Early stages of a relocation and revitalization of the Gold Eagle Casino and its adjacent hotel are underway as the gaming den readies to enter a new facility.

The project, which will include constructing the casino’s new home, is expected to cost $100 million. Of that, $60 million will come from the Mosquito Grizzly Bear’s Head Lean Man (MGBHLM) First Nation.

This rejuvenation of the gambling hub and the move to its new location off Highway 16 West, south of the Riverview community, is the first phase of the project, according to a news release.

The purchase from the City of North Battleford is expected to close in the coming days, the MGBHLM’s release said.

“This development is more than a facility — it is a long-term investment in our people, our economy, and our future. We are building something that will create opportunity and lasting benefits for generations to come,” said Chief Tanya Stone in the statement.

As part of its consultation project, the nation spoke with elders earlier this month. They were said to have approved the project and suggested tying in cultural elements and languages throughout the new build.

Phase one is expected to create 350 construction jobs and 400 long-term positions, according to the First Nation. They said they anticipate millions of dollars in tourism revenue and hundreds of thousands of guests annually at the new spot.

“We recognize that this significant development will involve many important steps and will require collaboration and consultation with the city and our residents, including zoning amendments and the establishment of service agreements,” said North Battleford Mayor Kelli Hawtin in the release.

Residents near the new location will be consulted this spring, the MGBHLM said. An information night is also in the works.

In the release, the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) said, despite its initial opposition when the news broke this fall, it’s on board. In October, the authority acknowledged the nation’s plans, but it said it had no plans to move.

“The rejuvenation of the Gold Eagle Casino represents an extraordinary opportunity to reimagine what a SIGA Casino can be, not just a place to visit, but a true tourism and entertainment destination,” said Zane Hansen, the president and CEO of SIGA in Monday’s announcement.

“We are committed to ensuring the new Gold Eagle Casino becomes a landmark destination, while staying true to our culture and traditions,” Hansen added.

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Saskatchewan’s 21^st lieutenant-governor has died.

The province says Vaughn Solomon Schofield was 82 when she passed away following a short illness.

She served in the role as Crown representative from 2012 to 2018.

Premier Scott Moe says Solomon Schofield was dedicated to the province’s residents and deeply committed to the Canadian Armed Forces.

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Before she was appointed to the role, she attended university in her hometown of Regina and later worked in business real estate.

She leaves behind two children and five grandchildren.

“Vaughn Solomon Schofield was a wonderful embodiment of the Saskatchewan spirit,” Moe said in a news release Thursday.

“She was lieutenant-governor when I became premier.

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“Her decades-long commitment to our Armed Forces was steadfast and she will be missed by all who knew her.”

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon remembered Solomon Schofield in a statement as someone whose time in the Armed Forces and her dedication to public service and philanthropy made her a “cherished leader in the viceregal community.”

“Her legacy had a profound impact on our country and will inspire generations to come,” she said.

Flag football and the 2028 Summer Olympics aren’t proving to be a distraction for quarterback Nathan Rourke.

The CFL’s top Canadian and outstanding player last season has started playing flag football to acclimate himself with the sport should Canada qualify when it debuts at the Los Angeles Games. But he’s doing so with the B.C. Lions’ approval.

“They know (flag football) won’t take away from my (CFL) preparation,” Rourke said recently. “I do this on weekends for a couple of hours.

“I wouldn’t do it without their blessing.”

Last season, Rourke became the first Canadian quarterback since Russ Jackson in 1969 to win both the top Canadian and outstanding player awards in the same season. He  joined Jackson, Brady Oliveira, Jon Cornish and Tony Gabriel as the only players to win each honour in the same year.

Rourke, of Victoria, established career-highs in passing yards (5,290, most ever by a Canadian), touchdowns (31), rushing yards (564, tops among quarterbacks) and rushing TDs (10). B.C. (11-7) finished its regular season with six straight wins to take second in the West Division.

After dispatching Calgary 33-30 in the West Division semifinal, B.C.’s season ended with a 24-21 road loss to eventual Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan. That defeat drastically tarnished Rourke’s lofty individual accomplishments.

“That’s always the case and always will be,” he said. “The season is a means to get to the playoffs and that’s where you make your strides of determining what kind of team, what kind of player you want to be.

“Certainly there’s plenty of work to do.”

And for Rourke, there’s no better place to start in 2026 than by cutting down on his interceptions. Last season, Rourke and Winnipeg’s Zach Collaros were tied for the most picks at 16 apiece.

“I had too many last year,” Rourke said. “My goal is to be in single digits … I don’t want to continue to give our defence short fields to work with.”

B.C. led the CFL last season in offensive points (31.1 per game), net yards (430.2) and passing (325.4 per game). Receiver Keon Hatcher was tops in targets (145), catches (102), yards (1,688) and yards after catch (611) while adding nine TD grabs and running back James Butler was third in rushing (1,213 yards, 5.3-yard average) and tied for first in rushing TDs (11).

But gone are stellar offensive lineman Jarell Broxton (free agent, Winnipeg) and receiver Ayden Eberhardt (free agent, Ottawa) who had CFL-best 19.3-yard average per catch.

“Eberhardt and Broxton are big losses for us on offence but we’ll find ways, we have to,” Rourke said. “We’ve still got a really good receiver room with Hatcher, Justin McInnis, Jevon Cottoy and Stanley Berryhill III and we’ve got James and Zander Horvath in the backfield so we’ve got some really great weapons.

“We’ve got to figure out who’s going to be the guy up front or in the receiver room but that’s what training camp is for. That’s what’s great about pro sports, the opportunity to compete every single day and earn your spot regardless of how many seasons you’ve played or what you did last year.”

Rourke heads into training camp with a full season under his belt in head coach Buck Pierce’s offence. Instead of learning new schemes, Rourke will be able to build upon what worked — and fix what didn’t — in 2025.

He hopes that helps B.C. finish atop the competitive West Division and host the final rather than be on the road for it.

“I’m not saying that’s why we lost in the West final last year but it doesn’t make it any easier,” Rourke said. “If we could host that playoff game and get a bye late in the year, that would be a huge get for us and be very helpful.

“Every game will be tough but that’s what makes it fun and we’ll be doing some good things if we’re able to host that second game.”

But it’s sustained success Rourke is chasing with the Lions.

“That’s why you look at people like Zach, (Hamilton starter) Bo Levi Mitchell and (Saskatchewan’s) Trevor Harris,” Rourke said. They’re guys who’ve have incredible careers and sustained success, which is why they’re great players.

“If I want to be a great player and to win championships, I have to reach that level of sustained success and do it over multiple seasons. Who cares about one? In pro sports, if you’re not great every year, your job isn’t safe.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2026.

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Saskatchewan’s forecast for fire season suggests northern and central areas of the province have a better outlook than last year, but drought conditions in the southwest could pose problems.

Steve Roberts, vice-president of the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), spoke with reporters on Wednesday.

The Water Security Agency’s spring runoff report, published last month, speaks of a worsening drought in southern Saskatchewan. Roberts said those conditions could increase the risk of a smoky summer, though other factors will also play a role.

“The severity of the 2026 wildfire season will be largely dependent on short-term weather trends,” he said.

“It is important to remember that while many areas may be susceptible to wildfire, fires don’t start without an ignition source. About half of all fires in this province are human-caused and are entirely preventable.”

Weather-related fires do not typically start until July, when there are extended periods of extreme heat, followed by wind, tornadoes or thunderstorms fanning the flames, Roberts added.

The SPSA is urging residents to follow any fire bans in place and take precautions to reduce wildfire risks.

“Heading into the 2026 season, the agency is more prepared than ever. Since last fall, our focus has been on prevention, planning, and proactive response measures,” Roberts said.

Twenty-one winter projects were completed, including fuel removal such as clearing trees. FireSmart programs visited and educated at-risk communities.

This winter also saw the hiring of new members of the seasonal response team, who are currently being trained. The agency also acquired some new equipment, including additional aircraft which will take flight later in the summer, or earlier if required, Roberts said.

Weather-wise, it remains unclear what exactly summer will look like, but the snowpack is favourable compared to last year’s, according to the agency’s VP.

Last year, the province saw more than 500 wildfires which altogether burned almost three million hectares of land and led to thousands facing evacuation orders.

There are no carryover fires at the moment, but Roberts cautioned underground blazes may go undetected until the snow melts.

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Don Bourassa says a proposed wind farm near his home in southeast Saskatchewan has ruined relationships in his community — to the point where he feels he has been bullied.

A resident of the Rural Municipality of Weyburn, Bourassa said one of his neighbours approached him about buying his property to keep him quiet on Enbridge’s Seven Stars Energy Project.

“He wants me out of there, to shut up,” Bourassa said in an interview. “That’s bullying and I’m not falling for that.

“It’s neighbours hating each other.”

Enbridge is planning to build the 200-megawatt facility near Weyburn, Sask., southeast of Regina, by late 2027. It would be one of the province’s largest wind facilities, featuring 46 turbines capable of powering about 100,000 homes.

It’s also eight kilometres from Bourassa’s acreage.

He said lines have been drawn between those who are getting money from the project and those who aren’t. If it goes ahead, the wind farm would occupy some private property.

“We didn’t buy these acreages to have these monsters come beside us,” he said. “I didn’t live here for 35 years to have a project like that dumped on us.”

Residents have recently packed town halls in the municipality, urging elected officials not to approve it. They argue it will harm their livelihoods and the surrounding environment.

Kim Brady, another resident, said the project has pitted neighbours and relatives against one another.

“People don’t talk, they won’t talk. It’s not ever going to go away,” he said. “I hope (the province) sees how unhappy residents are and, hopefully, they are going to listen and stop this project.”

Half of the turbines are to be located in the Rural Municipality of Weyburn, while the other half are to be in the Rural Municipality of Griffin. Weyburn has approved the project’s development permit, but Griffin has not.

Griffin has said it needs to receive documents on the project’s environmental effects before it makes a decision.

Both municipalities declined interview requests on the project.

Enbridge said in a statement it’s continuing to address Griffin’s questions. It has also filed its environmental impact statement, the company said.

Bourassa said there’s concern the turbines will be noisy, affect wildlife, become an eyesore and bring down property values. He also argues they’re not as environmentally friendly as advertised, as they’d require loads of raw material in order to be built.

He said he also worries the oil used to lubricate the turbines’ moving parts could leak into groundwater. “I don’t want to take that chance,” Bourassa said.

Brady said he’s concerned about the light the turbines will emit at night when planes fly over. “These things are heavily subsidized … which is taxpayers’ money,” he said.

The province is providing a $100-million loan guarantee to the project through the Saskatchewan Indigenous Investment Finance Corporation. Six First Nations communities and Métis Nation-Saskatchewan are to receive the loan to acquire 30 per cent equity in the project.

Saskatchewan’s government says it supports the farm.

“(It) will increase Indigenous participation in the economy, create jobs and add generation capacity to our power grid,” it said in a statement.

The City of Weyburn, which is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Weyburn, also supports it.

Mayor Jeff Richards said the project could be transformative.

“The overwhelming majority of residents that I’ve spoken with are in favour of the project,” he said. “They’re excited to see the investment in our area.”

Enbridge said the project will bring in $4 million each year to the Weyburn area for 30 years. This includes tax revenues for rural municipalities, road upgrades and lease payments to landowners.

The company said lubricants for generators would be contained in oil-tight platforms. It also said no turbines would be built within permanent or semi-permanent wetlands or waterways.

About 40 landowners are to receive payments from the project, but the compensation terms are confidential, the company said.

In responding to residents’ concerns, Enbridge said it plans to move turbines further away from homes. It’s also to install lights that only turn on at night when aircraft are nearby. Noise levels also wouldn’t exceed 40 decibels, or that of a “quiet library,” it added.

“As for property value, please note that based on the current body of literature, our view is wind projects do not have a measurable negative effect on rural property prices,” Enbridge said.

Saskatchewan has recently seen two other large wind farms built over the past four years.

A 200-megawatt Bekevar Wind Facility near Kipling, southeast of Regina, began operating two years ago. Southwest of Regina is a 200-megawatt farm built in 2022.

James Husband, reeve of the Rural Municipality of Hazelwood, where the Bekevar project operates, said public opinion on the facility has been divisive.

“My opinion is all of the arguments against them are mostly just excuses for the fact that people don’t like them politically,” he said. “As far as the energy being renewable and clean energy, I think that’s irrelevant.”

He said council chose to support the project because it would bring in large tax revenues.

The facility is to provide $300,000 this year and about $600,000 in two years once the municipality starts collecting 100 per cent of the share, he said.

The money will go toward better roads and improving recreation facilities, Husband added.

“With these turbines comes federal money. Any way we can get the federal government to spend money in Saskatchewan is a positive,” he said.

The Canada Infrastructure Bank, a federal Crown corporation, spent $173 million on the facility and Ottawa has invested $50 million.

As for light and noise issues, Husband said it’s minimal.

“When I go out to check cows in the middle of the night, I’ll see all the red lights blinking. I don’t think that’s a big deal,” he said. “If you stand right underneath them, there’s a bit of noise, but not any more than the wind on a windy day.”

He added, “Birds aren’t dying.”

Patricia Jackson, mayor of Kipling, said the facility hasn’t changed the way her community lives.

“Truthfully, I think what’s happened is we’ve got two sides that have become polarized,” she said. “Nobody is prepared to sit down and listen.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 28, 2026.

ST. JOHN’S – Alberta’s Kevin Koe improved to 2-0 with a 6-4 win over Saskatchewan’s Mike McEwen at the Montana’s Brier on Sunday.

McEwen (1-1) took a 3-2 lead with a double in the fifth end and held a 4-3 edge after the eighth.

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However, Koe’s rink scored three in the 10th and final end to take the win in the morning session at the national men’s curling championship.

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In other action, New Brunswick’s James Grattan (1-1) topped Northern Ontario’s Sandy MacEwan (1-1) 8-6 and Manitoba’s Braden Calvert (1-1) defeated Northwest Territories’ Jamie Koe (0-2) 12-5.

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Yukon’s Thomas Scoffin (1-1) also beat B.C.’s Cody Tanaka (2-2) 7-4.

The event runs until March 8 at Mary Brown’s Centre.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 1, 2026.

RCMP say two seniors in a Saskatchewan village are dead and they believe one of them was killed.

Mounties say officers were called to Love, northeast of Saskatoon, and found a 77-year-old woman and an 81-year-old man dead in a home.

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They say they believe the woman died as a result of a homicide and the man died of self-inflicted injuries.

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Police say the two seniors were members of the same family and investigators are not seeking additional suspects

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They are also not identifying the deceased, but have notified their family members of the deaths.

Police say no charges are to be laid.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2026.

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For generations, Métis stories have been passed down orally from elder to youth. But a new book seeks to change this, making sure the stories are not just heard but also remembered.

The book published by Métis Nation—Saskatchewan is titled Self-Determination through the Eyes of Lii Vyeu Moond, Kihtêyak, Ąłnëdhë, and features the stories of 12 Métis elders from across Saskatchewan.

“We’ve been blessed by our ancestors, and we carry that strength through our languages that we speak, through our stories, our history, how we can be so resilient,” said Norman Fleury, an elder featured in the book.

The stories feature the elders’ upbringings, experiences, and life lessons and explore a range of themes, from resilience to recognition.

The book also contains elders’ experiences at residential schools and the challenges they faced in grappling with their identity.

“It really focuses on how the Métis people have been struggling for hundreds of years to really be acknowledged and recognized,” said Dorothy Myo, Métis-Nations Saskatchewan Self-government deputy chief.

Myo worked extensively on the project, from idea generation to artwork commissioning and publishing.

Each of the 12 elders represents a different Métis Nation—Saskatchewan region, said Myo, adding that the independent government first started collecting stories two years ago as part of a separate project on self-governance.

“We’re so excited about the book because really this is the first Native elders book that has ever been published and hopefully not the last,” said Myo.

For Emile Janvier, an elder whose story is featured in the book, sharing his story is integral for educating children on what happened to his generation.

“I went to boarding school, and we went to hell just to get an education, and a lot of kids don’t realize that,” said Janvier.

“They have to know what we went through.”

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The book features a mix of traditional language and translations, something Myo said is a natural way to present the elders’ lessons while also preserving meaning.

“The elders share words, but there is so much behind those words that really will take a lifetime of learning for us to be able to understand,” said Myo.

As the stories are now becoming public, many of the elders celebrating the book’s launch Wednesday in Saskatoon say it also helps them connect with their grandchildren.

“They, in turn, can be telling those stories through the voices of their ancestors,” said Fleury, adding that the stories are a nod to the “whole heart” of the Métis nation.

Elders say they also recognize that while the book may be the first of its kind, it will not be the last.

“There are so many stories that have not been told. You have very few elders here. We have so many other elders that want to tell their stories,” said Fleury.

Métis Nation—Saskatchewan says the book will be made available for purchase in stores in the near future.

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A northern Saskatchewan high school that was the site of a deadly shooting a decade ago closed for weeks before students returned to class.

Jason Young with the Northern Lights School Division says time was needed after the tragedy at Dene High School in La Loche to ensure supports and security were in place. Two died and several were injured.

“We were just in a difficult position to be able to start school again,” Young said in an interview.

“We didn’t have the resources to do that. We just needed to meet with people where they were at and slowly work together to try and start school up again.”

On Tuesday, a mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and at a home in the town in northeastern B.C. left nine children and adults dead, including the shooter.

RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald told a news conference Friday that children need to return to school at an appropriate time.

He said he’s hopeful investigators will be out of the school as soon as possible so the town can begin to heal.

The Grade 7-12 school has roughly 160 students.

B.C. Premier David Eby told a vigil in Tumbler Ridge on Friday night that students won’t have to go back if they don’t want to.

“I will promise you that not one of you will ever be forced to go back to that school. We will provide a safe place for you to go to school.”

Christy Fennell, superintendent of the Peace River South School District, said in a statement posted on the school’s website that it would share back-to-school plans over the next week.

“We know some families will want the stability of school routines, while others may not feel ready,” she said.

“The expectation is that we will not be returning to the current high school site.”

RCMP said 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar first killed her mother, 39-year-old Jennifer Jacobs, and 11-year-old brother, Emmett Jacobs, at the family’s home in Tumbler Ridge.

She then headed to the high school with two guns, killing five students — Kylie Smith, Zoey Benoit, Ticaria Lampert and Abel Mwansa Jr., all 12, and Ezekiel Schofield, 13. Shannda Aviugana-Durand, 39, an education assistant at the school, was also killed.

When police arrived, Van Rootselaar shot herself.

Young said there were similarities in La Loche.

On Jan. 22, 2016, a 17-year-old student killed two of his cousins at a home in the remote Dene community — Dayne Fontaine, 17, and Drayden Fontaine, 13. He then went to the school and gunned down teacher Adam Wood and a teacher’s aide, Marie Janvier, and wounded seven others.

In both cases, frightened students huddled in classrooms, consoled each other and waited.

In La Loche, Mounties announced over the school’s intercom that they had arrested the shooter.

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Randan Fontaine later pleaded guilty to various counts of first-degree murder, second-degree murder and attempted murder. He was sentenced as an adult to life in prison with no chance of parole for 10 years.

In the weeks that followed the shooting, the La Loche school hired security guards to ease fears over safety, Young said. RCMP also provided a resource officer to work in the building.

“We knew that one of the steps we needed to take was how do we reduce anxiety,” he said. “When you’re able to offer that type of support, staff and students can focus on what they need to do.”

The school also worked with the provincial and federal governments to provide additional mental health supports, including more counsellors.

Young said staff heard from students that they wanted to return.

“You get back to as normal education as you possibly can,” he said.

“(Teachers were) just doing the best they can, given the situation we were all dealing with.”

Security guards still remain in place at the school, he said, though the RCMP resource officer isn’t working out of the school as much.

“Part of the challenge with that is recruitment challenges,” Young said. “We’re doing the best we can with what we’ve got.”

Each year on the anniversary of the shooting, the school has closed — except this year. A ceremony was held at the school to mark the 10th anniversary.

Young said students and staff will never forget what happened.

“(The anniversary) will just be a day where they can actually focus on service to others. That’s going to be the theme going forward,” he said.

“Obviously, it’s not something you can ever forget.”

Young said his school division has reached out to the Peace River South School District.

“All I can do is just continue to pray and think about those that are affected in that community,” he said.

“I know that they too will be resilient through this, as difficult as it is right now.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 14, 2026.

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