MooseJaw

Saskatchewan is investing $20 million to support communities and individuals affected by this year’s destructive wildfire season, the province announced Monday.

The funding, which will be administered through the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), is intended to kickstart recovery work in communities that were devastated by the fires. A dedicated Recovery Task Team (RTT) has been established to coordinate the effort.

A 53-year-old man has been arrested in Maple Creek after RCMP allege he defrauded a woman of more than $100,000 in what police describe as a romance scam.

Michael Paul Snow was taken into custody on June 24 in Maple Creek following a Canada-wide warrant issued by Sunshine Coast RCMP. He has been charged with fraud over $5,000.

Prime Minister Mark Carney's chief of staff and the country's top public servant will be responsible for maintaining an ethics screen preventing him from making decisions that benefit his former employer, says a disclosure issued by the office of the ethics commissioner on Friday.

A new poll by Leger has found that Quebec residents are the happiest in Canada.

The web survey of nearly 40,000 Canadians found that Quebecers rated their happiness at an average of 72.4 out of 100, which is well above the national average.

New Brunswick followed Quebec with an average of 70.2, while Manitoba and Prince Edward Island finished at the bottom of the list. 

Mississauga, Ont. had the highest happiness rating of the 10 largest cities, while Toronto was lowest. 

Montreal finished second in the category.

Nature Saskatchewan is drawing attention to one of the province’s most unique and endangered grassland birds, the chestnut-collared longspur. 

“This is a super cool grassland specialist songbird,” explained Emily Putz, Habitat Stewardship Coordinator with Nature Saskatchewan. “They have a very bold colouring and they’re the 2025 Avian Ambassadors of Birds Canada.” 

The Government of Saskatchewan announced an increase to the provincial minimum wage effective October 1st of this year. The 35-cent increase will change the current $15 wage to $15.35. 

In 2022, the provincial government began to incrementally increase the minimum wage, with a goal to raise it from $11.81 to $15. Now that the commitment has been met, they have implemented the indexation formula again, which puts equal weight to changes to the consumer price index and the average hourly wage for Saskatchewan. 

Free Fishing Weekend has begun!

This weekend, residents can fish with no need for a fishing license in Saskatchewan.

Mitchell Thorarinson, a fisheries biologist with the Ministry of Environment, talks about the upcoming weekend and what prospective anglers can expect.

Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued an air quality statement for Moose Jaw and surrounding communities due to wildfire smoke.

Smoke from wildfires is causing poor air quality and reduced visibility. The smoke can fluctuate over short distances and vary from hour to hour.

Residents are asked to limit their time outdoors and consider reducing or rescheduling outdoor sports, activities and events.

With the campground at Craven opening for Country Thunder, Saskatchewan RCMP held checkstops on Highway 11 near Chamberlain on Wednesday and Thursday. 

More than 3,000 drivers were stopped over the two days. 

Police administered 33 roadside cannabis tests, resulting in 15 tickets, as well as roadside suspensions and vehicle impoundments. 

A familiar smoky haze has settled over much of Saskatchewan this week, including Craven, where Country Thunder Saskatchewan is currently happening, prompting the issuance of a special air quality statement by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The smoke, which blew in on Thursday and is expected to linger until Saturday morning, has created conditions that also make it essential to take precautions.