Cranberry Portage is getting ready to celebrate their biggest weekend of the year with their  34^th  annual Trout Challenge, not to mention some other big events that the entire family will get to enjoy.

Barb Bragg has the details.  " Yes it is one of our biggest weekends beginning with the Trout Challenge on Friday night which has been going for over 30 years. It is a long running fish derby which will go from the first  to the third. On the second will be our Artisan Market which we have over 60 vendors. On the Monday which is exciting,  we are resurrecting the Cranberry Challenge which is a canoe portage race."

This will be the first Artisan Market this summer as the other two had to be cancelled  due to the wildfires. It takes place at the Museum Grounds in Cranberry from 11am to 3pm and will go rain or shine.

There will be different  vendors from all over Northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan as well as live music and food vendors.

As adults are processing the stress due to the current wildfire situations here in the north, so are children.

Jennifer Whalen, a Mental Health Promotion Coordinator with the Northern Health Region, says that how we behave during stressful times is an example for others.

“...remember that we’re role models for the people in our lives. Whether it’s our children or people in our community – they’ll see if we’re engaging in positive ways to cope, and kids will mimic that. That will mean they’re either building skills from watching you have healthy ways of caring for yourself or they’ll be focusing on the negative and struggle during this difficult time too.”

Whalen said it’s important to speak honestly with our children and provide them reassurance that steps are being taken to keep them safe.
 
Children will also sense your anxiety and react accordingly, so it’s a good time to explain that we all have times when we are scared, sad, and upset and that these reactions are normal.

Saskatchewan Cancer Agency will be bringing their mobile mammography unit to Creighton. Known as Breast Check – this breast cancer screening opportunity is designed for women over the age of 45 with no symptoms. Laurie Pearce, early detection coordinator gives us the details

 “...and they don’t need a health care provider referral so that’s also very convenient. And so we certainly encourage women to book while it is in their community, and so that they don’t have to travel a great distance to have a screening mammogram. And of course the goal is that, you know, early detection saves lives and by having regular screening mammograms if there was something there that we would find it early. And it would more likely more treatable and outcomes would be better."

The mobile bus where the mammograms take place will be at the Creighton Sportex parking lot from August 25-29. Then it will travel to Pelican Narrows at the Angelique Health Centre September 2-5^th. You must have an active Saskatchewan Health card to book. Appointments are limited so they ask that you reserve a spot early. Call 1855-584-8228 to confirm a time for a screening mammogram.

Foran Mining has released its second quarter report highlighting the construction of its McIlvenna Bay project. Despite the interruption from the evacuation, commercial production remains on track for the middle of next year.

Foran estimates a $10-12 million total impact from the regional wildfire and associated downtime. Dan Myerson, Executive Chairman and CEO of Foran, commented "The past quarter reminded us that building a greenfield copper mine, especially one of this scale and importance, is never easy. Regional wildfires tested our resilience, but our team and partners responded with focus... With more than 40% of the project now complete, we're making significant progress towards our reiterated commercial production target of mid-2026.”

Foran also announced that it has established an equity program to offer and sell up to $50 million of stock. Funds will go towards the ramp-up of commercial production at the McIlvenna Bay Project.

Crews continued working overnight, with the mini unit and a skid truck addressing hotspots in 3 Zone. Two engines were also active along Lalor Road and near the Rodren laydown area. A few additional power poles may have been lost, but dense smoke is limiting visibility and damage assessment. Manitoba Hydro is actively wrapping utility poles in the area as a fire protection measure, with all identified poles expected to be completed by the end of this week.

High carbon monoxide levels in the air prompted pulling all crews back early this morning, however levels have fallen and dayshift crews are back to work addressing hotspots and flare ups.

This past Friday, Deschambault Lake RCMP received a report of an assault at a residence in Deschambault Lake. 

Investigation determined a victim was assaulted by a group of individuals, who did not let them leave the residence. The victim was later able to escape. They were treated at the hospital for injuries described as non-life-threatening in nature.

This past Monday six individuals were arrested in Deschambault Lake with the assistance of the Saskatchewan RCMP’s Prince Albert Provincial General Investigation Section and Critical Incident Response Team.

As a result of continued investigation, 31-year-old Earl Ballantyne, 19-year-old Tyler Ballantyne, 29-year-old Stephan Sakima Ballantyne, 30-year-old Zachary Ballantyne, 26-year-old Raeanna Michel, 20-year-old Sharona Custer, 20-year-old Sherri Custer, and a female teenager are each charged with multiple counts of assault, forcible confinement and robbery

Warrants have been issued for the arrests of Earl Ballantyne and Tyler Ballantyne and Deschambault Lake RCMP are actively working to locate and arrest them.

Earl Ballantyne is described as approximately 5’8” with a medium build. He has black hair and brown eyes..

Tyler Ballantyne sometimes goes by the name “Tyler Michel’. He is described as approximately 6’ and 140 lbs. He has black hair and brown eyes.

They are known to frequent Deschambault Lake and may travel to Pelican Narrows or Prince Albert, but their current whereabouts are unknown.

If you see Earl Ballantyne or Tyler Ballantyne, do not approach them. Contact Deschambault Lake RCMP by dialling 310-RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

The clean up form the wildfires are underway in Denare Beach. (Provincial officials say recovery teams have been clearing out charred properties in Denare Beach, which lost 218 homes to the flames. Crews have also removed 230 destroyed vehicles.

Lot Cleanups are taking place and residents are reminded to be cautious as heavy trucks and equipment will be working. As a result some roadways will be blocked. A clean up waiver is needed to be added to the effort. Those who are planning to rebuild will need to email permits and zoning information. All requests can be made to denarebeach@sasktel.net as land lines are still down within the Village.

Also there will be a resiliency centre at the Denareplex today and tomorrow from 10am-7pm. With the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program, Saskatchewan Government Insurance, Health Authority, Red Cross and social services all in attendance.

The Cranberry Portage Trout Challenge returns for the 34^th year this Saturday and Sunday. Committee member Tiffany Anderson lets us know the key to its long running success

 “I think, you know, the key to our event is all the great sponsorships that we get from the region...the businesses in Flin Flon have just been excellent, as have the businesses in The Pas. So, for our little village of Cranberry Portage we’re very thankful for that and it’s allowed us to put up some great prize money. We increased it a few years ago, so, we have well over $15,000 worth of prizes. The first, second and third prizes are guaranteed...first prize is at $6,500 and second and third at $3,250 and $2,500...”

You can still register by going to the fish donkey app. The cost is $200 per 2 person team to take part.

Committee members will be at the Cranberry Portage rink mid afternoon Friday should you require help with the app or any questions you may have.

Friday at 6:30 will be the official rules meeting. In addition to the fishing derby itself, there is the boat parade that everyone is invited to starting at 7pm, followed the smoked fish contest. Saturday there will be the horse shoe competition, food vendors, beer gardens, the artisan market plus activities for kids and live music. A full list of events can be found on the Cranberry Portage Trout Challenge Facebook page.

This past Friday at approximately 11:30 PM, The Pas Fire Department responded to a vehicle fire on Gordon Avenue. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered a fully engulfed van and successfully extinguished the flames within five minutes. After cooling the hotspots, the vehicle was safely relocated, and crews thoroughly cleaned up debris. The Pas Fire Department returned to service at 1:15 AM.

Here is the latest on the fire situation from the Town Of Snow Lake.

Fire 052 reached the community on Saturday night. Since then, the fire has been held out of town, and work to protect essential infrastructure remains ongoing.

Crews worked throughout the weekend to address and extinguish hotspots on the road to Lalor and behind New Britannia, and monitor the town for falling embers. A substantial air support presence has been active, assisting suppression efforts with water drops and aerial observation.

The Town Of Snow Lake wants to Thank you for your continued patience as they work to maintain safety and keep residents informed.

You can continue to get updates from the Town Of Snow Lake facebook page and keep listening to Arctic Radio.

The Flin Flon Rotary Club recognized some long time volunteers in our community earlier tonight,   by handing out the highest honor they can bestow with the Paul Harris Awards.

The ceremony took place at the Flin Flon Rotary Wheel with both a Rotarian and Non Rotarian being recognized.

Nevada Danis was the Rotary winner and is the current General Manager of the Victoria Inn. Nevada is not only the Treasurer of the Rotary Club but is very active in the community. She sits on the CO-OP board, Pool Fundraising Committee and helps with Blueberry Jam.

Greg East was honored as the Non Rotary winner and is a long time community activist. Greg has been on the Flin Flon Recycling Board, been involved with the Flin Flon Trout Festival, Blue Berry Jam and Flin Flon Environment Council. Greg is very involved with the local music scene and started the Johnny’s Social Club.

The Rotary Club also presented a couple more awards with Colleen Tower winning the Rotary Rookie Of The Year. The Rotarians recognized the last three years and Colleen is very active in the club with Operation Red Nose , the Rotary Christmas Party and can be seen at just about every event the Rotary Club are involved with.

The Rotarian Of The Year went to John Clark who is in his second stint with the Flin Flon Rotary Club. John has been involved in Rotary for over ten years and has served on many committees and held various roles on different projects.

President Connie Nelson says it is very important to recognize all these volunteers.  " I think anytime we can honor anybody that comes out to volunteer or help in our communities,  it is a big night. This is just one of those nights and fortunately we have a club that is very much service above self. This Paul Harris Award is a pretty prestigious award and I think coming together like this has been a big success to celebrate."

There was also a presentation made to the Inner Wheel Club  who accepted a cheque to go towards different community projects that they continue to support in Flin Flon and area.

AT THEIR MEETING EARLIER THIS WEEK THE TOWN COUNCIL OF CREIGHTON REPORTED RECEIVING A THANK YOU LETTER FROM THE TOWN  OF THE PAS REGARDING ASSISTANCE WITH THE RECENT WILDFIRE EVENTS.

COUNCIL ALSO RECEIVED A THANK YOU LETTER FROM A CREIGHTON RESIDENT FOR SAVING HIS HOME TOWN PLUS A $1,000 DOLLAR DONATION FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PUT TOWARDS EQUIPMENT TO ASSIST IN FIREFIGHTING EFFORTS IN THE FUTURE. 

COUNCIL RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THE CRANBERRY PORTAGE WINTERFEST COMMITTEE TO SUPPORT THE PORTAGE RACE FROM CANADA DAY TO AUGUST 4th. COUNCIL DECIDED TO REFER THE REQUEST FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.

COUNCIL ALSO RECEIVED AN INVITATION TO ATTEND THE NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN LEADERSHIP SUMMIT BEING HELD AUGUST 19th IN LA RONGE. A MOTION WAS PASSED TO SEND  THE MAYOR AND ONE OTHER MEMBER OF COUNCIL.

 IT WAS ALSO REPORTED THAT THE SOCCER FIELD IS BEING LEVELLED WITH SOME FILL AND THAT THE CONDENSERS AND DEHUMIDIFIER ARE TO BE  INSTALLED MID AUGUST.

Lalor Mine was evacuated last night due to the wildfire activity in close proximity to the mine site. Wildfire response teams were working alongside local firefighting crews.

At latest video inspection the main front of the fire has past the Lalor Mine site and shown preventative measures have limited damage to the site.

Once it is safe to do so Hudbay will perform a thorough inspection of their assets. Fire crews remain to monitor the situation. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

The town of Leaf Rapids reports that last night Fire 113 entered the community. The town says that the fire jumped the Churchill River and reached its industrial area.

The latest information is that only 1 structure appears to be damaged from the fire last night. The owner of this house is being contacted directly. All other structures are standing and appear to be undamaged. The fire has burnt forested area mainly in the north portion of Town, with the south half seeing very little impact.

Crews are in Leaf Rapids and have been for some time, putting out hotspots to prevent further damage. There are burnt hydro poles leading into town, and there is a potential for power loss as a result.

Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

Ombudsman Saskatchewan will be in our community this week. Staff will hear concerns for residents of Flin Flon, SK, Creighton and Denare Beach. Communications Director Leila Dueck discusses what their organization does.

“The Provincial Ombudsman receives complaints from the public about concerns they may have about all sorts of different provincial and municipal government services. Those responses that we provide can range from listening, which is where it always starts.

In this fire fight season, we have tried our best to provide support in terms of referrals, and where we’re just helping people to find out who they should deal with, or maybe how to resolve some roadblocks if they’re running into something that’s making service slower or they aren’t getting the responses they think they should get.

And then, all the way down to investigations and more formal processes so we…we do quite a range.”

During the start of our communities evacuation Flin Flon City Councillors Mike Slipp and Heather Richardson attended the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Conference in Ottawa. The issues regarding the wildfires were top of mind not only for the Flin Flon attendees but the conference as a whole.   Councillor Richardson talked about how wide ranging the fire situation was

 “We spent so much time speaking with our sister communities, like Alberta, everyone was either had already just come out of a fire season or fire year last year or several years before, or they were just entering to fire season now and having the same issues as us. And it was great to get that insight and that advice, and just the support really.”

Beyond the fires the conference also discussed national and international matters. Councillor Slipp attended a presentation with leadership from south of the border.

 “One of the unique things, which I really enjoyed, was big city mayors from Canada and the United States have gotten together to talk about the tariffs situation. And they spoke, there was four or five from the U.S and four or five from Canada, and how they’re all fighting against these tariffs…and they’re important to Flin Flon and the mining community.”

You can hear the full edition of City Beat in which both councillors go further in depth as well as how other areas showed their support for Flin Flon. That will be on the Flin Flon today podcast section of flinflononline.com

The Manitoba government say it’s still fully engaged in the ongoing battle against wildfires.

Officials said Monday that there were 120 active fires in Manitoba right now — total of 331 for the year, which is well above the 20-year average of 243 at this time.

During an update last Thursday, the province said there were 118 wildfires burning across Manitoba.

The silver lining, however, is that although the number of fires is up, no new evacuation orders have been issued.

Kristin Hayward, assistant deputy minister, Conservation Officer Service and Manitoba Wildfire Service, said the smoky conditions certainly haven’t helped things improve in northern Manitoba.

 “Definitely when there’s heavy smoke it makes it difficult for our water bombers to take off our land. They need good visibility to safely conduct their operations.

It’s also an issue sometimes for the helicopters depending on how low that smoke is. So, we’ve had challenges getting crews out to areas of the fire where we would need access through helicopter.

Definitely the smokey conditions are impacting our ability to action from the air specifically. But the good thing too is that very smokey conditions also lessen fire behaviour, so, we don’t see the fires as active those days either.”

She went on to say that crews have made positive progress on the N61 fire nearest Thompson as well as the W17 and 28 fires nearest to Flin Flon, Bakers Narrows and Cold Lake.

The Uptown Emporium in association with The Manitoba Metis Federation have launched a podcast titled North Of The ‘Fourth, host Drayden Lowe discusses what he and his guests will be going over.

 “...the point of our Podcast, we’re launching this year’s stories of Northern voices and artists and vendors across Northern Manitoba. Pretty much we just let them talk about how they’ve done it and what they like about it and what not.

And we’re really excited to share it with you guys and it’s about our communities up North here with Flin Flon, Thompson, Churchill, Snow Lake, The Pas, OCN and Leaf Rapids.”

The latest episode features Kari Lentowicz — a Denare Beach-based artist and survivor of the 2025 wildfires. Kari practices birch bark biting, and she gives detail on the traditional and intricate art form that blends culture, memory, and resilience.

The Primary Health Care will be recognizing World Hepatitis Day later this week with a get together at the Primary Health  Centre Parking Lot.

Logan Church from the Play It Safer Network talks about the history around the event and what will be happening in Flin Flon.

 “...so World Hepatitis Day is actually on July 28^th every year. But this year we’re celebrating on the 24^th here in Flin Flon.

And it’s just a day to raise awareness...the different treatments that are offered, recognize it, spread awareness, create the conversation and kind of normalize it.

And so here in Flin Flon, on the 24^th, we are going to be holding an event in the parking lot at the Primary Health Care Centre. We’re going to have a BBQ, we’re going to be playing some games, there’s going to be some Hepatitis myth busters...”

If you are looking for a change or wanting to start an exciting career, UCN will once again be offering their Mining Readiness Program.

The Mining Readiness Program will give you the tools to build a real career with hands on training, meaningful skills and an inside look at life in the mining industry.

Eligibility will include being able to participate in full time training in person. Able to meet workplace safety and readiness requirements. An in person interview as part of the recruitment process and must have housing in Flin Flon.

The program will be offered between August the 25^th and September the 19^th and the deadline to apply is July the 20^th.

Any questions can be directed to ucn.ca.

Hapnot students were honoured for their hard work and accomplishments over the past year.

Diplomas were presented to 55 graduates on Saturday night along with 70 bursary awards and scholarships.

The largest award the Hudbay W.A Green Bursary for highest average for $35,00.00 for up to four years went to Braeden Tetlock who also received the Governor General Bronze Medal.

There were four new scholarships awarded this year including the Flin Flon  Heritage Fund which was presented to Jack Eastman. The Wayne Kopachinski Memorial Fund went to Niki Keramydas. The Bruno Zerbin Northern Mining Exploration Scholarship for $2,000.00 for pursuing a career in Mining went to Rylan Raddish. The Red River Metis Flin Flon Local bursary was presented to Mackenzie McLean for active community involvement through participation in school clubs,sports and volunteer work.

The Bill Friesen Memorial Scholarship for $5,000.00  for pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree ended up going to Davian Law.

A complete list of all the awards that were presented can be seen at flinflononline.com.

Ryan Gray will once again be hosting   Possession and Acquisition License Training courses later in August.

They are two day training courses taking place on August the 22^nd and 23^rd and again on the 24^th and 25^th at the Creighton Community Hall.

Ryan explains what the courses will be covering. " The Non Restricted is on the Friday and Saturday and that is basically just for Shot-Guns or Rifles for purchasing, inheriting or aquiring. The Restricted Course I am going to do on Saturday night and finish up on Sunday. That is for Hand Guns and some restricted Rifles as well."

The course fee is $175.00 and there are ten spots available for each course. You can register by contacting Ryan at 204-687-0528 or kanvasback5253@gmail.com.

The Town of Creighton is holding a special get together for Snow Lake evacuees later today to show support for the individuals and families who had to leave their homes last week due to two wildfires that are very close to the community.

Creighton Mayor Bruce Fiddler provides the details. " The Town Of Creighton is inviting all the evacuees from Snow Lake who are here in the Flin Flon Creighton area to a Spaghetti supper. It will take place tonight at the Creighton Community Hall from 5 til 7pm. This is a thank you for the excellent treatment they gave all our evacuees when they were up in Snow Lake. We are hoiping to see a big crowd there."

This is free for all the Snow Lake evacuees, so come out for spaghetti and meat sauce, salad and a dessert. Once again it starts at 5 at the Creighton Community Hall. 

Here is the latest on the Snow Lake Wildfire situation from the Town Of Snow Lake.

Fire 53 (Osborne Lake)

Fire 53 had a small amount of growth on the north side of the fire. Helibuckets and IA crew continued to progress around the southwest corner of the fire.

Mexican crews will be returning from days of rest today to assist suppression efforts on the fire.

Fire 52 (Cook Lake)

Fire 52 started to show more signs of life yesterday with intermittent torching.

Crews continued building more control lines on the Northeast side of the fire with assistance of Heli buckets.

The fire saw limited growth due to constant aerial suppression efforts, but is putting off a lot more smoke due to fuels inside the main burn line beginning to dry up and ignite.

Mexican crews will be returning from days of rest today to assist suppression efforts on the fire.

The Northern Health Region is pleased  to announce that all health services have been fully restored in Flin Flon.

Raj Sewda the C.E.O. of the Northern Health Region thanks everyone for their patience during a very difficult time. " This is something unprecedented  but we have overcome these challeges. This has been a remarkable community effort that has shown deep compassion, strength and resillience and what we have learned and listened to. We are committed to using these experiences to further strengthen our emergency preparedness and responses in the future, so we have a lot to improve and we have accomlished a lot to." 

If you need any other information and need to reach out to someone you can go their website at northernhealthregion.com.

On the daily wildfire update yesterday, Thompson  Mayor Colleen Smook described possible scenarios for how an evacuation would be managed if a mandatory evacuation order was called.

“We actually have general plans in place and are working on more specific details. It won’t be a free for all, there will be points in different neighbourhoods for people who need transportation. It can also be done in waves by area, that way the RCMP and all of the evacuation staff will ensure that everyone from one neighbourhood is gone or on their way before moving on to the next neighbourhood with the go ahead to leave.”

She added that the areas of the City most at-risk from the fire would be evacuated first, followed by the rest, with traffic being monitored in the city to avoid traffic jams.

Buses for those without other transportation would likely be staged at various locations in each neighbourhood.
 

This past Monday  Nipawin RCMP received a report of a serious wildlife-related collision on Highway #55, approximately 2 kilometers west of Smeaton.

Officers responded along with local fire and EMS. A passenger in the vehicle was declared deceased by EMS at the scene. He has been identified as a 50-year-old male from Prince Albert. His family has been notified.

The driver of the vehicle, an adult female, was transported to hospital by EMS with injuries described as non-life threatening in nature.

A second adult male passenger reported no physical injuries to police.

Investigation determined the vehicle struck a moose.

Nipawin RCMP continue to investigate.

The CBC show Still Standing has rescheduled their original date to come into the community of Flin Flon  and film an episode.

It was originally supposed to take place in June but with the evacuation due to the wildfires the new date Is September the 8^th and 9^th.

Flin Flon Rec Director Cait Bailey is excited to have the opportunity to showcase our community.  " We are excited to have then here and the premise of the entire  show is that they pick a community that has gone through something . Whether that is the end of a business in the area with things changing like Hudbay, and how the community is pushing through. Obviously Flin Flon, Creighton and Denare Beach went through something very traumatic this summer as well with our wildfire situation. I think it continues to prove a point about how we are a great choice for the filming and we are excited to have them back at the beginning of September."

The show is hosted by comedian Jonny Harris and he will be visiting with people and organizations in Flin Flon and area and will also be doing a stand up comedy show.

More information will be posted on the City Of Flin Flon social media channels closer to the date.

Deputy Mayor Alison Dallas Funk opened up the City Council meeting on Tuesday and said they have started their Graffiti Removal Program. Graffiti has already been removed from all the buildings on Main Street and you will notice a city truck and trailor making it’s way around the community to start working on other buildings.

If you notice some graffiti that needs to be removed you can contact the city at info@flinflon.ca.

The City shares a services agreement with the Flin Flon School Division and has donated the Whitney Forum and Flin Flon Community Hall for this weekend’s grad ceremonies and celebration. The City also put up banners of all the graduates which can be viewed on Flin Flon’s Main Street.

The Joe Brain Petting Zoo will not be operating this summer but all the workers who normally work at the zoo have been redistributed to Summer In The Parks, The Parks Department and the Tourist Bureau.

National Indigenous People’s Day will now be celebrated on Saturday August the 23^rd at the Creighton School Grounds and the City is thinking about rescheduling the Fish Fry.

A decision will be made next week. 

The Flin Flon Friendship Centre is once again hosting a summer day camp called Camp Moochikun which will run for two weeks starting on Monday July the 21^st.

Brianne Roberts is the camp coordinator and tells us this will be a unique camp. " We are going to be introducing culture, land based projects and taking the kids out a lot. We will be doing crafts, teaching then about mental, spiritual and emotional health and how to manage their inner being. A lot of connecting with the Earth and connecting with each other."

Camp Moochikun will be run out of Ruth Betts Gym, Monday to Friday 9 to 4 and is free to enter for kids ages 5 to 9. Registration starts today by calling Brianne at 431-346-0849. There are limited spots available.

Over 200 homes were lost in Denare Beach and the Flin Flon and Creighton Lake Front due to the recent wildfires that ripped through the area.

University College Of The North wants to reach out to people who lost homes and are looking to rebuild by providing temporary housing. The Associate Vice President of Community and Industry Solutions Jamie Grant explains.

" We have talked internally about how do we help Denare Beach and the rebuilding efforts that will be taking place out there the next couple of years. Housing will be a big one and we are looking at the option of opening up some of our available suites. We will see what we have available for contractors or construction companies or crews who may need temporary housing while they are in our area. We feel UCN and the Mining Academy can give back to the community and Denare Beach with such a loss out there."

The UCN Student residence is located right next to the Whitney Forum and students will have first choice on units  that are available. Grant went on to say that they would like to start moving in people by late October and  you can call 204-687- 7038 for more information.

On Saturday , Ste. Rose du Lac RCMP received a report of a possible ATV rollover off North Central Road in Ebb and Flow First Nation.

Officers responded immediately and arrived on scene along with Emergency Medical Services, as well as the local Fire Department and located an ATV on its side in a creek with approximately 3 feet of water.

The initial investigation has determined the driver came in contact with a steep slope causing the ATV to roll sometime overnight and pin the driver.

The driver, a 53-year-old male of Ebb and Flow First Nation was pronounced deceased on scene. He was not wearing a helmet.

Ste. Rose du Lac RCMP continue to investigate.

Child Evangelism Fellowship out of Saskatchewan  will be working with the Alliance church in Flin Flon on hosting a 5 a day club early in August.

The Alliance Church Pastor Claude Marais looks forward bringing this program to kids in our area. " I find it is a great opportunity and it is important for us to reach out to children and give them all the options that are available to them.We must make the best of every opportunity as it could improve the whole country,  and eventually the whole world if we could invest in our children with every opportunity that we can get."

It takes place at the church on Green street between August the 5^th to the 7^th ,  1 to 2pm and is open to kids ages 8 to 14. It is free and you can sign up by calling 204-687-8498.

Brochures and posters will be located at different businesses around town.

Due to the fire evacuation Many Faces  Education Center rescheduled their grad ceremonies  to this past Saturday  July the 12^th with a total of 11 graduates  receiving their diplomas.

Keenan McDermott-Ermine received three bursaries including the Flin Flon Motorcycle Association, Flin Flon School Division and Governor General Bronze Medal for highest academic standing.

Carol Colomb  received the Flin Flon Aboriginal Friendship Centre, Flin Flon Health Auxiliary and Women’s Resource Centre bursaries.

Hayden Fieber was awarded bursaries from  the Flin Flon Lions Club and 2328 R.C.A.C.C.

Many Faces Alumni  Awards were presented to Shawn Francois and Tipiskow Francois. Rhealitza Palong-Palong received the MLA Tom Lindsay award and UCN Scholarship.

Rounding out the awards  was Topanga Grindle receiving both  The Founders Bursary and Hudbay Women’s Network Gender Diversity Bursary.

Flin Flon Mayor George Fontaine and Deputy Mayor Alison Dallas Funk were guest’s on the first CFAR City Beat Show after the wildfire evacuation.

The show aired last Wednesday and both guests were able to provide information on everything that went into the process while Flin Flon and the surrounding area were evacuated.

Mayor Fontaine says there will be another update coming out from the Flin Flon Fire Chief. " When this is all over we will get an update on a recap so we can understand what was right and what was wrong,  on what actually happened. Our Fire Chief will be making up reports and we will make sure that any information that we have in respect to this fire  that it will be made available to the public. We are not planning on keeping any secrets to this because everybody is taking part and everybody is vulnerable to it. If we know something we are not going to keep it under our hats."

You can listen to the entire City Beat show by going to CFAR’S website at flinflononline.com.

Hudbay has issued a statement in relation to the evacuation in Snow Lake due to the fires that continue to encroach the community.

Hudbay will continue to  work  closely with local and provincial authorities to ensure its employees remain safe as well as comply with the mandatory wildfire evacuation order.

 As a result, the Company has enabled a controlled, safe and orderly temporary suspension of operations in Snow Lake. Through the Company’s emergency preparedness procedures, all assets have been secured, and a limited workforce remains at site to conduct ongoing monitoring programs and assist with emergency activities. Hudbay believes its infrastructure and facilities in Snow Lake are well-protected from the wildfires and have a low risk of being damaged. Activities in Flin Flon continue unaffected given the current wildfires are not located near the city of Flin Flon. Some exploration activities near Snow Lake have been paused.

Hudbay expects operations to resume efficiently once the wildfire situation improves, given the effectiveness of the Company’s emergency preparedness procedures and the insights gained from previous wildfire experiences.

AT THEIR MEETING EARLIER THIS WEEK THE TOWN COUNCIL OF CREIGHTON AGREED TO PURCHASE A BUSINESS SIZE AD FOR THE 2025/26 SASKATCHEWAN PROVINCIAL SNOWMOBILE TRAIL MAP AS PER LAST YEAR. 

COUNCIL ALSO AGREED THAT DUE TO THE WILDFIRE IF THE TROUT FESTIVAL RESCHEDULES FOR THIS YEAR THAT THEY WOULD MAKE A DONATION OF $2000.00 DOLLARS TO SUPPORT THE EVENT.

COUNCIL AGREED TO APPLY FOR NORTHERN CAPITAL GRANTS PROGRAM FUNDING FOR A TRACK HOE EXCAVATOR AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $200 HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

 IT WAS ALSO AGREED THAT THE TOWN OF CREIGHTON APPLY TO THE SASKATCHEWAN PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY TO BE DESIGNATED AN ELIGIBLE ASSISTANCE AREA UNDER THE PROVINCIAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR RESTORING ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND PROPERTY AS A RESULT OF SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE WILDFIRE STARTING MAY 28 2025.

 THE TOWN AGREED TO ALLOW DISPLACED DENARE BEACH RESIDENTS TO PARK THEIR CAMPER TRAILERS ON FAMILY OR FRIENDS LOTS OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS UNTIL THE CAN FIND OTHER ACCOMMODATIONS.

Crystal Woodward stopped by the CFAR studio yesterday to give an update on the different programs the Flin Flon Arts Council will be offering for the rest of the summer and an update on Culture Days starting in September.

Woodward says they could always use more people to help out. " We could definately use a few more board members as we have a few spots. We are looking for active board members, people who are interested in actually figuring out these events, coming to these events , helping like scanning tickets , someone who may be also be interested in policies and procedures. We also have a showcase that we go to every year hosted by the Manitoba Arts Network. They have artists that come from all over Canada and they perform and we try to figure out if there is anyone we would like to bring to Flin Flon. Anyone who would like to go to those show cases would be awesome."

If you are interested in joining the board or just want to volunteer to  help out at events you can call the Arts Council at 204-687-5974 or go flinflonartscouncil.ca.

Donations and support continue to come in to help the three fire departments in our area from Flin Flon, Creighton and Denare Beach.

Source Embroidery from Yorkton has made a $3,000.00 donation to the the three fire departments with each department receiving $1,000.00. Mike Stackhouse is the owner of the business and didn’t hesitate to get involved and help. " Well for me personally as a business owner here  in Yorkton I have worked with a lot of people and businesses in the Flin Flon area. The area from Flin Flon has been really really good to me as a sales person. They have supported the business here in Yorkton  really well."

The money was generated in sticker sales that featured logos of the Manitoba and Saskatchewan provinces joined by a heart for $5.00. Stickers are still available  and can be purchased by going to the Source Embroidery facebook page. If there are any businesses in the Flin Flon area who would like to order a bunch of stickers for their store you can reach out to Mike at the Source facebook page as well and he will ship to you free of charge.

The Wahkohtowin Trails Committee are ready to resume plans to expand their trails after returning from the evacuation. They are happy to report that their Phantom Trail has survived in it’s entirety.

Leslie Beck tells us they can hardly wait to get back to work." This summer we are going to put together some people to go out and do some snipping on Phantom Lake and get our story boards up , and do assessments on what the rest of the trails look like. We are still moving forward with our plans and our hearts go out to the people of Denare Beach,  and if there is anything we can do to make a bright spot for them out there  we would love to come out."

They will also continue to fundraise and will be doing some bartending during Blueberry Jam. They are still in need of some helpers and if you can help out you can contact them on their facebook page.

The City Of Flin Flon held their first City Council meeting since the evacuation on Tuesday night at the Flin Flon Community Hall.

Mayor George Fontaine welcomed everyone back from the evacuation and was quick to acknowledge the firefighters and everyone that stayed behind to help fight the fires. Fontaine also wanted to thank all the different communities across the province and country for welcoming in the evacuees and showing their support during a very difficult time.

Deputy Mayor Alison Dallas Funk thanked the Northern Neighbors Foundation for teaming up with the Food  Bank and donating $200,000.00 towards the different fire departments and supplying food, cleaning kits and hygiene packs to all the returning evacuees. 908 families were able to get support by stopping by the Wellness Centre which was established at the Whitney Forum.

The City held two special meetings of council by zoom during the evacuation to put a plan together to apply for the Disaster Financial Assistance Fund and to decide on a date to lift the mandatory evacuation.

The City is planning to go ahead with all their summer projects they planned including a new bus, shelters and sidewalks, as well as all their paving projects.

The Town Of Snow Lake Has Declared a mandatory evacuation due to wildfires approaching the community.

You must leave the community by noon today because of the danger to your health and safety.

Please take the following items. money, credit cards, birth certificates, pets,medications,infant food including diapers,clothing and personal hygiene items.

If you need lodging or assistance you can report to the Leila Soccer Complex at 770 Leila Ave in Winnipeg.

If you need assistance leaving the community including transportation you can contact Kim Stephen at 204-358-0204.

You will be informed through the Town Of Snow Lake's website and facebook page when it is safe to return to your home. They will continue to provide updates as new information comes available.

Community Futures Greenstone is giving kids in the community a chance to come down to Pioneer Square for the rest of summer and enjoy water- balloons, toys, games and snacks with Fun Days On Main.

The Flin Flon Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation is helping sponsor the event and Lawrence Gillespie looks forward to bringing some life to  the Uptown area. " Well our board thought it was a really good idea , the FFNRC is really supposed to be behind community events and particularly  free family ones like this one is. This as  I understand it from talking to the people at  Greenstone ,  is they are going to bring some life to Main Street and make it fun for kids at the same time. It is all about getting people back and enjoying the uptown area and finding things to do."

This will take place every single Thursday for the rest of the summer starting next week July the 17^th. This event is being held in conjunction with the Main Street Revitalization Committee.

The Hooter in Creighton will be hosting a benefit concert this weekend to celebrate our hometown heroes and raise money to help rebuild initiatives.

Rikki Odua is the organizer and is looking forward to bringing all three communities together and pay tribute to the local fire departments and people who kept us safe.  " I think I got a feel when we were evacuated that everyone wanted to thank the firefighters,  and wanted some way to get together and socialize and see each other again. What better way to do that than support our own community and help those people who need to rebuild and regroup."

The night will start with a meat draw courtesy of the  SPCA at 6pm followed by beer gardens at 7 featuring 6 different bands with all the proceeds going towards the local fire departments. Local band Flinty’s Hammer will close down the night in the bar starting at midnight.

You can sign the kids up for a Summer Literacy Camp which will take place at Creighton School next week.

Ally Lytwyn is one of the instructors and  talks about what they have planned for the kids.  " So we are going to be reading books every single day and it follows a theme each week. We will be doing sports, a carnival and Super Heroes. We will go with that and the kids can dress up and have fun. The counsellors will dress up and do some crafts and activities outside. Kid's will also be able to take home a book at the end of each day."

The camp will go for two weeks between July the 14^th and 31^st , Monday to Thursday with two time slots 9am to 11:30 and 1 to 3:30pm. This is for Saskatchewan residents only between 5 and 11 years of age  and you can sign up by contacting Alli at alytwyn6@gmail.com.

The Blueberry Jam is looking for your help as they are in need of about 200 volunteers to make sure the summer festival will be able to run.

Volunteer Coordinator Elly Spencer has  the details.  " We are looking for volunteers to do just about everything. That can be getting wrist bands on people at the entry ways, stop vehicles from coming on to the site, selling 50/50 tickets and supporting the beer garden. We are looking for everybody and everything."

They are asking people to do a three hour shift and if you could do multiple days that would be appreciated. If you are interested you can reach out to Elly at 431-746-5347 or flinflonblueberryjam@gmail.com.

The deadline to sign up is this Sunday July 13^th.

On June 27th, Norway House RCMP responded to a report of a stabbing at a residence located in Kinosao Sipi Cree Nation.

Officers arrived and located a 21-year-old male with multiple stab wounds. The suspect was reported to have fled the scene on foot.

The victim was airlifted to Thompson and then to Winnipeg with life-threatening injuries. He has since been upgraded to stable.

The suspect was later located that evening and arrested without incident.

RCMP have charged 19-year-old Barren Osborne, of Kinosao Sipi Cree Nation, with Aggravated Assault and remanded him into custody.

Norway House RCMP continue to investigate.

THE FLIN FLON SCHOOL TRUSTEES HELD THEIR FINAL MEETING OF THE YEAR LAST WEEK WHERE SEVERAL MOTIONS WERE AGREED UPON.

THE BOARD AGREED TO SIGN THE ENGAGEMENT LETTER WITH BAKER TILLY FOR THE 2024/25 AUDIT,ALSO THAT THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OR VICE OR VICE CHAIR WITH THE SECRETARY TREASURER BE GRANTED SIGNING AUTHORITY ON EMPLOYEE CONTRACTS DURING THE 2025/2026 SCHOOL YEAR,AND THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE SECRETARY TREASURER BE GRANTED SIGNING AUTHORITY FOR AGREEMENTS AND
CONTRACTS ON BEHALF OF THE FLIN FLON SCHOOL DIVISION DURING THE 2025/2026 SCHOOL YEAR.

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES EXTENDED THEIR SINCERE THANKS TO ALL THE INDIVIDUALS WHO STAYED IN THE COMMUNITIES DURING THE EVACUATION WORKING TIRELESSLY,PLUS THE INDIVIDUALS AND SCHOOL DIVISIONS THAT REACHED OUT OFFERING SUPPORT,PLACES TO WORK OUT OF AS WELL AS SUPPORTS TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN VARIOUS COMMUNITIES AND PROVINCES THEY WERE DISPLACED TO.

MANY FACES WILL HAVE THEIR GRAD ON JULY 12th 6:30 IN THE MANY FACES GYM,WHILE HAPNOT GRAD WILL TAKE PLACE JULY 19th 5:30 AT THE WHITNEY FORUM.

BOARD CHAIR JACKIE HUCALUK CONGRATULATED THIS YEARS GRAD CLASS WISHING THEM THE BEST AS THEY MOVED FORWARD INTO THE NEXT CHAPTER OF THEIR LIVES.

Following the recent wildfire emergency and mandatory evacuations that caused significant disruption to the region.  Community Futures Greenstone is introducing an emergency business relief program  to assist businesses in  Northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Gavin Williams,  the General Manager of Greenstone in Northern Saskatchewan  explains the process. " So we are going to have a simplified application process , and some of the criteria we are going to need to establish will include businesses to demonstrate they have faced direct impact from the emergency." They will have to establish that they have been in operation  for at least 6 months prior to  the emergency evacuation. They will have to demonstrate a reasonable expectation once receiving assistance that things look recoverable. They have good expectation of business continuity,  is the way we have put it in the policy."

You will have up to 6 months to apply and you could receive up to $25,000.00 per business. In Flin Flon you can contact 204-687-6967 or admin@cfgreenstone.com.  In Northern Saskatchewan you can reach out to 306-425-2612 or visionsnorth@visionnorth.com.

The Flin Flon Rotary Club will be holding a pancake breakfast this up coming Sunday July the 13^th  at Rotary Park starting at 10am.

Kaylee Oulette on behalf of the fundraising committee has the details. " First I just want to say welcome back everyone, I am glad that we are all back home. We have extended the invite to the Denare Beach, Creighton and Flin Flon Firefighters and thought this would be a great opportunity to bring our communities together. We want everyone to have the chance to thank our firefighters in person for the wonderful job they have done protecting our communities these last few weeks."

The Rotary Club has also rescheduled their 90’s themed social which was supposed to take place back in June. It is now rescheduled for Some time in September at the Flin Flon Community Hall. Everything will stay the same including doors opening at 8, with tickets available at the Victoria Inn front desk and the band is On Alert.

For the second time this summer the 600 residents who live in Lynn Lake will have to evacuate the community.

Wildfire activity continues to pose a threat to the community after residents returned just two weeks ago.

The town issued an evacuation order on their facebook page last night, saying a mandatory evacuation would begin today. They are concerned that the fire which is 20km away from the community could damage their main hydro transmission line.

This would leave the town unable to maintain essential services which could last at least a month.

Hot, dry conditions and shifting winds are forecast for the next two or three days, worsening wildfire activity and increasing the risk to infrastructure, the town said.

Buses will be running today which will help residents leave the community.

More than 200 homes were destroyed by the Wolf fire which ravaged through Denare Beach back in June leaving many residents feeling helpless.

Teen and Adult Challenge who have been operating a drug and alcohol treatment centre for the last 18 years  also lost their building due to the fire.

Al Legore who started the program in Northern Saskatchewan many years ago says they do plan to rebuild. " We are in the situation of trying to work with insurance to get that worked out. We just hope everything moves along as quick as possible,  because the longer the  centre is down, the longer the  people can't get help in the North. Our hearts are to get it going as soon as we can. We do have some staff here and a few are back in Steinbach with our students who were moved there."

Teen and Adult Challenge still have their office on Main street in Flin Flon  which will be extending their hours,  and will also be working out of their bible camp on Amisk Lake.  

If you would like to make a donation you can stop by their office in Flin Flon or go the website at teenchallenge.tc.

There will be a Blue Berry Jam fundraiser this Saturday at Johnny’s Social Club starting at 8pm.

This will be a fun way for people to get together after the evacuation and enjoy some great music and raise money for a great summer event.

Mark Kolt is the organizer and talks about the inspiration in putting this together. " So when we were in Winnipeg we had a fundraiser for the Red Cross at my daughter Katrin's house. We had a lot of participation for that and had a great time , and a chance for a lot of Flin Flonner's to get together. This is sort of in the same spirit,  but that was for the Red Cross and coming back here,  one of the things we are facing is to whether go ahead with BlueBerry Jam."

A lot of Flin Flon’s top performers will be taking part including Jennifer Hanson, Dave Biner, Derek Kemp, Kevin Imrie, Holly Freeborn, Jo Anne Sawko, Katarina Njegoven and many others. The show is sold out but they are planning for a follow up show.

The province of Saskatchewan wants everyone to get out and enjoy all their beautiful lakes and rivers and enjoy a free Family Fishing Weekend July the 12^th and 13^th.

Grab your gear, family and friends as no licence will be needed.

The free fishing weekend does not include national parks and you will need a valid licence to take fish out of the province. Other fishing regulations including possession limits will remain in effect.

This will be the 36^th year that Saskatchewan has been hosting their Free Fishing Weekend and if you wish to find out more about the angling guide and other information you can go to Saskatchewan.ca/fishing.

The Flin Flon Station Museum opened up for the summer on Canada Day at the Flin Flon Tourist Bureau.

Museum Chairman  Joe Buie is excited to open the doors and welcomes you to come  and check out Flin Flon’s rich history.  " Well in the back end there, we have a huge display from Hudbay, the history of mining. Then we get into artifacts from local businesses that were in town,  and then artifacts that have to deal with some of the Pioneers who started our community. So those are some of the things that you could see,  including anything from an old diving suit that was used at Island Falls to an old refrigerator that was made in the 1930's." 

The Museum is open daily 10 to 6 and will be open right up until September. It is free to attend and donations are welcome and you can call 204-687-2946 to arrange a tour or for more information.

The City Of Flin Flon is once again hosting a summer day camp, Summer In The Parks which is underway and  will run for the entire summer wrapping up in late August.

Flin Flon Rec Programmer Kelsey Andersen talks about all the different themes the kids will get to enjoy this year. " So the different themes we have going on this week include Pirate Week. Then we will have Earth Week, followed by Mine Craft week, where a little birdy told me they may be watching the Minecraft movie. We will also have Career Week, Holiday Week, Magic Week, Decades Week and Party Week. So we have a lot of cool things going on this summer."

It takes place Monday to Friday at the Flin Flon Community Hall between 9 and 4 and is open to kids ages 5 to 10. You can sign up weekly or daily by registering at the City of Flin Flon website by clicking on the booking and registration tab.

On June 26^th , Lynn Lake RCMP received a report of an off-road vehicle rollover that occurred on Main Road in Marcel Colomb First Nation (Black Sturgeon Falls).

Officers attended and have determined that an ATV, being driven by a 13-year-old male, was travelling on Main Road, with an 11-year-old male passenger, when the driver lost control of the ATV and rolled.

 

The 13-year-old driver was transported to hospital with minor injuries. The 11-year-old was pronounced deceased on scene.

The two occupants of the ATV were not wearing helmets. Speed is believed to be a factor in the collision.
 

Lynn Lake RCMP continue to investigate.

People in Northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan continue to deal with the wildfire situation that has brought a significant amount of destruction to Denare Beach.

Flin Flon MLA Tom Lindsay is calling for unity for the three communities including Flin Flon, Creighton and Denare Beach and is adamant that  we have to find a way to erase these provincial  borders. " I think we can learn a lot from this and I hope we do, what I said earlier about having conversations of everybody coming together. I don't care who you pay taxes to, we are all the same community here, whether it is Northern Affairs, the parks, Creighton, Denare Beach. We should all be sitting at the table together, planning for these  events. Not just economic stuff, but all of this stuff as we need to form one group that has central command structure to it so we can address this going forward. We need to make sure we don't get into this boat again where we have help and they don't, we need to figure this out."

Lindsay went on to say that he and the Cumberland MLA Jordan McPhail will be sitting down soon and will be  trying to come up with solutions to figure all this out.

The Economic Developers Association of Manitoba held their 9^th annual Manitoba Economic Development Awards back in June.

These awards recognize excellence in Economic development right across the province. Four categories are represented each year. The awards were presented in Steinbach and the Cranberry Artisan Market was the winner for Project Of The Year for under $100,000.00.

Barb Bragg was on hand to receive the award and says this a great honor for Cranberry and the entire North. " We were pretty darn thrilled as we knew we were nominated,  and that came at the end of a process we were invited to send something in on the market and we did. So how we got involved with this as we did a survey at the end of our last year,  and approximately two thirds of the vendors had submitted their information which was totally voluntary. They had generated at that market some where over $25,000.00,  and what that says is if you project that over the summer we are probably generating an economic development of over $100,000.00."

With the wildfire situation Cranberry had to cancel their last two Artisan Markets,  and look forward to bringing them back including the next one scheduled for August the 2^nd. If you are a vendor and would like to get involved you can e-mail cpartisanmarket@gmail.com.