You will have some more chances to pick up your Possession and Acquisition License by learning the proper way to handle a firearm.

Ryan Grey is the instructor and he gives us the details on what he will be teaching." The course is open to anyone 12 years of age or older, and the course covers firearm safety. We will also cover a little on maintenance and cleaning, general stuff including storage and transport. Once you get your Possession and Acquisition license then that allows you to either purchase or inherit or lend firearms or long guns."

The next courses are the weekend of February the 20^th and 21^st at the Creighton Community Hall with ten spots available.

Register by contacting Ryan Grey at 204-687-3163 or kanvasback5253@gmail.com. The course fee is $175.00.

THIS PAST WEDNESDAY COUNCIL REPORTED RECEIVING A REQUEST FROM DENARE BEACH RECREATION TO SUPPORT THE 47th WINTER FESTIVAL TAKING PLACE FEBRUARY 13th TO THE 15th BY MAKING A DONATION TO THE PENNY PARADE WHICH COUNCIL AGREED TO.

THEY ALSO RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM NORTHERN GROWING ABILITIES TO USE THE TOWNS CHARITABLE STATUS NUMBER FOR THEIR GRANT APPLICATION TO NORTHERN NEIGHBORS FOUNDATION. NGA IS APPLYING FOR FUNDS TO INSTALL A SMALL KITCHEN ON THE MAIN FLOOR OF THEIR BUILDING. COUNCIL AGREED TO THIS REQUEST.

COUNCIL ALSO APPROVED THE REQUEST FROM HUDBAY MINERS TO RENEW THEIR LEASES FOR A FURTHER TWENTY YEAR TERM TO EXTEND THE LAND LEASE TO MARCH 31st 2046 WITH THE ONLY CHANGE BEING THE TERM ON THE LEASE.

COUNCIL WILL ALSO BE PURCHASING TWO NEW SOLAR CROSSWALK LIGHTS AND TWO FLASHING SIGNS THAT INDICATE A CROSSWALK AHEAD WHICH WILL BE INSTALLED ON LEE AVENUE.

On January 27^th,  Leaf Rapids RCMP received a request for assistance from staff at the Health Centre within the community.

Information provided to police was that a male youth had entered the building requesting medical assistance but would not comply with requests from staff.

An officer arrived on scene and met with the youth in a room and attempted to speak with him and gather information.

The youth then pulled a knife and attacked the officer who suffered a stab injury to their hand and upper body. The officer then called for backup and requested assistance from staff members to safely take the suspect into custody.

After a lengthy struggle, and with assistance of staff, the youth was safely taken into custody and removed from the Health Centre.

The officer was treated for their injuries, and no other physical injuries were reported.

The 15-year-old, from Leaf Rapids, has been charged with multiple offenses including assault causing bodily harm.

He was remanded into custody.

Leaf Rapids RCMP continue to investigate.


 

The Denare Beach Winter Festival is making it’s return the weekend of February the 13^th,14^th and 15^th with a lot of events the whole family can enjoy.

Rec Director Mel Durette is looking forward to the festival and bringing everyone together. " It is very good that we decided to do it after everything that happened last summer, we just want to bring everyone back together. It will start off on Friday with supper at 5, and there is only 200 tickets available for that, so get your tickets quickly. There will be the Penny Parade, kids events, Turkey Curling and Trap Setting on Friday. Saturday we are going to have a Pancake Breakfast, a bingo, dog sled races and we will also have dog sled rides."

For the first time in seven years they will have horse sleigh races and the event will wrap up on the Sunday at the Beaver Lake Grounds with a sliding party, trap setting and the Dog Sled Races.

All the events are free and there will be a chance to win a lot of great prizes.

The wait is almost over for the grand opening of the new Flin Flon Snow Lodge over by the Rotary Wheel.

The grand opening is tomorrow with gates opening at 5pm with opening remarks and a Lighting Ceremony at 5:30pm.

Ainsley McIntosh Stallard is excited about the opening and welcomes the entire community to come down and celebrate this Winter Festival. " You know what, things are looking really good and everyone has been working very hard. We have a great team of volunteers that are getting excited to do their roles. The lights are up on the skating rink, the Rotary Wheel is set up and the Snow Lodge is looking amazing. I think people are going to be really surprised with everything we have to offer there."

Among the highlights this weekend will be a guided snow shoe tour on both Friday and Saturday that you can still register for. You can view the complete list of events this weekend on their Facebook and Instagram pages.

SOME OF THE HI-LITES FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT INCLUDED ECOLE McISSAC CONTINUING TO ADDRESS ABSENTEEISM WHICH HAS BEEN A KEY FOCUS FOR THEIR TEAM ALL YEAR.

THEIR FAMILY ROOM OFFERS PROGRAMMING TUESDAY AND THURSDAY AFTERNOONS

WHICH ARE PERFECT OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES TO PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES AND MEET OTHER PARENTS. 

THEY ALSO HAVE COMMUNITY WORKERS ATTENDING ONCE A MONTH.

PARENTS ARE ASKED TO ENSURE STUDENTS COME TO SCHOOL DRESSED FOR THE WINTER WEATHER AND IF THAT IS A CHALLENGE PLEASE CONTACT ERIN IN THE FAMILY ROOM. 

THEY ALSO OFFER MANY EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES SUCH AS CHOIR,GLEE,JAZZ BAND,DRUMMING,CROCHET CLUB AND BASKETBALL.

STUDENTS AT HAPNOT COLLEGIATE CONTINUE WORKING ON THE CORE SUBJECTS OF MATHEMATICS,ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS,SOCIAL SCIENCES,AND NATURAL SCIENCES.

THE TRUSTEES ALSO PASSED A MOTION APPROVING THE PURCHASE OF A MOVEABLE WHEELCHAIR RAMP UP TO $15,000 THOUSAND DOLLARS OUT OF THE 2025/26 SURPLUS. 

THE DIVISIONS PUBLIC BUDGET MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 26th AT 6:30PM AT THE DIVISION OFFICE AT NINE TERRACE AVENUE.

The Flin Flon Trout Festival Association  held a meeting this past Tuesday at the Creighton Recreation and Tourism office.

President Dianne Russell chaired the meeting and they discussed having a booth at this year’s CFAR Trade and Leisure Show and the festival highs and lows from last year with so much rescheduling.

A motion was passed to not reinstate the bursary program at this time. They have also confirmed a number of events for this year’s festival including the Fishing Derby, Fish Fry, Midway / Canuck Amusements, Community Barbecue, Canada Day events and Beaver Lake Day, just to name a few.

They wrapped up the meeting with discussion on ordering swag and a new stage, and have approved  the 2026 budget.

As part of International Women’s week this year, the Women’s Resource Centre in Flin Flon would like to highlight some of the women in our community who have impacted the community in a positive way.

Madison McIntire explains how you can go about nominating somebody for an award. " So we are selecting seven recipients, so one for each day of the week, surprising them with an award and some swag. You will see on our Facebook page that we have a link , which is a very quick google form and it is anonymous when you go on there to nominate people. We will need who you are nominating and why, where they can be contacted and get a hold of them. Then we will go through the nominations and select seven for the week."

You can nominate as many people as you want with nominations closing February the 13^th. All the awards will be presented during International Women’s Week, March the 2^nd to the 8^th. Keep watching the Women’s Resource Centre’s Facebook page for updates.

The FDC Economic Development Commission is filming winter tourism footage in mid-to-late February in the Flin Flon area.

They received a grant from Tourism Saskatchewan to help promote the area,  and originally they wanted to do this in the summer time, but with the fires the project has been moved to the Winter.

Kasper Antoszewski  has more including how you can get involved. " We can use some volunteers who can help us either identify the best places to film, or are interested in being part of the production.You could be a model for the production, whether it is cross country skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, things like that."

If you would like to be part of this production you can  reach out to kantoszewski@flinflon.ca and bwhite@flinflon.ca with the subject line "Tourism Model".

Don’t forget to include your name, age, activities you want to take part in, week day or weekend availability and contact information.

Two males are charged and wanted by Prince Albert RCMP after two people were assaulted on Muskoday First Nation.

On January 24^th,  Prince Albert RCMP received a report of a stabbing at a residence on Muskoday First Nation, SK.

Investigation determined four suspects wearing masks entered a residence on Muskoday First Nation. Two of the suspects assaulted the victims. All four suspects fled the scene in a vehicle that was later located by police with no occupants inside.

As a result of investigation, 34-year-old Jordan Stonestand from Muskoday First Nation and 27-year-old Chance Smith from Prince Albert, SK are each charged with multiple offenses including aggravated assault  and possession of a weapon for a  dangerous purpose.

A warrant has been issued for Jordan Stonestand and Chance Smith’s arrest. Prince Albert RCMP continue to work to locate them and ask the public to report sightings and information on their whereabouts.

Jordan Stonestand is described as:

• Height: 6 ft 2 in
• Weight: 165 lb
• Eye colour: brown
• Hair colour: brown

Chance Smith is described as:

• Height: 6 ft 2 in
• Weight: 152 lb
• Eye colour: brown
• Hair colour: black

If you see Jordan Stonestand or Chance Smith, do not approach them. Report all sightings on their whereabouts or information on this investigation to Prince Albert RCMP by calling 310-RCMP (7267). Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

Since Covid, the Winterfest festival in Cranberry has really been revitalized and is returning on February 26^th to March the 1^st.

Barb Bragg mentions that there is going to be no shortage of events for you to enjoy again  this year. " There is Bingo, some curling, there is a Cribbage tournament and contests. We also have a lot of historical skill competitions going on for the youth like Sweed Saw, cutting, tea boiling, fire making, Bannock baking, those sort of things. Most of these events take place around the Arena, but we also have a Makers Market which will be taking place on Saturday February the 28th. We expect to be in the Elementary School this year."

There will also  be a Family Fishing Derby which will take place the weekend before on Saturday February the 21^st at Caribou Lodge. All the information on all the events can be seen on the Cranberry Portage Winterfest facebook page, and their new website is almost up and running and should be completed by the end of the week.

The Home Routes series is back for 2026 which will once again feature fantastic live music at your doorstep.

The featured artists will be Jane and Kyle who are Canadian Fiddle Champions who will perform in Cranberry on February the 6^th and the Spencer’s home in Flin Flon at 19 Hemlock on February the 7^th.

Elly Spencer is excited to welcome this award winning duo to the North. " Jane is a past Canadian Grand Master Fiddling Champion and Kyle is the current North American Celtic Fiddling Champion. They are going to be coming with a Mandolin player, so it is going to be an exciting show and folks are really going to enjoy it."

Tickets are $25.00 a piece with the doors opening at 7pm and the music will start at 7:30. For more information on the Cranberry show you can send an e-mail to cphomeroutes@gmail.com or call /text 204-680-6003. In Flin Flon you can e-mail timelly1@gmail.com or call /text 431-746-4880.

The second session of Read To Me is underway for children 2 to 5 years of  age as well as  their parents in Flin Flon and area.

Laurence Gillespie explains what the program is all about. " Well it is designed to encourage the love of reading on the part of small pre schoolers that will hopefully last them for the rest of their life. All the studies have shown that if children can be introduced to books early enough, they can become life  long readers which has all kinds of implications for their academic performance. It will also help their performance in a lot of different varietys in their life." 

It takes place three days a week including Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at the Ruth Betts Family Room starting at 9 am and Thursday morning at  9:30 am in the basement of the Library.

It is free and the sessions include reading, a craft, a snack, and free play time. You can sign up by calling/texting Laurence at 204-271-2890.

On January 22^nd,  Cumberland House RCMP received a report of an injured person outside a business in Cumberland House.

Officers immediately responded and located an adult male with injuries consistent with gunshot wounds. They provided first aid to the victim until EMS arrived. The victim was taken to the hospital with injuries described as serious in nature.

Officers determined the suspect was inside a residence in Cumberland House. Saskatchewan RCMP’s Critical Incident Response Team was engaged to assist with his arrest.

Conservation officers with the Provincial Protective Services Branch and the Saskatchewan Marshals Service assisted Cumberland House RCMP in maintaining a perimeter around the residence, and were able to arrest the suspect without incident.

As a result, 29-year-old Preston Crane from Cumberland House is charged with: aggravated assault and discharge of a firearm with intent.

He is scheduled to appear in La Ronge Provincial Court today. 

 On January 14th, the Snow Lake Health Auxiliary presented a cheque of $3,200 to the Northern Village of Denare Beach to support their rebuilding efforts after the wildfires of 2025.

Accepting the cheque was Northern Village of Denare Beach councillor Jesse Madarash. The cheque was presented by SLHA members Cathy Stabback, Dawna Bieniarz, Sheila Francis, Janice Becking, Ann Taylor, Ellen Bridgeman, and Terry Wood.

 The Snow Lake Health Auxiliary fundraises through The Second Glance and other initiatives. The Snow Lake Health Auxiliary supports the Snow Lake Health Centre and community activities  in Snow Lake and its neighbouring areas.

The Flin Flon Public Library has decided to cancel their Family Literacy Day festivities which were supposed to take place tomorrow at the Library.

They will be hosting another fun event instead next week as we get the details from Library Administrator Lisa Slugoski.

“We’ve had a lot of people express that they’re worried about coming out in, cause it’s supposed to be so cold this weekend. So, we have collaborated on an exciting event with the Flin Flon/Creighton Senior’s Support Services instead. That will be happening next Thursday, January 29^th, at 1:30 at the library. And it’s an intergenerational fun day, so, we’re gonna have some healthy snacks, a craft, a story and all of the attendees will also be getting a free book.”

This is open to all children and grand parents and you can register in person at the Flin Flon Public Library or you can message their Facebook page or call at 1-833-960-3519.

Saskatchewan RCMP is investigating a shooting that occurred yesterday in Cumberland House, which injured one individual.

There will be an increased police presence in Cumberland House in relation to this ongoing investigation. People are asked to avoid the areas where police officers are present and follow any police direction provided.

Officers are currently searching for a person of interest, who is described as a male in his 20s with black hair and brown eyes. He is known to drive a blue 2008 Chrysler 300 with Saskatchewan license plate 215 NGG.

If you see this car, do not approach it. Contact police immediately by dialling 310-RCMP or 9-1-1 in an emergency. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

As this is an unfolding investigation. The RCMP will provide an update on this investigation as soon as they are able. If an imminent risk to public safety is identified, RCMP will notify the public.

The Flin Flon Neighbourhood Revitalization Corporation held their AGM this past Wednesday at Council Chambers at Flin Flon City Hall.

The Board Chair, Mark Kolt chaired the meeting and shared a lot of information including their mandate, priorities, operations and plans for the future.

Kolt gave the details on their funding which comes from the Provincial Government where they get $25,000.00 each year which gets distributed amongst different charity and volunteer groups in Flin Flon. There is a maximum of $5,000.00 which can be awarded to one particular group.

Grants have been awarded in the past to organizations like the Trout Festival, Culture Days, the Blueberry Jam, the Santa Clause Parade and Wild Things Outdoor Market.

Kolt mentioned that some of the key things they want to focus in on in 2026 include forming a Community Mobilization group which will help local social service agencies and community support organizations work more effectively and more efficiently. They also want to do more community outreach.

If you are part of a volunteer or community group who would like to do something positive in the community you go through the application process by going to their website at ffnrc.wordpress.com or call Lawrence at 204-687-6972.

The meeting concluded with elections and Kaiti Keramydas, Raphael Saray, Jude McGowan, Heather Richardson and Ariane Shairpe were all re-elected by acclamation.

2026 looks like it will be a very busy year for the Flin Flon Rec department with the opening of the new Aqua Centre, opening of the new Snow Lodge and Bust The Winter Blues happening In February.

Rec Director Cait Bailey also mentioned a few other big projects that will be taking place. " We are still looking for anyone who may be interested in taking Life Guard courses, please reach out to us. Our facebook page is Flin Flon Recreation. You can also call or reach out to me at cbailey@flinflon.ca and we will keep you up to date on any training that we have. Our Camp Whitney project,we are excited that Stack City is working on that project with us. They are really excited about the project as they all participated and spent time out at Camp Whitney,  and look forward to taking their own families out there. They have an ice road built up on Athapap this winter which is usually the end of February,the beginning of March when the ice road season opens up. So that will be so the contractors can move all of the products for the build across the lake and they will all be on sight so that they can do construction over the Spring and Summer."

Bust The Winter Blues will be taking place with lots of activities planned all over Flin Flon and Creighton the weekend of February the 27^th to March the 1^st and a complete list of all the events is posted on both the Flin Flon Rec and Creighton Recreation facebook pages.

Prince Albert RCMP with the assistance of Saskatchewan RCMP’s Critical Incident Response Team – arrested and charged a male and a female following a shooting that occurred in the community of Little Red River.

On January 18^th ,  Prince Albert RCMP received a report of a shooting in Little Red River.

Officers immediately responded. Investigation determined a male was outside in Little Red River when a black SUV approached him. One of the occupants inside the SUV was armed with a firearm and discharged it, injuring the male. The black SUV drove away. The injured male was taken to hospital by EMS with injuries described as non-life-threatening in nature.

Prince Albert RCMP searched the area and located a vehicle matching the SUV’s description outside a residence in Little Red River. Officers set up containment at the residence and engaged Saskatchewan RCMP’s Critical Incident Response Team to assist. A male and a female later exited the residence and were arrested by police.

As a result of continued investigation, 34-year-old Jared Naytowhow from Little Red River is charged with multiple offenses including discharging a firearm with intent and aggravated assault.

33-year-old Jackie Morin from Little Red River is charged with aggravated assault and possession of a firearm when knowing possession unauthorized.

Jared Naytowhow and Jackie Morin appeared in Prince Albert Provincial Court on January 20^th.

 Flin Flon City Council made that announcement as part of their City Council meeting on Tuesday night in Council Chambers.

The new Transit Bus is part of a 2.2 million dollar Federal Transportation grant that also included new bus shelters and sidewalks which were added back in the fall. There is still some money left over, so they will add a few more sidewalks in the community starting in the Spring. The new bus is also wheel chair accessible.

Things are starting to progress with the new Public Safety Awareness Committee. Councillor Slipp and Deputy Mayor Alison Dallas Funk commented that they are working closely with the RCMP to select appropriate spots to install cameras around town.

Councillor Slipp also mentioned that residents can take advantage of a camera rebate program for their personal properties for $150.00, and there is also a $300.00 rebate for businesses to add cameras courtesy of the Provincial Government.

Monthly meetings are going to start soon to keep the public updated on their progress.

The City Of Flin Flon has extended the Business Store Front Grant, where any business in Flin Flon can apply for up to $10,000.00 to improve the front of their business. This is a matching grant and the City has a total of $60,000.00 in funds available.

Councillor Judy Eagle wrapped up the meeting by mentioning that City Council had made a donation of $500.00 towards the 4^th annual Jimmy Custer Memorial Dog Sled  Races.

The Central Canada Film Group of Flin Flon will be showing their first movie of 2026 , one of the most popular movies of the 80’s.

Colin Davis lets us know what they will be showing. " Well we have a fun classic for you this Friday, come on out and cheer on Indianna Jones in Raiders Of The Lost Arc. Now, if you are like me you don't think of Raiders Of The Lost Arc being that old, but now that we are in to 2026,  we can say that is now a film that is 45 years old. It still seems strange  to be labelling this a classic, but I guess it is. The best part of course, it is an adventure film that still holds up today. Now as you might know,  we like to refer to our films that we show as films you might of missed."

Doors will open up at 7pm and they have a fun pre show for anyone who arrives early. Snacks will be available at the door and the show is free.

The countdown and the excitement for Flin Flon’s first Snow Lodge continues as it will officially open up in a little more than a week at the Flin Flon Rotary Wheel.

Ainsley McIntosh Stallard is very happy with the progress that is being made. " I think that as far as activities and things, we have started to confirm everything. People can register for snow shoeing that is guided, there are artists and vendors confirmed, a skating loop has been made. There will be fun skating games set up and we have a lot of stuff confirmed and ready to go, the Snow Lodge is really looking great. They are just finishing up the last few touches and we have some artists in there doing some really amazing things which is great."

If you would like to sign up as a vendor, volunteer or performer you can send an e-mail to flinflonsnowlodge@gmail.com. They also have a facebook and instagram page with lots of information including activities available and how to register for them.

A program will be posted online this Saturday  with the confirmed artists, vendors, story tellers and Cultural Teachings.

Flin Flon City Council is concerned about the amount of crime that is taking place in the community and will be spear heading a Public Safety Wellness Committee.

The committee plans to work with the RCMP and volunteers from the community to get this program up and running as we hear from the chair person Mike Slipp.

“The Public Safety & Wellness Committee is really...is city facilitated but not city whole, because we have, we want public involved too, similar to the Main Street Committee and things like that. So, the Public Safety Committee, there are council on the Public Safety Committee and I chair it, but, it’s more for the Public. We want to get it started, get it rolling and we’ll facilitate as much as we can. We want to change what we’re do work with what we can, you know we’re not gonna go out and fight crime. Although, Sergeant Brushett and I are going around Friday Afternoon to scope out possible places where we can put security cameras.

Slipp appeared on the first City Beat program of 2026 on 102.9 CFAR along with Deputy Mayor Alison Dallas Funk and you can listen to the complete interview on flinflononline.com by clicking on the your radio tab then click on podcasts/Flin Flon Today.

Cranberry is preparing for their 100^th anniversary which will be taking place in 2028. This past weekend residents held a meeting to get feedback on how they would like to see the community showcased.

Barb Bragg says the meeting went well and there is a lot of excitement moving forward. 

“It’s really about what we can do for our residents in town, but also, how can we become a destination place? That brings people from the South and the North to Cranberry Portage. Which can stimulate some economic development and interest in our community. Because it’s an absolutely incredible community that needs to be spoken about and talked about and we need people to stop as they drive through.”

Some of the ideas they have moving forward include an upscale of their downtown, doing a lot of new activities and adding structures around Athapap lake which they feel will boost tourism. They also want to promote the history of the area which includes the fur trade route by adding signage to all the historical land marks in the area.

Bragg added they will start to apply for grants to support all of the projects and will continue to update people on their community Facebook page and if you have any ideas, or questions send an e-mail to discovercranberryportage@gmail.com. or text 204-680-6003 for more information.

The Flin Flon Public Library is inviting you and your family to come out and enjoy Family Literacy Day on Saturday January the 24^th.

Saxony Pelletier  the Library Administrative Assistant shares the details. " We will be kicking things off with a story time for the kids, followed by a fun craft and then we will wrap up with snacks and drinks. This year's theme for Family Literacy Day is make meal time, family learning time. Everything will be centered around food and family fun. This event is totally free and if you bring a donation for the food bank you will be entered for some fun prizes." 

It takes place between 1 and 3pm at the Library and if you plan on attending you can RSVP ffpl@shaw.ca.

If you are part of a volunteer organization or charity  group in Flin Flon, Creighton, Denare Beach , Cranberry and  Snow Lake you can apply for funding through the Northern Neighbors Foundation.

Granting is open  and Shylo Rogers explain’s how you can apply. " We have approximately $190,000.00 to give away to community projects this year. We encourage any organization that has something that they think would be an asset to any of those communities to fill out an application on line. Granting does close February the 15th, so you only have about a month to complete your applications and get them into us."

You can find the grant application on their website at northernneighbors.com, then fill them out and have them e-mailed back to northernneighborsfoundation@gmail.com by February the 15^th at 6pm.

If you have questions you  can call 204-687-5715 or 204-687-0848 and they will assist you.

COUNCIL REPORTED RECEIVING A REQUEST FROM HUDBAY MINERALS TO RENEW THEIR LEASES FOR A FURTHER TWENTY YEAR TERM EXTENDING THE LAND LEASE TO MARCH 31st 2046. THE REQUEST WAS REFERRED FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.

A REQUEST WAS ALSO RECEIVED FROM FLIN FLON MINOR HOCKEY TO SUPPORT THE U13 RURAL PROVINCIALS WHICH TAKE PLACE IN FLIN FLON THIS MARCH 13-15th FEATURING TOP TEAMS FROM ACROSS MANITOBA. COUNCIL AGREED TO DONATE A HOODIE IN SUPPORT OF THE PENNY PARADE.

COUNCIL ALSO RECEIVED A REQUEST TO ADDRESS THE SAFETY CONCERN REGARDING A PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK IN THE COMMUNITY AND  MAYOR BRUCE FIDDLER STATED THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DEALING WITH IT.

COUNCIL HAS BEEN ASKED TO SUPPORT THE FOURTH ANNUAL JIMMY CUSTER MEMORIAL DOG RACES WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE IN DENARE BEACH FEBRUARY 14th AND 15th WHICH THEY AGREED TO DO AS THEY HAVE IN THE PAST.

COUNCIL ALSO READ AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM FORAN STATING THAT THEY HAVE EXECUTED A MULTI-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH HUDBAY MINERALS FOR CONCENTRATE HAULING AND LOADING SERVICES. MAYOR BRUCE FIDDLER STATED THIS IS GOOD NEWS AS THEY WILL NOT BE TRUCKING DOWN MAIN STREET, THEY WILL BE ACCESSING FROM JUST OUTSIDE CREIGHTON ON THE COMPANY ROAD AND THIS WILL ALSO CREATE A FEW NEW JOBS.

There are a lot of winter festivals coming up the next few weeks which will give families a chance to enjoy all kinds of winter activities in the Flin Flon,  Creighton and Denare Beach areas.

Bust The Winter Blues will take place on Feb 27^th to March the 1^st and the committee’s Lindsay Shirran runs down the list of events they have planned so far " Our Bust The Winter Blues Committee has been working hard in planning our up coming festival. We wil have the usual Trivia Night, family fun skate, a glow snowshoe event, fireworks, fun day at the Sportex, free toddler gym, events for the seniors , partnering up with the Border Explorers and hoping to have a fun activity day over by the Snow Lodge at the Rotary Wheel."

Events for all ages will take place  throughout Flin Flon and Creighton and as soon as the events are all finalized, a complete list will be available on the Flin Flon and Creighton Rec Facebook pages.

The Flin Flon Arts Council is preparing for their first big show of 2026 as they will be hosting a Winter Cabaret featuring the country act the Abrams.

The Arts Council’s Crystal Woodward is excited about bringing this award winning band  to Flin Flon. " The Abrams Brothers, there are just two of them but they are coming with a whole band, there is going to be  four performing. They do Folk, Blue Grass and a Country vibe. It is really upbeat and it is really good and I am really impressed. They are very popular and they have travelled four continents and have multiple awards and they are Canadian."

The show will take place at the Flin Flon Community Hall on Tuesday January the 27^th starting at 8pm. Tickets are $40.00 for adults and $20.00 for youth under 16. You can pick up tickets by going to flinflonartscouncil.ca and click on the showpass link. Physical tickets can be picked up from the Uptown Emporium which is located at the Staff House. Tickets will also be sold at the door the date of the show.

Recovery is now the focus after a school bus crash north of Swan River sent multiple students to hospital.

Fourteen students and a driver were injured when the bus from Sapotaweyak Cree Nation rolled over on Highway 10, just south of Mafeking, during icy conditions.

RCMP say four people suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

One 16-year-old girl broke two vertebrae, and her family says she faces a long recovery.

Police continue to investigate.

After a devastating summer in Denare Beach where there was significant loss to homes and businesses due to the wildfires, there is a big event coming up in February to bring the community together.

The 4^th annual Jimmy Custer Dog Sled Races will take place the weekend of February the 14^th and 15^th.

Wally Olson tells us this event has really picked up in momentum the last few years. " We have had a ton of support for this event and the majority of teams are from out of town. Last year we had two teams from Quebec and a team from the Northwest Territories and that was good to see. There is a dog sled race circuit that go's on the following weekend with the prestigious races in the Pas, the  Trappers Festival. That is why we choose the weekend we do as the mushers are in the area and loking for a race."

Last year they had a total of 31 entries, which was a personal best. A total of $10,000.00 in prizes will be awarded and this year the Dog Sled Races will be part of the Denare Beach Winter Festival. Northland Ford will also be on hand giving away free hotdogs and hot chocolate on the Saturday.

We are a few weeks into 2026 and Soup Days are back in Flin Flon at the Anglican Church where any needy people in the community can drop by to warm up and get a free lunch.

The Salvation Army is heading the program and Nelly Brown talks about all the people in the community who are in need. " Well to start off the Salvation Army mandate is hand to man and heart to God, and with that we have been running a soup program since October of 2025. Between October 17th and December the 22nd last year we served 718 people, so there is a need for this service in town. We would really like to thank our sponsors including the United Steelworkers who pay for half our groceries. We also want to thank ST Peters Anglican Church who only charge us half price to rent their hall."

Soup Days take place every Monday and Friday at the Flin Flon Anglican Church between 11:30 and 1pm. If you would like to volunteer or make a financial donation you can reach out to Nelly at 204-687-4283.

The week of Christian Unity is underway,  where all the church’s in Flin Flon come together to spread the gospel and get together to share the Christian faith.

Kristina Lies talks about the history behind the event in our community. " The number one idea is to have us all get together, something they did for years and depending on Clergy and availability for people, we haven't done it for a few years.It is something that brings our church's and congregations together for services in the evening. There is a service from a different country that is celebrated every year,  but we have adapted it over the years to what ever our respective church's want to do with litergy, their services and music."

Tonight the service will take place at the Alliance Church, Thursday at ST Anne’s and Friday at the Baptist Church. All the services begin at 7pm and everyone is welcome no matter what your faith background is.

Yesterday, Swan River RCMP received a report of a school bus carrying a number of children rolled over while travelling on Highway 10, about 13 kilometres south of Mafeking.

At this time, it is believed the rollover occurred when the driver of the school bus, travelling south on the highway, attempted to pass another bus and lost control. The bus went off the highway, rolled and then came to a stop when it was right-side up. Road conditions were believed to be slippery at the time of the incident.

Fifteen people, including the driver, were transported to hospital in Swan River for assessment and treatment of their injuries. Four patients – three youth and one adult – were then transported by air to Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg for further care.

A Manitoba RCMP forensic reconstructionist has been deployed to the scene and continue the investigation.

Northern Sport and Culture and Recreation District is holding a Winter Webinar series throughout January. This will be an opportunity for professional development through different topics covered  for volunteer leaders.

The discussion topics include Leadership in Action, Find Your Flow taking place today.

Wednesday January the 21^st is Grant Writing, 101 Ways For Non Profits, and Wednesday January the 28^th it is Project Management, 101 Fundamentals.

All times are between 1:15 and 2:45pm and you can fill out a registration form on the Creighton Recreation Facebook page. You can find out more about the series by going to www.nscrd.com.

For the first time in three years, Teen Challenge is holding their Sled For Eternity fundraiser in Flin Flon.

Darryl Hartvig is hoping for a god turn out for their biggest fundraiser of the year. " This event is pretty much our bread and butter, we are a non profit organization and have to raise funds to carry out the ministry we do. Sled For Eternity is an opportunity for people to be able to ride with us, but at the same time not just ride with us but ride for a purpose. We are all about helping people with life altering addictions."

The event will take place on Saturday February the 28^th with check in at 8:30 am at ST Annes Hall. You can sign up for the event by going to their website at teenchallenge.tc or by phoning 204-949-9484 ext.6.

The top fundraising prize will be a 2026 Ski Doo Back Country XRS snow machine.

There are a lot of programs underway at the Flin Flon Public Library to get you and your family reading.

The new Winter session of Read To Me is underway and takes place Tuesday and Wednesday at Ruth Betts school at 9am in their Family Room. It also takes place on Thursday ay 9am at the Flin Flon Public Library down stairs.

You can sign up for free by contacting Lawrence at 204-271-2890.

The Library is also getting ready for Family Literacy day on Tuesday January the 27^th and the theme this year is Make Mealtime Family Learning Time. The Library is looking for your families favorite recipe that they can print and share with everyone who will be attending Family Literacy Day.

E-mail your favorite recipe to ffpl@shaw.ca

We are just a few weeks away from the grand opening of the new Snow Lodge in Flin Flon over by the Rotary Wheel.

Ainsley McIntosh Stallard gives up as update on how all the preparation is going. " Things are coming along very good and we are on track and looking to be done the build this week. Lots of people are excited as we are seeing a lot of people sign up as vendors, volunteers and performers. It is exciting to see the community come together as we can bring a lot of things to that weekend."

Stallard also mentioned they have lots of vendors, artists and performers but could definitely use some more volunteers. A lot of exciting events will take place including Guided Snow Shoeing , Dog Sled Races, public skating, a Winter Market , just to name a few.

It takes place the weekend of January the 31^st to Feb 1^st and you can get more details by going to their facebook page and Instagram page.

On January 6th, Oxford House RCMP were advised by First Nation Safety Officer’s that they were responding to a report of a stranded motorist out on the winter road, near mile marker 180.

 RCMP received an update from the FNSO’s that the stranded vehicle, which had run out of fuel, contained five occupants and that they were taken into custody for attempting to transport a large quantity of drugs and liquor into the community.


RCMP met with the FNSO’s on the winter road and placed the five suspects under arrest for the possession of the drugs and liquor.

A search of the vehicle, , led to the seizure of 209 bottles of liquor, over 850 grams of crack cocaine, over 200 grams of cocaine, a small quantity of methamphetamine and other drug related paraphernalia.

One of the occupants, a 34-year-old female from Bunibonibee Cree Nation, was  found to have sustained injuries earlier consistent with an assault, was taken to the Nursing Station where she was later flown out of the community for further treatment.

The four remaining suspects, Glen Harper, 18, Oden Mason, 22, Cynthia Weenusk, 37, all from Bunibonibee Cree Nation, along with Tamara Palmquist, 43, from Winnipeg, were remanded into custody on charges of Possession for the purpose of Trafficking, Possession of property obtained by crime and several charges under the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control act
 

Oxford House RCMP continue to investigate.

The Wahkohtowin Trails Committee met for the first time in 2026 last Monday at the Creighton Tourism Office.

Leslie Beck is excited about the progress their group has made the last year and says they are adding new trails all the time." We know that Creighton has some very exciting things coming, they are going to be taking over the Weather Station on the Denare Beach road. We are looking forward to working with them the next few years as they have trails out there. We have partnered with the City of Flin Flon to build a trail between the Victoria Inn and Channing and we are hoping that will also become an all season trail where people will be able to walk to the beach. We have been working with Hudbay again for a parcel of land that is behind the Towers."

The trails are available to people of all ages and are located all over Northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. If you would like to get involved and join their committee or would like to volunteer for any of their projects you can reach out to Leslie at 204-680-6089.

Their next meeting is being planned for early February.

The City of Flin Flon is going to continue with their Business Front Grant  in 2026, allowing all businesses in the community to spruce up the front of their establishments.

City Councillor Mike Slipp has more. " It is a matching grant that the City has had for a while and any business can apply for it at the City Hall.  We will offer up to ten thousand dollars. So if a business puts in ten thousand, the City will put in ten thousand to upgrade the frontage and the look of their business."

You can go anywhere from $500.00 to $10,000.00 and the City will match it. You can stop by City Hall to pick up an application or call the City at 833- 210-6435. The grant will be available until all the funds are used up.

The Northern Health Region is reporting increased flu activity across the north in November and December.

Since September, over 5000 flu vaccines and 3,600 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered. Vaccines remain available through local public health offices and select pharmacies.

Manitoba is also offering the Nirsevimab vaccine to newborns to help protect them against RSV.

For more information, residents can visit northernhealthregion.om or go to their Facebook page

 The Flin Flon Snowlodge team has been busy building, planning, and getting more excited by the day as they  prepare to welcome the community to this new winter addition over by the Flin Flon Rotary Wheel.

To help celebrate the committee is holding a Winter Festival Weekend January the 30^th and February the 1^st.

There will be a lot of great events for you to enjoy with your family including a lighting ceremony, winter market, tours, story telling, skating, a VIP Warming Lodge, vendors and lots of local artists performing.

They are still looking for volunteers, businesses to set up vendors, artists, performers and cultural teachers and different community clubs and groups to get involved.

If you would like to be a part of this Winter Festival Weekend you can e-mail flinflonsnowlodge@gmail.com.

Flin Flon City Council were back at Council Chambers for the first time in 2026.

Council passed a couple of motions on Tuesday night including final reading on the Home Owners Assistance Plan, for Flin Flon residents on the Saskatchewan side  to receive their benefit cheque.

The City has signed an agreement with the Flin Flon Airport for a parking agreement and for rental of the Hangar for the rest of 2026.

Just  before Christmas, the City hosted a public forum on the re-zoning of an area in Channing be changed from light industrial to heavy industrial. Council provided an update saying they were waiting for a new map that includes the proper images.

Residents who attended filled out a Nature of Objection which was sent to the Provincial Government and Council is waiting to hear back on the results from the province.

Mayor Fontaine concluded the meeting commenting on the construction of the new snow hotel which is being built over by the Flin Flon Rotary Wheel.

City Council is very much looking forward to the opening on January the 30^th which will include a lot of great activities that will help celebrate Winter in Flin Flon and area.

Invitations have been sent out to various dignitaries across the province and country to attend the celebration.

Kississing Lodge is going to honor some amazing firefighters with their 2025 Cast It Forward Initiative.

Kississing Lodge was accepting nominations on their website the past few months and have announced who the honorees are going to be.

They want to acknowledge the Flin Flon Firefighters locally and the firefighters who travelled to help save the community in June.

26 different firefighters from Flin Flon have been selected as well as the father son duo of Paul and Ray Rossington who stayed behind during the evacuation to support firefighting efforts using their heavy equipment. Their willingness to help did not go unnoticed.

Kississing Lodge will also recognize Canadian Recipients Philippe Rouleau and James Bright, and American Recipient Eric Cracraft.

All of these exceptional fire fighters will be honoured at Kississing Lodge on July the 17^th to the 21^st during Firefighter Appreciation Week.

A complete list of all the firefighters can be seen at kississinglodge.com.

The Northern Regional Health Authority (NRHA) Board of Directors has been informed Mr. Raj Sewda will resign his position as CEO of the Authority.

The Board thanks Mr. Sewda for his commitment to Northern Health Care.

Since joining the NRHA in 2023, Mr. Sewda led with a focus on strengthening partnerships, advancing organizational priorities, and supporting communities across the Region.

Mr. Sewda shared, “It has been an honour to serve the Northern Health Region. I am grateful to our staff, community partners, and leadership team for their dedication and collaboration.

The Board is committed to ensuring continuity of services and is pleased to announce the appointment of Acting Chief Executive Officer, Cam Ritzer along with Acting Associate Chief Executive Officer, Micheal Ellis effective immediately.

The Chamber of Commerce in Flin Flon held their AGM this past Tuesday afternoon at the Friendship Centre.

Out going President Kory Eastman chaired the meeting and the big topic of the afternoon was how the Chamber would look going forward and if the Chamber would have a different makeup  and what the future might look like. Future meetings in 2026 will help determine this.

The Chamber is hoping for better attendance in 2026 and stronger communication as well as getting more information out on what the Chamber does.

Financially, the Chamber is doing very well and did not spend a lot of money in 2025. The biggest sources of revenue continue to be the memberships, with 92 current members, merchandise, the Trails Committee and group insurance commitments.

The biggest expenses are advertizing and promotion, insurance and salary for their part time employee.

The chamber is preparing resolutions for both the Manitoba and Saskatchewan AGM’S and have put a proposal out to the Manitoba Chamber to come up with a provincial website with each local chamber responsible for their own page.

The meeting concluded with election of officers and Becky Cianflone is the new President.

Vice President- Leslie Beck, Dianne Russell-Secretary Treasurer, Kory Eastman Past President. Directors are Deb Odegaard, Heather Richardson and Laurence Gillisepie.

The Chamber will meet again February.

The Wahkohtowin Trails Committee are set to meet for the first time in 2026 tonight,  as they look forward to another year discovering more trails in Northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Christine Williams shares some exciting news. " We are just getting ready to kick start another winter season. Our most exciting news is that we have another snowshoe trail opening very soon. The trail is tracked and we are just waiting for the signage to hang. The trail is behind the Victoria Inn and it is going to be named the Kelsey Trail , named after the historical figure Henry Kelsey."

They will also be touching on some ideas they have planned and goals going forward. The meeting starts tonight at 7pm at the Creighton Recreation Tourism Office. These meetings are open to the entire pubic and you can also reach out by sending an e-mail to wahkohtowintrails@gmail.com. 

2026 is going to be a big year for Community Futures Greenstone who will mark 40 years of Community Led Economic Development.

General Manager Becky Cianflone is happy to celebrate this milestone in the Flin Flon area. " We are really excited to announce that we are celebrating our 40th anniversary providing community led economic developments in the Flin Flon, Cranberry and Snow Lake regions. The program was announced back in 1986 as part of the Canadian Jobs Strategy. It was really designed for communities  who were going through chronic unemployment, major layoffs and adjustment measures with local econimies."

Community Futures Greenstone was one of the first community futures office’s  established in Western Canada. The 40^th anniversary will be marked throughout 2026 with activities that recognize Greenstone’s history, celebrate community partners and entrepreneurs, and look ahead to the next generation of economic development in Northern Manitoba.

If you are looking for business development services you can reach out to Greenstone at 204-687-6967, or stop by their office at 79 Main Street.

There will be two different opportunities for you to get your Possession and Acquisition firearms  Licence in January.

The first one takes place on Saturday and Sunday January the 17^th and 18^th and another one is Coming up on January the 30th and 31^st, both weekends at the Creighton Community Hall.

Ryan Grey is the instructor and he explains what he will be teaching. " Well a lot of it is on firearm safety, handling, transporting, storage of firearms and ammunition in your home and vehicle. They learn all the basic gun parts and cleaning."

The cost to take the course is $175.00 and you can sign up by emailing kanvasback 5253 @gmail.com or call 204-687-3163 and leave a message. Spots are available for both weekends.

Another Operation Red Nose is in the books after getting people and their vehicles home safe and sound in Flin Flon and area this Holiday season.

The Flin Flon Rotary Club’s Colleen Tower tells us things went smoothly New Years Eve and wants to thank all the volunteers for stepping up through out the month of December. " So this New Years Eve, we had 14 volunteers step up and it was amazing as we did 19 rides. Everything went smoothly with not a lot of wait times and it was a pretty good night for us. This is a great opportunity on behalf of Rotary and Operation Red Nose, we want to thank all the different service clubs, businesses and this year in particular a lot of individuals."

Operation Red Nose ran for 8 different nights over the Holidays  and so far a total of just over three thousand dollars has come in with donations. There are still more donations that are coming  in and an official total will be released later this month.

All the money go’s towards youth sports in our community and if you are interested in getting some support for a youth event or club, let Colleen know and she will get the info out to you on how to apply for some funds at 204-680-8164.

Creighton RCMP continue to search for Moise Sewap. Members of the public are asked to report sightings and information about where Moise may be.

Investigation has determined that Moise may have been seen wearing a blue and black checkered jacket, getting into a silver Ford Escape with a woman on Highway #10 in Flin Flon, between December 15th and December 23rd between approximately 1-2 p.m.

Anyone with information about this is asked to contact Creighton RCMP at 310-RCMP or 1-306-780-5563 if calling from out of province. 

Creighton RCMP are also asking property owners to check out buildings or sheds in their area for Moise.

Moise is known to travel to the Creighton and Flin Flon area, but his current whereabouts are unknown.

If you have seen Moise or know where he is, contact Creighton RCMP at 310-RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

A male and female have been charged by Pelican Narrows RCMP after methamphetamine, a firearm, and a machete were seized at a residence as part of an aggravated assault investigation.

On December 23rd, Pelican Narrows RCMP received a report of a serious assault at a residence on Ballantyne Street in Pelican Narrows, SK.

As part of the assault investigation, on December 24th, Pelican Narrows RCMP executed a search warrant at the residence. While at the residence, officers located and seized approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine, ammunition, a sawed-off firearm, additional firearm parts, a machete, and a sum of cash. Two females and a male were arrested at the residence.

As a result of continue investigation, 26-year-old Tanner Ballantyne from Prince Albert, SK is charged with multiple offenses including Aggravated Assault.

45-year-old Sylvia Ballantyne from Pelican Narrows, SK is charged with multiple offenses as well including possession for the purpose of trafficking.

The other male and female were later released without charge.

Tanner Ballantyne and Sylvia Ballantyne appeared in Prince Albert Provincial Court on December 30^th. 

As we welcome 2026, The City Of Flin Flon is asking  residents to hold off on property tax, utility, and accounts receivable payments until January 9^th.

Their  finance staff needs some time to close out their  books and balance sheets for 2025 before they can  start accepting payments for 2026.

However, they can still accept payment for bus passes and raffle licenses. Feel free to call the City Hall front desk at 1-833-210-6435 if you're not sure about whether a payment can be processed!

City Hall is back open today for regular business hours between 8am and 4pm.

University College Of The North is very happy with how things went across the North in 2025.

They had 2,481 students enrolled this past year, 262 students graduated and  they  offered 39 programs in 28 locations throughout Manitoba.

Among the highlights was The University College of the North announcing  $5 million in funding from the Mastercard Foundation. This funding is part of a landmark $235 million commitment by the Foundation to 30 post-secondary organizations advancing education for Indigenous youth across Canada.

UCN campuses reopen with regular business hours today and for more information including programs that are being offered in the new year you can go to ucn.ca.