March 28/24 Digital Issue

A Reminder about Winter Safety in our Parks and on Pathways

Mild weather conditions, in combination with snow and runoff, have created potentially treacherous conditions within the City.

-We encourage residents to use extra caution when utilizing the pathway systems due to ice and water.

-Please stay off neighbourhood ponds. Pond conditions remain very uncertain due to warm temperatures and run off. Please watch for signs and barricades around neighborhood ponds.

- Snowmobiles and ATVs are prohibited from being driven through our parks as well as drainage systems and streets. Riding can cause damage to trees and plantings as well as parks containing hazards such as rocks or equipment.

Spring Thaw and Runoff

Recent heavy snows and milder weather will produce pooling and runoff through the community. Crews will be working to clear pooling areas and open up drainage ways for water to clear off of streets and pathways as efficiently as possible.

Please be aware that there will be icy surfaces, please take caution and care at this time. This includes lowering your speed on icy roads and having proper footwear on the pathways.

Protecting your Property

Provided are some helpful tips and tasks to help prevent water from seeping into your basement or accumulating on your property.

- Extend downspouts at least two metres (six feet) from your basement walls. The further the water is from the foundation, the less chance that it will make its way into your basement.

- Consider moving snow away from the foundation of your home, to prevent a large degree of melting immediately adjacent to your foundation.

More tips available at www.martensville.ca/pages/tips_for_spring_thaw

April Council Meeting Dates

Please Note: Council Meetings may be attended in person, guests may wear a mask if desired within Council Chambers. Those still wishing to attend but would wish to do so virtually should contact the City Clerk or visit the online agenda for the link to attend.

April 2nd – Regular Council

April 19th – Committee of the Whole

All Meetings are located at Martensville City Hall Council Chambers - Martensville City Hall - 37 Centennial Dr. S. All meetings commence at 5 PM.

Those wishing to address or do a presentation to Council must be placed on the agenda. To be placed on the agenda please contact the City Clerk’s office at City Hall or visit the website for details.

The full Council and Committee of the Whole Schedule can be obtained at martensville.ca

Borden Fire and Rescue Remind Motorists to Be Mindful When Driving After Emergency Vehicle Struck on Scene

Borden Fire and Rescue responded to a call of an accident involving a vehicle and a deer on Sunday, March 17th at 6:40am. There were no injuries reported; however while on scene, at approximately 7:30am one of the emergency vehicles on site was hit by a passing vehicle. No firefighters were injured in the incident and the scene of the initial accident was marked with signs notifying of an Emergency Scene ahead, as well as pylons laid out throughout the area marking the accident site and the vehicle parked with emergency lights on. According to a notice about the incident on social media, Borden Fire and Rescue also noted that it was a clear day on a straight stretch of the road.

“People; slow down when passing an emergency scene. We all want to get home to our families after we are finished helping people in need. 60km/h may seem slow to you, but not to us who are standing on the side of the highway with traffic, including fully loaded semis passing by,” the notice said.

They added a reminder for motorists to pay attention when driving and not use cell phones, applying make-up, shaving, or even eating is considered distracted driving. “It may seem innocent while you are doing this, but it will save a life.”

Help Prevent Sewer Line Back-ups, it Starts in the Home

To help prevent a sewer backup, be mindful of what goes down the drain. Your pipes are not built to handle most food items and will almost always cause a blockage in the short or long term. When in doubt, properly dispose of these items by throwing them away

• Do not pour grease or cooking oil down the drain. Instead, scrape out or pour cooking oil and grease into a container or plastic bag and dispose of it in your kitchen garbage.

• Do not dispose of large absorbent items like paper towels, diapers, baby wipes or feminine products, down the toilet, these are not items that disintegrate like toilet paper will, including “flushable” wipes. These products should be disposed of in your garbage.

• Kitchen garburators increase the amount of organic material in the service lines. Depending on the condition of the service line, organic material can stick to the lines and over time cause blockages. Compost your organic material instead.

Easter Egg Geocache Event- March 29th- April 7th

Enjoy the milder weather and time off of school by participating this Geocache event.

Find all the eggs around Martensville to be entered to win the grand prize! Winner will be drawn on Monday April 8th! The first clue will be posted to the City of Martensville Facebook page on March 29 at 9AM.

Submissions can be sent to jmcculloch@martensville.ca!

Thank you to our Community Sponsor North Prairie Development and CANWEST, as well as to our Gold Sponsor Lakeview Insurance Brokers.

Don’t Get Missed on Garbage/Recycling Day

A few reminders to ensure you don’t get missed for your scheduled pick-up day:

• Have the cart curbside by 7AM on collection day

• Do not overfill carts. The lid must be closed to ensure contents cannot fall out of the bin, spill onto roadways or against the garbage truck. Bins that are overfilled will not be picked-up.

• Bag all trash and place inside the cart, bagged or unbagged garbage placed beside, in front, or on top of the cart will not be collected.

Lane Usage During Spring Thaw

The City of Martensville encourages residents, for which their lane is a secondary means of access to their property, to limit their usage during the spring thaw period. Heavy or repetitive vehicle usage during spring thaw and wet conditions can cause further rutting and reduce drainage. This limits the ability of crews to conduct maintenance on the lanes in a timely manner and increases the amount of materials and time required to reshape lanes.

For questions or further information please contact Public Works at 931-2166.

SPORTS

Martensville Skate Club Celebrates End of Season with Ice Show

Editor/Office

Editor/Ad Design: Jocelyn

Submitted

Skate Martensville held its highly anticipated annual ice show at the Martensville Sports Centre this past Sunday, March 24th, with the theme, "Ice Upon a Time." Approximately 90 skaters of all ages took to the ice to bring beloved classic stories and fairytales to life through their entertaining performances.

The ice show featured a diverse range of performances, including solo routines and group numbers that were meticulously crafted to capture the essence of the stories they portrayed. From the classic elegance of Cinderella to the whimsical charm of Mary Poppins, the skaters transported spectators on a journey through the pages of their favourite fairytales.

"The ice show is a wonderful opportunity for our skaters to showcase their talent and creativity, while also bringing joy to our community. We are incredibly proud of all the hard work and dedication the skaters, coaches, and volunteers put into making this annual tradition a huge success,” Skate Martensville Coach Nicole Gryba stated.

In addition to the individual and group performances, Skate Martensville also showcased the talents of its two synchronized skating teams. The STAR 4 team and Adult II team wowed the audience with their precision and intricate formations, adding an extra level of excitement to an already spectacular event.

At the end of the show, Skate Martensville took the opportunity to recognize the outstanding achievements and contributions of its skaters with the presentation of year-end awards. Among the deserving recipients were:

• CanSkaters of the Year: Jaxson F., Emma K., Saskia W.

• Rising Star: Sohla W.

• Most Improved: Hunter M.

• Coaches' Choice: Brooklyne L.

• Program Assistant: Mya R.

• Sportsmanship: Mya R.

• Kelly Novakovski Spirit of Youth: Ashlyn N.

In addition, Skate Martensville presented the Martensville Community Recreation Project (MCRP) with a $5000 cheque for the Lace 'Em Up capital campaign, which will go towards funding the new community recreation centre in Martensville.

"We are incredibly proud to support the MCRP and their fundraising efforts by donating $5000 to the Lace ‘Em Up capital campaign. The new facility is going to be a huge asset not just for our skaters, but for many athletes in the community and we're very excited to see the new facility when it opens later this year," Gryba said.

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ABOVE: Approximately 90 skaters participated in Skate Martensville’s annual Ice Show on March 24th. (Submitted)

RIGHT: Skate Martensville made a $5000 donation to the Martensville Community Recreation Project during their annual Ice Show on March 24th. The funds will go towards the new Martensville Community Recreation Centre.

ABOVE: The Martensville Marauder U15AA team won the Northern Provincial League final on Sunday night at the Martensville Sports Centre after a close game. They scored the winning goal in double overtime and are now off to Regina for the finals. (Submitted)

ABOVE: The 15AA Martensville Marauders hosted their final home game of the year on Tuesday, March 26th at the Martensville Sports Centre. They went up against the Weyburn Red Wings, coming out on top 7-4 to earn them the title of League Champions. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM)

Sask Party Nomination Now Down to Two After Gills Drops Out of the Running

The Saskatchewan Party is hosting a Nomination Meeting for the MartensvilleBlairmore constituency on Wednesday, March 27th at the North Ridge Community Centre in Martensville. Registration will begin at 5:30pm with the meeting commencing at 7:00pm.

Up until last week, there were three nominees looking for the top spot, which included Martensville City Councilor/Deputy Mayor Jamie Martens, Sunny Kals and M.S. Gill.

Since then, Gill has left the running and according to a social media post by Martens on March 23, Gill is now endorsing the Martensville candidate. The nomination will now be a decision between Martens and Kals.

The winner of the two will be the Sask Party representative for the MartensvilleBlairmore constituency heading into the election this October.

ABOVE: Members of the Martensville Fire Department were in Saskatoon recently to work on the practical portion of the Fire Ground Survival Course. (Martensville Fire Department)

POLICE BEAT

Saskatchewan RCMP Warn Of Rise Of Sextortion Scam Targeting Youth

Saskatchewan RCMP is warning the public of a rise in reports of financially-motived online sextortion scams targeting youth across the province.

Financial sextortion is a form of blackmail that involves someone online threatening to send a sexual image or video of the victim to other people if they are not paid. Financial sextortion is not a new concept, but has been evolving with the complexity of social media in the last year and continues to affect more and more youth.

Saskatchewan RCMP began investigating after receiving multiple reports of a scam targeting youths of all genders between the ages of 13-16. In the reported cases, victims were approached by individuals who identified as females of a similar age online or through apps targeting teenage audiences. Once initial contact was made, the victims were asked for their Instagram username and to exchange intimate photos. The photos were then used as blackmail in exchange for financial gain.

Once reported to Saskatchewan RCMP, files of this nature are investigated by the Violent Crime Linkage Analysis Section (ViCLAS) and the Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit, due to the victims being underaged. The investigations into the reported cases remains ongoing and no charges have been laid.

Online child sexual exploitation cases are on the rise across Canada. The rate of police-reported incidents of online child sexual exploitation has more than doubled since the tracking of cybercrime began in 2014. In the 2022-2023 fiscal year, the Saskatchewan RCMP’s Internet Child Exploitation unit responded to 931 cases, in 2023-2024 that number is expected to surpass 1,000.

With the increase of online sexual exploitation and sextortion cases targeting youth, parents are encouraged to talk to their children about online activities. Below are a few tips to help keep both adults and children safe online:

• Never answer messages or friend/follow requests from people you don’t know;

• Do not send photos of any kind to people you don’t know;

• Always answer video calls with the camera turned off until you know who the person calling is.

If you or your child have been targeted, please do the following:

• Report it to your local police or online via cybertip.ca.

• Immediately stop all communication with the suspect.

• Ensure that you and/or your child do not comply with the threat.

• Keep any correspondence between you or your child and the suspect.

• Remember that you are not alone.

“What we want victims of any age to know, is that they are not to blame, they will not get in trouble for reporting it, and most importantly there is life after something like this happens” says S/Sgt. Scott Lambie of the Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes Branch. “There are people and resources available to help you and there are tools that exist to remove the images online. If you feel comfortable, reach out to your local police detachment or get more information at Cybertip.ca – and remember, you are not alone.”

Saskatoon Police Warn of Speeding Ticket Scam

The Saskatoon Police has been made aware of a text scam circulating through the community regarding speeding ticket payments.

The scam sends a text message to people claiming their vehicle was detected speeding by a camera. It then offers the user a chance to pay the ticket online.

Residents are being advised to block the number and ignore the text. Do not click the link or make any payments to this website.

The Saskatoon Police Service will never send a text message regarding payments of any kind.If you have been a victim of any fraud or scam, please report this to the Saskatoon Police Service 306-975-8300. These text messages can also be reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Saskatchewan RCMP Begin Mandatory Alcohol Screenings (MAS) On Routine Traffic Stops

On April 1, 2024, the Saskatchewan RCMP will be conducting roadside Mandatory Alcohol Screenings (MAS) on all lawful traffic stops in Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction on an on-going basis. In 2018, the MAS became part of the Criminal Code Section 320.27(2), being a lawful demand of a breath sample from any driver of a motor vehicle, without the need for reasonable suspicion. Drivers will not be pulled over for the sole purpose of completing a MAS – the MAS will only be requested once a driver is pulled over for other various traffic violations (i.e. speeding, careless driving, brake lights not working, etc.).

Why is the Saskatchewan RCMP conducting Mandatory Alcohol Screenings?

In 2023, Saskatchewan RCMP charged more than 1700 individuals with impaired driving – that is roughly 5 per day – and more than one third of all fatal collisions involved alcohol.

What can I expect if asked to do a Mandatory Alcohol Screening?

The Mandatory Alcohol Screening will be done with an approved screening device called the Alco-Sensor FST and only takes an average of 90 seconds. See video demonstration here: Saskatchewan RCMP begin Mandatory Alcohol Screenings (MAS) on routine traffic stops (youtube.com).

If a driver is over the alcohol legal limit it can result in the following, but is not limited to:

- Criminal Code conviction for impaired driving;

- Impounded vehicle;

- Suspended drivers licence;

- Initial $2,250 penalty and;

- An immediate drop to -20 demerit points on your licence.

*See SGI website for more information (English only).

What if I refuse the Mandatory Alcohol Screening?

When a driver indicates they will not provide a breath sample or if they fail to provide a suitable breath sample it is classified as a “failure to, or refusal to comply with demand” – which may result in a Criminal Code conviction under Section 320.15(1), suspended drivers licence, impounded vehicle, a drop to -20 demerit points, and financial penalties.

Hopeful changes for Saskatchewan roadways

“The certainty of a Mandatory Alcohol Screening is to help discourage those consuming alcohol from getting behind the wheel,” shares Superintendent Grant St. Germaine, the Officer in Charge of Saskatchewan RCMP Traffic Services, “It goes without saying that someone’s ability to mask their impairment should not be the determining factor if someone gets home safely to their family each night.”

The Saskatchewan RCMP hopes to see a decrease in impaired driving charges throughout the province. Choosing to take a safe ride home could save multiple lives and keep Saskatchewan roadways safe.

Please note: the statistics provided in this release are representative of reports received within the Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction. They are from the RCMP records management system and are accurate as the day they are collected. Crime statistics are regularly updated due to changes in reporting procedures, changes in ongoing investigations, etc. As a result, the statistics may differ from previous or future published reports.

Budget Fails to Answer: What We Can Afford?

Sure, revenue is expected to be down in Saskatchewan’s 2024-25 budget; about half a billion dollar less than what the provincial government pulled in last year, but that doesn’t appear to be discouraging the Saskatchewan Party government from planning to spend more than $20 billion in the coming year; about a $1.5 billion more than was actually spent last year.

Sure, this is going to mean $273-million deficit in the coming year; one that follows a $483-million deficit in 202324 that was supposed to have been a billion-dollar surplus, but this is a provincial election year and governments are going to do with what governments do in election years.

The theme of the 2024-25 Saskatchewan budget is Classrooms, Care and Communities, but it almost seems as if the most often repeated words are “the largest ever”.

Finance Minister Donna Harpauer presented a budget the largest-ever capital spending of $4.4 billion; something she proudly hinted to New Democrats the day prior when she said her capital spending this year would be ten times as much.

We also see the largest-ever health budget at $7.6 billion, the previously announced largest-ever increase in the school funding at $2.2 billion and the also largest-ever increase to the municipal revenue sharing pool hiked to $340.2 million.

Did we mention that this was an election year? However, what didn’t quite make the government headlines is that we are now seeing the largest-ever Saskatchewan debt at $31.8 billion this year that will increase to another largest-ever $34.8 billion in 2025.

In that vein, this rising debt will also cause us to pay the largest-ever “financing charges” (the interest payment to pay for past deficits) that will be $911.5 million this year or 4.5 per cent, of all total annual government expenses.

That, alone, is $99.3 million more than we were paying last year. Worse, this situation won’t improve any time soon.

After the coming year’s $273-million deficit, the budget suggests we can expect meager surpluses of $19 million in 2025-26, $225 million in 2026-27 and $340 million 202728. (Unfortunately, this government hasn’t been especially good and coming through with predicted budget surpluses of late.)

While our revenue may be down, it appears nothing is going to stop this government from pouring billions more into capital and other spending to, hopefully, keep voters happy.

The 2024-25 budget states it “will invest $417.3 million in capital projects and programs through the Ministry of Highways.”

“This investment will improve more than 1,100 km of highways,” the budget states. It goes on to proudly proclaim since 2008-09, its invested more than $13.0 billion in highways infrastructure and “improved over 20,700 km of the provincial roads network.”

It’s obviously good news for those of us that even occasionally drive our highways. But the critical question; one that doesn’t exactly get answered in this budget; is how much can we really afford?

According to the government, we are doing fine because: Saskatchewan’s economy was resilient in 2023.”

The government’s budget cites favourable numbers from 2023 including the “second-highest growth among the provinces in housing starts” (a 9.7-per-cent increase) and building permits (an 11.4-per-cent increase), and the thirdhighest growth in investment in building construction (a fourper-cent increase) compared with the previous year.

There are also reasons to be optimistic in 2024, notwithstanding declines in manufacturing sales and goods exports. The budget also cites more Saskatchewan people and more working people, so one supposes there would be a need to spend more to service their needs, but then there is that problem of less revenue (potash revenue is decreasing $580.1 million and corporation Income Tax revenue is expected to decrease $615.9 million. It begs the question: Can we afford all this?

MLA Terry Jenson’s Report from the Legislature

Investing in Classrooms, Care and Communities

Saskatchewan’s 2024-25 Budget makes record new investments in classrooms, care and communities. The budget includes the largest-ever increase in school operating funding, the largest-ever increase in health funding and the largest-ever increase in municipal revenue sharing for Saskatchewan communities.

The budget is designed to ensure growth continues in our great province. Saskatchewan’s population continues to grow faster than it has in more than a century and will reach 1.25 million people this year. In addition to more people, the labour market continues to grow, with more jobs and a low unemployment rate that combine to help fuel the provincial economy.

Revenue is forecast at $19.9 billion, up $184.2 million from last year’s budget. There are no new taxes and no tax increases in this year’s budget, helping keep life affordable for Saskatchewan residents.

The budget includes $2.0 billion in previously announced tax reductions and other affordability measures. When taxes, utilities and housing costs are combined, our province is the most affordable place to live in Canada for a family of four.

Our government will invest in what matters most to Saskatchewan people – classrooms, care and communities.

Record Funding For Education, Health Care & Municipalities

The 2024-25 Budget supports students and teachers through a record-level total education budget of $4.4 billion. This includes $3.3 billion for the Ministry of Education, up 8.1 per cent over last year’s budget. This is an increase of $247.8 million to support Prekindergarten to Grade 12 students, early learning, child care and libraries.

Saskatchewan’s 27 school divisions will receive $2.2 billion in school operating funding for the 202425 school year, a record increase of $180 million, or 8.8 per cent, over the previous year.

The budget includes a record $7.6 billion investment into the Ministry of Health and includes funding to expand patient care and increase access to services to meet the needs of our growing population.

For cities, towns, villages and municipalities throughout Saskatchewan, this budget provides a record increase of $42.4 million in municipal revenue sharing. This is an increase of 14.2 per cent from the year before, and a total of $340.2 million in unconditional support for municipalities in the province.

Record Investment in Infrastructure

Capital investment is expected to reach $14.2 billion this year, making Saskatchewan a leading contributor to economic growth in Canada. The budget helps further strengthen our strong and growing economy, focusing on expanding our presence in international markets while building a stronger Saskatchewan.

The budget invests a record $4.4 billion into the Saskatchewan Capital Plan to build schools, hospitals, highways, municipal and Crown infrastructure.

Meeting the Challenges of a Growing Province

The 2024-25 Budget addresses many priorities for the people of Saskatchewan, with a clear focus on classrooms, care and communities. These areas impact everyone in our province –from the seniors who helped build our province into the great place it is today to our future leaders who are just making their way into the world, as well as everyone in between.

Thanks to the growth of our province, we have more people, more jobs and more opportunities for the people and families that call Saskatchewan home. The 2024-25 Budget meets the challenges of a growing province by re-investing the benefits of a growing province in classrooms, care and communities.

To learn more about the 2024-25 Budget, please visit www.saskatchewan.ca/budget. If you have any questions, please reach out to my constituency office at office@terryjenson.ca or 306-242-2111.

SGI’s Top Five Insurance Fraud Cases

Fighting insurance fraud is important because it helps keep the cost of insurance down for customers.

Unfortunately, there are people who work hard to deceive their insurance company, and SGI works just as hard to stop fraudulent insurance claims.

March is Fraud Prevention Month and we’re highlighting some of the more notable claims examined by SGI’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU).

In 2023, SGI’s Special Investigation Unit investigated 481 claims. Of those, 263 turned out to be fraudulent, with an approximate total value of $5.9 million.

The fraudsters would have gotten away with it, too, if it wasn’t for the work of the SIU and other SGI employees. Here’s a look at five of SIU’s cases from the past year. (*All names have been changed.)

Decoy for a Vehicle Theft - A customer we’re calling Daphne* reported her vehicle stolen. She claimed she may have dropped her keys on the driveway while carrying bags into the house, and the alleged thieves must have found her keys and stolen her car.

Earlier, police had received a complaint of a possible impaired driver, driving a vehicle that matched the description of Daphne’s. A woman was reported to be driving. Police were unable to catch up with the vehicle at the time, but hours later, they responded to a complaint of a vehicle that struck three parked cars and was abandoned. When police arrived on scene, the keys had been removed from the vehicle and there was no one around. The vehicle smelled heavily of alcohol and was full of empty bottles.

Several months later, someone tipped off SGI that they overheard Daphne telling her friends she had been intoxicated and hit three parked vehicles. The tipster heard Daphne say she had fled the scene because she was impaired and reported her vehicle stolen the next day.

After further investigation, including witness interviews, SIU determined that Daphne fabricated her claim to avoid the consequences of driving impaired. When confronted with these findings, Daphne admitted to lying, and withdrew her claim, resulting in approximately $50,000 in savings for SGI. Because of her decision to provide a false statement to SGI, Daphne was also on the hook for the damage to the parked cars. (Driving impaired also voids insurance coverage.)

What a Night for a Theft - Dee* went out of the country on vacation and reported a theft of over $90,000 worth of property stolen, including a significant amount of high-valued jewelry. She claimed that one night while she went out to dinner, she left all her jewelry inside a bag locked in the backseat of her vehicle parked outside of the restaurant. Along with the jewelry, Dee claimed there was also other high-valued clothing and electronics stolen.

Dee purchased replacement jewelry while still on vacation and submitted a claim with replacement invoices.

Throughout the lengthy investigation, SIU discovered the sale invoices for the replaced items and other documents that Dee tried passing off as genuine, were fake. It was also discovered that the expensive jewelry had not been properly imported to Canada.

Investigators began to suspect that the theft never occurred, and she did not purchase any replacement jewelry at all. Investigators concluded that Dee misrepresented herself, and the claim was denied. Total savings: $90,000.

A Clue for SIU - SIU received an anonymous tip, saying they witnessed Fred* unloading a vehicle towed to the location. Once the vehicle was unloaded, he proceeded to vandalize it. From the witness’s knowledge, they believed Fred was the owner of the vehicle.

The next day, the vehicle was towed away to an unknown destination.

With further investigation, SIU found three different claims involving three separate vehicle owners, but there were similarities that went beyond coincidence:

• each vehicle suffered excessive damage;

• each vehicle was purchased for the same amount, with a similar signature on the bill of sale;

• each vehicle was listed as a rebuild; and

• all three owners used the same address and phone number as Fred, and it was discovered that they were related.

Investigators concluded the vehicles were intentionally damaged to commit fraud.

When confronted with these findings, all three decided to withdraw their claims, saving SGI $13,000.

Nowhere to Hide - Roger* made reports with both the police as well as SGI, claiming his vehicle had been stolen while he had been out shopping. Police thoroughly investigated the complaint, which resulted in some questions about Roger’s story.

Later, SIU received some tip information about the location of the vehicle. Roger’s vehicle was located and appeared to have been parked in the same spot for a long time. The SIU investigation revealed that Roger left his vehicle at the location MONTHS before, and never returned.

The police conducted their own investigation and Roger was criminally charged with fraud and public mischief.

The insurance claim was denied, and Roger was obligated to repay $4,300 to SGI.

Mind Your Own Break-In - Velma* reported a large property loss on her home insurance policy. However, the list of damaged items looked more like someone had moved, compared to what is typically seen in a legitimate break and enter case.

Velma was unable to provide receipts for any items, claiming her folder of important papers, including the receipts, were stolen too.

Several inconsistencies were uncovered by the SIU Investigator. Notably, the quantity and kind of food supplies listed didn’t correspond with the size of the deep freezer seen in photos. Velma had also claimed there were items that had been in the garage, but when an SIU investigator went to the home, there was no garage on the property.

Witnesses were interviewed, including Velma’s landlord, who explained that Velma told them there had been a break-in, but didn’t give any further details. Velma had moved out since the incident.

Witnesses spoken to revealed they didn’t believe there had been a break-in at all, because they saw Velma listing electronics and other household supplies on Facebook Marketplace.

When Velma was asked to come in for an interview to speak further with the investigator to give her a chance to prove her claim, she became defensive and not interested in pursuing the matter further. The claim was abandoned, and SGI saved $85,000 by not paying out this entirely fabricated claim.

Anyone with information about potential insurance fraud is encouraged to contact SGI's Special Investigation Unit at siu@sgi.sk.ca or 1-800667-8015, ext. 6887. To report anonymously, call Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.