In 2008, the SAIT Board of Governors approved a petition for an official coat of arms that would reflect the Institute's role, history, values and hopes for the future. In 2009, the journey continued with a consultation process that gathered suggestions for imagery and mottos from faculty, staff and students. These ideas were provided to the Canadian Herald appointed to create the coat of arms for SAIT.
On Aug. 20, 2009, Claire Boudreau, Chief Herald of Canada, granted SAIT's petition and entered the newly-created coat of arms into volume V, page 465 of the Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada. The Letters Patent, the legal document granting the arms, features hand calligraphy and a painting of the armorial bearings and was received in document format from Ottawa in October 2009.
SAIT is Alberta's fourth post-secondary institution to receive official armorial bearings.