Saskatchewan News

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.

The Canadian Football League will kick off its season earlier and revamp its playoff format in 2027.

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

Twenty-two single family homes were available as of the afternoon of April 27.

Officers had 65 calls for service from April 19-26.

Student Medical Society of Saskatchewan calls for province to sign on to pharmacare deal

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.

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.

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 the early morning hours of April 13, police and firefighters responded to the business.

The plant required a replacement to the Motor Control Centre (MCC) cabinet and panels.

Today is the day. Seventy-four athletes will hear their names called in the Canadian Football League’s draft.

City Council met Monday evening and added another voice from Swift Current to the Chinook Regional Library Board.

New shop to be hub for overhead door operations.

Water and sewer fees rise due to water treatment plant costs.

This year’s primary focus is a total renovation of the endoscopy surgical suite. Currently, the hospital performs approximately 2,500 procedures annually.

From country and rock performances to metalcore and Juno-award winners, there's plenty of talent from world-renowned bands and solo artists to see this month in Saskatoon. Read More

Stories were shared, highlighting the challenges and opportunities faced in Nigeria.

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