Canada’s Largest Helium Purification Plant Opens in Saskatchewan

North American Helium's new helium purification plant, in Stewart Valley in southwest Saskatchewan, on Oct. 15, 2026. Photo by Jason G. Antonio

STEWART VALLEY, Sask.—Saskatchewan has opened Canada’s largest helium purification plant, a move the province says will strengthen its position as the country’s leading helium producer and help meet growing global demand.

The provincial government held a news conference on Oct. 15 to mark the opening of North American Helium’s plant near Stewart Valley in southwest Saskatchewan. The plant began operating on Sept. 20.

The province said the venue will produce roughly 73 million cubic feet of helium annually, increasing Saskatchewan’s annual output by more than 40 percent.

Helium is used in medical imaging, defence, space exploration, and advanced manufacturing. Saskatchewan produces over 95 percent of Canada’s helium.

(L) Chris Beaudry, Saskatchewan’s minister of energy and resources, and Nicholas Snyder, North American Helium’s chairman and chief executive officer, speak at a news conference on Oct. 15, 2026, while celebrating the opening of Canada's largest helium purification plant. The Epoch Times/Jason G. Antonio

Chris Beaudry, Saskatchewan’s minister of energy and resources, said during the press conference that Saskatchewan is known for producing many natural resources, such as oil and gas, uranium, and potash, but helium is another example of what it can offer global markets. He said the plant was another step toward creating a more diversified resource economy.

“Around the world, helium demand is growing for medical imaging, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and the technologies that are shaping our future,” he said.

“Saskatchewan has the resources, the expertise, and the track record to meet that demand.”

The province said in a news release that it has been urging Ottawa to change the federal tax system to encourage more private investment and support the growth of Saskatchewan’s helium industry.

The government said these changes would put helium on a level playing-field with other critical minerals in Canada and enable the construction of Canada’s first commercial-scale helium liquefaction plant. It argued this would secure Canada’s domestic supply chain and create a new export sector to serve global partners.

A balloon filled with helium floats above the head of Clayton Wenaas, operations supervisor and field engineer with North American Helium, as he speaks to reporters during a media tour on Oct. 15, 2026. The Epoch Times/Jason G. Antonio

Nicholas Snyder, chairman and CEO of North American Helium, said Saskatchewan’s geology, infrastructure, and policy environment allowed the company to drill production wells just 13 months after discovery.

He noted the province aims to supply 10 percent of the global helium market by 2030, supported by competitive royalties and processing-plant incentives.

Infrastructure used in the helium purification plant in southwest Saskatchewan, on Oct. 15, 2026. The Epoch Times/Jason G. Antonio

Snyder said the new purification plant will produce about 1 percent of the world’s helium annually, citing research indicating the helium field in southwest Saskatchewan is now the world’s largest.

With geopolitical disruptions contributing to global shortages, Snyder said Saskatchewan’s helium, extracted from underground nitrogen fields rather than hydrocarbon deposits, makes the province a reliable supplier.

The company’s next step is a proposed $100 million liquefaction plant that would reduce trucking emissions, improve efficiency, and allow helium to be processed in Canada rather than shipped to the United States. Snyder said federal tax incentive changes would “absolutely” speed up construction.

He said the world is experiencing its fifth helium shortage in 20 years, with demand rising for semiconductors and space exploration. The shortage could worsen as countries deplete commercial stocks, he added, noting helium’s importance to national security.