Scott Boulton

Saskatchewan is the top province for mining investment, according to the latest data taken from an annual report on the mining industry in the country. Fraser Institute's Annual Survey of Mining Companies ranked Saskatchewan first, taking in responses from 350 companies rating 82 jurisdictions around the world. 

The 2024 report also placed Saskatchewan in seventh place globally, saying that policy and regulatory perception carried it to its spot.

The provincial government is calling for a federal reform to bail, announced yesterday during a media briefing. Joined by the Mayors of Battleford and North Battleford, the province announced they'd sent a letter to the federal government detailing its wants for bail reform.

In the document, the following key reforms are a priority for the province:

An expansion of the province's Targeted Mineral Exploration Incentive (TMEI) was announced today as the province aims to encourage more early-stage exploration activities in the mining sector.

Since 2018, the TMEI program has provided financial assistance in the form of a grant to exploration companies that undertake eligible drilling activities. With the province's expansion, the program will cover a wider range of exploration activities, including ground-based and borehole geophysical surveys and important pre-sampling tasks like core logging.

Coal-fired power plants will exist past 2030 in Saskatchewan, as the province sent out a letter last month to workers letting them know the power production method would continue. That runs against federal targets to shut down coal plants by 2030, but the province maintains it has sole discretion over power generation methods.

The letter was well received by those in the energy sector, with Rick Dohaniuk, the president of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) 7606, very happy with the news.

Saskatchewan's annual summer Free Fishing Weekend is set for July 12th to 13th, where everyone in the province can experience recreational fishing on our lakes and rivers without an angling license.  

This is the 36th Free Fishing Weekend since it began in 1989. According to a release sent by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, the event is designed to allow people to discover the diverse fishing opportunities in the province without paying the fee for a license. 

Coal-fired power plants will exist past 2030 in Saskatchewan, as the province sent out a letter last month to workers letting them know the power production method would continue. That runs against federal targets to shut down coal plants by 2030, but the province maintains it has sole discretion over power generation methods.

The letter was well received by those in the energy sector, with Rick Dohaniuk, the president of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) 7606, very happy with the news.

The southeast nearly got another taste of tornadoes as a strong thunderstorm moved throughout the southeast and spun the clouds around enough that stormchasers descended into the area. That storm also brought hail that was scattered in a few different sizes across the corridor from Carlyle to Redvers, even stretching into Manitoba.

Dan Fulton, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, took a look at the system that produced some of the extreme conditions.

As escalating gopher populations are causing increasing concern for Saskatchewan landowners, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) is teaming up with the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF) to offer practical assistance.

Darrell Crabbe, SWF's executive director, says the partnership was born from landowners needing help with the pests.

With the upcoming Canada Day looking to be a hot one, the provincial RCMP is taking the opportunity to remind people of safe boating practices, such as avoiding drinking and driving. They advise boaters that drinking and boating can result in losing your driver’s license, hefty fines, and even time in jail.

Saskatchewan coal power plants have their workers buzzing with excitement now that the province has confirmed they'll be extending the plants' lifetimes past 2030. Despite a federal initiative to close those by 2030, the provincial government stated in a letter to SaskPower employees that coal power would remain a segment of Saskatchewan's power production strategy into the future.

Ken Hoste, the assistant business manager with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2067, talks about his reaction to those power plants staying online.