Yorkton RCMP are asking the public to contact them if they have any information regarding a fatal collision involving a pedestrian.

On Nov. 15, at around 5:40 p.m., officers responded to a report of a crash involving a pedestrian on Mayhew Avenue. The pedestrian, an 86-year-old man, was transported to hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene of the crash.

Anyone with any information about this incident are asked to contact Yorkton RCMP at 310-RCMP.

Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

The severity of a “potent” Alberta clipper that is forecast to move through southern Saskatchewan on Wednesday has been updated by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).

At 9:53 a.m. Wednesday, ECCC issued an Orange level warning for Waldheim, Hepburn and Laird. The Orange level warning was continued for Regina, Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, and a number of communities between these three cities.

According to the City of Regina, snow routes will be declared, effective for a 24 hour period beginning 6 a.m. Dec. 18.

“It’s going to get icy out. There’s no doubt with just with the flash freezing. We do have our ice control people out. They’ll be running 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Roadways and Seasonal Operations Manager Daryl Massier.

As a result of the icy conditions, the city cancelled garbage, recycling, and food and yard waste pickup on Wednesday.

Both Regina Public Schools and Regina Catholic Schools announced Wednesday that all extra-curricular activities scheduled for the evening, including band and Christmas concerts, would be cancelled due to inclement weather and road conditions.

In a media release Wednesday morning, the City of Moose Jaw said that Moose Jaw Transit service is cancelled until further notice due to severe weather conditions. Service will resume once conditions improve.

Additionally, city recreation facilities like Plamor Palace, Kinsmen Sportsplex, and the Yara Centre will be closed effective 1 p.m.

An Orange level warning indicates severe weather likely to cause significant damage, disruption, or health impacts.

Saskatchewan RCMP responded to 29 reports of weather-related calls throughout the day, including collisions, vehicles in the ditch, and other traffic hazards.

“I heard from one our officers in Swift Current that the roads are so slippery that it’s hard to stand on the roads, let alone drive,” said Saskatchewan RCMP’s Keely Grasser.

Highway 1 near Chaplin was closed for much of the day after a semi flipped on its side, blocking traffic heading west.

Swift Current, White Butte, and Moose Jaw RCMP also responded to multiple weather-related calls for service.

Dan Palmer with the Ministry of Highways encouraged people to check the Highway Hotline before heading out.

“The weather has changed on a dime, which has made for challenging conditions.”

“It’s one of those days that if you can hunker down and just stay put, this is the day to do it. If you can postpone travel, if you can postpone appointments, shopping, anything like that, if you can postpone it until tomorrow, it’s probably the best decision you can make,” said Environmental and Climate Change Canada Meteorologist Terri Lang.

The impact level of the warning is high and the forecast confident is also listed as high by ECCC. The forecast is estimating 10 to 20 centimetres of snow with maximum wind gusts north to northeasterly 70 to 90 kmh.

Conditions are expected to begin Wednesday morning and move southward throughout the day. Areas that are under a Freezing Rain warning may not see blizzard conditions until later this afternoon or evening. The storm is expected to end Wednesday overnight.

An RCMP spokesperson says it was “all hands on deck” Wednesday as detachments responded to dozens of highway incidents across the province as a significant winter storm made its way eastward.

Saskatchewan’s Highway Hotline issued rolling updates throughout the day as some areas received upwards of 20 centimetres of snow, and others were hit with a freezing, icy rain that shut down a number of highways and had the hotline discouraging travel.

“It’s been a buffet of different types of weather, ranging from freezing rain, a little farther north, if you just look at the Highway Hotline right now, we’ve got everything from travel not recommended to roads closed,” Dan Palmer, a Ministry of Highways spokesperson told reporters during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.

Police and the ministry are urging drivers to exercise an abundance of caution if they plan on hitting the road anytime soon.

Between midnight and 2 p.m. Wednesday, the Saskatchewan RCMP said its officers responded 29 calls related to highway incidents, which includes collisions, vehicles in the ditch and other road hazards.

Those numbers are preliminary and could change, according to RCMP spokesperson Keely Grasser.

“What I can tell you is that they’ve indicated that many of them involve semis or inclines,” she said.

Grasser noted several new incidents were just unfolding at publication time.

Highway 1 - Near Broadview

At 2:43 p.m., the Highway Hotline reported a motor vehicle collision affecting the eastbound lanes of the Trans-Canada, around 2.5 kilometres east of Broadview.

According to the advisory, all lanes were closed and police were on site. Additionally, no local detour had been established.

Grasser said details were limited because police were still at the scene, but drivers should expect delays.

Officers from the Swift Current, White Butte and Moose Jaw detachments were also busy responding to multiple weather-related calls Wednesday, she said.

“I actually heard from one of our police officers in Swift Current that the roads are so slippery that it’s hard to even stand on the roads, let alone drive.”

Reports of collisions started coming in Wednesday morning.

Highway 1 – Near Secretan

The Highway Hotline reported at 8:19 a.m. Wednesday that both westbound lanes of the Trans-Canada near Secretan were closed following a motor vehicle incident. Secretan is 70 kilometres west of Moose Jaw.

A photo from the scene showed a semi in the area that appeared to be flipped onto its side, laying across the highway and into the ditch.

As of 11:30 a.m., the scene appeared to be cleared. However, the stretch of Highway 1 from Mortlach to Rush Lake remained closed.

Highway 4 – Near Kyle

As of 9:14 a.m., a semi was partially blocking the northbound lane of Highway 4 near the community of Kyle. The accident site is located around 5.5 kilometres north of Highway 342.

‘Make an informed decision’

If you are heading out on the highway in these conditions, Grasser says a bit of preparation beforehand can go a long way toward keeping you safe:

• Fill your gas tank
• Charge your phone and bring a battery pack
• Keep an emergency supply of food and water in the car

Most importantly, says Grasser, “slow down.”

“This isn’t a time where you necessarily drive to the speed limit, you’re driving to road conditions.”

If you do end up stuck in a ditch or stranded on the highway, the RCMP advises you stay with the vehicle — first responders are required to check all vehicles they see stranded, so it saves them time if you stay there.

“Keep in mind when you’re heading out, if you get in a situation like that, our priority is always going to be responding to collisions and other urgent situations,” said Grasser.

“It may take us a while to get to you, for that kind of help. Our officers, keep in mind, are also navigating these poor road conditions,” she said. “Lastly, we can’t reiterate enough: if you don’t have to be out on the roads tonight, please don’t be.”

If you do need to travel, Palmer urges drivers to check the Highway Hotline and “make an informed decision before heading out.”

“And if you are out there and you do come across one of my teammates out there in the snow plows — give them room. Give them space. Stay back. We want everyone to get home safely, no matter who is using the road.”

A dozen Barbie dolls accessorized with ribbon skirts were gifted to the North Central Family Centre just in time for the holiday season.

The centre has gifted the handmade items to the children they work with throughout the year.

Carla LaFontaine is the housing strategy coordinator for the North Central Family Centre. She said the dolls are in high demand.

“It’s something that you don’t normally see, to have a little something that you can as well look like in a ribbon dress,” she said.

The people who created the skirts prefer to remain anonymous, but one person did share that the dolls were created in memory of a niece who died at the age of five years old.

The maker also shared that another reason for the dolls was for Isabella Kulak, who was shamed for wearing a ribbon skirt at school in 2020.

Crystal Pelletier’s daughter was able to receive one of the Barbies. She recalls the lack of Indigenous representation when she was a child playing with Barbies.

“It’s nice. I wish it was done a long time ago. It’s nice they can see this stuff, learn this stuff, know this stuff, be able to wear the items to school, daycare, wherever,” she said.

The Barbie accessories cannot be found in stores as they are an unofficial product from outside the brand.

Pelletier hopes these types of toys make their way into the mainstream.

“More of this stuff for Barbie dolls. I think it’s important,” she said. “It would be nice for more of that kind of stuff for the dolls.”

The North Central Family Centre relies heavily on donations. They announced on their social medias they are no longer accepting donations until Jan. 5.

Five people, including two employees of an Amazon Fulfillment Centre in Ajax, are facing charges after allegedly stealing around $2 million worth of merchandise from the online retailer.

In November, Durham Regional Police say they launched an investigation into a pair of employees who worked at the fulfillment centre located at 789 Salem Road.

Investigators say they were contacted by Amazon’s loss prevention team after it was alleged the workers were responsible for the theft that spanned over two years.

Following a joint investigation, Durham police apprehended the two employees before executing a search warrant at a home in Scarborough. Three more suspects were arrested as a result, police say.

In total, police say they seized over $250,000 in high-end electronics and $50,000 in cash.

Four people from Scarborough and one from Newmarket, ranging in age from 28 to 36, have been arrested: Janviben Dhameliya, Yash Dhameliya, Mehul Baldevbhai Patem, Ashishkumar Savani and Bansari Savani. All have been charged with possession of property obtained by crime for the purpose of trafficking.

Patem and Ashihskumar Savani are also facing fraud and theft charges.

None of the charges have been tested in court.

Investigators are asking anyone with additional information to contact them or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

A winter storm that hit much of Alberta on Wednesday has moved east and away from the province’s major cities and surrounding areas, but roads remain treacherous in its wake.

The storm created hazardous driving conditions from north-central areas around Grande Prairie and Slave Lake south to the Canada-U.S. border, particularly on highways and rural roads, as strong winds blew heavy snow, covering them and causing whiteout conditions.

It contributed to an 80-to-100-vehicle pileup that closed Highway 2 between Airdrie and Calgary in both directions, RCMP said Wednesday afternoon.

RCMP Cpl. Gina Slaney told CTV News Edmonton that Calgary police were redirecting traffic off Highway 2 northbound from the southern Alberta city.

The Olds Fire Department issued a weather and travel advisory on Wednesday afternoon, saying the major north-south route between Alberta’s two largest cities was closed southbound from the Olds overpass to Crossfield, a stretch of almost 50 kilometres. Olds, located just west of the highway, is 100 kilometres north of Calgary.

A collision south of Bowden on Highway 2 southbound at Highway 2A, reported mid-afternoon, also closed southbound traffic on it.

Bowden is 43 kilometres south of Red Deer and 115 kilometres north of Calgary.

Meanwhile, south of Edmonton, a collision on northbound Highway 2 approaching the Highway 616 turnoff to Millet early Wednesday afternoon has slowed traffic due to the closure of the right-hand lane, according to the province’s roads and traffic information service, Alberta 511.

Several vehicles were reported in ditches amid treacherous driving conditions all along Highway 2.

A snowfall warning that ended mid-afternoon was in effect for Edmonton and areas northwest to Grande Prairie. Forecasters say between 10 and 20 centimetres of snow is expected to fall, but some areas could see closer to 30 centimetres. Light snow is expected to stop falling overnight.

Highways and roads surrounding the Alberta capital were covered in snow as of 4:20 p.m. MT, including around Barrhead to the northwest, Lamont to the northeast, and Onoway, Spruce Grove and Stony Plain to the west.

Drayton Valley and communities around it about 150 kilometres southwest of Edmonton are enduring the same road conditions.

In north-central Alberta’s Peace Country, from the border with British Columbia east to Valleyview and south to Fox Creek, as well as around Slave Lake, road conditions are much the same.

Drivers were reporting blowing snow, snow drifts and two trucks helping vehicles in ditches on secondary highways and back roads near Spruce Grove and Stony Plain. Drivers also reported blowing, heavy snow on Highway 16 further west around Wabamun, Evansburg and Wildwood.

Highways and roads south of Edmonton were all partly covered by snow as of late Wednesday afternoon.

Several drivers reported on social media of strong winds blowing snow across highways, snow-covered sections of roads and of limited visibility, including on roads around Lacombe, Rimbey, Crestomere and Ponoka.

U.S. trade officials are signalling that Canada will need to make policy changes if it wants long-term certainty under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), as the trade deal comes up for mandatory review next year.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told members of U.S. Congress Thursday that, while the trade deal has delivered benefits for American exporters, Washington is not prepared to automatically extend it for another 16 years without addressing “specific and structural issues.”

“(CUSMA) has been successful to a certain degree,” he said, according to a document shared after Greer’s closed-door meeting, adding the gains do not outweigh what he described as “structural shortcomings.”

The United States is calling on Canada to expand access to its dairy market and address concerns about exports of certain industry products.

While Canada allows a limited amount of U.S. dairy to enter tariff-free under CUSMA, Greer told U.S. lawmakers that Canadian policies “unfairly restrict market access” for American products.

Greer also addressed Canada’s Online Streaming Act and Online News Act, which bring both streaming and news platforms under Canadian cultural and broadcasting rules.

“Canada insists on maintaining its Online Streaming Act, a law that discriminates against U.S. tech and media firms, as well as a number of other measures that restrict digital services trade,” Greer said.

Other Canadian measures flagged by Greer include provincial bans on U.S. alcohol products, procurement rules in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia, and what he describes as “complicated customs registration for Canadian recipients of U.S. exports.”

Greer also pointed to a dispute involving what he called, “Alberta’s unfair treatment of electrical power distribution providers in Montana,” saying it must be addressed as part of the CUSMA review.

In March, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative listed Alberta’s non-profit electrical grid operator (AESO) as a trade barrier, claiming Montana-based electricity producers aren’t being afforded fair access to the Alberta market.

“For example, during times of surplus or transmission congestion, AESO favours electricity generated within Alberta over equally priced U.S. power flowing across the border,” the report said. “The AESO has also proposed additional fees and other restrictions on imported energy.”

Alberta Affordability and Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf said at the time that the province does not “treat generators in the U.S. or any other jurisdiction any differently than generators within Alberta.”

Neudorf added that the report might have had something to do with Alberta having imported less energy from Montana over the past two years, while increasing electrical exports to the state.

The AESO’s 2024 Annual Market Statistics report still listed Montana as a net exporter of electricity to Alberta despite the reduced imports. It also says Alberta imported more power in 2024 from Montana than it did from British Columbia or Saskatchewan.

Those in Regina, Saskatoon and much of southern Saskatchewan may want to prepare for a brutal blast of winter following unseasonably warm temperatures.

As of 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has issued a winter storm watch and a blizzard warning.

According to the federal weather service, a “potent” Alberta clipper is set to move through the southern half of the province on Wednesday, bringing 10 to 25 centimetres of snow.

The snowfall is slated to begin on Wednesday morning in southern Saskatchewan and quickly spread east into Manitoba by the afternoon.

The winter storm warning covers the province from the U.S./Canada border to as far north as Onion Lake. The warning includes all major centres in the southern half of the province except Prince Albert, Melfort and Tisdale.

As part of the blizzard warning, ECCC forecasts wind gusts ranging from 70 to 80km/h and visibility that frequently nears zero due to blowing snow.

ECCC had issued flash freeze and wind warnings early Tuesday morning. They were later cancelled.

🎉 Update Completed Successfully! 🎉

We are thrilled to announce that our scheduled network update has been completed without any issues! 🚀 All our broadcast stations, streams, and websites are now fully operational and running better than ever.

What’s New?

Here’s what you can expect from this update:
✅ Improved Audio Player – No more interruptions or cutting off! Enjoy seamless streaming on our websites.
✅ Enhanced Stream Stability – Our radio streams are now more reliable than ever.
✅ Upgraded Security & Quality – Improved protection and enhanced broadcast quality for an unmatched listening experience.

Fully Operational Services:

🎵 Stations:

• Z103.5 – https://z1035.evoradio.ca/
• 979 The Cowboy – https://979thecowboy.evoradio.ca/
• 101 The Rockhound – https://101therockhound.evoradio.ca/
• Classic 88.7 The Goat – https://887thegoat.evoradio.ca/

🌐 Websites:

• EVO Radio Advertiser Access – https://advertiseraccess.evoradio.ca/
• EVO Media Corporation – https://evomcorp.com/
• DJ Spinderella – https://djspinderella.evomcorp.com/

Experiencing Issues?

While everything is running smoothly on our end, we’re here to help if you encounter any issues. If you’re having trouble with our broadcasts or websites, please report the issue to us immediately so we can address it.

📧 Contact Us:

If you have having any issues please reach out to us on our websites!

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this process. We’re committed to providing you with the best listening experience possible and appreciate your support!

🎧 Happy Listening!
The EVO Radio & EVO Media Corporation Team

We’re committed to providing our audience with a listening experience like no other! To maintain this standard, we’re excited to announce a major update to our Broadcast Network.

What’s New?

This update will bring:

• A Better Audio Player: Improved performance on our websites to resolve issues with streams cutting off.
• Enhanced Session Operations: Ensuring error-free radio streams.
• Upgraded Security & Quality: Improved protection and overall broadcast quality.

Downtime Details:

• Expected Downtime: 1 hour (we’ve allocated up to 4 hours for any unforeseen circumstances).
• Impacted Services:
  • Live Broadcasts & Website Access for these stations:
    • Z103.5 – https://z1035.evoradio.ca/
    • 979 The Cowboy – https://979thecowboy.evoradio.ca/
    • 101 The Rockhound – https://101therockhound.evoradio.ca/
    • Classic 88.7 The Goat – https://887thegoat.evoradio.ca/
  • Websites:
    • EVO Radio Advertiser Access – https://advertiseraccess.evoradio.ca/
    • EVO Media Corporation – https://evomcorp.com/
    • DJ Spinderella – https://djspinderella.evomcorp.com/
  • Third-Party Apps: Any apps relying on our live broadcasts will also be affected.

Commitment to Excellence:
During the downtime, our team will work diligently to complete the update and monitor the network to ensure peak performance. We’re committed to enhancing your listening experience to the highest standards.

Stay Updated:
Follow us on Facebook or check our websites for real-time updates:

• EVO Media Corporation: https://www.facebook.com/EVOMediaCorporation/
• Z103.5: https://www.facebook.com/YourPartyStationZ103.5
• 979 The Cowboy: https://www.facebook.com/979thecowboy/
• 101 The Rockhound: https://www.facebook.com/101TheRockhound/
• Classic 88.7 The Goat: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093402861183

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding as we work to improve our services.

Thank you for your continued support,

The EVO Radio & EVO Media Corporation Team