Kirsty Hanson

As local drivers and community members are taking in the sunshine of the first week of spring, SGI is keen to encourage safe driving this season.

Maintaining an appropriate following distance and staying mindful of puddles and potholes are just a few of the SGI's recommendations for motorists this spring. 

Jeremy Pilon, communications consultant at SGI, highlighted that folks should keep an eye out for wildlife, especially around dawn and dusk when many animals are most active.

Saskatchewan residents and motorists are being given a friendly reminder of the costs and consequences that come with driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

SGI's Traffic Safety Spotlight for the month of March highlights safe ways home including walking, planning a ride, public transit, or calling a cab.

Jeremy Pilon, spokesperson for SGI, noted that statistics show that around 32 Saskatchewan residents are fatally injured in impaired driving incidents.

Residents and local investors are being cautioned of an increasingly common form of long-term investment fraud known as "pig butchering", that's already claimed millions of Saskatchewan dollars.

The Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority of Saskatchewan reported that in Saskatchewan alone, more than $3.4 million was reported lost in 2024 to these types of scams. 

With the month of March being Fraud Prevention Month, folks are encouraged to be aware and make careful investment decisions.

A Swift Current woman was given a lasting legacy after the recent naming of a new wheat variety, AAC Oakman, as a tribute to her life.

Local technician, Lesley Oakman, played an instrumental role in developing the new wheat variety at the Swift Current Research and Development Centre before unfortunately losing her life to cancer.

Dr. Richard Cuthbert, a Swift Current wheat breeder with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, noted that Oakman passed away in 2020, due to the pandemic, a proper memorial wasn't able to be held for her.

Southwest residents and motorists are being given a friendly reminder of the costs and consequences that come with driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

SGI's Traffic Safety Spotlight for the month of March highlights safe ways home including walking, planning a ride, public transit, or calling a cab.

Jeremy Pilon, spokesperson for SGI, noted that statistics show that around 32 Saskatchewan residents are fatally injured in impaired driving incidents.

A Saskatchewan man was recently sentenced after facing a litany of charges stemming from a hefty weapons bust a few months ago that saw 31 firearms seized.

Jason Palmier from Lafleche pleaded guilty to three of eleven criminal charges on February 11 at Moose Jaw Provincial Court.

The 46-year-old entered guilty pleas on one count of unlawful storage of firearms in a careless manner, one count of possession of a prohibited device, and one count of possession of firearms without proper licenses. 

An astounding 17 pounds of fentanyl were recently seized during a traffic stop turned drug bust on the Trans-Canada Highway near Swift Current.

Saskatchewan RCMP's Roving Traffic Unit and Saskatchewan Highway Patrol were collaborating in proactive patrols of the Swift Current area on January 28 when a traffic stop was performed on a vehicle with two adult occupants. 

A routine inspection of a Saskatchewan taxidermy business in 2023 sparked an investigation that more recently ended in heavy fines, criminal charges, and the seizure of over 140 wildlife exhibits. 

On September 23, 2024, the owner of Northern Reflections Taxidermy, Brandon McCrea from Mossbank, pleaded guilty to operating a taxidermy business without a licence and possessing wildlife illegally.

 Assiniboia conservation officers paid a visit to the business in Mossbank in February 2023, where they were met with a shop cluttered with animal trophies and antlers.

With New Year's Eve right around the corner, SGI is hoping to remind anyone heading out to celebrate and find a safe ride home.

Impaired driving can result in a plethora of consequences that can include suspensions or a driving prohibition, impoundment, fines, criminal charges, time in jail, and the most costly, a life. 

Jeremy Pilon, communications consultant at SGI, noted that this time of the year, similar to summer, the number of impaired drivers tends to go up. 

Saskatchewan's parks are glistening with snow and frost-covered flora this time of the year, making them an enchanting destination for many southwest residents, families, and outdoor enthusiasts.

From outdoor ice skating to a Festival of Lights or snowmobiling, the various parks offer something that's sure to pique everyone's interest.

Saskatchewan's Minister of Parks, Culture, and Sport, Alana Ross, noted that the wide array of unique experiences and outdoor adventures make Saskatchewan's provincial parks a thrilling winter destination.