Where It Began
In 1907, Saskatoon had only just become a city. That year, Jim Butler and brothers Newt and Ivan Byers went into business together, selling real estate and insurance to the families and farmers pouring onto the prairies.
By the 1930s, the partners had chosen a lane. They left real estate behind and focused entirely on insurance, a decision that has defined the firm ever since.
Protecting Prairie Farms
Butler Byers was one of the first agencies in Saskatchewan to offer hail insurance. On the prairies, a single summer storm could wipe out a year’s crop in minutes. Hail coverage gave farm families a way to survive that loss, and it helped build the province’s farm economy.
Four Generations
Jim Butler, Newt Byers and Ivan Byers: the founders (1907)
Three partners started a business that would outlast them all. Ivan’s line would carry it forward for the next century.
Jack Byers: the second generation (1952)
Ivan’s son Jack took the helm in 1952 and led Butler Byers through the postwar boom. Under his leadership, the firm celebrated its 75th anniversary.
Drew Byers: the third generation (1977)
Jack’s son Drew became president in 1977. A year later, he moved the company into the building it still occupies at 24th Street East and 4th Avenue North. Over the years the business expanded into commercial risk management, claims service and employee group benefits.
Scott Byers and Colin Rooke: today (2022)
Drew’s son Scott joined the firm in 1999. Since 2022, he has led Butler Byers alongside Colin Rooke, a commercial risk specialist. Together, they’ve carried the firm into a new era of recognition, including being named the inaugural SABEX Family Business of the Year in 2023.
A Downtown Landmark
Since 1978, Butler Byers has worked out of its building on the corner of 24th Street East and 4th Avenue North. In 2024, Downtown Saskatoon named the firm a LEGENDS Downtown honouree, crediting it with bringing people from across Canada into the district for more than a century.