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Martensville Traffic Bylaw - Things You Should Know
The City of Martensville’s Traffic Bylaw sets rules for how vehicles should be operated within the city. This includes guidelines for parking, signs, weight limits, and other regulations that apply to various vehicles such as cars, bikes, skateboards, rollerblades, trailers, RVs, and snowmobiles.
• Here are some of the key points of the bylaw:
• Do not park in a way that blocks a lane, driveway, or access to private property.
• Do not park on any street for more than 72 hours.
• Do not park on the left side of the street (facing the wrong way).
• Trailers cannot be parked on a street unless attached to a towing vehicle. Construction trailers are the exception but can only stay unhitched for up to 12 hours during the day while work is being done nearby. They must be hitched overnight.
• Recreational vehicles cannot be parked on any street between October 1 and April 30.
• Do not park in a way that extends any part of the vehicle over a sidewalk.
For the full Traffic Bylaw or if you have questions, visit the City of Martensville website or contact City Hall.
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.
Winter Comes in Strong With More Than 35cm of Snow Within One Week
Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger
Many areas throughout Saskatchewan saw a large accumulation of snow over the past weekend, with Saskatoon and the surrounding area, including Martensville, seeing approximately 25cm between Saturday and Sunday.
The heavy snowfall created less than ideal conditions on the roads, with Saskatchewan RCMP reporting that between 12:00am on November 22nd and 12:00am on November 25th, they received reports of 16 motor vehicle collisions that they believe to be related to poor driving conditions.
These numbers seem minor compared to earlier in the week, when RCMP provided a release stating that they received 120 reports of weather-related motor vehicle collisions and incidents throughout the province from 8:00am on November 19th and 8:30am on November 20th. This came following the first major snowfall of the year, with approximately 17cm falling.
Due to the heavy snowfall, road conditions, and to help minimize traffic on roads to allow for efficient snow removal, Prairie Spirit School Division, Saskatoon Public and Greater Saskatoon Catholic schools were all closed on Monday, November 25th, with classes resuming on November 26th.
City of Martensville snow removal crews have been hard at work ensuring roadways within the community are driveable, prioritizing the clearing and maintenance of all Priority 1 and 2 streets (see RIGHT). As of the morning of Tuesday, November 26th, crews had approximately 90% of Priority 1 roadways completed with both plowing and snow removal, with residential areas to follow as equipment became available. Residents are asked to try to keep vehicles off of the street as snow removal is taking place to help speed up the process. City-wide snow removal will be taking place soon. Watch for updates on the City of Martensville Facebook page.
For up-to-date information on road conditions throughout the province, visit hotline.gov.sk.ca/map.
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!
Preventing Sewer Line Back-ups - It starts at Home
Sewer line back ups can cause a major inconvenience in the home, and can be timeconsuming and costly to find and remedy. Here are some things we can do right in our own homes to help prevent back-ups.
• 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.
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.
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.
• Committee of the Whole- December 10
• 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.
Martensville Food Pantry Prepares for Christmas
Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger
The Martensville Food Pantry is gearing up for another busy season as Christmas approaches.
There will be a Christmas Dinner Hamper that will be available for pick-up on December 19th. Requests for these hampers must be in by December 11th and must indicate the number of adults and children in the household.
On December 14th, the MFP will be hosting an event to help raise money for the upcoming hampers. Holly Jolly: Pancakes with Santa will feature Santa Claus and Elsa, with a last-minute holiday market at the North Ridge Community Centre from 9am-12pm. The cost to attend is by donation, with a minimum donation of $5 for adults and $3.50 for children. All proceeds from the breakfast will go to the MFP.
The MFP will be closed from December 21st – January 5th to give the hardworking volunteers their first break from weekly hampers in the past three years. The regular weekly food hamper before the break will include extra necessities to help hamper recipients while the MFP is closed during this time.
For more information, or to request a hamper contact the MFP at (306) 2801255 or email martensvillefoodpantry@gmail.com.
Editor/Office
ABOVE: Jysk is now open in Martensville and provides a wide range of options for local residents including furniture, home decor, bedding and much more. They are located at 41 Centennial Drive North.
ABOVE: Members of the Martensville Library Board and their families were hard at work helping decorate Smile Cookies at the Martensville Tim Hortons for the Holiday Smile Cookie campaign. Proceeds from cookie sales from November 18-24 will be donated to the Martensville Library and Tim Hortons Foundation Camps.
Martensville-Warman Early Years Family Resource Centre Celebrates Grand Opening
Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger
The grand opening of the Martensville-Warman Early Years Family Resource Centre (MWEYFRC) took place on Friday, November 22nd. This celebration marked the official opening of a valuable resource for supporting families and their young children within the region.
Distinguished guests Honourable Terry Jensen; Minister of SaskBuilds & Procurement, Minister responsible for Social Services, Martensville’s Mayor Muench and Warman’s Mayor Philipchuk, MWEYFRC leadership, including Program Coordinator Emiley Martens, and Management Committee Chair, and Neda Wilson, Accountable Partner representative for the Prairie Spirit School Division, were all present for the event.
DeeAnn Mercier, CEO of the YMCA of Saskatoon, started off the celebration explaining how the MWEYFRC came to be and who helped them get here.
“It’s been a year to get to this point which makes me realize how much work, and how much work the people in this room have put in to get us to this point,” Mercier said. “YMCA of Saskatoon is the operating partner in collaboration with the Prairie Spirit School Division through funding from the Ministry of Education Early Years Branch.”
The mandate for MWEYFRC is to provide a welcoming space where young children from prenatal to age 6 and their parents and caregivers can bond, learn and play together; basically a space to play with your child, meet people and get advice from early childhood professionals all for free.
Mercier explained that there are four pillars the centre goes by to provide drop-in and group-based opportunities to support the development of young children.
• Early Learning Opportunities - enhance child development with positive experiences of play.
• Parenting Education - builds parenting skills to support early learning outcomes and provide responsive and nurturing environments at home.
• Family Welfare - working with families to provide services to support the health and wellness of families, such as vaccine clinics or fluoride painting on teeth, an easy place to access those services.
• Information and Referrals - link families to resources that will help them raise healthy children.
Honourable Terry Jenson stated that, “Our government is continuing to improve access to early years programming and family support by opening these centres throughout the province.”
Jenson also noted that there will be 21 centres in 19 communities where families can connect to arrange early learning opportunities and supports in a single location and at no cost.
“As communities of Martensville and Warman, I know we really value a place that’s safe and provides opportunities for families and so having this kind of resource and the funding the province has committed to that, the YMCA for operating it, is so very important because we need those kiddos to get as much support and opportunity as they can and so I am really grateful that people have found value in that and have made this facility happen,” said Mayor Kent Muench.
Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony, guests were invited to tour the Centre, network, meet their team, and learn more about the programs and resources available to families.
Program Coordinator Emiley Martens expressed what she feels makes this centre so special is the endless amount of support from the community, as well as the staff who spend tireless hours creating, developing, and implementing a safe, inclusive, positive environment where families come together during the early years, which is a very important time span for children, as well as family development.
“It is a blessing to be the Centre Coordinator and I am truly honored for the opportunity to connect with caregivers, their children, and the outside organizations we will be partnering with. I look forward to seeing our centre grow, connecting with the many new faces walking through our door, and expanding on continued support from the community. I’d like to thank Prairie Spirit, our management committee and my amazing staff for not only bringing our centre together, but our community.
Fieldhouse Portion of Martensville
Recreation Centre Gets Closer to Completion
Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger
Local residents have been enjoying the newly opened Martensville Recreation Centre for the past month; however, many are still anticipating the remainder of the building to open in early 2025.
Currently, the public can access a large part of the building, including the ice surface, climbing wall, concession, lounge, indoor playground and the leisure/practice ice surface; however, the Fieldhouse portion of the building is not yet completed.
In January of 2025, the Fieldhouse section of the MRC will be opening, which will include 61,570 square feet of indoor soccer and turf area and 7,600 square feet of baseball pitching and batting tunnels.
The Fieldhouse already has tournaments booked for January and February, and recently, local community groups that will be utilizing the area had the opportunity to get an early look at the new addition to the community and are looking forward to taking advantage of the space in the new year.
Their doors are open Monday – Friday 9:30am – 4pm. Check out their weekly schedule of activities on the ‘Martensville-Warman Early Years Family Resource Centre’ Facebook page.
BELOW: Martensville ayor Kent Muench, DeeAnn Mercier, Neda Wilson, Emily Martens, Honorable Terry Jenson, Warman Mayor Philipchuk, Dillon Shewchuk, along with the Centres Program Facilitators cut the ribbon at the MWEYFRC Grand Opening Ceremony. (Jocelyn Ottenbreit)
ABOVE: L-R: Alexis, Program Facilitator, Stephanie, Program Facilitor, Emily Martens, Centre Co-ordinator, and April, Program Designer, celebrate cutting the cake at the Grand Opening of the Centre on Friday, November 22nd. (FB)
Take Part in Events at Martensville Curling Club
The Martensville Marauder U13A Snipers traveled to Moose Jaw this past weekend, where they came out on top with an A-Final win. This marked two years in a row that the local team were the champions in this tournament. Congratulations to the team on their incredible win, and an extra congratulations to Boone Hamilton who led the tournament in scoring.
ABOVE: The Martensville Marauder U13B Pirates took part in a tournament in Prince Albert from November 22-24, where they took on the Saskatoon Outlaws in the B-Final and defeated them by a score of 7-4 for the B-side championship title.
(Martensville U13B Pirates 24/25)
Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger
The Martensville Curling Club (MCC) has a busy season ahead, with a wide array of bonspiels scheduled along with regular season play.
From December 6th-8th, the MCC will be hosting a Senior Bonspiel. It will include both a men’s and women’s division and will cost $400/team. There will be a cash payout with predetermined draw times. Registration deadline is November 30th. Contact Dave at (306) 229-3342 for more information.
The MCC will be teaming up with the Langham and Dalmeny Curling Clubs for the Curl ‘n Crawl event on January 4th. This event has a $240 entry fee per team and includes free bus transit between clubs and a steak supper. For more information, contact James at (306) 370-8833 or james@prairieice.ca.
The annual Martensville Ladies Bonspiel will take place from January 31st – February 2nd and is open to both recreational and competitive players, with eight teams per division. The cost to register is $160/team and there will be a $40 pay as you win (based on max entries). Saturday night supper is included with registration. Have some fun with this bonspiel and dress as Mrs. Roper from Three’s Company with your favorite kaftan/housedress and jewelry. Contact Karen at (306) 270-9607.
More upcoming events include the Sask Firefighters Provincials from February 7-9, the Mixed Doubles Provincials from February 13-16, the Men’s Tour from March 14-16, the Fun Year-End Spiel from March 21-22 and the U18/U20 event from March 28-30.
Follow the Martensville Curling Club on Facebook for more information and regular updates on upcoming events, or visit their website at https:// martensvillecurlingclub.com/.
ABOVE:
(Martensville Minor Hockey)
Winter Safety Campaign Launches With New Highway Hotline Ad
On November 22nd, the Ministry of Highways officially launched its winter safety campaign with a new Highway Hotline ads about its new road condition terminology and a reminder about how to keep snowplow operators and drivers safe.
"I would like to thank everyone who checks the Highway Hotline to help them make an informed decision before they travel," Highways Minister David Marit said. "Knowing current road conditions and maintaining respectful distances from snowplows and other motorists help everyone arrive safely at their destinations."
One of the new Highway Hotline ads is a video showing a father preparing to go ice fishing with his son but waiting for winter road conditions to improve before heading out. The video will be played in movie theatres and on cable television.
Another new online digital animation ad recaps the new Highway Hotline primary road conditions.
The ministry will also be using a video ad from last winter reminding motorists to slow down and stay back near snowplows, which create mini blizzards when clearing highways. It will be on social media and can be viewed at and shared from: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=RV043GAO_Qo.
About 300 provincial snowplows and other winter maintenance equipment serve Saskatchewan's highway network of more than 26,000 kilometres, which supports our quality of life and export-based economy.
Provincial roads are regularly inspected by snowplow operators to determine if plowing, salt or sand is required. These equipment operators report conditions to update the Highway Hotline, which can be downloaded as a smartphone app, accessed at www. saskatchewan.ca/highwayhotline or by calling 511. Motorists are reminded to download the latest version of the app to take advantage of the newest available features.
Information about snow removal and winter maintenance activities can be found at https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/transportation/highways/highwaysafety/winter-safety.
Province Expands Cystic Fibrosis Drug Coverage
More patients in Saskatchewan living with cystic fibrosis (CF) are now eligible for Trikafta, a medication that improves lung function.
Effective November 15, coverage of Trikafta has expanded to include CF patients who have one of 152 rare genetic mutations which have proven to be responsive to the medication. The expansion will cover most Saskatchewan patients with CF.
"We are pleased to expand coverage for this treatment for more Saskatchewan people with cystic fibrosis," Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. "We know that Trikafta improves the quality of life for patients, so expanding coverage to include these rare genetic mutations means more CF patients and their families will benefit for years to come."
On November 4, the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health issued a recommendation that jurisdictions expand coverage of Trikafta for patients with 152 rare genetic mutations.
In Saskatchewan, coverage of Trikafta for CF patients with the most common gene mutation was first introduced in 2021, and coverage was expanded for ages two to five in January 2024.
Approximately 95 people in Saskatchewan already benefit from Trikafta coverage. An estimated 25 more are expected to become eligible with this recent criteria expansion to include the 152 rare mutations.
Patients with CF or parents/guardians of children with CF who think they may benefit from therapy with Trikafta are encouraged to speak with their physician.
According to the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Registry, there are more than 4,400 CF patients in Canada and more than 130 patients in Saskatchewan.
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.
Sask. Government Discusses Priorities in 2024 Throne Speech
The first session of the new Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly opened November 25th, with a Throne Speech that promised a new beginning.
Premier Scott Moe said the Throne Speech responds to the two messages that voters delivered in the recent provincial election.
"Many Saskatchewan people voted to re-elect our government to keep our economy strong and our future bright, while many others voted for change," Moe said. "My government will deliver both."
The Throne Speech focuses on two specific areas where Moe said the government needs to do better: health and education.
In health, the government will:
• Shorten surgical wait times by ensuring that 450,000 surgeries are performed over the next four years;
• Open additional urgent care centres in Saskatoon, Prince Albert, North Battleford, Moose Jaw and Regina to provide timely access to mental health and addictions services and take pressure off emergency rooms in hospitals;
• Continue to increase the number of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals in Saskatchewan;
• Work to ensure everyone in Saskatchewan has access to a primary health provider
- a doctor or a nurse practitioner - by the end of 2028;
• Engage with nurses throughout the province by creating a patient-focused nursing task force;
• Provide women with the option to do cervix self-screening at home for the human papillomavirus (HPV), the leading cause of cervical cancer; and
• Expand coverage for glucose monitoring to seniors ages 65 and older and young adults ages 25 and under.
In education and child care, the government will:
• Expand its specialized support classroom pilot to 200 more schools throughout the province;
• Focus on improving reading levels, specifically in Kindergarten to Grade 3;
• Increase funding to school divisions and add more teachers and support staff to help meet the pressures of growing student enrolment and the challenges of classroom complexity; and
• Provide funding for 12,000 additional new childcare space developments.
The Throne Speech also delivers on the government's election campaign commitments to make life more affordable. These include:
• The largest personal income tax reduction since 2008;
• Increasing the Low-Income Tax Credit by 20 per cent;
• Removing the carbon tax on home heating for another year;
• Doubling the Active Families Benefit;
• Creating a Home Renovation Tax Credit;
• Increasing the First-Time Homebuyers Tax Credit;
• Increasing the Personal Care Home Benefit by $1000 a month;
• Increasing the Disability Tax Credit, the Disability Tax Credit supplement and the Caregiver Tax Credit by 25 per cent; and
• Increasing the Graduate Retention Plan benefit by 20 per cent to a maximum of $24,000.
Moe said Bill 1 of the new legislative session will be The Saskatchewan Affordability Act - legislation to enact the government's campaign commitments to make life more affordable.
"We will also fulfil our campaign commitment to strengthen The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act and other legislation to provide the police with additional authority to shut down nuisance properties and address disruptive behaviour on public property," Moe said.
"This is in addition to many other steps our government is taking to make our communities and neighbourhoods safer - more police officers, more mental health support and more access to recovery spaces."
The Throne Speech also includes the rest of the government's campaign commitments, including:
• Keeping the small business tax at one per cent;
• Creating a young entrepreneur bursary;
• Developing a new investment tax incentive;
• Creating a new $5,000 Class 1 Truck Driver Training rebate;
• Doubling the Community Rink Affordability Grant to $5,000 per ice surface; and
• Creating a new School Playground Equipment Fund to help fund 50 per cent of the cost of new playground projects.
The Throne Speech also includes a commitment to work to improve the tone and decorum of the Legislative Assembly.
"The recent election and this Throne Speech mark a new beginning for our government," Moe said. "We will work to deliver on all the commitments we made in the election campaign and we will work to address those areas where voters told us we need to do better."
POLICE BEAT Saskatchewan RCMP: Investigation into Oct. 24 Robbery That Led to Dangerous Person Alert Continues
Saskatchewan RCMP’s General Investigation Section continues to investigate a robbery and shooting that occurred north of Prince Albert on October 24, 2024. Full background on this investigation, which included multiple dangerous person alerts being issued by Saskatchewan RCMP, is available here. Investigators wish to share some updates with the public:
Efforts to locate Dallas Fulton continue - Investigators continue to actively search for 27-year-old Dallas Fulton and continue to ask members of the public to report information on his whereabouts.
Dallas Fulton’s family has reported him as missing to police. While police are working to locate him to arrest him on his warrant, it’s also important that we are able to check on his well-being.
Saskatchewan RCMP has conducted numerous searches of the Thunder Rapids area, where Fulton was last known to be, including using Police Dog Services and the Remotely Piloted Aircraft System. Investigators can’t confirm whether Fulton left the area or not.
Investigators are also working to check other places Fulton is known to frequent, including the Saskatoon and Duck Lake areas, and following up on all information received through the course of the investigation.
If you see Dallas Fulton, do not approach him. He is wanted on serious charges and should be considered armed and dangerous. Report information on his whereabouts to your local police service immediately.
Investigators also looking to speak with 21-year-old male - Saskatchewan RCMP also asking members of the public to help locate 21-year-old Brody Lebel, who they need to speak to as soon as possible in relation to this investigation. Brody Lebel has not been charged in relation to this incident and to be mindful of privacy, we are unable to provide additional information on why investigators need to speak with him at this time. Brody Lebel was reported as missing to Prince Albert Police Service and they are also actively working to locate him.
He is known to frequent the Prince Albert area. He is described as 6’ and 170 lbs with brown hair and brown eyes. He has a tattoo of a brick wall on his right hand. If you have information on his whereabouts, contact Prince Albert Police Service.
Additional charges laid in relation to October 17 robbery - As a result of continued investigation, charges have been laid in relation to an October 17 robbery in the RM of Prince Albert.
19-year-old Melissa McCallum and 33-year-old Angus Heathen are each charged with:
- two counts, assault with weapon, Section 267(a), Criminal Code;
- one count, robbery with firearm, Section 344(1)(a.1), Criminal Code;
- one count, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, Section 88, Criminal Code;
- one count, pointing a firearm, Section 87, Criminal Code;
- one count, possession of a firearm without a license, Section 92(1), Criminal Code;
- one count, possession of a firearm in a vehicle, Section 94, Criminal Code;
- one count, careless of use a firearm, Section 94, Criminal Code; and
- one count, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, Section 354(1), Criminal Code.
Angus Heathen is also charged with one count, possession of a firearm contrary to order, Section 117.01(1), Criminal Code and one count, fail to comply with probation order, Section 733.1, Criminal Code.
McCallum appeared in Prince Albert Provincial Court on November 14, and Heathen on November 18 (Information #90521132).
They were already in custody awaiting court on charges laid in relation to the October 24, 2024 robbery,
Potential links between incidents being investigated - The investigation into the October 17 and 24 robberies continues, and investigators are actively working to determine if there are any further potential links between thefts/robberies in northcentral Saskatchewan reported to police in October.
Investigational updates will be provided as they become available.Investigations urge members of the public to report any information about these crimes – or about the whereabouts of Dallas Fulton or Brody Lebel – to police immediately. Furthermore, if you reside in or have trail cameras in the greater area between Nipawin and Cumberland House, to please check them and notify police of anything suspicious. Dial 310-RCMP to reach your local RCMP detachment. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www. saskcrimestoppers.com.
ABOVE: Premiere Scott Moe during an October announcement in Martensville prior to the election. (File Photo)
