Saskatchewan News

Jonathan Ouellet-Gendron was arrested in September 2025 at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport while attempting to re-enter Canada from Mexico.

Police issued 63 tickets, 47 warnings, identified 73 vehicle and trailer violations, and took 25 vehicles and trailers off the road.

The City of North Battleford advised that local roadways experienced significant traffic over the weekend, attributed in part to the community rodeo event.

Wray Musqua’s sister says she didn’t expect her brother to be killed “so violently” as police piece together Saskatoon’s sixth homicide case of the year. Saskatoon police said officers on patrol received a call around 10:55 p.m. on Friday about an injured person in the 2200 block of 22nd Street in the Mount Royal neighbourhood. Officers said they found a 55-year-old man who was unresponsive and was taken to the hospital, where he died the following day. Bonnie Musqua said police told her that her brother was involved in an altercation where he was stabbed and injured. He then went across the street to the McDonald’s where he collapsed. “He was stabbed in the heart,” Bonnie said. The investigation is ongoing and Bonnie said the family doesn’t have the exact details surrounding the killing, but she said she knows how her brother would have reacted during that altercation. “He would have fought for his life, basically, and that’s what he did.” Bonnie said Musqua went straight into surgery, was in a coma and on lung support, but ultimately his body started to fail after losing too much blood. “We were all praying when he took his last breath,” she said. “It was sad, but it was comforting to know that he went in prayer.” Musqua was ‘larger than life,’ loving father to 15 children Musqua, from Keeseekoose First Nation, was the second youngest of 11 siblings. Bonnie said he grew up in a traditional lifestyle with loving parents. “When Wray was growing up, he was always so big, larger than life,” Bonnie said. “He was always so energetic, ever since he was a kid.” “My dad used to say he could be a lawyer,” she said. Diane Musqua said her little brother comes from a family of educators, teachers, social workers and a long line of chiefs. “There were even hopes and dreams that maybe he would come home and be a leader,” she said. “That’s how intelligent he was.’ Musqua’s sisters said he was involved in traditional ceremonies, was protective over his loved ones and was a loving father to 15 children. Bonnie said when Musqua was 14 he decided he was ready to go out and experience the real world. “He was extremely smart and that’s probably why he survived out here in Saskatoon.” Bonnie said her brother was drawn into a street lifestyle at a young age, and while he would return home, it became a struggle at times to keep him there. His sisters noted he wasn’t always involved in the street lifestyle and said he was a hard worker and laborer, as well as a boxer. “He’d get up in the morning and he’d go find a job,” Bonnie said. “The people that he was around sometimes (had a) negative influence with gangs and stuff like that.” Diane said because of this, her brother had been in and out of the jail system, noting “it’s a different lifestyle where you can’t just break free from it.” “He was always loved, and we were always there for him,” Diane said. “We knew that this kind of situation or this kind of thing would take him, but it is still so traumatic for us.” Diane said she hopes and desires that this type of street lifestyle ends with her brother’s story. “It’s never too late to change your lifestyle, there’s always opportunity for you to change,” Diane said, noting there are resources available for addictions and trauma. “Life is precious and our people can’t continue to go down and destroy each other,” Diane said. “We want people to learn that he came from a loved family and we want our people to get healthy.” So far no charges have been laid in connection to Musqua’s death but Saskatoon Police said the Major Crime Section is investigating and further details would be provided when available. Saskatoon homicides in 2026 The first homicide investigation of 2026 was a 25-year-old man with stab wounds who died at St Paul’s Hospital on Feb. 3. An 18-year-old man was charged with manslaughter and aggravated assault on Feb. 7. His charges were later downgraded on Feb. 27 to being an accessory after the fact to manslaughter, accessory after the fact to aggravated assault, public mischief and obstruction of justice. The second homicide case of the year began when a man died after a shooting in the 900 block of 22nd Street West in the Pleasant Hill neighbourhood on March 14. A 17-year-old boy was then charged on March 17 with second-degree murder, using a firearm while committing an indictable offence and possessing a firearm while prohibited. The city’s third homicide investigation of 2026 began after a 61-year-old woman died in a Riversdale house fire in the 400 block of Avenue I South on April 3. No arrests have been made. The fourth homicide investigation of the year wasn an investigation into the death of a 39-year-old man in hospital after he was found unresponsive on Avenue X South just before 4 a.m. on April 6. Police have made no arrests. The fifth homicide investigation of the year began as a suspicious death investigation after a person died on Avenue W North on April 15. Police said the victim, who has not been identified publicly, died at the scene despite first aid attempts by paramedics. Saskatoon had eight homicide investigations in 2025.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the creation of the country's first-ever sovereign wealth fund on Monday, called the Canada Strong Fund.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the creation of the country's first-ever sovereign wealth fund on Monday, called the Canada Strong Fund.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the creation of the country's first-ever sovereign wealth fund on Monday, called the Canada Strong Fund. Carney pitched the new fund as a way for Canadians to invest in nation-building projects in areas that include energy, infrastructure, mining, agriculture and technology. Here's what you need to know about sovereign wealth funds and how they operate. What is a sovereign wealth fund? A sovereign wealth fund is a state-owned investment vehicle. The standard objective is to invest wisely in assets, such as stocks, bonds and real estate, and earn a good rate of return to grow the fund and bolster public finances. The idea has been around for a long time, although these funds really took off in the 1990s. There are now more than 100 sovereign wealth funds in the world that hold upward of $10 trillion in assets, according to The International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds. Some countries have several, and just last year President Donald Trump ordered the creation of a federal U.S.-owned fund. Paul Calluzzo, an associate professor at the Smith School of Business, said sovereign wealth funds often operate a lot like households using excess cash to invest. "The idea is that if you invest responsibly as well, you can have a lot more money down the line than if you just spent it today," he said. "You can also spread out that windfall over time, so that future generations can also benefit." But Calluzzo said the Canadian government's objective is to make the economy more resilient. "Creating more resilience might be investing not internationally, but domestically, in a way that makes the Canadian industry more self-sufficient and more independent," he said. Norway's sovereign wealth fund has grown into the world's largest, valued at roughly $2 trillion. It took revenue from North Sea oil production and invested it outside the country in financial assets such as bonds and equity stakes. Some sovereign wealth funds also have secondary goals beyond generating returns. Persian Gulf states use their sovereign funds to diversify outside of the fossil fuel industry, insulating them from economic developments such as oil price swings. Norway's fund supports its national pension system. What do they typically invest in? Jordan Eizenga, who leads Deloitte Canada’s infrastructure and real estate practice, said which sectors a sovereign wealth fund will invest in depends on the state's overall goals and strategy. "You could invest in renewable power, you could invest in parts of the defence supply chain, you could invest in aviation — you can invest in anything that the country or the board deems to be in its strategic interest," he said. Canada's new fund will be managed by a Crown corporation that will invest in "strategic" domestic projects — in areas such as advanced manufacturing, energy and mining — along with companies, according to a government background document. Ottawa will consult Canadians over the coming months on specific aspects of the fund, Carney said on Monday, adding that the overall goal will be to "grow wealth for Canadians over the long term." Calluzzo said sovereign wealth funds often invest in many of the same companies as individuals. "Norway has a small stake in almost every publicly traded company in the world. So, really spreading it out into public financial markets, but they're not limited to public markets," Calluzzo said. "They can also invest in private markets through things like private equity or private credit or through direct infrastructure investments, which is more similar to what the Canadian fund looks like it's aiming to do." How are they funded? Capital for sovereign wealth funds is often drawn from dedicated revenue streams, such as natural resource wealth. They can also be supported by surpluses from foreign exchanges. Carney said the federal government will put up an initial $25 billion in public funds over three years to invest in domestic projects, alongside private investors. The prime minister said individual Canadians can invest in the fund, suggesting it would be similar to purchasing a government bond, where the initial investment is protected. How does this fund differ from funds like CPP Investments or Caisse? Calluzzo said there are some key differences to investment vehicles such as the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Quebec's public pension fund manager, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. The CPP and La Caisse are pensions with defined benefits and contractual obligations to pay their beneficiaries. The new Canadian sovereign wealth fund also has a specific mandate to invest in domestic projects. But CPP and La Caisse have fiduciary responsibilities that push them to diversify globally. Eizenga said it is best to think of a sovereign wealth fund as having two goals: one to seek returns, and the other being economic development. The CPP has a goal of obtaining the best risk-adjusted return for pensioners, while La Caisse has a mandate involving the development of the Quebec economy. "The way a sovereign wealth fund would differ from CPPIB is it would have additional goals," Eizenga said. "Those goals could be about enhancing the productive capacity of Canada, developing specific industries, ensuring sovereignty, maybe driving key industries that would make us more secure for the future." This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 27, 2026. Daniel Johnson and Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press

JASPER, ALBERTA — A highway in Jasper National Park, near Alberta's boundary with British Columbia, has partially reopened as crews continue to clean up debris from a rock slide.

There have been four homicides in Saskatoon so far in April — half as many as in all of last year. The city has seen six homicides in 2026, compared with eight in 2025.

A new report to city council is highlighting some of the funds the City of Saskatoon is being asked to contribute when it comes to addressing homelessness. Read More

Michaela Kleisinger — and the University of Regina — went through a tumultuous week before she was hired as fulltime coach for the women's basketball team on Monday. Read More

Regina Police Service is investigating after graffiti was found on the windows and walls of the RM of Sherwood administrative building on Monday. Phrases like “F— AI LETS RIOT” and “HEAR US” was spray painted in black at the building in Regina’s Harbour Landing neighbourhood. Read more:

• Landowners push for safeguards around proposed data centre near Regina
• What is a data centre? Expert explains amid Regina debate

The RM has been met with fierce backlash from protesters as it continues to move ahead with construction of the Bell Canada AI data centre. Protestors concerned about artificial intelligence and against a proposed AI data centre in the RM of Sherwood demonstrated outside a council meeting on April 20 as councillors inside voted for the agreement to move ahead. (Geoff Smith/980 CJME) Ray Orb, the interim reeve of the RM, said he found out about the vandalism on Monday at 8 a.m. “I wouldn’t think that people would have to go to those kind of lengths to get their message across,” he said. “I think we’ve heard their message loud and clear. “There are some people that are upset with AI and the data centre, but there are also people that are are more comfortable with it now.” Orb said video surveillance from the building has been turned over to police. Police said nobody has been arrested or charged yet. “It’s really unfortunate,” Orb said about the vandalism. “Of course, it is a little bit of unsettling.” The reeve said he hopes “cooler heads will prevail.” “The project is going ahead — whether some people like it or not — but you know, we urge people to to remain calm and just wait for more information from the RM as the project unfolds,” he said. “People will learn more about it and the benefits of the data centre.” Regina Police Service said it was investigating the vandalism that had anti-AI phrases like “F— AI LET’S RIOT.” (Abby Zieverink/ 980 CJME) Construction on 300 megawatt data centre project has broken ground. The project is expected to generate $12 billion in economic value for the province through job creation and tax revenue. Premier Scott Moe condemned the graffiti before question period at the Legislative Building on Monday. “It’s really unfortunate with respect to the investment — which is the third largest investment in Canada — and a new space for us in this province,” he said. “There are fair questions around that particular project, there’s also strong and good answers around that particular project.” Moe said more industries are using AI to become more efficient and sustainable, and the province has a responsibility to house that data. Read more:

• Landowners push for safeguards around proposed data centre near Regina
• What is a data centre? Expert explains amid Regina debate

Town council and residents of Wilkie all had an opportunity to speak at the annual public meeting.

VANCOUVER — The B.C. Supreme Court is set to weigh in on two legal challenges filed over the provincial government's decision to allow a liquefied natural gas pipeline project to go ahead on a 12-year-old environmental review. Two petitions take aim at the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline after the government deemed the project "substantially started," meaning it wouldn't need a new environmental assessment. The pipeline's construction was authorized in 2014, and a deadline to start it was extended to 2024, spurring the court challenges from Gitxsan Hereditary Chief Charlie Wright and environmentalist groups opposed to the project. Wright says in legal submissions that the challenge isn't about opposing the pipeline itself, but rather the route it's expected to take through "one of the last remaining untouched areas" of his home territory without proper consultation. Environmental opponents to the pipeline, the Kispiox Valley Community Centre Association, the Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition and a local resident claim the project has not been substantially started. Shannon Lea McPhail with the Skeena coalition says in a statement that the project stalled for a decade and the work to satisfy the substantial start condition was "last minute," alleging the province appeared willing to "bend over backwards … to keep this zombie project alive." The cases are scheduled to be heard together for six days in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 27, 2026 The Canadian Press

Michaela Kleisinger will be back with the University of Regina Cougars women’s basketball team. The U of R started a review last week of the hiring process after social media comments said the team had elected to move on from Kleisinger, who was the interim head coach. Read more:

• Tigers roar back against Prince Albert Raiders in Game 2
• VIDEO: Saskatchewan Rush eliminated by Toronto Rock in NLL quarterfinals
• Regina Pat Canadians lose in semifinals at Telus Cup ending repeat hopes

On Monday, a statement from Dr. Jeff Keshen, the university’s president and vice-chancellor, provided an update on the review. “The University of Regina has determined that certain important factors, including the interim coach’s demonstrated performance and the strong competitive record under her leadership, as well as her deep connection to the institution and the broader community, were not given the necessary weight and merit,” the statement read. “In light of these considerations, an offer has been made and accepted by Michaela Kleisinger to lead the Cougars women’s basketball team as head coach. This decision reflects the University’s commitment to excellence in sport, inclusive leadership, and the future of Cougars women’s basketball.” Kleisinger is a former player who spent five years as a member of the U of R Cougars women’s basketball team. During that time, she averaged 13 points, 7.2 rebounds, and six assists per game. She joined the coaching staff for the 2022-23 season under the team’s long-time head coach Dave Taylor. Taylor left the U of R to become the head coach of the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds last season, and Kleisinger was named the interim head coach of the Cougars. Under Kleisinger, the team overcame the chaos of the off-season and held a 17-3 conference record, with the team ranked among the best in Canada at times. Kleisinger was named the coach of the year at the team’s varsity sports awards ceremony. CJME News has reached out to Kleisinger for comment. Read more:

• Tigers roar back against Prince Albert Raiders in Game 2
• VIDEO: Saskatchewan Rush eliminated by Toronto Rock in NLL quarterfinals
• Regina Pat Canadians lose in semifinals at Telus Cup ending repeat hopes

Around 4 a.m. April 25 Battlefords RCMP received a report of a male yelling on the 1700 block of 105 Street in North Battleford.

The Government of Saskatchewan will be investing $5.9 million into the Lloydminster Hospital for exterior renovations.

Lila Hale took top spot in her age group for the vault discipline.

REGINA — Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is calling Ottawa's new sovereign wealth fund a good initiative. But Moe says if Prime Minister Mark Carney really wants to unlock investments in major projects, then the government should walk back a number of environmental policies he says are getting in the way. Carney says the fund will be used to invest in major Canadian industrial projects across a variety of sectors and that it would receive a $25 billion endowment to start. The prime minister says he expects the fund to support projects that come with national benefits, but Moe says ditching Ottawa's impact assessment process and signing a new agreement on industrial carbon pricing would go a lot further in boosting the economy. The premier also says his province has discussed creating its own sovereign wealth fund, but a string of recent deficits has stopped the idea from getting off the ground. Moe says it's a concern that Carney will need to work through as well, considering Ottawa is projecting deficits of more than $50 billion for the next five years. "I think that would generally be a concern of Canadians. However, the broader thought of having a sovereign wealth fund, I think, is a good discussion to have," Moe told reporters in Regina Monday. "If it's going to truly be effective and be able to apply dollars into it that are not coming from being loaned from a bank or an institution, you're only going to do that through the growth of your economy." This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 27, 2026. The Canadian Press