The latest Saskatchewan Innovation Challenge was released at the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation’s annual convention in Moose Jaw Friday.

Saskatchewan Environment Minister Dustin Duncan said the challenge will deal with looking at a technological solution for the issue of hunters and snowmobilers gaining consent to unmarked lands.

“It’s basically just posing a question to anybody that’s interested trying to provide a technology solution for a challenge we have as government,” Duncan said. “We’ve done this on rural crime in the past.”

People will be able to sumbit their ideas and the winning submission will get $10,000 plus a six month residency in the government of Saskatchewan to help develop their product.

“What the winner’s going to look like, I don’t know yet, we haven’t launched the challenge but I think we’ll see some interesting solutions going forward,” Duncan said.

The legislation regarding the challenge still has to pass through the house and won’t be passed until at the spring. Duncan said they will consult with the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation as they develop new regulations.

Duncan was able to make the announcement at the podium of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation’s annual convention, where he also praised the organization.

“We do understand the concern that has been raised in terms of how hunters will get timely access to the landowner to try to get consent and what that form that would take,” Duncan said. “We wanted to make sure that we know that we are aware of that and we’re looking for solutions to that.”

The law now is that consent is presumed to have been given by the landowner to people using the land for hunting, snowmobiling or any other activity unless it’s expressly posted otherwise.

“We’re just reversing that onus to say that regardless of whether or not the owner posts their land, that the hunter or the person wanting to access the land, it’s their obligation to now go out and ensure they have consent of the landowner before they go on the land.”