Ally Paige

The governments of Canada and Saskatchewan have taken another step in significantly reducing the cost of regulated childcare fees for children under six in the province. 

The reduction in cost is part of $1.09 billion being invested through the Canada-Saskatchewan Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement to make regulated childcare more affordable for Saskatchewan families by 2026. 

Gerry Craswell, Assistant Deputy Minister with the Ministry of Education, elaborated on the agreement. 

The Government of Saskatchewan is providing significant funding to implement training for Community Based Organizations (CBO’s) who are providing mental health and addictions services through the health system.  

A one-time grant of $250,000 is being made to the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH) to deliver the virtual training to CBO’s. 

Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Swift Current MLA, Everett Hindley, said that the government is taking steps to ensure that all eligible CBO’s have access to the training. 

Swift Current welcomed McHappy Day back to the city yesterday with open arms after the event was required to take place virtually over the last few years. 

A portion of the proceeds from every menu item sold throughout the day yesterday, will go towards supporting families with sick children staying at Ronald McDonald House Charities and other children’s charities across Canada. 

Eligibility on veteran license plates has been expanded, now allowing for Royal Canadian Mounted Police members in Saskatchewan to receive one of the specialty plates. 

Members of the RCMP who have served a minimum of three years are eligible to apply for the license plate. 

Don Morgan, minister responsible for SGI and MLA for Saskatoon Southeast, said that he believes it is a terrific way to acknowledge the officers of Saskatchewan. 

“I think it's a wonderful way for as a province for us to say thank you to our police officers,” he said. 

The Swift Current Group 2 Scouts hosted their Bottle Blitz over the weekend; however, the group did not quite receive the level of traffic that they have had in previous years. 

Committee Chair and Fundraising Coordinator for the Swift Current Scouts, Bobbi Dawn Legere, said that she believes the rainy weather conditions were a large contribution to the low numbers. 

“It just didn't seem like anybody was out and about that day because of the rain,” she said. 

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN ON MAY 2ND

An Alberta man has made it his mission to raise awareness about the effects of PTSD, as he makes the strenuous trek from Cranbrook, B.C. to St. John’s, Newfoundland. 

Departing B.C. on April 4, the Sea to Sea for PTSD team arrived in Swift Current two weeks ago and were greeted by RCMP at the weigh scales west of the city. 

Chad Kennedy, the driving force behind the mission said that it was created out of one of the most difficult times in his life. 

The southwest corner of Saskatchewan is seeing normalcy return to daily life, as more and more events return to the community. 

Over the weekend, two tradeshows made their grand return to the Swift Current area. 

Garden of Eden Greenhouse and Gifts brought back their annual Mother's Day market, which was held on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

More information is being released about the arrest of Matthew Barker, after RCMP apprehended the man on Friday morning.

Barker was wanted on warrants from the Nipawin RCMP, Tisdale RCMP, Hudson Bay RCMP and Swan River RCMP.

As a result of the arrest, officers located approximately 27 grams of methamphetamine, a weapon and drug-related paraphernalia in his possession.

2:55 p.m. UPDATE:

The vehicle in question has been located and is now out of the Herbert and District area.

Original Story:

The RCMP have issued a report regarding a suspicious vehicle in the Herbert area.

The 2005 grey four door Infinite G35 has the licence plate CGN 6838 and was last seen on grid roads south of Herbert at 11:45 this morning.

It is believed that there are two male occupants.

The Saskatchewan Government has announced their plan to increase minimum wage to $13 per hour as of October 2022 with a long-term goal of $15 per hour by 2024. 

Saskatchewan currently has the lowest minimum wage in the country, sitting at $11.81 per hour. 

In a scrum on Tuesday addressing the changes, Minister Don Morgan said that economic factors played a role in the decision to increase minimum wage.