On May 20 and June 18, 1998, northern political leaders joined with Premier Roy Romanow and Northern Affairs Minister Keith Goulet to sign the Northern Strategy Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The northern leaders included representatives of the Prince Albert Grand Council, Meadow Lake Tribal Council, Metis Nation of Saskatchewan, and Saskatchewan Association of Northern Communities (New North), together with Athabasca First Nation Chiefs.

The Northern Strategy is an agreed statement of goals and objectives for further social, economic and political development in the Northern Administration District of Saskatchewan. The Strategy includes three "enabling mechanisms" - new measures intended to support the Strategy's goals and objectives. These include a Northern Development Board, a Strategic Opportunities Assessment and a Northern Development Agreement to be funded jointly by the federal and provincial governments.