Council puts plan to remove metered parking stalls and add third traffic lane on hold

Bailey Sutherland, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Council puts plan to remove metered parking stalls and add third traffic lane on hold

City Council has decided to table a motion to remove 14 metered parking stalls on 15th Street beside Gateway Mall until the next Executive Committee meeting on August 15. 

Sharon Faul, General Manager of the Gateway Mall, approached Councillor Dawn Kilmer last week with concerns over the loss of economic opportunity if the mall’s parking stalls on 15th Street West were to be removed. Faul was unaware of the proposed removal until she watched the last Executive meeting on July 18. 

Kilmer suggested that the motion be amended until the Transportation Committee had a chance to consult with Faul about the future of the parking stalls. 

A report written last month by the City’s Transportation and Traffic Manager stated that the maintenance, upkeep and retrieval of money from the 14 parking meters on 15th Street West are no longer considered justified from an operations standpoint.

Removal of the existing on-street parking will allow for the possibility to add a 3rd traffic lane to increase capacity of the roadway and reduce congestion during periods of heavy traffic flow in the area.

Faul was unable to attend the latest City Council meeting on Monday, but sent a letter to Administration asking them to delay their final decision. 

“I would like to bring to your attention that the largest number of stalls (12 out of 14) considered for removal are located directly outside a portion of the mall’s property along 15th Street where there is already limited parking,” read Faul’s letter. “The mall is the largest commercial property impacted by this recommendation. I would also like to note that Gateway Mall was not included in any consultation process for this recommendation.

“In reading the report, I understand the need for the city to be fiscally responsible and based on the current under utilization of 12 of these stalls, that the recommendation from the transportation department would be for removal,” the letter continued. “However, if the mall had been consulted, we could have made Council aware of the serious negative impact this will have on future leasing in that portion of the property in an already challenging economy.”

Kilmer said the decision to remove the parking meters is a tug of war between traffic flow and the City’s transportation masterplan versus economic development and the desire for more information before settling on a decision. 

The Acting Director of Public Works said that because there was almost no usage of the 12 parking stalls by the location of the old Sears, consultations were only done with the other affected businesses and not the Gateway Mall. 

Before its closure in 2017, the Sears location on the southeast corner of the Gateway Mall was a large pedestrian generating store that saw thousands of people on a yearly basis. In 2015, the 12 parking stalls in front of the store entrance earned $11,295.25 in revenue. From January 2021 to June 2022, the parking metres earned just $57.75. 

“We want that large portion of the mall rented out, it’s good for the City,” Coun.r Blake Edwards said. “If it’s something that could block a business from coming in, I mean, we’ve dealt with it for this many years. I’m sure we could deal with those metres right now.”

Police investigating escaped Besnard Lake Correctional Camp inmate

Bailey Sutherland, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Police investigating escaped Besnard Lake Correctional Camp inmate

Update: On Aug. 13 Melfort RCMP located and arrested 28-year-old Jesse Guest, who was wanted by Pinehouse RCMP for escaping lawful custody and being unlawfully at large after leaving Besnard Lake Correctional Camp on August 7. He was scheduled to appear in Melfort Provincial Court on August 15, 2022.

Pinehouse RCMP are asking for the public’s assistance in locating an inmate that escaped from lawful custody sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Around 8:10 a.m. on August 7, police received a report that inmate Jesse Guest, 28, had left Besnard Lake Correctional Camp on foot. 

Investigation determined that Guest was last seen between 10 p.m. on August 6 and 7 a.m. on August 7. 

Jesse Guest is described as approximately 6’3” tall and 190 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He has scars on both of his arms, as well as tattoos of the letters ‘WS’ on his right hand and ‘TJ’ on his left wrist. 

Guest may be in the communities of Melfort or Star City, but this has not been confirmed. 

Anyone who sees Jesse Guest, or has information on his whereabouts, is asked to contact Pinehouse RCMP at 306-884-2400, 911 in an emergency or report anonymously through Crime Stoppers.

City to discuss alternative future sponsorships with Prince Albert firearms business

Bailey Sutherland, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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City to discuss alternative future sponsorships with Prince Albert firearms business

Although a request to re-install Northern Elite Firearms’ signage at the Kinsmen Baseball Complex was denied by City Council, the local Prince Albert business has been given an opportunity to discuss possible resolutions for future sponsorships with City Administration. 

The motion was defeated seven to two at Monday’s meeting after Council heard from City Solicitor Mitchell Holash that there was no theft or breach of contract by the City of Prince Albert after the signage was removed from the under-18 recreation facility. 

Holash said the Prince Albert Minor Baseball Association has acknowledged that they did not follow proper protocols upon entering into a sponsorship agreement with Northern Elite Firearms. 

“The City of Prince Albert does not have a contract with the proposed sponsor, the City has a contract with Prince Albert Minor League Baseball,” said Holash. “There are situations where Prince Albert Minor Baseball does have authority to enter into these sponsorship agreements, but it has to do so in accordance with the provisions of its contract with the City of Prince Albert.”

He said the policy clearly states that all recommendations for entering into a sponsorship agreement have to go through the Director of Community Services and forwarded to Council for final approval based on the Director’s review. 

Jody Boulet, Director of Community Services, said a review was done to determine whether it was appropriate to promote firearms at a recreation facility. The Department of Community Services found there was an opportunity to utilize the signage as education around responsible gun ownership. 

“The next step could have potentially been an opportunity to engage the proposed sponsor further to get some of those facts and some of those details and have some of that justification in front of Council,” Boulet said. 

He said the Department of Community Services’ priority is to form positive relationships between the City and interested sponsors.

“The opportunity to still have that discussion, to work with a local business, a local sports organization, to do that in a respectful way, is where we landed with the overall review,” said Boulet. 

After the original motion was defeated, Coun. Dawn Kilmer made a motion in support of Boulet’s suggestion for City Staff to meet with Northern Elite Firearms and discuss a future positive relationship. 

Kilmer’s motion passed seven to two. 

“I like the idea of meeting with them and offering them other opportunities. We have lots of places [where] we can put signs in the City of Prince Albert,” Mayor Greg Dionne said. “I do believe they do good business in the City, but we have bigger things to fight. We have other issues where we have to stand together to be successful.”

Federal government gives local First Nation $4.1 million in compensation for withheld salaries

Bailey Sutherland, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Federal government gives local First Nation $4.1 million in compensation for withheld salaries

Beardy’s and Okemasis Cree Nation has reached a historical settlement with the Government of Canada for compensation over 66 years of withheld salaries from the community’s leadership by the Crown after they were associated with the Northwest Rebellion. 

Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Marc Miller announced Monday that the Canadian Government would be giving Beardy’s and Okemasis $4.1 million to reflect the financial value of the funds withheld from 1885 to 1951. ‘

“Canada, I guess they said Beardy’s was part of the Rebellion, so we were stripped of our Chief and our Council members for so many years,” said Beardy’s and Okemasis Chief Edwin Ananas.

Miller said an important part of the reconciliation process was listening to what Indigenous people have been telling the federal government “for ages.” That was a big part of Monday’s announcement.

“This punishment against communities that were a part of the Northwest Resistance, a part of our history and a part of the basis for Canada… It’s a sad element of our history and it’s something that we need to recognize and compensate for,” Miller said.

Anasas said First Nations members will determine where the settlement money goes, but all 3,600 on and off-reserve members of Beardy’s and Okemasis will benefit in some way. Their main focus is on the community’s infrastructure and adequate housing for band membership. 

“It’s about financial compensation, but also about respect and dignity,” said Miller. “That’s something that was denied from the community for well over 66 years and even after that… I think this is something we can all agree is a pretty black-and-white violation of treaty.”

According to Ananas, Beardy’s and Okemasis are still fighting to resolve other issues with the Government of Canada, including a Cows and Plows claim that he says will play a huge factor in the community’s future. 

The salaries claim was settled in June, but was announced on the morning of August 8 during the opening of the second annual St. Michael’s Indian Residential School Gathering. Survivors will come together for a week-long opportunity to share stories and engage in ceremony on the former grounds of the St. Michael’s Indian Residential School in Duck Lake.

Local elders who travelled to Edmonton have mixed reaction to papal apology

Bailey Sutherland, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Local elders who travelled to Edmonton have mixed reaction to papal apology

A residential school survivor says the Pope’s apology was “not enough” for some elders who travelled to Edmonton from Beardy’s and Okemasis First Nation. 

Gaylene Sutherland, Indian Residential School Support Worker at Willow Cree Health Services in Beardy’s and Okemasis and residential school survivor, said she brought forty elders from the first nation to hear the pope’s apology in person on July 25. 

Out of the forty elders, only around half were receptive to the pope’s visit. 

“Some had mixed emotions, some were angry, some just didn’t care too much about it,” Sutherland said. “They are still working on that part of themselves.”

While meeting with Indigenous leaders in Edmonton, Alberta, Pope Francis spoke of his “sorrow, indignation, and shame” over the Catholic Church’s role in the abuse of First Nation’s children in Canada’s residential schools. 

Edmonton was the first stop of the Pope’s “penitential pilgrimage”, where he apologized and promised that a “serious investigation” would be conducted into what occurred at the schools. 

Sutherland said while many other abuses were mentioned, the unacknowledgement about the sexual abuse that went on in residential schools made many survivors feel unheard. 

“It was like it was pushed to the side, [sexual abuse] was a big part of the trauma and the intergenerational traumas that have been passed down.”

She said she noticed a lot of elders become disengaged while being faced with the trauma that the visit brought forward. 

Sutherland said the apology felt insincere and that more could be done in terms of reconciliation. 

“For myself, I’m having mixed feelings. A lot of us felt like it wasn’t from the heart,” she said. “The apology wasn’t coming from him, it didn’t feel genuine. He didn’t acknowledge that the churches were wrong, he was just reading what someone else wrote for him.”

Pope Francis touched down in Edmonton on July 24 where he met with Indigenous leaders, and residential school survivors. He also toured the site of former Ermineskin Residential School, which operated until 1975. He also spoke at Sacred Heart Church in Edmonton, and held Mass in Commonwealth Stadium.

His trip was the fourth papal visit to Canada. The Pope also made stops in Quebec and Nunavut before departing.

Council to vote on new bylaw officer and building inspector at Monday meeting

Bailey Sutherland, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Council to vote on new bylaw officer and building inspector at Monday meeting

Council will be appointing two new City employees, including a Municipal Bylaw Enforcement Officer and a Building Inspector, at Monday’s meeting. 

Juergen Sommer has been awarded the position of Prince Albert’s newest Municipal Bylaw Enforcement Officer and is set to begin employment on August 8. In order to fulfill his duties to uphold the City’s Bylaws, Sommer now requires formal appointment by Council. 

The City previously established three Bylaw Officer positions within the Planning and Development Services Department. One Bylaw Enforcement Officer recently resigned, leaving one of the three positions vacant. Additionally, there is another Officer away for an undetermined amount of time, leaving only one remaining Bylaw Enforcement Officer completing all the work for the City. 

A term Bylaw Enforcement Officer position has also been posted by the City to provide coverage until the current Officer returns from their extended leave. Once the position is awarded, a further request for appointment will be brought forward to City Council for consideration. 

In December of 2021, City Administration received notice from the Provincial Ministry of Government Relations that the Province would be replacing both existing Acts and adopting new Acts that deal with the administration, enforcement and application of the National Building and Energy Codes and Municipal Building Bylaws. 

The new Construction Codes Act requires that all building inspectors be formally appointed by City Council and be issued certificates signed by the City Clerk. 

After the Department of Planning and Development worked through a reorganization over the last several months, Jonathon Vis was offered the position of Building Inspector I. Vis now requires formal appointment by City Council in order to fulfill his work duties.

Once their appointments are formalized by City Council on Monday, Sommer and Vis will be informed of their new positions within Prince Albert.

Search continues for 74-year-old woman that disappeared while mushroom picking

Bailey Sutherland, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Search continues for 74-year-old woman that disappeared while mushroom picking

Saskatchewan RCMP are asking the public to assist in the search for a missing 74-year-old woman who was last seen while mushroom picking Thursday morning near Highway 106.

Lois Chartrand is an experienced mushroom picker, but became separated from another person she was with. They began searching for her and called police for assistance. 

Chartrand was last seen around 11 a.m. on foot northeast of kilometer 30 on the Hanson Lake Road. She is described as being approximately 90 pounds and is 5 feet tall. She was last seen wearing blue jeans and a blue jacket.

Police have communicated with Chartrand via a radio she is carrying as recently as 6 a.m. Friday morning, but she has not yet been located.

Severe thunderstorms, wind and rain that came through the area impacted the search for Lois last night.

Members of Saskatoon Search and Rescue, RCMP Search and Rescue, Nipawin, Carrot River, Deschambault Lake and Smeaton RCMP Detachments, as well as local people familiar with the area are currently searching for her.

Saskatchewan RCMP are asking for members of the public that are familiar with the area and are available to assist with the search for Lois to aid with a methodical grid search. Police have set up a command post approximately 32 kilometers north of Smeaton on Highway #106, they ask that everyone who attends to sign in so everyone can be accounted for. 

“There is limited to no cell service in this area and we stress that we do not want people unfamiliar with the terrain to get lost,” said an RCMP media release.

Anyone who sees Lois Chartrand is asked to call 911 immediately.

Environment Canada issues tornado alert for central Sask

Bailey Sutherland, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Environment Canada issues tornado alert for central Sask

Environment Canada has issued several tornado warnings, as well as severe thunderstorm warnings, for areas across west and central Saskatchewan.

Earlier Thursday evening, meteorologists began tracking a line of severe thunderstorms capable of producing a tornado 25 kilometres northeast of White Gull Lake south to Albertville.

Severe thunderstorm warnings are issued when thunderstorms are likely to produce large hail, damaging winds and torrential rainfall.

At 8 p.m., a tornado warning was issued for the District of Lakeland including Emma Lake and Anglin Lake, R.M. of Buckland including Wahpeton Res. and Spruce Home, R.M. of Garden River including Meath Park and Albertville, and R.M. of Paddockwood including Candle Lake and Paddockwood. 

Environment Canada says in the event of a tornado, take cover immediately. Go indoors and stay as far away from the outside as possible, such as a basement, interior closet, or bathroom. If caught outdoors with no available shelter, lie flat in a ditch or low-lying area and shield your head with your arms. 

Traffic blitz by Lumsden RCMP leads to twelve license suspensions over long weekend

Bailey Sutherland, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Traffic blitz by Lumsden RCMP leads to twelve license suspensions over long weekend

Lumsden RCMP removed twelve impaired drivers from the roads and issued fourteen traffic tickets over the long weekend through safety checkpoints set up at various locations in the Lumsden detachment area.

They were set up at the junction of Highways #322 and #20, and on Highway #52 at Lumsden Valley on July 29, then on Highway #54 near Regina Beach on July 30.

Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan officers from Saskatchewan RCMP and Saskatchewan Highway Patrol officers with the Provincial Protective Services Branch also assisted with these checkpoints.

Officers stopped a total of 970 vehicles over the two-day safety focus. Through investigation and alcohol/drug screening, they issued:

– two Criminal Code impaired driving charges

– two 60-day driver’s license suspensions related to alcohol

– one 60-day driver’s license suspension related to THC

– two 7-day driver’s license suspensions related to THC (with children under 15 in the vehicle)

– one 7-day driver’s license suspension related to alcohol (with children under 15 in the vehicle)

– two 72-hour driver’s license suspensions related to THC

– two 72-hour driver’s license suspensions related to alcohol

– three 30-day vehicle impoundments due to suspended/unauthorized drivers

– fourteen tickets for traffic offences

– eighteen written warnings

“We know that many people are travelling on our roads during a long weekend,” says Lumsden RCMP’s Cpl. Kelly Brennan. “We wanted to help ensure those roads are safe, so we partnered with CTSS officers to set up these checkpoints at well-travelled points on our highways. 

“We stopped almost one thousand vehicles and performed about 80 roadside tests for alcohol impairment and cannabis use,” he said. “We won’t tolerate impaired driving on our roads and target it through roving checkpoints like these ones and regular, everyday patrols.”

Paramedics report one dead following vehicle versus pedestrian incident

Bailey Sutherland, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
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Paramedics report one dead following vehicle versus pedestrian incident

Thursday 12:45 p.m. update: The victim has been identified by police as a 45-year-old woman.

One person has died after being struck by a vehicle near Lakeland Ford on Wednesday night. 

Paramedics responded to the incident on the 3400 block of 2nd Avenue West at 10:05 p.m., where the person was declared deceased at the scene.

Officers with the Prince Albert Police Service Forensic Identification Section and RCMP Accident Reconstructionist were called out to assist. Police do not believe that drugs, alcohol, or speed were factors.

Police continue to investigate.

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