



A new multi-million dollar FieldTurf playing surface is coming to Lloydminster. The shovel-ready project at Holy Rosary High School is hoping to be finished in September.
The Raiders erupted in cheers as officials unveiled the project during an assembly on March 4 in front of more than 800 excited students, staff, and community members.
Nigel McCarthy, director of education for the Lloydminster Catholic School Division, called the new field a “game changer” for local sports.
“With this project, we become the home team,” said McCarthy during a
video presentation. “Not just here at Holy Rosary, but for athletes across the entire region.”
The field will host football, soccer, track, and rugby competitions. It will also allow Lloydminster to attract provincial and national tournaments.
“We spoke to Lakeland College, and they shared their vision of hosting national soccer championships,” said McCarthy. “A dream that now feels within reach.”
The project received a $1 million grant from the Government of Alberta. Other significant contributions came from Canadian Natural (CN), the City of Lloydminster, and several local businesses and organi -
zations.
Garth Rowswell, MLA for Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright, said government funding for such projects is rare.
“This is actually only the second one-million-dollar project I’ve been involved in since being elected,” said Rowswell. “Not everyone gets this. It takes strong community support and an excellent application to make it happen.”
However, Rowswell credited local donors and organizers for securing the funding.
“The people who put this together deserve all the credit,” he said. “Their hard work made this possible.”
Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers highlighted the field’s impact on the entire city and explained why the municipality supported the project.
“This project benefits everyone,” said Aalbers. “When the school board brought this to us, they made it clear the field would be open to the community.”
The facility will support local track clubs and other athletic programs while boosting Lloydminster’s economy through major sporting events.
“We can now host provincial and national championships we couldn’t before,” said Aalbers. “That means more visitors to our hotels, restaurants, and businesses.”
Jeremy Blais, principal of Holy Rosary High School, stressed the benefits for student athletes.
“This outside turf will make a huge difference,” said Blais. “Students and athletes in our community will train
year-round on a high-performance field.”
Construction will start immediately following the announcement. Furthermore, the Raiders hope the project stays on timeline.
“We’re working hard to get our athletes on that field as soon as possible,” said Blais.
Canadian Natural operations superintendent, Garnet Zarowny, expressed pride in his company’s contribution.
“We sponsor many projects, but this one is special,” said Zarowny. “We’re donating to a field that will serve kids who aren’t even born yet.”
Meanwhile, Zarowny said the project has personal meaning for him.
“I have three grandkids between one and three years old,” he said. “Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to watch them play here one day.”
A large screen displayed a list of key donors. CN contributed $350,000, while the City of Lloydminster gave $200,000. Other donors included the RM of Wilton ($210,000), Lakeland College ($50,000), and several local businesses.
Blais thanked all supporters for making the field a reality.
“Our students, staff, and community are so grateful,” he said. “This field is going to bring opportunities for athletes all over Western Canada.”
McCarthy agreed, calling the field a “gift.”
“It’s more than just turf and lines,” he said. “It’s a place for future stars and champions.”
Mother Teresa Early Childhood Education Centre’s 4th Annual Kindness Donut Project was a huge success, breaking records and spreading joy throughout the community.
The school partnered with Sobeys in Lloydminster to create special kindness-themed donuts. Over the three-week campaign, the school raised more than $14,000 through donut sales. Nine organizations will benefit from the funds this year.
Michelle Rusteika, co-owner of Sobeys West, said, “We are very happy with the campaign and would say it was a resounding success!”
Mother Teresa students had another hands-on experience as over 60 students visited Sobeys to decorate and packaged their own donuts.
The school had initially set a goal of 10,000 donuts but had to get extra supplies to meet demand.
“When planning for this year’s campaign, our target was 10,000 donuts,” said Rusteika. “That only got us through to the middle of week three! Thankfully Sobeys West and Special D Baking out of Edmonton came through and topped us up to get us through the rest of the campaign!”
The Lloydminster Rescue Squad accepted a cheque for over $2,100. They were one of four organizations to receive that amount. Chief Norm Namur said they were grateful for the community’s involvement.
“It’s always so fun to do the events prior to this. We come down and read with the children, and it’s just a great time to read to the children in different
books and different classes,” said Namur.
As part of the ceremony and to add some excitement for the kids, a competition was held between winners, media members, teachers and other community partners. They each had to eat a donut, off a string, with no hands. Everyone would agree, insanity reigned.
For Lloydminster Catholic School Division director of education, Nigel McCarthy, it’s about more than the money.
“It’s really about the teaching and learning that can be done by engaging our local community members and local organizations and having children feel like they have agency in choosing where their gifts are bestowed,” said McCarthy.
Rusteika added, “We are so proud of Mrs. Kindopp and the staff and students at Mother Teresa school. They had a vision for helping their community and saw it through to fruition.”
As the community enjoyed the delicious treats, smiles and kindness spread everywhere.
“Kindness was sprinkled everywhere,” said Rusteika. “Businesses, sports teams, schools, senior homes, families, and individuals. There were so many photos shared of donuts being delivered and smiles being shared—there really is joy in a donut!”
Mother Teresa is already looking forward to their 5th annual project in 2026. With new ideas brewing, the community can expect even more joy and kindness in the years to come.
“Until then, donut forget to share kindness with the world!” reminds Rusteika.
The life of a local singer/songwriter forever changed after a recent and well-deserved JUNO Award nomination.
Elenee Young, known professionally as Elenee, was nominated for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year for her recent album, titled elenee.
Making music and putting it out there, no matter where it sits in the spectrum of genres, I feel like it’s my audible and present tangible healing journey.
This was Young’ s first-ever JUNO nomination and she’s still in shock by the news.
“I found out at 9:01 a.m. on Feb. 11 and I was freaking out,” said Young. “I didn’t expect to get this nomination at all, so when it was time for the announcement, I thought I’d set up my camera and film myself not getting nominated.”
Young explained she wanted to use this opportunity to film a video depicting what disappointment looked like.
“The plan was to film a reel about not getting a JUNO nomination … and then I saw my name at the top of the list, and quite literally passed away, I stopped breathing” explained Young. “My heart was racing 100,000 miles a minute, it was wild and crazy.”
What made the nomination even more special was the fact the CARAS (Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences) threatened to pull the Contemporary Christian/Gospel Artist category from the awards in early September.
“Our little niche genre felt threatened by this, it was our one shot at the big stage,” said Young, explaining she reconfigured her entire album release strategy to be able to submit to the JUNOs.
“You must submit an album, it can’t be singles, over 50 per cent of that album had to be unreleased material. I had to strategically work back over a year and a half to be able to, at some point, submit for a JUNO.”
Young explained that CARAS’ reasoning behind potentially pulling the category was due to a lack of excitement.
“A whole bunch of artists, including myself, put stuff together to submit to show CARAS this category is still very much alive and thriving.”
Young also explained winning a JUNO would be amazing, but the nomination alone comes
with a lot of meaning.
“The nomination means I’m on the roster,” she said, explaining she also learned it’s possible to get your foot in the door when the odds are stacked against you.
“I’ m the only exclusive female of the nominees. I’m also the only person, as far as I know, who’s Métis and has an Indigenous background. I’m also the only person who is fully independent.”
Throughout her music career, the 31-year-old wife and mother of two has fused Greek and Métis cultural influences into her work to tell her story and the story of others.
“There’s always been pride about being Métis, but at the end of the day, my dad’s side of the family has a ton of generational trauma,” said Young. “My dad passed away in 2020 from alcoholism, and that came from his childhood.”
“The trauma just got passed on, and for me, making music and putting it out there, no matter where it sits in the spectrum of genres, I feel like it’s my audible and present tangible healing journey. People can watch and be a part of it in some roundabout way.”
As an independent artist, Young is chasing her dreams, her way, and not letting anything get in the way.
“Being independent is so much work. I’m my
booking agent, my manager, my agency, and a lot of the time, I’m just my advocate,” she said.
“Advocating for yourself is the name of the game these days. Having a label would be amazing because someone advocates for you, but what you lose is owning your stuff. You lose your creative freedom and liberty.”
When she’s not at Spiro’s, the family restaurant, Young splits her studio time between South Florida and Lloydminster.
“I have a studio in south Florida, but I’ve been self-producing and do a lot of work on 49 Ave. here in Lloydminster,” said Young. “I want to branch out and work with Canadian producers and artists.”
Young is also grateful for Lloydminster’s Community Futures and the work they’ve done to help her.
“I have this super clear vision of what’s taking place in 2025 and I have the support of a community entity,” said Young, noting the album she submitted for the JUNOs was funded by a Kickstarter campaign.
“People in this community funded my Kickstarter, which funded the album, which got a JUNO nomination,” she said. “I feel Lloydminster as a whole should be recognized for this nomination.”
Young will be in Vancouver for the 54th annual awards on March 30.
Lloydminster will soon see three new businesses in the old Canadian Tire building.
Council passed two motions at the Feb. 24 meeting that would extend the application for a retail store and develop a seasonal garden centre as an accessory building. A third motion delegated the development officer to review and approve any sign
permit connected to the applications.
“That’s the old Canadian Tire building that has a development permit that’s been applied for and is waiting for approval from city council to facilitate a renovation and the creation of three retail locations,” said Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers.
While Aalbers said he was not at liberty to speak on behalf of the businesses as to who is going into the location, he said it would be in their interest to inform the public.
“I would think it would be of interest for those potential businesses to let the public and the customers know they’re coming to town or changing locations,” he said.
The garden centre is not owned by Canadian Tire, but according to Aalbers, is owned by one of the building’s tenants.
“They (Canadian Tire) own the property so they would be the lessor and one of the people they have as a proposed lessee required this as part of their condition of taking up a lease,” he said. “It will be operated by one of the three businesses going in.”
The provided drawings show the buildings divided into three. The largest portion taking 30,000 sq. ft., the second taking 27,380 sq. ft. and 7,063 sq. ft. for the third.
There’s also new parking on the north and south sides of the building.
Lloydminster is continuing the process of creating a Municipal Police Committee.
Mayor Gerald Aalbers says this item comes from the provincial government.
“This is a directive from the Government of Alberta, this is what we’re following. We’re just following the policy of the provincial government,” he said.
The terms of reference were first presented to council at the Feb. 10 Governance and Priorities Committee meeting. Only one notable change was made from that meeting to the Feb. 24 council meeting.
The term police chief was removed and changed to Officer in Charge to better align with the language in the Municipal Police Service Agreement.
Clarification was also given regarding the enhanced security clearance people would need to get to be part of the committee. People would have to go through a criminal record check, local police indices, open-source inquiry and if needed, a security interview.
“They’ll be required to go through some certifications and a criminal record check. That may potentially eliminate some people from putting their name forward,” said Aalbers.
At the Feb. 10 meeting, discussion revolved around how recruitment was going to happen and how the public would be involved in the committee.
“Administration has reached out to individual groups, as an example, the chamber of commerce has been asked if there is someone interested in putting their name forward. There’ll be a bit of a selection process, we have more than six people and one member will be from council,” said Aalbers on the topic of recruitment.
He says having a broad perspective from the community would help the committee.
“Getting a broad perspective of the community’s involvement from business to non-profits to social organizations would be beneficial to ensure all the needs of the community are met through policing,” said Aalbers.
Council approved the terms of reference for the police committee.
As of March 4, the city welcomed members of the community to join the committee. Residents can apply online at Lloydminster.ca/Police or pick up a paper application at City Hall. The deadline to apply is March 24 at 11:59 p.m.
After five long years of planning and fundraising, a new playground will come to fruition at St. Josephs Elementary School by mid-June.
The excitement was palpable at a student assembly on Feb. 27, which confirmed the build. The students also took the time to thank all of the sponsors and volunteers who worked to complete it.
The new playground will include more swings, climbing structures and updated equipment.
St. Joseph’s principal, Nicole Blais, said the students will love the changes.
“I think it’s exciting to update it,” said Blais. “It gives them different things to play on, some of the things we haven’t had in the past.”
The project had strong support from local businesses, including Northern Factory Workwear. Owner Tara-Lynn Beznoska said her family has a personal connection to the school.
“My parents, Pam and Neil, they helped build the first playground, and all of our kids—my kids
On Feb. 28 at around 3 p.m., Vermilion RCMP responded to a weapons complaint near 47 St. Officers arrived, found the suspect, and determined the weapon was not functional.
As a safety measure, a nearby school was briefly placed on lockdown. After further investigation, police confirmed there was no threat to the public.
The suspect, a male youth under 18, was arrested and charged with several offenses. These include:
- Uttering threats (x2)
- Using a firearm in an offense
- Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
- Carrying a concealed weapon
- Assault with a weapon (x2)
The youth appeared before a Justice of the Peace and was remanded into custody. He will appear in court on March 3 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Vermilion.
Due to the suspect’s age, no further details will be released under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
and their kids—have gone to the school,” said Beznoska. “It kind of hits our heart to donate and be a part of it. It feels good to give back to the community.”
The Lloydminster Catholic School Division (LCSD) also played a key role. Nigel McCarthy, director of education, said the project shows what a community can accomplish together.
“We’re community builders, and LCSD sees themselves as a vibrant part of the community,” said McCarthy. “When we drive by in the summer and see our kids and the whole community playing on these parks, we see ourselves as building a community together.”
LCSD plans to continue doing more projects to help the community as a whole. St. Joseph’s is the second playground announcement for the division this year as Father Gorman’s new playground opened earlier this school year.
The new playground is expected to open later this year. The school and community look forward to seeing children enjoy it for years to come.
The Russ Robertson Arena is finally getting new cement pads.
Lloydminster council awarded the contract the Bexson Construction Ltd. in the amount of $1,669,712. The project came in over budget requiring an additional $320,169 to be allocated from reserves.
The arena pad is original to the facility, has seen continual usage for 48 years, and is beginning to show age through cracking and pad movement.
Replacing the pad is not the only thing the scope of work entails.
“The idea is to get rid of some concrete, create steps and go into more of ice level for seating,” said Joel Turcotte, director of recreation and cultural services, City of Lloydminster. “It’s about 150 seats we would move from the (Centennial) Civic Centre.”
Many of the seats present at the Civic Centre have logos attached to them and Mayor Gerald Aalbers says the seats being moved would not have them attached.
“They would likely be without logos, I would think,” he said.
Coun. David Lopez asked about the future of the Russ Robertson, specifically citing old drawings of twinning the facility.
“If we’re planning to do something additional to the Russ Robertson in the next few years, I almost feel like it’s better to hold off on this project, get a bigger plan, and do this whole thing once instead of just piecing it together,” he said.
“There were original plans in the ‘90s that looked at the twinning of that facility. When they did the construction to renovate the lobby and the change rooms, we looked at the opportunities there,” said Tracy Simpson, executive manager of community development services.
will actually swap areas,” he said.
The player benches will be moving to the south side where the penalty boxes currently are, giving player benches a little more space.
“They’re wide right now but they’re not very long,” explained Turcotte. He says even with the new seats coming in, the amount of seating will remain nearly identical to what’s available now.
“There’s about 150 seats coming in. It will be kind of a walk down, so they’ll chew up that cement because right now it’s all single pad there. Those 150 seats will come in, plus there’ll be a standing location very similar to what you see at the Servus Sports Centre field houses,” said Turcotte.
While the changes will have a positive impact on user experience, the facility is still not entirely accessible.
“There are some infrastructure challenges related to sanitary and stormwater that would be detrimental financially to adding infrastructure into that part of the city. It’s more realistic to build new somewhere else than to add on to this facility.”
According to Simpson, expansion wasn’t contemplated at that point, and it was never re-evaluated at the city. She says when the city did the feasibility study looking at recreation for arenas and aquatics, this wasn’t one of the top locations for additional ice in the community.
Coun. Jim Taylor asked how the common person would be able to see the designs of the new pad system at the Russ.
Turcotte painted a picture of what the actual construction process would look like.
“Think about the arena pad as being inside that board system, so that board system will move over to the north about 30 inches, I think 33 inches. That’ll provide more room going around that, as you know it’s very tight to get into the back. The player benches and the penalty boxes
“(This) also allows for something like sledge hockey to happen there, we’re not fully accessible quite yet. Unfortunately there’ll be some accessible seating with this plan but there’s still a little bit of a stairway down into the rink. It’s hard to get out of that, might be able to add a ramp in those situations,” said Turcotte.
There’ll also be a new board system keeping players safer.
“The board system right now is right on the cement, there’s zero give onto that cement. Doing it the way we’re doing it will help with player safety a little bit,” said Turcotte.
Overall, according to Turcotte, these changes will give the flooring another 50 years of life.
The city has also added a larger contingency to the project, which is where most of the extra $320,169 is going.
The cost to move the chairs from the Civic Centre is roughly $8,000.
Construction on this project is anticipated to start in late May and be completed no later than October.
Council passed the motion to allocate additional funding to the project and award the contract to Bexon Construction Ltd. with Coun. Justin Vance voting in opposition.
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
More work is being done on the roadways around the Cenovus Energy Hub, including the addition of two new traffic lights.
Council passed a motion awarding the contract of the 36 St. and 40 Ave. upgrades to Knelsen Sand and Gravel Ltd. in the amount of $1,801,132.50.
Coun. Michael Diachuk opened up question period by asking if curbs were being added to 40 Ave.
“The work on 40th, will that include the curbing? Or are we just doing paving on the road? I’m just thinking if you turn right and go south on 40 Ave. off of 44 Ave. we don’t have any curbing on any of that. Is curbing going to be part of the work being done or are we just putting pavement,” he said.
James Rogers, senior manager, capital infrastructure, explained what some of the work will entail in the upcoming project.
“As part of the 40 Ave. work, which is part of the street improvement program, we will simply be patching the road, putting an overlay on top and reestablishing the pavement markings,” he said.
“As part of the Cenovus Energy Hub offsite projects, which is at the intersection, we will have select pieces of curbing so we can put appropriate curb ramps and accessibility ramps to delineate the road from where pedestrians are supposed to be. We are not going to urbanize 40 Ave. from 41 St. to 44 St.” Rogers says there are still properties along 40 Ave. that need to be developed.
Diachuk says the portion that runs north and south along the casino should have curbs built as part of the offsite levy.
“There’s quite a bit of infrastructure that would need to go in just to urbanize that small section of road, I think it’s more advantageous that we wait until the entire portion of that road is ready for urbanization and do all the work at the same time,” said Don Stang, executive manager of operations, City of Lloydminster
He says projects can get expensive when you start to bring in storm infrastructure to urbanize areas.
“We believe we have enough road there to move traffic back and forth, we do urbanize at 36 St. into the new hub, we do urbanize 41 St. at the back of the casino,” said Stang, explaining 40 Ave. is too large to do the urbanization at this point.
Diachuk was quick to fire back about the look of the area.
“It looks horrible,” he said. “It’s not the only one, we have the other one that goes by the Cenovus Energy building where there’s no curbs on that road as well, you go in there and it looks like a backroad that’s been paved.”
Administration clarified as part of the offsite levy work 40 Ave. is getting urbanized, Stang, however, says there’s not currently enough funds to urbanize 40 Ave.
“There is some work around the casino that is outstanding,” said Stang. He says as they do this project and complete the ditch work and trails, the area will look significantly better.
As part of the work, two new stoplights will be installed. They will be installed at the intersections of 41 St. and 40 Ave., and 36 St. and 40 Ave. The work will also include, 41 St. urbanization, 36 St. extension, 39 Ave. water main twinning and 41 St. water and sanitary sewer main upsizing.
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
The Vic Juba Community Theatre Board has two new members.
At the Feb. 24 Lloydminster council meeting, an item was brought forward looking to appoint Luke Kitching and Tara Coleman to the Vic Juba Community Theatre Board Society.
They would be appointed for a term beginning Feb. 24 and ending May 1, 2026.
Tracy Simpson, executive manager of community development services, says the appointment period of 15 months is a little different than normal.
“The Vic Juba Community Theatre is currently
in the process of rewriting their bylaws, so the 15-month term is a bit of an anomaly. This will help these two appointments align with future language in the bylaws that will appoint people at their AGM for recommendations to city council, which are required in April of every year,” she said.
Simpson said this will help bridge the gap while the bylaws are being changed.
“Typically, they’re going to be appointed for one or two-year terms. We’re using a 15-month term right now to bridge the gap between the bylaw changes that are in progress,” she said.
Council approved the appointment of the two new members to the Vic Juba Board.
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
Streets around Lloydminster are getting some much-needed repairs as construction season is set to begin.
Council awarded the contract to ASL Paving Ltd. at the Feb. 24 council meeting.
Key roads will receive repairs as part of this year’s Street Improvement Program.
Repairs will take place on 49 Ave. fr om 12 St. to 15 St., 75 Ave. from 43 St. to 44 St. and 51 Ave. from 26 St. to 27 St. including 26A St. Close.
During the question-and-answer period, Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers asked if it would be possible to give an age to some of these roads.
“We would have records; we could go back and determine when that road was originally built. On some of these sections, 49 Ave. in particular, has had multiple developments multiple cuts into it,” said James Rogers, senior manager, capital infrastructure.
“It was paved, lets say 50 years ago, but they’ve been cut into and chewed up, so they are at a point where they are no longer servicing their life.”
Don Stang, executiv e manager of
operations at the City of Lloydminster, says they have software to help determine street conditions.
“We have an asset management software called RoadMatrix where there’s a vehicle that comes out and drives it all and captures how many cracks and alligator cracking we have and road index and all these things,” he said.
Once all the data is collected, the software indicates the road’s condition. There’s a plan to do a city-wide inspection with this software, helping administration with future considerations for road repairs.
Aalbers says one of the challenges
is the roads will deteriorate until they need to be replaced, further impacted by Lloydminster’s freeze and thaw during early spring.
“You’ll see city crews patching potholes already. One of the challenges is we can patch a street as much as we can, but it reaches a point and the asphalt will deteriorate over time to a point (it) has to be replaced,” he said.
Council approved the award of the $2,423,104.29 contract to ASL Paving Ltd with a contingency of 5 per cent in the amount of $121,155.21. Construction is anticipated to start in the spring and be completed by Sept. 26.
Could the Lloydminster Hospital’s designation as a regional facility be limiting its ability to meet local healthcare needs?
Funding levels are not explicitly funded by facility designation or bed type. They are more aligned to the level of staffing required.
Paul Richer, a member of the Lloydminster and District Health Advisory Council, raised that question at a recent Lloydminster Concerned Citizens for Seniors Care Society meeting. He believes our designation could affect funding and the services community members receive.
A facility assessment study currently underway will examine Lloydminster’s healthcare system and compare services with those of other similar-sized communities. Could this lead to a different designation or funding level?
The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health responded to the concerns about facility designations. It confirmed the Lloydminster and Battlefords Union Hospital are both regional hospitals. The ministry also stated facility designations determine
required services but do not directly control funding levels.
“Funding levels are not explicitly funded by facility designation or bed type,” said the ministry. “They are more aligned to the level of staffing required.”
The ministry also noted healthcare planning considers more than just local population size. It looks at the hospital’s full catchment area and nearby services.
Richer highlighted the upcoming Community Health Night as a chance for local voices to speak on healthcare issues. Organizers will set a date once both health authorities confirm their availability. They encourage the community to discuss this issue and others during the event.
Thursday, March 6, 2025
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Staff Sgt. JERRY NUTBROWN SPECIAL TO THE SOURCE
From time-to-time you will see police have executed a search warrant, but you may wonder exactly what that means.
To start, it generally means a lot of work has already been done and there is a lot more to do.
There are many types of warrants, or judicial authorizations, that allow police to search or enter, some place or thing.
There are also Orders that compel a person, company or organization to produce records or stored data they may hold. Examples are banking or cellphone records.
Authorizations don’t start investigations but rather contribute to them after work has been put in. For example, if a Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) search warrant has been authorized on a house, this means an investigation is being conducted and we believe drugs are being held in that specific place.
An Information to Obtain (ITO) is the first step to a judicial authorization being granted to enter the house.
Within this document, the investigator lays out details as to why they believe on reasonable and probable grounds there will likely be evidence in the house to support CDSA charges.
The investigator has to disclose the source of
each piece of information and how it relates to the request for a search warrant.
The ITO has to convince a judge or justice it meets legal reasonableness and makes sense to them showing reason and rationale.
At times, errors are made and authorization is denied, but this generally means addressing the errors or issues and then resubmitting.
Police officers writing ITOs have a pretty good understanding of the requirements needed to ensure the best chance of the authorization being granted so we just end up tweaking it and resubmitting. If the judge or justice is satisfied the ITO meets the requirements, they authorize the search warrant or Order.
Details added to an ITO would include past dealings with the person, place or thing and any other related history specific to the reason for the requested authorization.
This could be someone’s criminal history, current outstanding charges, and more importantly, what current information the police have to show we believe something criminal is happening.
In the Sept. 5, 2024, edition of the Meridian Source I explained authorities and that almost everything a police officer does is based on an authority. Many come into play within our daily work but granted authorizations are special and usually allow us to do something more intrusive than typically authorized.
The authorizations are very specific and have limitations.
The City of Lloydminster utilizes a multi-faceted community policing strategy which includes: RCMP o cers, Community Peace O cers, Bylaw Enforcement O cers and photo radar equipment. These o cers each have specific roles and duties which aim to keep the community safe.
Share your voice via the online survey to help assess current policing levels, satisfaction with those e orts and identify areas for improvement. The feedback collected through this campaign will be analyzed by the City of Lloydminster and Lloydminster RCMP and will support policing initiatives for 2025 and beyond.
Most will specify what items we can search for, the date and time warrants/orders are valid for, if we can search outbuilding and vehicles, etc. In the case of requiring information such as cellular records, the judge or justice will set a time limit for the records to be produced.
These authorizations are very important in different investigations and often the results are essential to a prosecution.
- Staff Sgt. Jerry Nutbown, is the NCO in charge of the Lloydminster RCMP detachtment’s General Investigation Section. Stay tuned for future articles from the Lloydminster RCMP.
Thursday, March 6, 2025
Music is something that unifies us all, and the familiar fluttering of piano play is something we’ve enjoyed for centuries.
Lloydminster has a famous story of a piano and a teacher who passed down her talents to many students in the border city.
The Brew Piano is a story that began shortly after the founding of Lloydminster. Mary Ann Brew, the grandmother of our story’s protagonist, Avice Jensen, left England to come to Canada. Along with her and her son, Gordon, and daughter, Marie, came all her furniture, China and her piano. She was informed
her piano wouldn’t survive the cold Canadian winter and sold it, opting for a new Heintzman-Wormwith piano.
The piano was sent by rail to North Battleford before it was taken by wagon, drawn by a team of oxen, to the homestead in the Golden Valley District.
It was a year and a half before the piano saw the light of day and was brought out from its crate. As there was no other piano around, the Brew Piano was hauled around to every concert and musical event.
In 1946, Jensen would inherit the piano. She began teaching some neighbourhood kids how to play for 25 cents a lesson.
Her husband Nels was also a keen musician. While he played his violin, Jensen provided the accompaniment on piano, participating in
many functions.
Jensen gave up teaching while her children were small, but the kids inherited her musical talent.
The family ended up moving to Lloydminster taking the treasured Brew piano along with them. Despite all the moves and the piano showing its scars, it always stayed in tune.
Nels became terminally ill and died in 1963 leaving Jensen to earn a living for the family. She did what she always did, took to the famed piano and taught lessons, eventually raising the price of her lessons to $20 at the turn of the century.
Jensen passed away in 2001 marking a near century with the piano in the Brew family.
I’m not sure what happened to the piano after this but it’s an amazing story of how a piece of history can
It’s an absolute farce the town of Vermilion, which had a population of 3,948 in 2021, has a public transit system before Lloydminster.
According to Focus, a company similar to Lloydminster’s Border City Connects, the Vermilion Transit Service connects 16 high-traffic stops in the town. A mall, Tim Hortons, and even a bank are highlights of the route, which, according to its website, runs Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
What’s even more interesting is the fact no public searches revealed a study to decide if it was necessary. It was just done, because someone saw a need.
Unlike Lloyd, where we’ve already done one study on the topic, a second study is being considered.
Even though the first study recommended four separate options, Mayor Aalbers recently stated, “There was some money set aside to do some future study this year in the budget.”
However, the duration, goals, and definitions of that study are currently unknown. It’s a favourite kick-thecan-down-the-line tactic for governments at all levels. If a government doesn’t want to do something, it can bury it forever in “studies” and make it someone else’s problem.
The province doesn’t escape culpability in this, either. They are currently conducting a healthcare needs assessment (read study) for the area and plan to send that study to another organization upon completion for recommendations.
This is all fine and dandy, except
many of the recommendations in the same 2013 study have yet to be accomplished. An expansion of the hospital and redevelopment of the Jubilee Home were both recommendations from that study. A dozen years later, neither has been done in any significant capacity.
Since moving here, I’ve heard that nothing hap pens in Lloydminster because we are trapped between two provinces that hardly ever agree,
travel through decades. I’ll likely revisit this story when I find out where the piano ended up.
The story also comes back to my point that music brings us all together. Many long-time Lloydminster residents likely knew of the Brew family and their piano, and maybe were even taught by Jensen. I think a story like this exemplifies the small-town feeling Lloyd has. It’s something that makes it, charming.
which means separate voices provincially and federally.
March 6, 2025
The Meridian Source Calendar of Events is a free service provided for non-profit organizations located within our coverage area. All events are in chronological order, as space permits and at the editor’s discretion.
To place an event, email taylor@meridiansource.ca or fax 306-825-5147
Intro to Square Dancing
Modern square dancing lessons are being offered every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 5115 - 49 Ave. Walk to the beat of music by following simple instructions from the caller. Come alone or bring a friend. Wear whatever is comfortable. First evening is FREE. For more info, contact 780-872-2493 or visit SquareDanceLloydArea.com
Bingo at the Moose Lodge
Bingo will be held every Monday and Wednesday, except holidays, at Moose Lodge 5213 57 St., Lloydminster. Doors open at 5 p.m. with games starting at 7 p.m. Must be at least 18 to play.
Diabetes Exercise Classes
The Saskatchewan Health Authority is hosting diabetes education classes every Monday and Wednesday from 2-3 p.m. Classes are held in Suite 109 of the Prairie North Plaza. Please call 306-8202597 to register. This class is free
Kaiser Tournament
The Legacy Cenre is hosting a kaiser tournament on March 6. Play begins at 10 a.m., cost is $10 to play and $12/person for lunch. Everyone welcome! Call the Legacy office at 780-875-4584 for more info.
The Islay Community Association is hosting a doubles crib tournament on March 8 in the Islay Hall. Doors open at 9 a.m., registration cut-off is 10 a.m. Cost is $25 per person which includes noon lunch. Please pre-register by calling Linda at 780581-0570.
The Legacy Centre is hosting a dance and supper on March 14. Doors open and dancin’ at 5 p.m., supper is served at 6 p.m., then dance the night away to “Blue Sky Country Boys.” Cost is $25/person (RESERVED TICKETS ONLY), please purchase or reserve tickets by noon on March 13. All members and guests welcome! Call the Legacy office at 780875-4584 for more info.
The Islay Hall’s final jamboree of the season is scheduled for March 16 at 1 p.m. Admission is $15, participants are free, but you also have an opportunity to win 1 of 20 free admission tickets. Bring your friends and family for great music, fun and a homecooked lunch. Call Dixie at 780-744-2204 for more.
The Lloydminster Senior Citizens Society is hosting its annual general meeting on March 17 at 10:30
our carrier of the month for February!
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a.m. in the Legacy Centre boardroom. All members are encouraged to attend. Call the Legacy office at 780-875-4584 for more info.
The Legacy Cenre is hosting a spades tournament on March 20. Play begins at 10 a.m., cost is $10 to play and $12/person for lunch. Everyone welcome! Call the Legacy office at 780-875-4584 for more info.
The 3rd annual Marwayne Ladies Night is scheduled for March 29. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and Jennie Ogilvie: Canada’s Unconventional Medium, takes the stage at 7 p.m. The fundraiser will support the town’s Agriplex Improvement Project with new ice surfaces and brine lines, a new ice plant, boards, bleachers and plexiglass.
The Hillmond 4-H Club pancake supper, dessert bingo and silent auction is on Sunday, March 30 at the Hillmond Hall. Pancakes 4:30 p.m. Dessert Bingo starting at 5:30 p.m. Every bingo wins a dessert item! Silent auction items available to bid on.
What that should mean is more people are advocating for what we need here daily, and we are harder to be ignored.
But if those levels of government see how we bury tough decisions in studies and how we can’t agree on a simple thing like a transit system, would you really want to fund special projects for that community?
It’s time to do the right thing. We need to find a way for everyday people to get around this city without a taxi. It needs to stop being studied and start being done. If Vermilion can do it, why can’t we?
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
Water and sewer replacement will be taking place in the Pioneer House and Lodge area in Lloydminster.
Work will be taking place between 51 St. from 57 Ave. to 58 Ave. and 58 Ave. from 50 St. to 51 St.
Administration asked council to approve an additional $220,000 from reserves for this project.
“We budgeted the $2.5 million and then all of the bids that came back were over that, so we wanted to allocate this $220,000 to compensate for that,” said Coun. Justin Vance.
The reason this project is getting additional funding is in part for the contingency.
“Of the $220,000, similar to the Russ Robertson Arena, there is a significant portion of that going to cover our contingency to cover unknown circumstances or things that we find in the field,” said James Rogers, senior manager, capital infrastructure.
“There is also a portion to cover overages in unit prices that we have to cover the base contract value.”
Rogers says it can be difficult to asses the condition of these pipes.
“Where water pipe, I can’t open it up and go and see what’s inside it, what is the condition of it, what is the wall thickness, there is technology out there but it’s very cost prohibitive,” he said.
He went on to explain factors they use to determine when particular pieces of infrastructure need repair.
“With respect to water pipe, we go off of water-main-break history, we go off of the original material, what is it made of, asbestos cement, is it made of steel, is it made of PVC, and then, what was the installation year,” said Rogers.
He says with the sanitary and storm systems they can get into with CCTV cameras but they can still only do a visual inspection.
Coun. Jim Taylor asked how this has affected residents in the past in the areas of work.
“These are very difficult programs; we have to dig down to the water mains, we have to dig down to the sanitary sewer, we have to replace the services from the mains in the road to the property line adjacent to the sidewalk, said Rogers.
“They are intrusive programs. We have already started notifying residents as soon as Jan. 1 hits we put out our impending construction notices. We provide as much information as we can at the time and continually reach out to all residents.”
He said they’ve been working to minimize the impacts to residents in the area.
“In this case, we’ve been working with Pioneer House and Pioneer Lodge quite collaboratively to minimize the impact to their residents and visitors to
NOTICE is hereby given that the assessment roll for the RM of Wilton No. 472 for the year 2025 has been prepared and is open to inspection at the office of the assessor: Monday - Friday (excluding Statutory Holidays) 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. March 7, 2025 to May 7, 2025
A bylaw pursuant to section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required.
Any person wishing to discuss the notice of assessment or potential appeal may contact the assessor at the RM of Wilton No. 472, Box 40 Marshall, SK S0M 1R0. A notice of appeal, accompanied by an appeal fee which will be returned if the appeal is successful:
their site,” said Rogers.
Despite water being shut off, Rogers says people are still provided clean water out of their taps.
“The water in recent years, we have changed that to where we are providing potable water to all residents affected so you can turn on your tap you drink it right out of the tap,” he said.
The project is expected to start in the Spring of this year and finish by Sept. 26. Council approved the motion to commit additional funding to the project. They also awarded the contract to Rusway Construction Ltd. in the amount of $2,573,355.06 and a 5 per cent contingency of $128,667.75.
All fees must be submitted to the local assessor at the RM of Wilton No. 472. All appeals must be submitted by May 7, 2025 to: Secretary of the Board of Revision Kara Lindal secretary@westernmunicipal.ca, or via post/mail to RM of Wilton No. 472, Box 40 Marshall SK S0M 1R0 and forwarded to the Secretary of the Board of Revision. Dated at Marshall, Saskatchewan, March 7, 2025
County of Vermilion River (CVR) Protective Services responded to 12 emergency calls between Feb. 28 and March 2.
A crude oil tank caught fire around 7:55 p.m. on Feb. 28 south of Highway 619 in Paradise Valley. The Paradise Valley Fire Department and Blackfoot Fire and Rescue responded quickly.
Firefighters used a combination strategy, cooling the tank and nearby structures. They deployed foam and water from two county tankers and two county pumpers.
The fire was under control by 9 p.m., however, firefighters continued efforts to lower temperatures until conditions stabilized. The scene was then handed over to on-site industry representatives.
On March 3, the Alberta Energy Regulator
(AER) confirmed they attended the incident.
“On Feb. 28, Ener T Corp. reported a fire in a tank, 25 km southwest of Lloydminster. Response teams and local authorities responded quickly, and the fire was extinguished shortly after ignition,” said AER media representative Renato Gandia.
An AER inspector was sent to the site to verify that the operator’s measures met safety and environmental standards.
There were no injuries, and impacts were contained to the immediate area.
“The AER’s priority during an incident is to ensure companies comply with regulations and take prompt action to protect public safety and the environment,” said Gandia. “We monitor the company’s response to prevent or mitigate impacts on public safety, property, wildlife, and the environment.”
A phone conversation with Ener T Corp confirmed that, although the incident is regrettable, everything worked accordingly to prevent a larger incident. They are working on determining the cause of the blaze.
A large pillar of black smoke rose south of Highway 16 and 897 on Saturday afternoon (March 1). The Kitscoty and Paradise Valley fire departments were dispatched to a structure fire. Firefighters arrived at a fully-involved two-story home with heavy smoke and flames.
Crews confirmed no one was inside before starting defensive operations.
Tanker trucks shuttled water to the scene.
Kitscoty deputy chief, Neil Zak, declared stop loss at 3:30 p.m. Firefighters remained on site for salvage and overhaul.
By 5:45 p.m. all trucks were back in service. The fire is under investigation but is not suspicious.
On Saturday morning, a motor vehicle collision occurred at the intersection of Highway 16 and 893. A Voyent Alert asked motorists to avoid the area while emergency crews worked and expected delays.
On March 1, a semi-truck and minivan collided, prompting multiple 911 calls. Vermilion Fire & Rescue Society and Islay Fire responded. Firefighters stabilized the scene, provided medical aid, and controlled traffic. Medavie Health Services West transported patients to the hospital in unknown conditions.
County Fire crews worked tirelessly through a busy weekend. Volunteers, staff, and dispatchers ensured swift emergency responses.Protective Services thanks everyone involved for their dedication and service.
the playoffs are all about,” said Mann.
The Lakeland College Rustlers Women’s hockey team swept the SAIT Trojans in their opening playoff series, winning 3-0 and 5-2.
The Rustlers now prepare for the ACAC championship against the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens, who defeated the NAIT Ooks two games to one over the weekend.
Lakeland’s offense was led by Hailey Carothers, who completed a natural hat trick. The first period saw Carothers open the scoring on a power play at 16:20, assisted by Claudia Lammers and Brooklyn Salewski.
Carothers added another at 19:26 with an assist from Alyssa Shaw. Late in the third, Carothers completed her hat trick at 18:17 with assists from Salewski and Darby Robertson.
Lakeland outshot SAIT 51-12, and goaltender Shaye Thompson earned a 12-save shutout.
According to head coach, Morgan Mann, playoffs have drawn great fan support, creating an electric atmosphere.
“The atmosphere makes playing fun. That’s what
During both games, members of other Lakeland teams made enough noise the officials moved them to another location around the glass.
The second game was a 5-2 victory for Lakeland. After a scoreless first period, SAIT’s Aila Wik scored at 6:53 in the second, but Lakeland quickly responded. Alyssa Shaw tied it at 9:27, with assists from Lammers and Carothers. Late in the period, Darby Robertson scored on the power play at 19:52, assisted by Julianna Giacobbo and Calla Kampen.
SAIT tied it in the third with Wik’s second goal at 5:53, but Lakeland pulled away with three unanswered goals. Ava Cole scored on the power play at 8:00, followed by a shorthanded goal from Mackenzie Stafford at 13:42. Meanwhile, Addison Eurich sealed the win with a goal at 18:52.
Additionally, Lakeland outshot SAIT 35-19, and goaltender Mackenzie Gould-Sharpe made 17 saves for the win.
Mann is happy with how the weekend went.
“We were pleased with the outcome and it’s one step in the right direction.”
Meanwhile, the team will now face Red Deer Polytechnic in the provincial championship. Mann says they aren’t surprised to be playing the Queens in the finals.
“We were expecting to play Red Deer. They’ve had a good second half and a lot of momentum.”
The team is preparing for a tight series, with Mann stating, “We’ll plan for game one. They’re always highly-contested games.”
“We’ll stick to our game and what makes us successful,” said Mann.
Lakeland will host the first three games of the best-of-five series. Game 1 is this Friday, March, 7, at 7 p.m. at the Russ Robertson Arena.
If Lakeland wins all three, the championship will be theirs. However, they aren’t looking to far ahead.
“We’ll just look to try and take Game 1,” said Mann.
The Lloydminster Bobcats stayed red-hot over the weekend, earning back-to-back wins over the Olds Grizzlys and the Drumheller Dragons. Their streak now sits at six straight victories.
On Friday (Feb. 28) the ‘Cats struck early and never looked back. Luke
Fritz opened the scoring 3:34 into the game. Alessio Nardelli made it 2-0 on a power play before the first intermission. Kade Fendelet and Matthew Hikida added second-period tallies, giving Lloydminster full control.
The third period was more of the same. Kaiden Wiltsie, Hikida, and Fendelet each lit the lamp as the Bobcats piled on 58 shots. Keil Schmalz
broke the shutout bid late, but ‘Cats tender Connor Graham stopped 19 of 20 shots to seal the win.
Saturday’s game was much closer. Drumheller struck first with a powerplay goal from Easton Daneault. However, Lloydminster answered in the second when Gus El-Tahhan buried his 19th of the season. The Dragons regained the lead with a goal from Hudson Gainer, but Kai Billey tied it up before the period ended.
Meanwhile, the Bobcats saved their best for last. Hikida broke the deadlock with 1:15 left in the third,
ripping a shot past Matthew Kondro. Ben Costantino sealed the 4-2 win with an empty-netter seconds later. Kirkwood stood tall again, stopping 28 shots.
Lloydminster has outscored opponents 25-6 during this streak. Their offense is clicking, and their defense remains rock solid.
The third-place ‘Cats take on the North division leading Whitecourt Wolverines at home on March 5 before the Devon Xtreme visit on March 7. Both games start at 7 p.m. at the Civic Centre.
TAYLOR WEAVER EDITOR
The Lloydminster Bandits are in it to win it.
The boys in black and red lead their best-of-seven second-round playoff series with the Vermilion Tigers 2-1 after a 4-1 Tigers’ win on March 4. Game 1 was nothing short of a grudge match as the Bandits capitalized with 5 minutes remaining in overtime for a 3-2 win.
After a scoreless first, captain Joel Webb got things going for the Bandits on the powerplay at 11:50 in the second off a Corvan Stewart assist. Vermilion’s Jaxson Toutant, however, got the equalizer just over a minute later.
Braydan Edwards made it 2-1 for the Bandits at 8:53 in the third off another Stewart assist. Wyatt Dyck, however, silenced the Bandits’ bench with an equalizer of his own with 55 seconds left on the clock.
Aidan Martens got the game-winner off a Chad Bates assist 15 minutes into overtime.
Game 2 saw the Bandits earn a 5-2 win, but it didn’t come easy.
Adryan Bugiera was first to light the lamp at 13:29 with assists to Jayden Plamondon and Brayden Edwards. Bugiera also got the team’s second of the night at 9:04 in the first, his third of the post season. Assists for goal two went to Aidan Martens and Edwards.
Vermilion’s Ean Cooke got the Tigers on the board at 3:32. Corvan Stewart, however, made it 3-1 for the Bandits before the end of the first.
The second period saw goals from Bandits captain, Joel Webb, and a secondary from Vermilion’s Cooke.
The nail in the coffin came with 30 seconds remaining in regulation with a shorthanded Webb goal.
The series is in Vermilion tomorrow but returns to the Border City at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday (March 8).
PAGE 21
Thursday, March 6, 2025
MERIDIAN SOURCE
306-825-5111
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The Rural Municipality of Britannia No. 502 is seeking a candidate to fill
the role of Office Support Assistant. Reporting directly to the Chief Administrative Officer, the main function of the Office Support Assistant is to aid the municipal administration team in their duties, as well as to perform selected administrative tasks. This position requires an individual that is a team player, detailed oriented, adaptable, and organized. This position’s main duties include:
• Maintaining hardcopy and electronic filing systems.
• Processing payroll and maintaining benefits program.
• Operations inventory data entry and reporting.
• Asset management data entry and reporting.
• Assisting with front desk reception duties including answering phone, issuing receipts, creating invoices, mail/ supply runs to Lloydminster, and office supply orders.
• Ad hoc research and reporting as requested by management and by other members of the municipal administration team.
The successful candidate should possess the following:
• Work experience in an office setting, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, time entry/ payroll processing, data entry and records management.
• The attribute of being a self-starter and the willingness to help whenever needed.
• The ability to clearly and confidently communicate with others through face-to-face conversations, phone calls, and emails.
• The ability to read, comprehend, and carry out tasks based on written instructions, including policies, procedures, bylaws, contracts, and legislation.
• Intermediate skill-level with Microsoft Word/ Excel/ Outlook and Adobe Acrobat Pro.
• Fluent in English, both written and spoken.
• A valid Saskatchewan Class 5 Driver’s License or equivalent.
Work experience in a municipal office and knowledge of MuniSoft programs are considered assets but are not required.
The wage range for this full time position is $24.27/hr to $31.12/hr as per the RM of Britannia Pay & Benefits Policy HR-007 839/24. This position is also eligible for medical and dental benefits, Municipal Employees’ Pension Plan, short term disability benefits, long term disability benefits, three-weeks paid vacation, and sick leave pay, all after the applicable or required probation period for each.
The Rural Municipality of Britannia invites those interested in this position to submit, in confidence, the following to office@rmbritannia.com or in person at the “new” RM Office located at pt. NE 23-50-28W3M/ 50358 –Rge Rd 3281:
• Cover letter and resume outlining work experience;
• Expected hourly compensation; and
• Three work-related references.
Applications will be received until a suitable candidate is chosen and all applications will be treated with confidence. All applicants are thanked for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. If you have any questions please contact CAO Bryson Leganchuk at 306-825-2610.
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