Still receiving your bill by mail? Switching to e-bills is quick and easy, and Martensville residents who make the switch before December 31, 2024 will be entered to win one of 20 $50 gift cards. It only takes a few minutes to go paperless—visit martensville.ca > My Account.
Snow Removal this Winter – What you need to know
The City’s Snow Removal Program aims to keep roads safe, accessible, and clear for emergency services, vehicles, and pedestrians. While our crews work diligently, winter weather can be unpredictable, and snow-clearing activities may vary. Here’s how you can help:
- Avoid pushing snow onto streets – This creates ridges that obstruct plowing efforts and creates larger snow ridges at your driveway.
- Don’t pile snow on streets or hydrants – This can block emergency access.
- Clear driveways before plows arrive – This helps crews work efficiently and prevents ridges.
- Avoid parking on streets during snow clearing – Vehicles hinder operations and risk being blocked by snow.
- Prevent driveway snow buildup – Place snow in yard areas rather than at the driveway edge.
- Watch for posted removal zones – Vehicles parked in these areas may be ticketed and towed.
- Stay back from sanding trucks– Keep a 15m distance to allow safe dispersion of salt and sand.
For more information and to view the City’s Priority Map, visit Martensville.ca.
Information on general program procedures and the City’s Priority Map is available online at Martensville.ca.
Join the Fun at ‘Play & Skate with Santa’ This December! Get ready for an afternoon of holiday excitement at the Sports Centre on Sunday, Dec. 15th, as the much-anticipated ‘Play & Skate with Santa’ event returns! Perfect for children and families, the day will be packed with activities including skating, photos with Santa, candy bags, hayrides, and warming up with hot chocolate.
This festive drop-in event is just $5 per person. A special thank you goes out to our generous sponsors: North Prairie Developments, CANWEST, Lakeview Insurance Brokers, Catterall & Wright, and aodbt. Don’t miss out on this fun-filled holiday celebration!
Upcoming Council Meeting Dates
City of Martensville Council Meetings and Committee of the Whole Meetings are open to the public and we invite you to attend in person or virtually to see what is happening in our community.
• Regular Council Meeting December 17
Location: Martensville City Hall Council Chambers, 37 Centennial Drive
Time: All meetings begin at 5 pm
If you’d like to speak or present at a meeting, make sure you’re on the agenda by contacting the City Clerk’s office. If you prefer to join from the comfort of your home, contact the City Clerk or check the online agenda at martensville.ca for the meeting link.
Postal Disruption, Receiving Bills and Ways to Pay
Due to service disruptions, we would like to advise residents to avoid putting any payments off or any time-sensitive forms or applications in the mail for the time being.
The City of Martensville offers several payment options for property taxes, water utility bills, and more:
• Cash, Debit or Cheque. Payments can be made in person at City Hall during business hours. Cheques can also be placed through the drop-box at City Hall during holidays, weekends or off hours.
• -Online & Telepay - Please contact your bank for assistance in setting up online and phone payments
• Interac e-Transfer®. You can make same-day payments for your utility bill, property taxes, and more using the address, payments@martensville.ca. The City is set up for Auto Deposit so no security question or answer is required. Please provide reference for your payment which may include your Utility Account Number, Property Tax Roll Number or invoice number.
- TIPPS (Tax Installment Payment Plan Service Program - TIPPS offers equalized monthly property tax payments. Late payment penalties will not apply to TIPPS users.
• Pre-authorized Payment Plan for Utilities- Authorize automatic withdrawal from your account from your financial institution to pay for your utility bill.
• Credit Card payment via the OptionPay System
Council Holds First Committe of the Whole Meeting Since Being Elected
Shanine
Sealey, Martensville Messenger
Martensville City Council met for their first Committee of the Whole meeting since being elected this past November.
The meeting began with a delegation from the Martensville New Horizons Senior Centre, who spoke to Council about the numerous events and activities they offer throughout the year and requested that the City consider adding 4th Avenue North, from Main Street to 3rd Street North to a higher priority level for snow removal to help ensure local seniors can access the building, as they rely on street parking.
Council also heard from City administration regarding receiving direction for groups accessing municipal facilities at no cost. Groups that were provided space at no cost in the past include; the Martensville Youth Connection, Local Union, Buster Days, Valley West Community Justice (RCMP affiliated), Party on the Pond, and the MCRP. According to the report provided by Roxane Melnyk, Director of Recreation and Community Services, there was approximately $50,000 in rentals waived for these groups and events in 2024.
“Administration would like to create criteria that could be used to evaluate the requests that come in. The criteria would assist in determining the appropriateness of accepting the various requests for waiving rental fees by providing clarity to requesting groups. As well, the criteria could help define where it may be appropriate for Council to delegate some authority to administration to approve requests to stream-line processing,” Melnyk said in the report.
Some of the criteria that could be considered are: the cost of the rent requests to be waived, the group requesting the waived rent (non-profit vs for profit/adult programming vs youth programming/paid event vs free event/local group vs regional group), where the proceeds of the event are going, impact to participants if rent is waived, etc.
Council received a request from Cherished Memories, located at 519 Centennial Drive North, to lease a boulevard to allow for construction of a pylon sign for their business. There are currently a number of other businesses within the community that have similar lease agreements with the City.
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A request regarding the development of two apartment buildings at the corner of Main Street and 16th Avenue North was submitted to Council. For this project to move forward, several steps are required first. Because the land is currently zoned for commercial in the Official Community Plan (OCP), Commercial on the Lake Vista Concept Plan map and C2A Commercial District in the Zoning Bylaw, these would all require amendments to change the land to be for residential use.
The final item on the December 10th agenda was a request from North Ridge to subdivide two properties located within the Meadows Industrial subdivision, with the lots currently one acre in size. The request noted that the developer has received requests for half acre lots, which could provide more access for smaller businesses to move to Martensville, or local businesses to expand and own their own property. North Ridge requested that two of the one acre lots be subdivided into four lots that are half an acre in size.
The next Martensville Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, December 17th. Visit www.martensville.ca to learn more about Council, upcoming meetings and more.
Support the Food Pantry While Enjoying a Pancake Breakfast
Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger
This month, there is a lot of fun activities taking place in Martensville, including a fun event on December 14th which is combining some of people’s favorite things this time of year – Santa and shopping…and pancakes!
Holly Jolly: Pancakes with Santa will take place at the North Ridge Community Centre on Saturday, December 14th from 9am to 12pm, with proceeds from this event going towards supporting the Martensville Food Pantry.
Pancakes will be served from 9am-11am and will include 3 pancakes per adult and 2 per child, along with coffee for adults and juice boxes for the kids. Admission is by donation, with a minimum of $5.00 for adults and $3.50 for kids (cash only). Larger donations are happily accepted, with the MFP able to provide receipts for donations over $20.
Both Santa Claus and Elsa from ‘Frozen’ will be in attendance from 9am-11am, and a variety of vendors will be on site to provide an assortment of Christmas shopping options.
Event organizer Michelle Whalen decided she wanted to do something to help others this year, after relying on the local food pantry last year when her husband was laid-off work prior to Christmas.
“Food prices are so high, and the cost of living keeps going up it seems. The Martensville Food Pantry is seeing more and more people needing their help, and I wanted to do something to support them. Plus, I love organizing events, and this felt like the perfect way to give back – raising money for the pantry, while also bringing the community together,” Whalen said.
The event is open to everyone and has a little something for all ages. Whalen encourages people to come and enjoy pancakes, support a great cause, check out the vendors, and use this event as an opportunity to get into the holiday spirit!
Thanks to generous contributions from sponsors to help cover expenses, every dollar from the pancake sales will go straight to the MFP. Sponsors include AP SprayArts, The Frosty Goat Freeze Dried Foods, 3D Creations by Aaron, Sipology by Steeped Tea with Laurie Crump, Mazes Creations, My Heart, Your Hands, and She’s Got Leggz with Angela Rioux.
“We need to take care of the people in our community who need help. Food pantries provide such a lifeline for families and individuals, whether they’re dealing with job loss, health issues, or just the rising costs of everything. They make sure people don’t have to struggle alone and help bring the community together to support one another,” Whalen added.
Primary Health Centre in Martensville Accepting Patients as of December 9th
Residents of Martensville will soon have expanded access to primary health care services in their community. Patients seeking a provider will be able to visit the Martensville Primary Health Centre for high quality, accessible and comprehensive care.
The health centre is an important addition to patient care in the region and demonstrates the commitment from both the Government of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) to increasing health care services in Saskatchewan.
“Opening the Martensville Primary Health Centre is another step in improving access to quality health care for Saskatchewan residents,” Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health Minister Lori Carr said. “This nurse practitionerled clinic will ensure that residents of Martensville and the surrounding area get the care they need in their own community.”
Health care services available at the centre will be provided by a team of experienced nurse practitioners qualified to provide the following services:
• Provide health assessments to form a diagnosis, propose a treatment plan and collaborate with physicians and other health care professionals;
• Independently assess and treat common illnesses and injuries;
• Screen, manage and monitor the presence of common illness, chronic disease and stable chronic disease; Referrals to specialists and other health care providers; and
• Order and interpret the results of laboratory tests, X-rays and other diagnostic tests.
“Ensuring Saskatchewan residents receive the best health care as close to home as possible continues to be our top priority,” SHA Vice President Integrated Saskatoon Health John Ash said. “The opening of this clinic will now provide residents in Martensville and the surrounding area increased local access to treatment and diagnosis.”
This clinic expands the SHA’s capacity to deliver team-based collaborative primary health care. The Martensville Primary Health Centre will employ three full-time nurse practitioners and two medical office assistants.The clinic will open the week of December 9, and will operate Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Appointments can be booked by calling the clinic at 306-844-4420, beginning December 9 at 1:00 PM.
The Season of Giving at Alpyne Apparel
Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger
Alypne Apparel, like many other service groups, individuals and businesses, step up throughout the holiday season, to help others to brighten their Christmas. For the fifth year, they are doing their annual Secret Santa for local Seniors, and this marks the fourth year of their Making Spirits Bright Toy Drive for the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital.
To participate in this, visit Alpyne Apparel and choose a senior’s wish list from the tree and purchase items from the list. Return the wrapped and labeled gift to help brighten a senior’s Christmas. This Secret Santa for Seniors, which includes the Martensville, Warman, Rosthern and Saskatoon area, has around 25 tags left to grab so hurry in and get yours! Alpyne Apparel encourages people to support their local businesses, and to also include Christmas crafts from kids, letters, cards or anything that you can think of to put a smile on their faces. Completed gifts need to be returned by Monday, December 16th. There are also toy bins available at Alpyne Apparel, with donations going to children in the hospital in Saskatoon over the holiday season. Tags can be chosen from the tree, which include information about acceptable gifts due to guidelines within the Children’s Hospital regarding infection control and safety. These tags are also going fast and there are around 30 left to grab! Gifts can be returned – unwrapped and placed within the available bins by December 16th. Gifts will be pre-arranged with staff at the Children’s Hospital and delivered in time for Christmas, wrapped by either staff or the children’s parents.
“Thanks to our amazing community, our Giving Tree is always a huge success, and we’re excited for another year,” Courtney Flath of Alpyne Apparel, stated.
Alpyne Apparel is open Saturdays from 12pm-5pm, and Monday to Friday 10am-6pm. It is located at 800 Centennial Drive North in Martensville.
More Recycling Options Now Available in Saskatchewan
Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger
It was recently announced that Sarcan would now be accepting flexible plastic packaging, foam packaging and non-deposit glass bottles and jars at all locations throughout the province. These items are not accepted in household recycling bins and previously, would end up within a landfill.
“This expansion will not only help us meet our commitment to build cleaner, greener communities across Saskatchewan, but it also means new green career opportunities for the people of all abilities in our province,” said Amy McNeil, Executive Director for SARC and SARCAN Recycling.
This is made possible through a partnership with SK Recycles and will help divert more material from the landfills and newly recycled items will be used to make new products in Western Canada.
“We are very pleased to launch our program and to accept these new items in partnership with SARCAN,” Sam Baker, Vice President of Operations for SK Recycles stated in a news release. “We’re passionate about supporting household packaging and paper recycling in Saskatchewan and advancing environmental outcomes through this program. We’re here to support, educate, and encourage everyone across the province to recycle more and recycle right, so that we can create a more sustainable future for our province.”
Some of the items now being accepted at all 73 Sarcan locations throughout Saskatchewan include chip bags, zipper lock bags, foam takeout containers, pickle jars, bottles used for olive oil, plastic net bags, foam containers for meat, plastic protective packaging, and more.
These items will not be available for rebate upon being recycled; however, it will help to increase waste diversion across Saskatchewan. According to Environment Minister Travis Keisig, the new recycling options will help the province reach targets of reducing waste per person by 30 per cent by 2030 and by 50 per cent by 2040.
The material will be recycled within the province and Western Canada, where glass will be turned into reflective glass beads for road marking paint and fibreglass insulation, plastics will become plastic pellets for new plastic products such as bins and buckets, and foam will be used to create picture frames and crown moulding.
For more details about what is accepted and what happens to the recycled materials, visit sarcan.ca or skrecycles.ca.
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Had this been your ad, people would have noticed it. Call the Martensville Messenger and ask about our affordable advertising Ph: 306-668-1093
Music and Movement Has Lots
to Offer for Babies and Toddlers
Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger
This fall, moms and grandmas had an opportunity to bring their babies and toddlers to a ‘Music and Movement’ class every Tuesday at the Lions Heritage Center in Martensville with the last class being Tuesday, December 10th.
This fun, high energy class offered gross motor development, rhythm and auditory awareness with lots of room for the children to move around and express themselves.
Sessions were once a week for 45 minutes and 10 sessions were offered. Parents and caregivers were encouraged to join along and bond with their little ones.
“I have over 37 years of early childhood experience as a kindergarten teacher. Music is such an important part of a child’s development from birth to 5 years,” said instructor Janine Hayward.
For more information about upcoming sessions, contact musicandmovement8@ gmail.com.
Martensville New Horizon’s Senior Centre Turkey Bingo
Come out and enjoy a night of Bingo on Thursday, December 12th at 7:00pm
Turkey prizes - 50/50 - Concession
Children accompanied by adults are welcome to attend.
6-Up and 9-Up Packages Available!
Join us at 106 4th Avenue North!
SPORTS
for their coaches, thanking them for their contributions to the successful season, and for all of the hard work they put in with each and every player
Martensville Royals Celebrate Successful Season With Annual Awards Night
The Martensville High School (MHS) Royals Football team celebrated a successful season at their December 4th awards night. The MHS theatre was filled with players, friends and family.
The evening began with a slideshow montage of the season, bringing many cheers from those in attendance as they reminisced about the past season, which ended in only two losses, both to the same team.
Head Coach Craig Robertson took to the stage to speak about the successful season, “We got to a point where 90% of the provinces wishes they had been. We were there, and that’s what we were striving to get to,” Robertson said. “We had a lot of ups and downs, we had a lot of key injuries and we had a lot of new kids this year, with the most kids we have ever had for this program.”
Awards were sponsored by various local businesses and presented to players by their coaches. Congratulations to all award recipients, which included:
• MVP - Aidan Low
• Offensive Player of the Year - Cam Kliewer
• Defensive Player of the Year - Wyley Loewen
• Special Teams POY - Aidan Low
• Lineman of the Year - Wyley Loewen
• Most Dedicated - Hunter Dumont
• Most Inspirational - Ryder Markewich
• Offensive Rookie of the year - Austin Adamus
• Defensive Rookie of the year - Jay Robertson
• Most Improved - Preston Busby
• Academic Athlete Gr10 - Denin Lawrie-Schmidt
• Academic Athlete Gr11- Cooper Ogden
• Academic Athlete Gr12 Braun WindjackZubrowski
The roster this season consisted of 67 players from Martensville and Warman, including;
RIGHT: Special Teams Player of the Year Award went to Aidan Low presented by Coach James Mueller.
BELOW: The 2024/25 MHS Royals Football team took to the stage during the awards night for a group photo.
RIGHT: Members of the Royals football team prepared speeches
throughout the season
RIGHT: Ryder Markewich received the award for Most Inspirational presented by Coach Robertson.
RIGHT: The award for Most Dedicated went to Hunter Dumont presented by Coach Robertson.
ABOVE: Most Improved player of the year went to Preston Busby and was presented by Coach Low.
ABOVE: Lineman of the Year was presented to Wyley Loewen by Coach Mueller.
ABOVE: Defensive Rookie of the Year went to Jay Robertson, presented by Coach Dereniwski.
ABOVE: Austin Adamus received the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, presented by Coach Prescesky
LEFT: Coach Munday presented the Academic Athlete Gr10 to Denin Lawrie-Schmidt.
ABOVE: Defensive Player of the Year went to Wyley Loewen and was presented by Coach Dereniwski.
ABOVE: Cooper Ogden received the Academic Athlete Gr11, presented by Coach Munday.
ABOVE: Braun WindjackZubrowski was awarded the Academic Athlete Gr12 from Coach Munday.
ABOVE: Aidan Low received the Most Valuable Player of the Year Award, presented by Coach Robertson.
ABOVE: Offensive Player of the Year was awarded to Cam Kliewer and was presented by Coach Low.
Fall Sitting of the Legislature Focuses on Affordability Measures and Strong Economy For a Bright Future
With the conclusion of the Fall sitting of the Legislature, Premier Scott Moe took time to highlight recent efforts to build a strong economy and bright future for all Saskatchewan residents, while delivering on the recent provincial election commitment to make life more affordable.
"We know affordability continues to be top of mind for many Saskatchewan residents," Premier Scott Moe said. "Which is why our government brought forward The Saskatchewan Affordability Act. It is the fulfillment of the commitment we made during the recent election campaign, and it aims to deliver long-term, sustainable support for all Saskatchewan residents and families."
Additionally, The SaskEnergy (Carbon Tax Fairness for Families) Amendment Act, 2024 fulfills the government's commitment from the recent provincial election to extend the carbon tax exemption on home heating. This is in response to the federal government's decision to stop charging the carbon tax on home heating oil, which primarily benefits families in Atlantic Canada. Effective January 1, 2024, the removal of the federal carbon tax from residential SaskEnergy bills is saving the average Saskatchewan family approximately $400.
During this sitting, the assembly unanimously passed two pieces of legislation:
• Bill 1: The Saskatchewan Affordability Act, offering the largest personal income tax reduction since 2008; and
• Bill 2: The SaskEnergy (Carbon Tax Fairness for Families) Amendment Act, 2024 extending legislation to stop collecting the carbon tax on residential customers' natural gas bills.
During this sitting, the government introduced The Saskatchewan Affordability Act. The Act ensures that Saskatchewan maintains the status of the most affordable place in Canada to live, work, raise a family and start a business by implementing 13 affordability commitments including, the largest personal income tax reduction in the province since 2008 by raising the personal exemption, spousal exemption, child exemptions and the seniors supplement by $500 a year, for the next four years.
Due to the expected increase in the carbon tax on April 1, 2025, from $80 to $95 per tonne, the continued removal of the federal carbon tax from residential SaskEnergy bills will save the average Saskatchewan family approximately $480 in 2025.
"By passing The SaskEnergy (Carbon Tax Fairness for Families) Amendment Act, 2024, our government will continue providing Saskatchewan residents with real relief by keeping home heating exempt from the carbon tax," Minister Responsible for SaskEnergy Jeremy Harrison said. "It was unfair for the Liberal-NDP federal government to provide carbon tax relief for people who live in one region of the country, and our government will keep fighting until the carbon tax is removed everywhere, on everything, for everyone."
Continuing to deliver on promises made during the election campaign, the government has also introduced the following legislation:
• Bill 3: The Safer Communities and Neighborhoods Amendment Act; and
• The Safe Public Spaces (Street Weapons) Act.
These key pieces of legislation are acting on the commitment to create safer neighbourhoods for all Saskatchewan citizens. The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) Act to address challenges posed by abandoned properties that create a public nuisance and contribute to unsafe living conditions that negatively impact the health, safety and economic wellbeing of area residents. These amendments provide provincial SCAN officers the legal authority to identify and target nuisance properties in communities, while still following their current mandate of responding to public complaints about buildings involved in illegal activities.
In addition, government introduced The Safe Public Spaces (Street Weapons) Act. The Act will allow municipalities and First Nations to opt in to new rules that regulate the possession, transportation and storage of items that may be used as street weapons, such as large knives, machetes or bear spray. This legislation builds on the Bear Spray Regulations (The Wildlife Control (Capsaicin) Products Regulations) passed earlier this year. The Act’s rules will prohibit people from possessing and carrying large knives, bear spray and other street weapons in public spaces where a municipality or First Nation has chosen to opt in to the new rules. The rules will also prohibit people from defacing or altering street weapons in a manner that makes them easier to conceal.
“We know from talking to police and community leaders there is a need for strengthened resources to ensure each Saskatchewan resident enjoys a safe and flourishing neighbourhood,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Tim McLeod said. “There is no room for any form of violence
in Saskatchewan. We are ensuring that these rules will give communities more options to address individuals that use street weapons to intimidate or harm people in public spaces, and empowering SCAN officers to actively respond to nuisance or dilapidated properties to address immediate safety concerns in an effort to create safer communities across Saskatchewan."
In the Speech from the Throne, the government committed to ensuring every Saskatchewan resident had access to a primary care provider by 2028. Recognizing that continued collaboration with all health sector partners is key to addressing staffing in health care facilities. Saskatchewan is investing $1.1 million to launch a medical resident recruitment incentive targeting high demand specialties. Medical residents training in Emergency Medicine, Anesthesia and Diagnostic Radiology programs are now eligible for a new financial incentive of up to $60,000.
A continued focus on infrastructure is key to expanding services to every region of the province, to that end, the government committed to expanding the Urgent Care Centre models to 4 additional cities, offering better access to immediate care for patients. The province was also pleased to announce the grand opening of the Martensville Primary Health Clinic, one of only two clinics of the kind in Saskatchewan offering publicly funded nurse practitioner led primary care.
The Throne Speech showed this governments continued support for increasing supports in our classrooms through our commitment to expanding the amount of specialized support classrooms from eight to 200. These classrooms provide extra resources to students, who are experiencing behavioral challenges, with an additional learning space and additional staff.
They empower students with regulation, communication and problem-solving strategies which they can utilize when they return to their home classroom. The high impact individualized supports offered by these classrooms have already produced positive results with divisions who are currently participating in the pilots.
The Government of Saskatchewan is developing a Saskatchewan student assessment program that will provide data on how students are doing in core subject areas, recognizing that reading levels from kindergarten to Grade 3 are a key indicator of educational success. The goals of assessment are to provide a fair and objective measure of how students are doing, help guide instruction and assist schools, divisions and government in improving student achievement.
Letter to the Editor
The Martensville Messenger welcomes letters to the editor for publication. Letters must be signed and a phone number and/or email address included so the writer’s identity can be verified. ALL letters are the opinion of the writer and NOT the Martensville Messenger. We reserve the right to edit letters for length, clarity or compliance with the current standards of public taste. Submit your letter to news@ martensvillemessenger.ca or mail to Box 333 - Martensville, SK S0K 2T0.
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Warman RCMP Investigating Collision Involving Car and Train
On December 9, 2024 at approximately 9:40 a.m., Warman RCMP received a report of a collision involving a car and a train on Range Road 3071, approximately three kilometres east of Langham and approximately one kilometre north of Highway #305.
Officers responded along with local EMS, Corman Park Police and CN Police. Investigation determined the car slid into the train with winter conditions believed to be a factor. The sole occupant of the vehicle was treated on scene and released.
Warman RCMP continue to investigate.
Winter Weather Conditions Create Issues Throughout Province
Winter weather has affected road conditions in various parts of the province. Between 10:00 a.m. on December 8 and 10:00 a.m. on December 9, the Saskatchewan RCMP received 52 reports of weather-related motor vehicle collisions and incidents throughout the province.
As the snow and icy conditions continue, the Saskatchewan RCMP is reminding drivers to slow down when driving on slippery/snow-covered surfaces or with reduced visibility.
Before travelling, check the weather and road conditions along your route. If poor weather or road conditions exist or are forecasted, consider delaying travel if possible. If travel is necessary, stay on roads that have recently received road maintenance. If you find yourself stranded, or in an emergency situation road-side, stay in your vehicle, stay warm and make sure your tailpipe remains clear of snow and ice.
When winter weather hits, motorists can often see traffic delays expected in many areas and road closures/re-routing may be in place. Travellers are reminded to monitor the Highway Hotline for road conditions, updates and winter maintenance status at hotline.gov.sk.ca/map.
801 Centennial Dr. North Martensville SK 306-244-4950
Police Warn of Grandparent Scam
According to information received from the Warman RCMP detachment, at approximately 12:00pm, on Tuesday, December 10th, an elderly couple in Warman received a call from someone claiming to be their grandson who said he was in an accident and needed several thousand for bail money.
Although the caller did not sound like the grandson, the caller explained he was in fact the grandson but had a cold, he then handed the phone off to someone who claimed to be the grandson’s lawyer.
The alleged lawyer stated they had connections to a law firm in Saskatoon and would send a courier over to collect the money. Within minutes a well-dressed female arrived at the residence and collected the money. A short time later the “grandson” called back and said he needed the funding in American currency, and they needed to e-transfer another $3000, which was done.
The elderly couple then called the grandson, who had no idea what they were talking about. In total, the victims of the call provided a total in excess of $10,000 to the grandparent’s fraud.
S/Sgt Jason Teniuk of the Warman RCMP Detachment suggested a few steps that can be taken if the public is confronted with this situation:
1. If they get a call from a relative tell them they will call them back before committing to anything. Calls are coming from an unknown phone number typically.
2. Check with family members first thing, there is rarely a situation where money is needed within minutes.
3. Be careful of what you put online; scammers can obtain a great deal of information from social media accounts to make the scam that much more believable.
4. Contact your RCMP Detachment. We can spot usually frauds instantly and you may be able to provide us information to make an arrest. We strongly encourage the public to call us if they are unsure.
5. Discuss any requests for money with your bank. They are also experts at detecting frauds. Fraudsters will often discourage potential victims from contacting their bank as banks also see a lot of different frauds.
6. Take the time to investigate what is being asked of you. Fraudsters rely on the element of high pressure and quick rash decisions. As mentioned, there is rarely a situation where money is required immediately.
7. Should someone show up at your door, ask to see ID and if selling something ask for a business licence. The more questions you ask the better off you will be to understand what is going on.
These types of crimes are difficult to investigate and rarely result in charges. It is even more rare to recover money that was lost. Taking the time to sort out what is going on before doing something rash will make a huge difference. As mentioned earlier, if you are unsure call your local RCMP or bank and discuss the request.
