T H E B AT T L E F O R D S
Regional
news-optimist Serving the Battlefords since 1908
www.newsoptimist.ca
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Thursday, November 5, 2020
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Plumbing
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Published every Thursday
BATTLEFORD Another Shipment of Freezers Have Arrived! Prices from $199.99 “Where the difference is worth the drive”
FURNITURE
306-937-7474
mail@battlefordfurniture.com
“Where the difference is worth the drive”
Saskatchewan has highest Crime Severity Index in Canada
Ghost Walker?
North Battleford down to fourth By Lisa Joy
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter / News-Optimist
Saskatchewan has the highest Crime Severity Index (CSI) in Canada, according to the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics’ (CCJS), which released its statistics Oct. 29. Saskatchewan’s CSI increased by 5.40 per cent in 2019, from 140.59 in 2018 to 148.18 in 2019. The province’s Violent Crime Severity Index (VCSI) also increased by 21.12 per cent, jumping from 141.16 in 2018 to 170.97 in 2019. The province’s nonviolent crime, however, dropped by 0.31 per cent, from 140.06 in 2018 to 139.63 in 2019. Quebec was the only province to report a lower CSI (-one per cent). The types of offences driving increases in the CSI across the provinces and territories varied from
fraud, child pornography, homicide, and breaking and entering. The largest increases in the CSI were recorded in the CMAs of Kelowna (+20 per cent), Victoria (+16 per cent), Belleville (+13 per cent) and Vancouver (+11 per cent). Around Saskatchewan Regina had the third highest CSI in 2019 among Canada’s 35 census metropolitan areas with a population of 100,000 or more. Lethbridge had the highest CSI, followed by Winnipeg. Saskatoon dropped from fourth to fifth in 2019. Saskatoon’s CSI measure was 117.3 in 2019, down slightly from 2018’s 117.78. But Saskatoon’s violent crime severity rating jumped by almost 24 per cent, hitting 134.73 in 2019, up from 109.03 in 2018. North Battleford drops in crime ranking North Battleford dropped to number four in
CSI ranking in communities of 10,000 or more. Crime, however, continues to be an issue. North Battleford’s CSI increased by 13.42 per cent in 2019 compared with only a 3.95 per cent increase in 2018. It’s CIS was 437.70 and 385.92 in 2019 and 2018 respectively. North Battleford had a whopping 46.87 per cent increase in its Violent Crime Severity Index (VCSI) jumping from 377.77 in 2018 to 554.83 in 2019. The non-violent crime in North Battleford only increased 1.70 per cent in 2019. Homicide rate increases in the Prairie Provinces Nationally, the increase in homicides was driven by Saskatchewan (+21), Alberta (+19), and Manitoba (+17). There were fewer homicides in Ontario (-26) and Quebec (-6). Continued on Page 12
WE ARE OPEN
306.445.1221
2741-99th Street North Battleford
By John Cairns Staff Reporter
With new cases of COVID-19 still high throughout the province, some new public health orders were announced by the province on Tuesday afternoon to
try and curb the spread. At their latest COVID-19 news conference, Premier Scott Moe and chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab announced that as of 12:01 a.m. Friday morning, the public health orders would
be amended as follows: The maximum allowable gathering size for private gatherings in the home setting will go down again, from 15 down to 10. This includes those household members who Continued on Page 14
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A Halloween visitor? After the first snow in Unity, Oct. 20, one reader remarked that these footprints suggested a ghost walker had made his way by the PressHerald office, as only the footprints could be seen on an otherwise clean sidewalk. Photo by Sherri Solomko
www.lskysd.ca
Battleford Agency Tribal Chiefs For up to date information please visit our facebook page 1282 101 Street, North Battleford, SK S9A 0Z8
(306) 446-1400