Regina News

OTTAWA — The spring economic update the federal government released on Tuesday seeks to formalize a pivot in climate policy that first appeared in last year's energy agreement with Alberta. In the 2025 budget, the Liberals promised to not make enhanced oil recovery eligible for a tax credit for the development of carbon capture and storage systems. But 10 days after that budget passed the House of Commons, Ottawa extended that tax credit to enhanced oil recovery projects in its energy memorandum of understanding with Alberta. The flip-flop cost Prime Minister Mark Carney a cabinet minister, as Steven Guilbeault resigned the day Alberta MOU was announced. The spring economic update lays out the criteria for accessing the tax credit in Alberta and other provinces where there are "sufficient regulations to ensure CO2 is permanently stored," such as B.C. and Saskatchewan. Ottawa projects the measure, which takes effect immediately, will generate $395 million in federal revenue over the next three years. Enhanced oil recovery is a carbon capture and storage technology — or CCUS — that captures carbon dioxide from industrial emitters and injects it underground at oilfields. That increases pressure and pushes more oil out of the rock, while the carbon dioxide is trapped underground. Environmentalists see the extension of the tax credits to enhanced oil recovery as a direct subsidy of oil production, while the industry says tax credits are not subsidies. Mark Scholz, president of the Canadian Association of Energy Contractors, told reporters late last year that including EOR in carbon capture credits was a "game-changer" and would put Canada in a much better competitive position for investment compared to the U.S. "We think that this measure will help to store more carbon," federal Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne told reporters at a news conference Tuesday. "We need to do more in order to make sure that we would be able to store more carbon. But at the same time, if you look at the state of the world today, you realize that Canada is increasingly that stable, predictable partner of choice when it comes to energy security." In the spring economic update, the government said the credit rate for carbon capture and storage through EOR would be half of the rate for storing carbon geologically or in concrete. Equipment being used for both conventional carbon capture and for EOR is also eligible for tax breaks "on a weighed-average basis" depending on how much carbon is being captured through each method. Storage equipment in an EOR capture project, however, would not be pro-rated. The issue of making EOR eligible for tax credits has been a political hot potato for Prime Minister Mark Carney. Guilbeault resigned from cabinet in November over it. He was the heritage minister when he resigned, but spent four years as environment minister and was the architect of much of the Liberal climate plan. Guilbeault, a prominent climate activist, had received assurances from Carney's office that the tax credits for EOR would not be in the budget or added to it afterwards, sources told The Canadian Press at the time. Guilbeault had also been dispatched to win the support of Green Party Leader Elizabeth May for Carney's first budget. May had heard rumours that the government was going to reverse that decision, and it was one of the things keeping her from supporting the budget — until Guilbeault gave her his word that would not happen. May voted for the budget — a key vote the Liberals needed at that time, when they still had only a minority government. May said the reversal amounted to a “significant betrayal” which had her questioning the worth of Carney’s word. Carney no longer needs to pacify any opposition MPs as he now governs with a majority, with five MPs crossing the floor to the Liberals since November. Tuesday's economic update also included $3 billion over five years for Global Affairs Canada, and another $168 million to Environment and Climate Change Canada to deliver "climate-related supports to vulnerable countries." It also pledged money to the Canadian Climate Institute to host a "sustainable finance conference in the coming year," to discuss investment opportunities in Canada. The report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026. Nick Murray, The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Here's a brief look at some of the key numbers in the Liberal government's 2026 spring economic update: $66.9 billion: Projected deficit for 2025-26, $11.5 billion lower than the projection in Budget 2025. The government predicts the annual deficit will decline to $53.2 billion by 2030-31. $37.5 billion: Net cost of new measures included in the spring economic update over six years. The government says 45 per cent of that spending is for measures to address the cost of living and the housing shortage. $7.2 billion: Average annual increase in federal revenues over previous budget projections. $31 billion: Increase per year in level of nominal GDP over 2025-2029, compared to projections in Budget 2025. $6 billion: The sum to be invested over five years in Team Canada Strong, a strategy to recruit and train 80,000 to 100,000 new workers in the skilled trades to boost housing, infrastructure and resource development and construction. 10.2 per cent: Canada's net debt-to-GDP ratio, which the government says is considerably lower than the G7 average of 101.8 per cent. $25 billion: The seed money Ottawa says it plans to invest to kick-start the Canada Strong Fund — even though the spring economic update doesn't say where the money is coming from. Zero: The number of opposition votes the Liberals need to pass the spring economic update, thanks to their new parliamentary majority. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026. The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — The Liberal government says the office tasked with making major purchases for the military is about to be upgraded to give it new independence and oversight. Prime Minister Mark Carney's spring economic update pledges to introduce new legislation to increase the authority and budget of that office — and to put under the oversight of a "new minister." The legal changes will upgrade the office to an independent agency but the government did not explain how its political oversight will change. The Defence Investment Agency is a new government office created last fall to speed up the pace of large military purchases. It was created under an already established government department. The office is currently overseen politically by Secretary of State Stephen Fuhr and Public Services and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026. Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — The federal government is setting aside $660 million over the next five years for national sport organizations that have faced mounting deficits for years. Today's spring economic update promises $110 million annually after that to boost to funding for national sport organizations that had remained largely static for two decades. Following this year's Olympics in Milano-Cortina, which saw Canada's weakest Winter Games medal count since 2002, the Canadian Olympic Committee issued an urgent plea for increased funding. The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic committees lobbied unsuccessfully for a $144-million increase in annual core funding for national sport organizations in the 2025 budget. Ottawa has indicated it wants national sport organizations to spread the new money across all levels of sport and not to reserve it just for high-level athletes in international competition. Ottawa also says the money is meant to build up a strong and safe sport system, following a call from the Future of Sport in Canada Commission for funding to allow all national sport organizations to hire their own safe sport officers. This report from The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026. — With files from Donna Spencer in Toronto. Nick Murray, The Canadian Press

Legal proceedings are expected to continue this week in Calgary for debt-ridden Monette Farms. Read More

Amid the cracks of paddle hitting ball, players at Regina’s Queen City Pickleball Hub had some concern hanging over their heads about the future of the indoor courts. For more than five years, the pickleball hub has been leasing space inside the Canada Centre Building (also known as the Avana Centre) at REAL District. Read more:

• What’s in the Brandt-REAL deal? Breaking down the agreement
• Regina’s REAL District sale plan draws support, calls for caution

But on Friday, owner Philip Greenwood said he learned along with everyone else that the Canada Centre is one of several buildings and sites at REAL District that Brandt is proposing to buy from the City of Regina. “I had several people reach out to me and share articles, and it was in the news,” Greenwood said in an interview. “So it’s well talked about, that’s for sure.” Of particular concern to Greenwood is that the proposed deal would give Brandt early access to the Canada Centre, even before the final sale is negotiated. The company wishes to use the space (excluding the Canadian Western Agribition offices) to help accommodate its construction of Queen City Distillers in the Agribition Building. Greenwood has a lease until the end of May, and he had been trying to extend it — but to no avail. “We’ve had a lot of back-and-forth negotiations with representatives from REAL,” he said. “We have not received a proposal in writing from them yet. “The only indication we’ve received is a notation that our rent will at least double, if not more, and that creates a non-feasible financial situation for running pickleball programs in Regina.” Documents related to the proposed sale indicate the city will relocate any tenants in the Canada Centre. But the Pickleball Hub has a major event coming up just before its lease runs out: the provincial championships. “This has several hundred players involved, a lot of volunteers, there’s been a lot of time and effort put into this, not just with our organization, but with Pickleball Regina, Pickleball Saskatchewan, and all the players from around the province that are looking forward to this event,” ” he said. Concerns among pickleballers Pickleball players at the hub on Monday felt uncertainty over the news they may be displaced. “We’re in a bubble, like we can’t figure out exactly what’s going on,” said Kelly Stewart, “because nobody seems to know what’s going on.” Stewart has been playing for about four years. “It’s just great,” he said. “I mean, I’m over 60, and it’s good to exercise and it can be fulfilling. Because you think you can do it, and you can do it, and anybody can do it.” For Eva Zhang, who has been playing for roughly a year, the customized facilities make the sport easier to play. “The floor is different. Here, it’s cushioned. (Elsewhere,) it’s gym and a lot of different lines for basketball, for volleyball, so it’s not a good experience for us, especially me,” she said. Zhang isn’t too concerned about playing outdoors in the summer, with courts at Douglas Park and Mahon Park. “So that’s no problem. But what if the weather is not good and it’s very windy?” Greenwood is working to find a new space. But the specific needs for indoor pickleball make it challenging. “A lot of buildings have support posts throughout the middle of the building, and that is a restriction. You just couldn’t have courts with a post in the middle,” he explained. “So, that eliminates probably 90 per cent of our prospectives in the first place, along with the ceiling height requirement that we need as well. “I’ve got all my feelers open, been chasing down every lead, got Realtors working with us, just we haven’t got anything locked in yet,” he said. “But we’re always looking.” Competitors hope they’ll be able to continue with a sport that is about more than exercise but community. “I’m very addicted to it. I play every day,” Zhang said. “It’s a very good social sport, and you know, a lot of friends. After you do exercise, you feel happy.” Read more:

• What’s in the Brandt-REAL deal? Breaking down the agreement
• Regina’s REAL District sale plan draws support, calls for caution

Along with new field dimensions, the CFL will have a restructured playoff format in 2027. Read More

EDMONTON — Alberta's government says it's upping its defences against invasive mussels, hiring more dogs to sniff out the shellfish and preparing to levy hefty fines for boaters who skip inspections this summer. Environment Minister Grant Hunter says once the species is established, they're nearly impossible to remove and can cause hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. Starting in May, watercraft inspections will be mandatory at stations near the province's eastern and southern crossings for anyone entering Alberta. Richard Phillips, chair of the Alberta Irrigation Districts Association, says mussels attach to hard surfaces, rapidly accumulate and can form layers that clog canal, reservoir and pipeline intakes. Nicole Kimmel, an aquatic invasive species specialist for the government, says it only takes one watercraft with an attached mussel, releasing a million eggs, to create an infestation. Kimmel says B.C., Saskatchewan and Alberta don't have invasive mussels but many states to the south, along with Manitoba and some eastern provinces, do. "That zone of mussel-free is getting smaller every year, so we're feeling that pressure," she said at a government announcement in Lethbridge on Tuesday. Hunter added the province wants to maintain its mussel-free status in the same way it has prevented rats from establishing a population since 1950. "We have been successful with rats for decades, and we want to be able to say the same thing about quagga and zebra mussels and now golden mussels as well," he said. Megan Evans, executive director at the Alberta Invasive Species Council, said the mussels fundamentally change the lakes and rivers they invade. "They strip the water of nutrients, disrupting the base of the food web, reducing plankton, impacting native fish populations, and driving long-term changes across entire aquatic ecosystems," she said. Hunter said trained dogs can sniff out mussels in about half the time it takes human inspectors, so the province is expanding to three canine teams from one. Skipping an inspection station from May 1 to Sept. 30 could cost boaters $4,200, and failing to remove a drain plug when transporting watercraft in the province carries a $600 fine. The province said a record 12 inspection stations would be open this year. Last year, the government said it inspected just under 22,000 boats, thwarting 13 that were carrying mussels as they tried to enter Alberta. Hunter said the province is investing in new "hot wash" technology to kill the species, adding more inspection stations and expanding its environmental DNA testing to monitor more water bodies. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026. Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press

Following in Alberta’s footsteps, Saskatchewan recorded the same two top names for boys and girls last year that Alberta did in 2024. Olivia and Noah were the most popular names in Saskatchewan last year, according to a release from the provincial government. Read more:

• Henry and Sophia were the most popular Sask. baby names in 2024
• Survey says: Sask. parents to be polled about kids on social media
• Rebel with a cause: Tow truck puts customers on hold to rescue moose

Forty-nine babies were given the name Noah last year. Olivia was used 43 times, according to the province. Rounding out the top 3 for each gender, Jack (48) and Muhammad (44) were the second and third most popular boy names in the province last year. For girls, Lainey (37) and Nora (37) took the second and third positions. The top baby boy and girl names in Saskatchewan in 2025. (Government of Saskatchewan/Screenshot) Lainey jumped into the second-most popular name from being ranked twentieth in 2024. The previous year’s top contenders, Henry and Sophia, both remain on the top-20 names list, but have dropped to eleventh and sixth on the lists, respectively. The is significant overlap between the 2024 and 2025 top 20 names lists for Saskatchewan. New boys names on the 2025 list included Weston, Luke (Lucas appeared on the list in 2024), Thomas, Benjamin and Grayson for boys. Nora, Evelyn, Elizabeth, Sophie, Willow and Chloe were new additions to the 2025 list for girls. Previously popular names Asher, Elijah, Owen, Beau and Daniel were not included in this year’s top 20, along with Violet, Scarlett, Emily, Grace, Isabella, Aurora and Ivy. According to the province and eHealth, “Muhammad flew up the list. Appearing for the first time ever in 2023 in 20th place, Muhammad tied with Oliver and William as the third most popular name for baby boys born in Saskatchewan last year. “Hudson and Theodore continue to climb the list. Grayson returns to the list after being absent since 2021, and Weston appears among the top names for baby boys for the first time in 13th place.” As for the ladies, the province noted that “Reigning champion Olivia took the top spot back from Sophia – making Olivia the most popular name for baby girls born in Saskatchewan for nine of the past 10 years.”

Changes are coming to the Canadian Football League (CFL), beginning next year with season starting at the earliest date in its history. The newly-announced changes include updates to the season schedule and changes to the league’s playoff format. Read more:

• Saskatchewan to host 114th Grey Cup in 2027
• ‘The city will come alive:’ Regina mayor, Sask. premier excited to host 2027 Grey Cup
• WATCH: Thousands of Rider fans pack the streets, Legislative Grounds for Grey Cup parade

In 2027, the season will begin on Victoria Day Weekend, “anchoring the start of each new CFL campaign with an iconic Canadian holiday and the unofficial start of summer,” the CFL said in an online statement announcing the changes. “From May to Thanksgiving, long weekends will serve as defining moments in the regular season, creating new tentpole CFL traditions in addition to the league’s legendary Labour Day Weekend games,” the statement read. The CFL is announcing two connected changes that will both come into effect starting in the 2027 season! pic.twitter.com/Jy6F3iIvba— Saskatchewan Roughriders (@sskroughriders) April 28, 2026 The new start of the season will result in an earlier fall postseason to maximize warmer weather for fans attending games and playing conditions for players. Commissioner Stewart Johnson said the CFL will be front and centre throughout the summer, with the league also “establishing CFL long weekends, from Victoria Day to Thanksgiving, to create can’t-miss events for fans in the stadium and those watching at home.” Four additional playoff games are set to be added into the fall schedule for the league, also. Teams that finish in the top two positions in the divisions are guaranteed at least two playoff games. Starting next season, the first- and second-place teams in each division will square off in first-round playoff games. The winners earn a bye to the Grey Cup semifinals and home-field advantage. The losers move to the second playoff round (elimination games). Teams outside of the top-two divisional finishers will be seeded from No. 5 to No. 9, with the final seed not qualifying for post-season play. The fifth and sixth seeds will host the seventh and eighth seeds for play-in games that will be held the same weekend as the divisional contests. The play-in winners advance to the second round while the losers are eliminated. The following weekend, the division showdown losers will host the play-in victors. The winners go on to the Grey Cup semifinals while the losers are eliminated. The division showdown victors will host the elimination game winners, with matchups based on regular-season records. The winners advance to the Grey Cup game, which will be held Nov. 7. “Postseason re-seeding – regardless of division – and two victories being required to advance to the championship introduces the possibility of postseason rematches, and new playoff and Grey Cup clashes,” the CFL statement read. “More games. More drama. More entertainment. That was the mission and that’s exactly what this format will deliver,” Johnson stated. “We’re raising the stakes so every game carries real consequences – more teams in the hunt, right to the end.” The changes come after an agreement has been reached with the CFL Players’ Association (CFLPA) on the refreshed playoff format, with the new structure being integrated into the existing collective bargaining agreement, according to the league. The NBA is one of several major sports leagues that have adopted a “play-in” format.  Play-in games are played after the regular season allowing lower-seeded teams to compete for the final playoff spots. The 2026 CFL season begins on June 4. More to come. –with files from The Canadian Press

The Yukon government says a Singapore-based private company has been chosen as a potential buyer for the defunct Eagle Gold mine that was the site of a catastrophic storage failure in 2024. A statement from the government says the court-appointed receiver has entered into an exclusivity agreement with Boroo Ltd. for the sale of the Eagle Gold mine and "certain related assets." No price tag has been disclosed, but the agreement signed on April 23 gives the potential new owner 90 days to complete additional due diligence and negotiate the terms of a potential sale. The receiver's website says that along with negotiating the sale, Boroo will start discussions with the Yukon government and the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun about agreements that would need to be in place for mining operations to restart. The mine, near Mayo, Yukon, suffered a catastrophic failure in June of 2024 at a site used as part of extracting the gold, spilling about two million tonnes of cyanide-soaked ore into the environment. Its previous owner, Victoria Gold, was put into receivership by a court months later and PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc. was appointed as receiver. The PricewaterhouseCoopers website describes Boroo, as a private mining company that operates, develops, and acquires mining assets around the world, and is recognized as a specialist in operational turnarounds and responsible mine development. The company's website lists assets in Peru and Mongolia. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026 Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press

In a story published on April 19, The Canadian Press incorrectly reported that researchers from the University of Ottawa published a study in June 2024 about how the Pathways Alliance of oil companies was misleading the public with its environmental claims. In fact, researchers from University of Ottawa, Carleton University and Rutgers University produced this research.
 The Canadian Press

EDMONTON — An Edmonton lawyer is calling on Elections Alberta to close a loophole allowing Premier Danielle Smith's government to advertise in favour of her fall referendum on sweeping immigration reform. Provincial law prohibits the government from advertising or publishing certain information related to a referendum if the vote is taking place alongside a general or municipal election. Legislation passed last year saw the same rules be removed for stand-alone referendums similar to what Smith's government has called for October. Lawyer Avnish Nanda says it's an unfair loophole that's letting the government publish one-sided information in order to a secure a mandate for proposals he's worried will demonize immigrants. Nanda is calling on Elections Alberta to enforce the same advertising prohibition leading up to the vote, a move he says the agency has the power to do. The government unveiled a new website for the referendum last week and it says the goal is to provide Albertans with information on what their vote would mean. At least nine questions will be on the fall ballot, including proposals to charge non-permanent residents a "reasonable fee" for health care and education and instituting a one-year residency requirement for eligibility for some other social programs. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026. Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press

Insults, complaints that Canada is so mean, warnings the U.S. doesn’t need us.  It’s all standard operating procedure. The key is whether Mark Carney knows the Art of Dealing with the huckster playbook. Murray Wood delivers sharp, insightful commentary with a blend of wit, skepticism and straight talk. Whether he’s exposing political maneuvering, celebrating cultural icons or unpacking life’s everyday quirks, he never holds back. Read more:

• Prime Minister Mark Carney announces Canada’s first sovereign wealth fund
• Drought fears linger as seeding begins on southwest Saskatchewan farms
• Hospitality Saskatchewan says change to liquor laws could help struggling service industry

Listen to more commentary from Murray Wood: Mon., April 27: The City of Regina is using some interesting math to justify why it should sell a big chunk of its exhibition association property to a private buyer. Murray Wood wonders, what’s the big rush? Fri., April 24: Every Friday, Murray Wood takes a look back at the week’s news and decides who’s hot… and who’s not. This week’s list includes the winter that just won’t end and stores that ignore warranties. Thurs., April 23: Murray Wood says Pierre Poilievre has suffered some bad timing in his career as Conservative leader, but the question is whether or not time will be on his side going forward. Wed., April 22: Murray Wood says the Food Fuel and Fertilizer Global Summit happening in Regina this week underlines why the 21st century belongs to Saskatchewan. Tues., April 21: Murray Wood says the debate about whether Saskatchewan should change it’s clocks like other provinces is being replaced with a new one: Will other provinces stop changing their clocks and be in synch with us?

TORONTO — Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra says he is looking at a social media ban in schools and would like to go further than what Manitoba has planned. Calandra says the province will be working closely with the federal government on a social media ban for kids under a certain age. He also says he is considering implementing an "outright ban" of cellphones on school properties, with some medical exemptions. At a press conference today in southwest Ontario, Calandra said most ministers of education across the country are in agreement that it has not been beneficial to allow students to have access to phones and social media in school. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew's government recently announced that it plans to ban children from using social media accounts and artificial intelligence chatbots, starting in classrooms. Federal Culture Minister Marc Miller has said the government is seriously considering a law enforcing age limits on social media use, as Australia has done. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026. Allison Jones, The Canadian Press

From four people walking away from the RM of Sherwood council with little to no explanation to the reaction of some councillors in Regina to the REAL district proposal, we should be demand more accountability. The Mills Minute is a daily commentary heard on 650 CKOM and 980 CJME, where Sarah Mills offers sharp insights, strong opinions, and a touch of wit on the stories that matter to people in Saskatchewan. Read more:

• Renderings reveal vision for Regina’s Brandt Centre, other REAL facilities
• Council agenda sheds light on RM of Sherwood resignations
• Minister refuses comment on mass resignations in RM of Sherwood

Listen to more commentary from Sarah Mills: Mon., April 27: Like most negotiations, Canada and the U.S. are laying their cards on the table publicly, but Sarah Mills says in Canada’s case, there’s a little bit of spin mixed in as well. Fri., April 24: After months of waiting and wading through FIFA’s Kafkaesque ticket-buying process, Sarah Mills finally has tickets to see England in the World Cup, thanks to help from a colleague. Thurs., April 23: Sarah Mills says there are great health-care costs associated with smoking, but those costs are also associated with obesity, so will governments start passing laws to say what people can eat and drink? Wed., April 22: Sarah Mills says the tale of the Regina husky Missy escaping her vet to head to her favourite doggy daycare is the heartwarming, bring-a-smile-to-your-face story that we need in this world. Tues., April 21: A soon-to-be learner driver in Sarah Mills’ house is making her pause and think about some of the bad habits drivers display on the roads, and what they are being taught.

Saskatoon police have been active on city streets, conducting two recent commercial vehicle check stops and laying charges in two vehicle-related incidents. On April 16 and 22, officers with the Saskatoon Police Service’s traffic unit and Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan inspected commercial vehicles in the city’s north end, alongside vehicle equipment regulation technicians. Read more:

• Homicide victim remembered by family as loving dad, full of life
• Saskatoon police investigate man’s death as a homicide
• VIDEO: More than 52 Saskatoon crashes during latest spring storm

Police stopped 113 vehicles to inspect and issued 63 tickets alongside 47 warnings. According to police, 73 vehicle and trailer violations were identified and 25 vehicles and trailers were seized, towed or taken out of service. One driver was determined by police to be under the influence of drugs and one vehicle was impounded because of driving faster than the 50 kilometres per hour speed limit. “The Saskatoon Police Service thanks members of the public for their accommodation during these traffic safety initiatives,” police said in a release. Man charged for evading police in stolen vehicle A man is facing various charges after “an incident where a stolen vehicle evaded police late Saturday night,” according to a release from Saskatoon police. Around 11:30 p.m. on April 25, officers conducting routine patrols in the area of 22nd Street West and Avenue I North found a vehicle that had been reported stolen. “Officers were quickly able to confirm the vehicle had been stolen and initiated their vehicle’s emergency lights as the suspect vehicle travelled northbound on Circle Drive; it did not stop for police,” said the release. Police said officers continued to follow the vehicle. A tire deflation device  at 45th Street West was “successfully deployed,” but the vehicle continued driving. Officers then used a vehicle to stop the suspect vehicle on Highway 16. Three people were inside, according to observations by Saskatoon and Corman Park police officers. “The driver of the vehicle did not comply with police commands and a conducted energy weapon (CEW) was discharged by police.” All three people were then arrested, police said, and officers noticed “what were believed to be self-inflicted injuries” on the vehicle driver. Life-saving measures were provided by officers until EMS arrived and brought the man to hospital for treatment. The man, a 36-year-old, has been charged with evading police, dangerous driving, possession of stolen property over $5,000 and three counts of breaching court-imposed conditions. Arrest made in break in, vehicle theft Saskatoon police arrested a man after a break-in that resulted in a vehicle being stolen on Saturday. Around 12:15 a.m. on April 26, police officers responded to a business in the 300 block of Confederation Drive after receiving a report of a break and enter. The caller told police a window had been broke and the overhead door to a shop was opened. Officers arrived and investigated the scene. Surveillance video showed a suspect break the business’s window and enter the shop, then steal a vehicle and flee the scene, according to a police news release. The vehicle was found a few hours later in the 300 block of 2nd Avenue North. Police said the suspect, 34, was arrested. He is charged with break and enter and operating a vehicle while being prohibited from doing so, according to police.

TORONTO — FIFA's marketplace for resale World Cup tickets no longer has seats listed for Toronto matches after a new price cap law came into effect. The Ontario legislation bans people and platforms from reselling seats to events in the province for more than face value. FIFA said its resale platform is being reconfigured to comply with the legislation that became law Friday and are expected to be relisted once the system changes are complete. The organization behind the tournament running from June 11 to June 19 says listings for Toronto's World Cup games haven’t been deleted but are in limbo while it makes the changes. FIFA's marketplace still has listings for World Cup games in every other host city but Toronto. Resale platform StubHub also continues to sell seats above face value to World Cup matches in Toronto. On Tuesday afternoon, the company had many tickets to Canada's first game — a faceoff against Bosnia-Herzegovina — listed for a few thousands dollars. A handful in the lower bowl were also priced at $72,705 apiece. Last week, the company said it had yet to comply with the new Ontario legislation because of insufficient guidance. StubHub spokesperson Jack Sterne told The Canadian Press on Tuesday that issues still linger even after the company had a "productive conversation" with Stephen Crawford, minister of public and business service delivery, recently. "While there are still many outstanding questions, we appreciate their willingness to meet and are updating our systems to comply with Bill 97 going forward," Sterne said in an email, referring to the price cap law. He did not say what the outstanding issues are. Giulia Paikin, a spokesperson for Crawford, confirmed Tuesday the province was working with StubHub to help the company become compliant. Businesses that do not comply will face penalties starting at $3,000. The tab can reach up to $250,000 for continued non‑compliance. The Ford government put forward the legislation earlier this year after fans became outraged when resale tickets for the most recent World Series and Taylor Swift's Eras tour were being priced by resellers at several times the face value. The government said the resale cap would "protect fans and consumers from exploitative, professional resellers who artificially drive up ticket prices." Others worried it would entice eventgoers into making purchases in informal markets, which are more prone to scams, and drive up the original price of tickets. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026. Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United Arab Emirates said Tuesday it will leave OPEC effective May 1, stripping the oil cartel of one of its largest producers and further weakening its leverage over global oil supplies and prices. The UAE's decision had been rumored as a possibility for some time, as it pushed back in recent years against OPEC production quotas it felt had been too low — meaning it wasn't able to sell as much oil to the world as it had wanted. “Having invested heavily in expanding energy production capacity in recent years, the bigger picture is that the UAE has been itching to pump more oil,” Capital Economics wrote in an analysis. “The ties binding OPEC members together have loosened,” it said, particularly after Qatar withdrew from the cartel in 2019. Regional politics are also likely at play. The UAE has had increasingly frosty relations with Saudi Arabia, OPEC's largest producer, over political and economic matters in the Mideast, even after both came under attack by fellow OPEC member Iran during the war. No immediate impact likely for world oil markets The UAE’s withdrawal from OPEC won’t necessarily have any immediate effects in markets. That’s because world oil supplies are sharply constrained by the war in Iran, which has closed off the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which one-fifth of global oil supplies — including much of the UAE's — is transported. On Tuesday, Brent crude, the international benchmark, traded above $111 a barrel, or more than 50% above its prewar price. OPEC's market power had already been waning in recent years as the United States ramped up its production of crude oil. Saudi Arabia had been pumping over 10 million barrels of oil a day before the war. The U.S. pumps more than 13 million barrels a day. U.S. President Donald Trump has been a steady critic of the cartel during his two terms in the White House. The UAE, which joined OPEC through its emirate of Abu Dhabi in 1967, had been producing around 3.4 million barrels of crude a day just before the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran began on Feb. 28. Analysts say it has capacity to produce roughly 5 million barrels a day. In its announcement on Tuesday, made via its state-run WAM news agency, the UAE said it also would leave the wider OPEC+ group, which Russia had led to try to stabilize oil prices. “This decision reflects the UAE’s long-term strategic and economic vision and evolving energy profile, including accelerated investment in domestic energy production,” the UAE said, adding that it would bring "additional production to market in a gradual and measured manner, aligned with demand and market conditions.” The UAE’s withdrawal removes one of OPEC’s few members with the ability to quickly increase production, said Jorge Leon, head of geopolitical analysis at Rystad Energy. “A structurally weaker OPEC, with less spare capacity concentrated within the group, will find it increasingly difficult to calibrate supply and stabilize prices," he said. Saudi Arabia, UAE increasingly at odds Saudi Arabia and the UAE increasingly have competed over economic issues and regional politics, particularly in the Red Sea area. The two countries had jointly fought against Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels in 2015. However, that coalition broke down into recriminations in late December, when Saudi Arabia bombed what it described as a weapons shipment bound for Yemeni separatists backed by the UAE. As tensions rose in recent months, Saudi broadcasters long based in Dubai, the economic hub of the UAE, have pulled back to the kingdom. “This exit of OPEC fits into the UAE need for flexibility with key energy consumers as well -- including a future relationship with China and a more competitive relationship with Saudi Arabia," said Karen Young, a senior research scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy. The UAE hosted the United Nations COP28 climate talks in 2023, a conference that ended for the first time with a pledge by nearly 200 countries to move away from planet-warming fossil fuels. But the UAE still plans to increase its production capacity in the coming years, even as it pursues more clean energy at home, a move decried by climate activists. “The demand for power is going to go up and up and up,” U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told an Abu Dhabi oil conference in November. “Today’s the day to announce that there is no energy transition. There is only energy addition.” He drew widespread applause from his Emirati hosts. ___ Associated Press writer David McHugh in Frankfurt, Germany, contributed to this report. Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney's government has not signed any new pharmacare agreements with the provinces and territories a year after it was first elected, and one province says that's unfair. Newfoundland and Labrador Health Minister Lela Evans says the federal government stopped negotiating, and that her province has been excluded from a program it wants to be part of. The first phase of pharmacare was launched in 2024 and is meant to cover the cost of contraceptives and some diabetes medications. The Pharmacare Act requires Ottawa to negotiate the terms of funding agreements with provinces and territories. The previous Liberal government inked deals with Manitoba, P.E.I., British Columbia and Yukon. Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham wrote to Carney in February to say the lack of new deals is creating a fractured approach — the fourth such letter he's sent to Ottawa since October. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026. Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press