Mining and minerals corporation BHP has officially declared Saskatoon its North American headquarters following a recent move from 3rd Avenue to an office at River Quarry.

The grand opening event was held in conjunction with BHP’s 140-year anniversary. General Manager of Integrated Operations Mike Moscarda says it was always the plan to make Saskatoon home, as it’s close to the Jansen Mine site near Humboldt.

The new office is 54,000 square feet over three floors, with 350 staff members already moved in, and another 200 on the way once the Jansen mine is operational.

“The Jansen project will be employing just over five-and-a-half thousand people over both stage one and stage two construction of the project. As we move into operations, we’re expecting to have around plus or minus 900 full time job opportunities.”

He says the new office’s coolest feature would have to be the remote operating centre, which allows employees in Saskatoon to tie into the operation processes at the Jansen site with a few clicks of a button.

“This provides us this really unique opportunity to allow entry pathways into the workforce which may not necessarily be suited for out on the mine site itself.”

Moscarda says the office also features cultural, spiritual, and contemplation rooms, as well as a space for parents to be with their children.

Although there are no dedicated childcare spaces either at the office or the future mine site, BHP has invested over $1 million in childcare spaces in Leroy and Muenster, providing up to 20 spaces each for children of BHP employees.

BHP has also established a Potash Academy at Carlton Trail College in Humboldt. This eight-month course focuses on both theory and hands-on learning, and it’s unique in the way that it is targeted at people with zero pervious mining experience. The first cohort graduated this year, and the second cohort of 22 students is expected to start class in the near future.