In the early years of his career, winning an award for being a radio personality never crossed Matt Ryan's mind. He grew up in the Prairies with a love for music; it was inevitable that he would eventually end up on the mic between songs. This year, Ryan earned his sixth Saskatchewan Country Music Award (SCMA) for On-A...

Extreme cold has forced organizers to postpone the annual CJNB Twinkle Tour wrap-up event in North Battleford, pushing the celebration back to next week.The City of North Battleford says the event, originally scheduled for this Saturday, has been moved to Tuesday, Dec. 16, due to forecast wind chills expected to reach ...

The Supreme Court of Canada has refused to hear an appeal from Soaring Eagle Whitstone, cementing her conviction and life sentence for the first-degree murder of Tiki Laverdiere.In a decision released Dec. 11, the court dismissed Whitstone's application for leave to appeal a Saskatchewan Court of Appeal ruling that uph...

North Battleford is moving to strengthen its economic strategy with a new advisory committee, as a recent retail analysis shows the city is facing high vacancy rates, major empty commercial spaces and significant leakage of regional spending to other centres.Council approved the creation of the North Battleford Economi...

Canada's trade relationship and health care were among the big talking points when representatives from the provincial NDP spent time in the Battlefords meeting with local residents and organizations. Party leader Carla Beck said it is important for her to visit communities and talk to people who are experiencing issue...

A 24-year-old woman from Saskatoon was arrested by RCMP officers after failing to stop for officers who wanted to pull her over for speeding near Frenchman Butte. Combined Traffic Services officers saw a speeding vehicle on December 5, shortly after 3 pm and attempted a traffic stop. Rather than pull over, the driver a...

The Battlefords Tribal Council has unveiled a $230-million development plan that includes a new casino, a 3,000-seat arena, a new high school, affordable housing and expanded health services, describing the multi-year initiative as a major investment in the future of the Battlefords.The project, called Gold Eagle Landi...

A man has been charged with murder and aggravated assault after a death on Little Pine First Nation. Cut Knife RCMP received a report of injured individuals at a residential property on Dec. 8, at approximately 8:00 p.m. RCMP from Cut Knife and Unity responded immediately and administered first aid to two individuals. ...

The Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes unit is investigating a suspicious death at Moosomin First Nation.On December 8, at approximately 12p.m., Battlefords RCMP received a report of a man requiring medical attention. Officers immediately responded and located the victim at a residential property. Officers provided medical...

The Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association (SHSAA) basketball season kicked off recently and John Paul II Collegiate has already hosted their home tournament for the boys and girls Sr teams. The girls kicked off their season with the home tournament in the Amanda Cave Invitational Tournament and finished in seco...

North Battleford city council has approved a municipal services agreement with Mosquito Grizzly Bear's Head Lean Man First Nation (MGBHLM), clearing the way for the band to apply for urban reserve status for the post office property downtown.City Manager Randy Patrick told council Monday the city has no authority to cr...

Starting on Dec. 11, the Battlefords WPD Ambulance Sharks will be in Wilcox, Saskatchewan to take place in the Mandi Schwartz Memorial tournament which is the largest female tournament in Western Canada. The Sharks have high hopes heading into the tournament after winning the Calgary Firestarter Tournament earlier this...

Saskatchewan is extending a major health-care recruitment program to three additional communities as the province continues efforts to shore up staffing in rural and remote areas.The Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive (RRRI) program now includes Edam, Battleford and Hudson Bay, bringing the total number of eligible...

North Battleford city council has approved its 2026 municipal budget Monday, adopting a general increase of 3.296 per cent along with multiple levy and utility rate adjustments that officials say are needed to manage inflation, maintain services and address aging infrastructure.Taken together, the city's General and Ut...

RCMP have charged a 20-year-old man from Unity., following a reported sexual assault at Lakeland College late last month.Vermilion RCMP say they received a complaint on Nov. 30 and, following an investigation, arrested Cameron Kelly on Dec. 4. He is charged with sexual exploitation and sexual assault. Police say Kelly ...

Battlefords' fourth annual Pack the Patrol Unit event was a success for the Humane Society. On Friday, $1,500 and more than 3,000 pounds of food and supplies were donated to the shelter. Donations were accepted at Walmart, No Frills, PetValu, and Canadian Tire by Community Safety Officers (CSO's), volunteers with Citiz...

A month of tough decisions will be compressed into a little over an hour when local agencies host a poverty simulation in North Battleford, inviting participants to experience the pressures families face as costs climb.The event comes as food insecurity and rising living costs continue to strain families across Saskatc...

On a cold December day in North Battleford, police cruisers, a 33-foot command truck and a steady stream of bundled-up volunteers created a scene that looked less like a law-enforcement operation and more like a holiday barn-raising.By the time the final boxes were weighed, more than 4,200 pounds of food had been donat...

Public Safety Canada says it is "deeply concerned" by escalating violence in Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs (BATC) communities and is working with Saskatchewan and BATC member nations to improve policing resources and response times, following urgent calls from First Nations leaders earlier this week.At a p...

The town of Battleford council has dropped its proposed budget percent from 3.9 to 2.7 at their meeting on Dec. 4. The updated proposed budget shows that each house will see a base tax of $110 annually, which will help the town reach its operational needs. This base tax will cause a 2.7 per cent increase for the averag...

North Battleford city council will be asked on Monday, to approve the city's 2026 municipal budget, which includes a proposed increase to the general municipal tax rate for next year.The draft budget recommends raising the tax rate from 3.183 mills to 3.296 mills, following adjustments discussed with council during del...

Wolf Garden is once again giving kids the joy of choosing gifts for the ones they love, at no cost.The second annual Kids Shop Free event will take place on Dec. 20. A volunteer for Wolf Garden said the market started to receive donations for the cause that included items like art, jewelry, mugs, fishing lures and clot...

The Saskatchewan Marshals Service (SMS) has hired three experienced police officers as it prepares to stand up its new regional headquarters in North Battleford early in the new year.The agency announced Tuesday that Marshals Chaplin, Hutchison and Antymniuk bring "over 29+ years of combined policing and law enfor...

As winter blankets the Battlefords, officials warn of the effects of extreme temperatures and encourage the use of the community's homeless shelter. Miwasin Kikinaw, the homeless shelter, provides a warm area for anyone needing a place to stay through their intake and warm-up shelter. However, the shelter coordinator s...

North Battleford's fire chief visited Regina on Tuesday to receive an award for his crew's heroism and bravery. Premier Scott Moe awarded each fire chief a Premier's Commendation Award for those who served during the wildfires in northern Saskatchewan earlier this year. Chief Lindsay Holm said the announcement of the a...

Choo choo!The CPKC Holiday Train will make a stop in Wilkie this Sunday, bringing live music and support for the local food bank as part of its annual cross-country fundraising tour.The train is scheduled to pull into First Avenue on Dec. 7 from 1:30 to 2 p.m., featuring free performances by Jade Eagleson and Teigen Ga...

The capital and operational budget was proposed to the town of Battleford's council. Chief financial officer Tetiana Polishchuk presented the 2026 budget with a proposed 3.9 per cent tax increase, which will amount to a $143 annual increase per household.The town mayor said he has mixed emotions about the numbers but s...

A program aimed at improving food security and health outcomes across the Battlefords and nearby First Nations has received a major boost through Farm Credit Canada (FCC)'s AgriSpirit Fund.Battlefords Family Health Centre Inc., in partnership with the Battle River Treaty 6 Health Centre, has been awarded $19,000 to exp...