Saskatchewan News

OTTAWA — The federal government is adding $755 million in sport funding as part of its spring economic update. Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says the money’s purpose is to expand access to sport and better support Canada’s athletes competing on the world stage. Read more:

• CFL season to start on Victoria Day weekend in 2027, adds eight-team playoffs
• REAL deal may put Regina pickleballers in a real pickle

Prime Minister Mark Carney hinted at an injection of money into the sports system March 14 when speaking with Canadian skiers competing in Norway. Canada fell out of the top five countries in the total medal count at the Winter Olympics for the first time since 1994 in February’s Milan Cortina Games. The country’s gold and total medal numbers also dropped in the Paralympic Games in Italy. The Future of Sport in Canada Commission’s final report called on the federal government for a funding injection into sport, warning that an underfunded sport system is unsafe. No core funding increase in November budget In November, the head of ski association Freestyle Canada said he understood that the federal budget was designed to navigate the country’s choppy economic waters. But Peter Judge said the medal hauls that Canadians have seen from their teams at Olympic and Paralympic Games are on borrowed time without an increase in core funding for national sports organizations. “To be blunt, you know, the sports sector is just slowly bleeding to death,” Judge said. “I’m not being alarmist here. This is shared in the community. Sooner or later, there will be a drop off the cliff.” The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic committees had asked on behalf of sport federations for a $144-million increase in core funding, which they say hasn’t increased in two decades. NSOs count on core funding as predictable annual revenue with which to pay for operations, coaches and support staff. The COC and CPC say national sports organizations are running deficits, cutting back on sending athletes to competitions and training camps and increasing team fees that athletes pay because inflation has weakened their spending power. Judge said Freestyle Canada’s accumulated deficit from three years could reach almost $2 million this year. “Canadians care deeply about sport — from the grassroots where children learn life skills and healthy habits, to the high-performance athletes proudly representing Canada on the world stage,” the COC and CPC said in a joint statement Wednesday. “The enriching moments Canadians experience, both as participants and cheering fans, should not be taken for granted. “We continue to advocate for federal investment in National Sport Organization core funding as part of a plan to transform the Canadian sport system and the nation.” Read more:

• CFL season to start on Victoria Day weekend in 2027, adds eight-team playoffs
• REAL deal may put Regina pickleballers in a real pickle

NEIL THOMAS WENZEL January 5 th , 1942 – October 18, 2025 It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Neil Thomas Wenzel aged 83 years of Moose Jaw, SK on Saturday, October 18 th , 2025 at the Dr. F.H.

Emile Gariepy, harm reduction manager at Newo Yotina Friendship Centre, said the potency of fentanyl in the drug is causing the overdoses.

One of two accused in an alleged multi-million-dollar fraud scheme related to a Regina-based business came under scrutiny as he asked the judge to assign him a publicly-funded lawyer. Read More

Four people, including one from Ontario and another from India, are facing multiple charges following a two-month drug trafficking investigation led by Regina Police Service Drug Unit.

MONTREAL LAKE — A man has pleaded guilty to arson causing damage to property for sparking a wildfire in northern Saskatchewan. Jason Halkett, who is 29, entered the guilty plea earlier this month.

Health officials are reminding Saskatchewan residents to take safety measures when cleaning areas that may contain rodent contamination.

OTTAWA — The federal government is adding $755 million in sport funding as part of its spring economic update.

Many local organizations received charities, following the closure of Central Lutheran Church in Moose Jaw.

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.

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.

OTTAWA — The federal government plans to ban cryptocurrency ATMs as part of a suite of measures in its spring economic statement targeting financial crimes.

OTTAWA — The federal government plans to ban cryptocurrency ATMs as part of a suite of measures in its spring economic statement targeting financial crimes. The government says scammers use the ATMs to defraud victims, while criminals use them to convert the proceeds of crime. There are currently just under 4,000 cryptocurrency ATMs in Canada — the most per capita in the world, finance officials speaking on background said. The document says Canadians will still be able to buy cryptocurrencies from "brick-and-mortar" businesses. The financial update outlined other measures to tackle criminal use of businesses that provide services like currency exchanges and digital payments. They include new powers around ministerial directives, stricter rules on registration and more criminal record checks for those businesses. Criminals are increasingly abusing such money service businesses to "to launder money, finance terrorism, evade sanctions, and defraud Canadians of their hard-earned savings," the update said. The government is allocating $352.7 million over five years, and $82.1 million in ongoing funding, to the previously announced Financial Crimes Agency. The government introduced legislation to create the new specialized federal law enforcement agency Monday. It would be headquartered in Ottawa, with a mandate to investigate "serious and complex financial crimes, such as money laundering, serious fraud, and major capital market crimes, and to recover the proceeds of crime," the statement said. To support the new agency, the government is also allocating additional funding for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, which will get $46.2 million over five years and $11.5 million in ongoing funding. The Department of Finance will receive $19.6 million over five yeas, with $1.5 million ongoing. Canada’s financial intelligence agency will get $17.9 million over four years in new funding for "the detection, deterrence, and disruption of the illicit financing that supports and perpetuates extortion and fentanyl trafficking in Canada and to advance a technology and artificial intelligence roadmap," the update says. The government says Justice Minister Sean Fraser will also look at introducing criminal justice reforms targeting complex financial crimes. "The exploitation of the financial system to launder illicit proceeds supports and perpetuates crimes such as fraud, theft, and extortion that take money straight out of Canadians' pockets, while fuelling the drugs, gangs, and violence that threaten the safety of our communities," the spring economic statement says. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026. Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press

Farmers in the Swift Current area could have a tougher time getting a good price for their crops this season after the licence for a local elevator was not renewed. This month, Monette Farm Group applied for creditor protection. Its court filing says it’s one of the largest private operations with feedlots, breeding operations, and grain operations across North America. Read more:

• Drought fears linger as seeding begins on southwest Saskatchewan farms
• CFL season to start on Victoria Day weekend in 2027, adds eight-team playoffs
• From lake to plate: Wild rice harvesting draws Indigenous people to the land

One of its assets under Monette Seeds Ltd. is an elevator in the Swift Current area. The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) chose not to renew the licence to operate the elevator, effective May 1. In the notice, it mentioned the filing for creditor protection. The CGC also directed producers who are owed money for grain deliveries to contact its safeguards program, and for producers with open contracts to contact the court-appointed monitor. Jeremy Welter, a vice-president with the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS), said the licence not being renewed means the elevator isn’t bonded or covered by the CGC, and it shouldn’t be buying grain from farmers. He said that elevator has a 9,140 tonne capacity, and while that’s not huge, it’s not insignificant either. Welter said the loss of a buyer in the area can have some pretty bad repercussions in terms of competition. “The more buyers you’ve got in the marketplace when you’re selling the product, the better for you. It adds competition and hopefully, what that does is, is increase the prices that are on offer for the grains that you’re selling,” he explained. For producers in the area, Welter said the extra option in the market probably made a real difference. He said it’s entirely possible there are still open contracts and that there could be a significant number of contracts signed for crops that are yet to be planted this year. Welter said he hopes Monette or someone else independent will be able to get the elevator up and running again. “Ultimately, that has not been the case in the last number of years, with a number of much higher profile mergers as well as certainly some smaller players being bought out,” he said. Monette Farms Group said in a news release that it blamed challenging conditions like cost pressures, commodity markets and higher interest rates. Welter said with those factors, as well as production potential with weather changes, there will be a much tighter squeeze on farmers the next couple of years. “We’ve seen prices for fertilizer skyrocket, we’ve seen chemical inputs do the same thing, fuel’s obviously going up, machinery is getting more expensive by the year. These are some pretty serious concerns,” he explained. A letter sent to landowners from Monette CEO Darrel Monette, said the filing isn’t a liquidation or bankruptcy, but a procedure to create a restructuring plan. The creditor protection application involves restructuring hundreds of millions in debt after a credit agreement matured earlier this month. Monette said in the letter that farming operations will continue during the restructuring, and lease agreements and rent obligations remain. — with files from farmnewsNOW Read more:

• Drought fears linger as seeding begins on southwest Saskatchewan farms
• CFL season to start on Victoria Day weekend in 2027, adds eight-team playoffs
• From lake to plate: Wild rice harvesting draws Indigenous people to the land

OTTAWA — The federal government is promising $4.3 billion for First Nations education, Inuit food security and Indigenous child welfare in its spring economic update. Much of the funding cited in the statement has been announced already, while funding to build more homes in Indigenous communities is being reallocated from other areas of government. The document says the funding will help "empower healthy, thriving Indigenous communities." The federal government is setting aside $601 million this year for on-reserve elementary and secondary education "that meets the needs of students so that First Nations youth can participate fully in Canada's skilled workforce." Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak has long called for more supports to help First Nations youth enter the skilled trades and says Canada relies too much on outside labour. Another $700 million is being allocated over six years to implement a law that affirms First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities have the right to control their own child welfare systems. "Supporting Indigenous-led services and supports rooted in their unique cultures is essential to this government’s commitment to advance reconciliation. It ensures critical services like education, family services, social services and community governance meet the needs of Indigenous families, communities and individuals," the spring economic update says. Ottawa is committing another $6.3 million to the Northern Isolated Communities Initiatives fund — which helps support food security in Inuit communities — and $794 million to support non-insured health benefits for Inuit and First Nations, including drugs, dental care and mental health counselling. The bulk of the Indigenous funding in the update — $2.8 billion — is being reallocated from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to a number of departments to support Indigenous housing providers. The Assembly of First Nations has estimated the cost of closing the infrastructure gap in First Nations communities at $349 billion. Former prime minister Justin Trudeau's government committed to closing that gap. Many First Nations communities struggle with a severe shortage of housing, a lack of internet connectivity and crumbling roads. In a 2024 joint report with Indigenous Services Canada, the AFN said closing the First Nations infrastructure gap could generate $635 billion in economic activity. The document makes 94 references to Indigenous Peoples in chapters touching on the critical minerals strategy, the major projects office and plans to modernize the energy grid. The federal government is also promising $8 million for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and $1 million to support the National Family and Survivors Circle. Another $59 million is being allocated to address the legacy of residential schools this year, with the same amount earmarked for next year, while $40 million is budgeted for supporting Indigenous rights negotiations. Compared to 2023, the federal funding available for claims research will be cut in half. First Nations have warned that cuts to that funding would undermine their ability to hold the government accountable for historic wrongs against their communities. The $4 million earmarked for claims research falls well short of the $35 million First Nations leaders have called for. "The planned reduction to $4 million in April 2026 will critically impair essential research work nationwide and further delay the resolution of lawful claims which will impede your government’s ability to build partnerships with First Nations," Jody Woods, the research director of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, wrote in a March letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney. "Consistent with Canada’s obligations under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, decisions affecting First Nations must be developed transparently and in full partnership with First Nations." This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026. Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — The Liberal government released a spring economic update today closely focused on boosting investment and job training. While the document contains measures that likely would face pushback from the opposition, the Liberals — thanks to their new parliamentary majority — won't have to worry about securing opposition votes to pass it. The update includes the previously announced creation of the Canada Strong Fund, a planned sovereign wealth fund with $25 billion over three years in federal seed money meant to kick-start investment in major infrastructure projects. The document does not explain how Canadians will be able to put their own money into the fund, as the government has promised. It also doesn't say where the government plans to find the $25 billion. The update announces the creation of Team Canada Strong, a $6 billion, five-year plan to recruit and train up to 100,000 Red Seal tradespeople over the next five years. Team Canada Strong is meant to help accelerate infrastructure and housing construction, and to tackle high youth unemployment. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said the plan shows how critical trades workers are to the government's plans to build more housing and infrastructure. The jobless rate for people aged 15 to 24 was close to 14 per cent in March, more than double the general unemployment rate. The spring economic update also includes a proposal to give law enforcement the power to search and seize mail through an amendment to the Canada Post Corporation Act. The Liberal government first proposed this new police power last year in its original border security bill, C-2. That legislation remains before Parliament but several measures in it that were seen as more likely to pass easily were spun off into Bill C-12. The economic update says the government plans to make operating a cryptocurrency ATM a criminal offence, part of broader anti-money laundering efforts. These ATMs can be found in a variety of businesses, including convenience stores and some restaurants. The government also plans to use the economic update to push through changes to the air passenger complaint process to clear the complaint backlog and introduce a simplified process to settle claims for compensation due to flight delays. The spring economic update doesn't include any new direct affordability measures but mentions recently announced programs like the pause on the federal fuel surcharge and the grocery and essentials tax rebate. Thanks to a series of floor-crossings and three byelection wins securing a Liberal majority, Prime Minister Mark Carney's government will be able to pass the economic update without opposition support for the first time in seven years. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has called on the government to rein in spending and focus on shrinking the deficit. He called the government's approach "credit card budgeting" and argued that it will cost Canadians more down the road through increased inflation and higher interest costs. Pointing to to an $11 billion reduction in the deficit projection, Champagne said the document shows the Liberals are good fiscal managers. The new deficit projection for the 2025-26 fiscal year is $66.9 billion. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on April 28, 206. David Baxter, The Canadian Press

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