Nutrien to move two executives to Saskatoon

The world’s largest fertilizer company is set to move two of its top executives to Saskatoon by the end of the year.

Nutrien CEO Chuck Magro will be in Saskatoon on Thursday to speak at a Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce luncheon to make the announcement and highlight the company’s commitment to Saskatchewan and the economic benefits the company provides.

“The speech will be about Nutrien’s purpose and strategy,” said Will Tigley, Nutrien’s manager of media and digital communications. “(Magro) will provide some specific examples of how the creation of Nutrien has been positive for the province and for Canada.”

Tigley wouldn’t confirm exactly which executives will be making the move, but they are believed to be executive vice-presidents near the top of Nutrien’s corporate structure.

In November, Premier Scott Moe put pressure on the company to relocate its head office functions to the province after it was reported that only one executive, Susan Jones, works and lives in Saskatoon.

Thursday’s announcement is a move in the right direction, according to Moe.

“The announcement from CEO Chuck Magro of the addition of two senior executive positions to their Saskatoon office is a positive step,” an email from the Premier’s office to 650 CKOM said. “This brings the total number of Nutrien executive positions based in Saskatchewan to one-third of the company’s executives.”

Moe’s email said he has had numerous discussions with Magro and Derek Pannell, chair of the Nutrien board of directors. While the discussions have been positive, Moe remains determined to increase Nutrien’s presence in Saskatchewan.

“(Magro and Pannell) have highlighted Nutrien’s commitment to Saskatchewan, including a recent 30-per-cent increase of employees at Nutrien’s Saskatoon office,” the email read. “Our government’s expectation remains that Nutrien has Saskatchewan representation from the mine to the highest levels of leadership, and we will continue to work closely with Nutrien to ensure this commitment is upheld.”

The company’s other top executives are mainly split between Calgary, Northbrook, Ill., and Loveland, Colo.

The location of Nutrien’s executives has been an ongoing issue for the provincial government since Agrium Inc. and the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan merged on Jan. 1, 2018 to create Nutrien.

Unique legislation created in 1979 when the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan was still a provincial Crown corporation states that the chief executive and chief financial officer, and the company’s head office functions must remain in Saskatchewan.

The province has raised the relocation issue two other times aside from late last year: Before BHP Billiton’s failed takeover attempt of Potash Corp. in 2015, and leading up to the merger in 2017.