 2026

For a quarter of a century, the annual Santa in the North tour has been far more than a festive tradition. It’s a heartfelt expression of community partnership and shared care across northern Saskatchewan. Each year’s journey takes months of planning, beginning early in the year as Rise Air and Athabasca Basin Development work closely with over 22 sponsors and donors, and local schools and communities, to ensure that when the aircraft touches down, children in remote Athabasca Basin communities are greeted with smiles and gifts.

In 2025, the 25th Annual Santa in the North program marked a milestone as Santa and his crew flew to Black Lake, Stony Rapids, Wollaston Lake, Fond du Lac and Uranium City, bringing holiday cheer and more than 1,500 gift bags filled with Christmas candy, healthy snacks and age-appropriate surprises.
“It takes a village to make this happen,” says Kristy Jackson, Director of Communications at Athabasca
Basin Development, reflecting on the careful preparation that spans much of the year and the collaboration that powers the tour. “Providing books by Indigenous authors and illustrators helps encourage kids to read. Thank you to Santa, our ongoing sponsors, and the new donors who came on
board in 2025 to help make this happen.”

Dan Gold, Rise Air’s Director of Marketing and Stakeholder Relations, has noted the importance of these partnerships. “We couldn’t do this without our amazing partners, sponsors, volunteers, and,
importantly, the schools themselves for supporting this annual event.”

As the season’s warmth lingers in memory, plans are already underway for the 2026 edition of Santa in the North. The organizing team looks forward to deepening partnerships, welcoming new supporters, and continuing a tradition that brings light to the far north each holiday season