On March 26th, Thompson RCMP received a report of a missing 15-year-old female.

Gail Baker was last seen in Thompson on  Wednesday March 25th. Efforts to reach her at various addresses in Thompson have been unsuccessful so far.

RCMP and family are concerned for her wellbeing.

Baker is approximately 4’8”, with a slender build, black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

If you enjoy live music right at your doorstep make sure you take in the final Home Routes Music Series coming up in April in both Flin Flon and Cranberry.

Direct from Denmark will be the award winning duo Svobsk who will be making their only stops in  Northern Manitoba on their tour.

Elly Spencer who will be hosting the Flin Flon show at her home describes the Home Route experience. " They are house concerts, so they happen in peoples homes and here in Flin Flon they happen at our house. People bring snacks and a beverage or two and we all sit down stairs in our family room. We usually get out between 25 and 30 people out, so you will know people when you get here with this being a small town. We have been doing this for over 15 years in Flin Flon and have hosted over 105 acts."

The dates are Tuesday April the 14^th in Flin Flon at the Spencer’s home at 19 Hemlock with doors opening at 7 and the music at 7:30pm. It will take place in Cranberry the next  night April the 15^th at the  Cranberry Portage Legion also starting at 7:30pm.

Tickets are $25.00 and can be picked up for the Flin Flon show by contacting timelly1@gmail.com or call 431-746-4880. For the Cranberry show you can reach out to cphomeroutes@gmail.com or call 204-680-6003.

If you are looking for a career in one of the most rewarding and quickest growing industries today, you may be interested in signing up for the Practical Nursing program at UCN.

This program will be offered at the campus in Flin Flon and the Diploma In Practical Nursing Program will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed  to practise  as a professional member of the Health Care team and contribute as a licensed practical nurse.

This a two year program that will start September the 8^th and the requirements include grade 12 graduate with at least a 63 % average.

There will also be a child and adult abusive check, criminal record check and you will need a certification in CPR.

If you are interested in finding out more you can call 204-677-6365 or e-mail npajic@ucn.ca.

On March 26th, Norway House RCMP received a report of a person having been shot near a residence in the community.

Officers immediately attended to the scene and located the victim, a 30-year-old male, who was transported to the Health Centre and later flown to Winnipeg where he remains in stable condition.

Norway House RCMP are actively investigating this matter and believe there is no threat to public safety.

Anyone who may have information in regards to this shooting is asked to call the Norway House RCMP at 204-359-6483, call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

The Neighborhood Revitalization Committee is looking to do a community consultation and find out what people in Flin Flon would like them to do and get a sense on how they can proceed with a 5 year plan.

One of the steps moving forward will be the Neighborhood Revitalization  Board hiring a consultant/facilitator to help put together a plan. Executive Director Laurence Gillespie explains what type of person they are looking for.  

" We are looking for someone who is dynamic, intelligent, creative and is personal and can engage with people in a positive way. Someone who is easy to work with and has a sense of humour. We also need someone who has a sense of what these type of organizations need to do to connect with the community. It is a person who can handle working on their own and they will have to pick up the ball and carry it for this project."

They would like to have someone in place by the end of April,  and you can apply or get more information by going to their Faceook page, e-mail at ffnrc@mymts.net or call 204-687-6972.

Spring Break is next week and the Norva Centre in Flin Flon has some great events planned to keep the kids occupied.

Interm  Gallery  Manager Laura  Bryson talks about the two events the kids can sign up for. " We have a pop up card class with our local artist Rose Mary  is putting on and I belive that is going to start today. I have a Rotary exchange student from Japan that is going to be doing a Origami class and talk about his  country and a few other things as he does the class for that."

 The Origami class will be on Wednesday April the 1^st from 1 to 3pm. The cost for both events is  $20.00 and is open to kids 8 and over and all the supplies will be provided.

You can register for both events by calling 204-687-4237 or e-mailing norvacentre@gmail.com.

The Flin Flon Public Library wants to wrap up their Read To Me program with a bang and will be hosting a Reading Extravaganza tomorrow afternoon starting at 2 at the Library.

The Program Coordinator Laurence Gillespie has more." We take some of the best books that we have read over the past year in the Read To Me program and dramatize them. We try to amp up the dramatic effects and we will read A Scare Crows Wedding, which is a very popular English childrens's book. We will most likely have Tom Heine come in from the Ham Sandwich group  to add some extra drama to the readings."

The afternoon will also include crafts, games, music, audience participation  and snacks. This is open to all pre school children and their care givers and is free to attend.

If you have any questions you can call Laurence at 204-271-2890.

The Flin Flon Snow Lodge will wrap up its inaugural season this weekend with the first ever Final Frost Festival.  It’s being held to celebrate the project that has garnered local, national, and international attention. Visitors from as far as Slovakia and Japan have traveled to come see the Snow Lodge up close. Director of culture and community initiatives for the City of Flin Flon, Crystal Kolt lets us know some of the happenings for the Final Frost Fest.

" We have musicians that are going to be performing on Saturday, every hour on the hour from noon til about 8:30pm. The Story Telling  tent we have great story tellers all weekend including Ron Burwash tonight and Myrna Guimer, Dennis Strom, Dave Price, people that have been around for a very long time. There will be the Full Market with Rotarians cooking hot-dogs and hamburgers and there will be lots of vendors. We will also have skating and Aboriginal teachings in the Tipi, so make sure you come out and see our wonderful Snow Lodge before we turn off the lights." 

Festival hours will be tonight from 4-9, Saturday from 11-9 with the market closing at 7 and Sunday from 10-9 with the market closing at 4. For a complete schedule of events -  visit Flin Flon Snow Lodge on Facebook and Instagram

On March 22nd, Thompson RCMP received a report of a missing 28-year-old male, from Tataskweyak Cree Nation, believed to have been staying at an address located on Red River Drive in Thompson.

Nolan Redhead, 28, was last physically seen several days ago however has made recent social media posts.

His family and RCMP are concerned for his wellbeing.
 
He’s 5’11”, 190lbs with black hair & brown eyes. No clothing description has been provided.

If you’ve seen Nolan Redhead or have any information on her whereabouts, please call the Thompson RCMP Detachment at 204-677-6909.

After a brief hiatus the Flin Flon Lions Club Handi Van is back in operation. The Handi Van is used for seniors and those with mobility issues in the community to be able to get to medical appointments, important errands, and trips to the airport. Lion’s Club Member Debbie Kazub explains how they were able to get back on the road so quickly.

“Well, there was an unfortunate accident and we had to replace the Handi Van. It was operable, but, the vehicle was written off by MPI. So, we were extremely lucky, we found a builder in Saskatoon who had been building one over the winter because typically it takes 3 to 4 months to replace a Handi Van. And we were only down for about a week and a half, and, the service is now up and running, it’s a beautiful brand new van, and I think the riders will be happy with it.”

If you require a ride with the Lion’s Handi Van – 24 hour notice is preferred and contact 204-271-1360.

The Pas RCMP continue to search for 30-year-old Draven Lester Mercredi, of The Pas, in relation to the February 27, 2026, homicide of a 33-year-old male from Opaskwayak Cree Nation.
 

Officers from The Pas RCMP, along with assistance of the Manitoba Integrated Violent Offender Apprehension Unit (MIVOAU), an integrated team consisting of officers from the Manitoba RCMP and Winnipeg Police Service, are currently in the area searching for Mercredi, who has ties to The Pas, Moose Lake, and Thompson.

RCMP are requesting anyone with information in relation to his whereabouts to contact the RCMP in The Pas at 204-627-6204.

RCMP have previously charged two males in connection with the homicide

22 year old Joey Campbell from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan has been charged with 2^nd degree murder as has 32-year-old Nicholas Halcrow-Jewels Thompson.

THE HIGHWAYS PORTION OF THE BUDGET FOR THE NORTH WILL BE RECEIVING $86.3 MILLION DOLLARS WHICH IS THE HIGHEST IT'S  BEEN SINCE HE'S BEEN MAYOR. 

TODAY HE IS IN PRINCE ALBERT TO ATTEND THE FIRST NEW NORTH MAYORS GATHERING IN ABOUT TWO YEARS.

Boreal Gold has signed an exploration agreement the Kiciwapa Cree Nation, including its main community of Sherridon for supporting responsible mineral exploration within KCN's traditional and ancestral territory.

The agreement establishes a formal framework for how the parties will work together in a manner grounded in transparency, continuing communication, environmental responsibility and community engagement.

The agreement provides opportunities for KCN to conduct environmental and cultural monitoring seek advice of elders and community representatives where appropriate.

It also includes financing for consultation and engagement and annual contributions to the KCN Economic Development Fund.

Boreal Gold Inc. is a Canadian junior mineral exploration company with a specific focus on mineral properties in northwest Manitoba and northeast Saskatchewan. All of its properties are currently at the exploration stage.

The Canadian Red Cross in collaboration with the Government of Manitoba are providing up to $2000 for small businesses to get assistance for emergency costs stemming from last  year’s wildfires.  President of the Canadian Red Cross from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Nunavut, Luke Mullinder discusses the intention of the program.

 “The program is intended to assist with the unexpected costs of an evacuation that aren’t covered by insurance or the disaster financial assistance programs that are available to small businesses. It’s to help with cleanup costs, things like deductibles, storage, movement of inventory and we talk with a number of stakeholders when we develop programs like this. Obviously the Red Cross has a ton of experience in recovery programs across the country but they’re not successful unless they’re community driven.”

Applications will be accepted until the end of June; but small businesses are asked to sign up as soon as possible. All the information and forms are available at

www.redcross.ca/2025manitobawildfires/smallbusiness

The program is also available for Saskatchewan residents; funded through a $15 million commitment from the Scott Moe Government. It offers the funds for businesses and not-for-profit organizations located in communities that were forced to evacuate for a week or more during the wildfires.

Applications can be found at

www.redcross.ca/2025SaskatchewanWildfires

A long time resident of Cranberry Portage, Mary-Anne Playford has been nominated for the Lieutenant Governor’s Community Leadership Award at the upcoming 42^nd annual volunteer awards in Winnipeg.

The Volunteer Awards recognize the extraordinary individuals, groups and organizations whose passion and commitment are making a lasting impact right across the province.

Mary-Anne is being recognized for her great work with the Cranberry Portage Museum where she personally created every exhibit, curated every collection, and can tell the story behind every artifact in the building. She has quite literally recreated life in the 1930s through 1950s within the walls of the historic Canadian National Railway station, allowing visitors to step into the past and understand what northern life once looked like.

Mary-Anne’s resilience is equally inspiring. Even after losing her hearing, she continues to run the museum, greeting visitors, guiding tours, and teaching students.

The award will be presented in Winnipeg on April the 30^th.

The Flin Flon RCMP have launched a new Facebook page as a way to connect directly with residents, businesses, and visitors to our community.

Their goal is to strengthen communication, share important safety information, highlight the great work of their officers, and celebrate the partnerships that make our community safe and welcoming.

They encourage you to follow this page for updates on community initiatives, public safety tips, and events. Your feedback and engagement are important to the Flin Flon RCMP, who wants to listen and work with you to make the Manitoba North District an even safer place to live, work, and visit.

The main Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Manitoba Facebook page will continue to carry news and information with province-wide appeal, even if it occurs in the Flin Flon area. Be sure to follow both pages to stay up to date on major Manitoba RCMP news.

Summer is around the corner and the City of Flin Flon wants to make sure residents are prepared in case of another emergency. One of those ways is to pre-register by providing the City with all your personal information.

We get the details from the Public Affairs and Community Engagement Manager Kasper Antoszewski.

“So, this year, well in anticipation of fire season, we’re asking people to register with the new form we just posted. And it includes all of the information that we know from last time, will be useful to us in the event of any kind of emergency that might need an evacuation. So, that includes, things like, how many people are in your household, how many kids that you have that depend on you, you know whether you have pets, whether you’re going to, whether you have your own transportation or whether you’re going to need help getting out of Flin Flon.”

Even if you registered last year, please register again, The City is working to create a complete and central database of our population, so that it can easily be provided to the Province of Manitoba, Red Cross, or other emergency partners.

Spring is just around the corner and Saskatchewan anglers are reminded that current fishing licences expire on March 31, 2026. If you don't have auto-renewal set up through your HAL account, doing so at the beginning of the angling season is the time. Renewing ensures you're ready to hit the water as soon as conditions allow.

You will be able to pick up an angling license through your HAL account, any Saskatchewan angling license issuer, Government of Saskatchewan field office or Provincial Park office. You can also call 1-855-848-4773.

Annual angling licences will require a $20 Angling Habitat Certificate, while one- and three-day licences will require a $5 certificate. Hunters already purchase a Wildlife Habitat Certificate, and this change aligns angling licences with the existing conservation funding model.

Individuals who purchase both an annual angling licence and hunting licence in the same year will only need to purchase one Habitat Certificate.

To find out more about fishing in Saskatchewan you can go to Saskatchewan.ca/fishing.

The Northern Neighbors Foundation presented the City of Flin Flon with a donation towards the new Aqua Centre Swimming Pool.

Shylo Peters lets us know specifically what the donation will be used for. " The Northern Neighbors Foundation has given the City of Flin Flon  $20,000.00 to purchase an Aqua Lift for the new pool. What that is, for people with disabilities that are in a wheelchair, can't transfer themselves from their wheelchair to a water wheelchair. This lift would enable them to get from their wheelchair to the water wheelchair and accessibility into the pool itself."

This donation was made possible by a grant through the Thomas Sill Foundation and Northern Neighbors Foundation President Faryn Bergman made the cheque presentation to Flin Flon Rec Director Cait Bailey yesterday.

The Flin Flon Pentecostal Church in conjunction with Global Harvest Ministeries will be bringing Evangelist Mark Davy back to Flin Flon next Tuesday and Wednesday March the 24^th and 25^th.

Pentecostal Pastor Mikael Mantyla tells us what to expect. " So the evening will start off with prayer,  then we are going to be doing some singing and then Mark will come up and share a video. He shares about the things that have happened since the last time he was  here,  and that is usually exciting to hear about the things that have happened and are happening. He will share the word each night and then we wil pray for people at the end."

Both sessions will take place at the Flin Flon Pentecostal Church at 180 Green Street right across from Domino’s Pizza starting both nights at 7pm. These sessions are open to everyone regardless of your church background and they look forward to seeing you there.

The Central Canada Film Group will be showing another great movie at the Hapnot Theatre tonight as they will flash back to the 80’s with a movie that  took home an Oscar.

Colin Davis let’s us know what they plan to show. " So what were you like in 1984? If you were like me you were probably a lot younger or maybe you wern't even born yet.Tonight we are going to be showing Amadeus, the best picture at the Oscars in 1984. If you were like me back in 1984, you wern't interested in going to see this movie because it had to do with Classical music so it must be boring. How ever,  if you saw Amadeus back then you would probably  would of  been like me and said wow this is a great film. It is, and we are showing it tonight."

Doors will open at 7pm with the show at 7:30pm and admission is free. Drinks and snacks will be available at the door and make sure you get there early for the fun pre-show.

Manitoba RCMP and the Manitoba First Nations Police Service have carried out a joint operation, targeting drug trafficking and gang activity in The Pas and on Opaskwayak Cree Nation.

Police say the three-day operation, which ran from February 23rd to 25th, involved the execution of six search warrants at residential properties in the two communities.

The effort brought together officers from multiple units, including the Manitoba Integrated Law Enforcement Team North, MFNPS, RCMP from The Pas detachment, as well as the Roving Traffic Unit and Emergency Response Team.

As a result of the operation, five individuals have been arrested, and what police describe as a drug trafficking network has been disrupted.

Officers seized quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine, along with ammunition, cash, and drug paraphernalia.

Police say the investigation remains ongoing, with additional arrests and charges expected.

Councillor Mike Slipp kicked off the meeting congratulating the U-13 Kinsmen Bombers on winning the U-13 Hockey  Provincials which were hosted in Flin Flon this past weekend. He also congratulated the host committee on a fantastic job and wished the JR Bombers the best of luck  in the SJHL playoffs starting on Friday.

Coucil was able to meet  with the Provincial Finance Minister Adrien Sala by Zoom which was rescheduled from a few weeks ago when Sala was to fly up from Winnipeg but couldn’t make the trip because of bad weather. Flin Flon City  Council was able to hold conversations with how funding is provided, some financial projects they will be looking for assistance on,  and how to tackle the Flin Flon Saskatchewan  situation where there are residents who live on the Saskatchewan side but pay taxes in Manitoba.

The 2027 Home Coming Committee applied for a grant with the City Of Flin Flon for $20,000.00 to go towards their budget of $150,000.00 which was approved.

City Council is very excited about the opening of the new swimming pool and have hired four lifeguards and are still looking for a few more.

They will be opening as soon as all the staff is hired, trained and all the equipment is safely in place. More infrastructure work is planned for Flin Flon’s downtown that will include waste water and waterworks and paving from Canada Post to the Sask Border.

Work is to begin once the ground thaws out.  

Since 2021 emergency scams have cost Canadians more than $23 million dollars in losses.

A lot of the people that are being taken advantage of are Seniors including a Grandparents scam that pretends to be family members in crisis.

RCMP are going to be offering some tips and education on scamming to Seniors 55 and over in the Flin Flon, Creighton, Denare Beach and Cranberry area. It takes place on  Tuesday  March the 31^st at the Nortminster  Memorial United Church starting at 6pm.

RCMP will be sharing a presentation on how to identify and avoid falling victims to scams.

The Northern Neighbors Foundation  were established in 1994 and started to distribute funds through grants  to volunteer groups and organizations in 1997,  which has  totalled  over Two Million dollars so far  for  community projects.

Granting has closed for this year and Shylo Peters says they had a large amount of applications once again from lots of organizations in the Flin Flon area. " This year we have just shy of $189,000.00 to give to community projects, and we had a fantastic turn out for applications. We had over 30 applications to consider and those totalled over $300,000.00 in grant requests. In the next couple of months what will happen, is the board will get together and go through the applications and see who is eligible. Then we will determine how much we can give to the people who are eligible and go from there. Our funds are usually distributed in June as close as to June 15th as we can."

When they have a concrete date planned they will inform the public and anyone who would like to come to the cheque presentations is more than welcome.

The Northern Neighbors Foundation doesn’t just award grants but also award high school bursaries at Hapnot and Creighton schools including the Ray Daneliuk Bursary for $10,000.00 for anyone going into trades. There is a lot of money available for assistance with education,  so if you have any questions call Shylo at 204-687-5715 or send an e-mail to northernneighborsfoundation@gmail.com.

Weather and equipment permitting, the following streets are scheduled for snow removal this week in  Flin Flon.

Wednesday, March 18th
 Green Street, from Bracken Street to Pine Avenue

Thursday, March 19th
 Green Street: Pine Avenue to the PTH #10 (Perimeter)

Friday, March 20th
 Queen Street

The City is currently working to address two water leaks, one on Creekside Drive and another at the south end of Green Street.

Before repairs can begin, the City is  waiting for excavation clearances from other utility companies via Call Before You Dig. This step is essential to ensure the work is completed safely.

The City appreciates  your patience and will provide updates as soon as they can  proceed. Please remember to remove vehicles from the street when it is scheduled for snow removal to allow crews to work safely and efficiently.

From Feb. 25-27TH, a convoy of three cars and eight volunteers made their way from Winnipeg to Pukatawagan, through The Pas, to deliver new beds, coats and wheelchairs to members of the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation.

This was organized by the Knights of Coulmbus who made the drive through challenging winter roads to reach the village of 2,000 residents on February 26^th  and personally delivered 500 new winter coats for local children, 22 new high-quality beds and 10 wheelchairs to those with pressing healthcare needs. With the donation, the Knights of Columbus has distributed more than 300,000 new winter coats across the U.S. and Canada this winter, surpassing last year’s record of 286,000.

Inspired by Reverend Murray Chatlain, Archbishop of Winnipeg, who proposed the idea of visiting the First Nations community, the trip was led by Mark Desjardins, State Deputy of the Knights of Columbus in Manitoba, in close cooperation with Fr. Dhana Raju Amarlapudi, MSFS, pastor at Sacred Heart Catholic church in Pukatawagan.

It is a very exciting time in Flin Flon which promises to be a very good spring which will include the opening of the brand new Aqua Centre, that just received funding from the Provincial Government.

Deputy Mayor Alison Dallas Funk and Councillor Heather Richardson appeared on the latest City Beat Show on 102.9 CFAR and Funk talked about the new facility. " Very exciting about the pool and I can't say it enough, all the tiling is done inside and we were able to walk into it. The accessibility component, I can't say enough how great this is for our community. One of the biggest questions we get about the pool, is how big is it? Is it the same size as the last pool? Length wize, absolutely it is a 25 metre pool and the only difference of the main bazin of the pool is one lane. The old pool had 5 lanes and this one has four."

There is also going to be diving blocks for competitive swimming, a deep end and the Rec Department is working hard on having some accessibility components for the pool including wheelchair seats for people to float in.

You can see pictures of the new Aqua Centre on the City of Flin Flon Facebook page. The new pool is expected to open up in May.

Sask Culture is hosting a webinar, the first in a three part series of mental health tomorrow March the 18^th from noon to 1pm.

Kyle Anderson, Sr. Business Development Consultant at Bridges Health, will guide you  over the signs and symptoms of common mental health problems, develop practical tools to support others and the skills to provide initial help to individuals experiencing a mental health concern.

Kyle uses a holistic approach to towards overall health which  includes  providing both group and individual counselling, working in the field of substance abuse, eating disorders, crisis intervention and mood disorders.

This webinar will offered by Zoom and a link will be sent out to participants before the event at no cost. You can register at saskculture.ca/events/3325.

Carrot River RCMP arrested and charged an adult male with aggravated assault and forcible confinement in relation to an incident that occurred on Shoal Lake Cree Nation.

On March 10th, Carrot River RCMP received a report of a shooting on Shoal Lake Cree Nation.

Officers responded immediately, along with local EMS, and located an injured male in a vehicle on Highway #55. The injured male was taken to hospital by EMS with injuries described as serious in nature.

Investigation determined an altercation occurred between two adult males at a residence on Shoal Lake Cree Nation. During the altercation, a firearm was discharged and one of the males was injured. The injured male exited the residence. The other male, who was still inside the residence, prevented a female from leaving the residence. The female did not report physical injuries to police.

As a result of continued investigation, Carrot River RCMP made an arrest.

34-year-old Billy Whitecap from Red Earth Cree Nation is charged with multiple offenses including  one count of aggravated assault and one count of forcible confinement.

Carrot River RCMP continue to investigate.

The Chamber of Commerce in Thompson has passed a resolution requesting the relocation of the Northern Regional Health Authority, CEO and main administration office from Flin Flon back to Thompson by October the 1^st of 2026.

The Chamber of Commerce from Flin Flon has concerns about how this would change the landscape of the health region in the North.

Flin Flon Chamber of Commerce President Becky Cianflone comments about the resolution put forward by our northern neighbors. " We were deeply disappointed to see that resolution. We were equally disappointed to hear that the City Of Thompson had also endorsed it. We don't believe that the best approach to economic development for anybody is to attack another community. We belive that having a unified Northern voice is the best way to protect all of our assets and institutions."

The Flin Flon  Chamber of Commerce are waiting for a response from the City of Flin Flon and Town of Creighton. The Flin Flon Chamber wants to continue to have good collaboration with the other Chambers especially in the North and want to continue to work with all organizations for the best interests of everyone in the North.

If you were impacted by the Saskatchewan wildfires you can visit the Canadian Red Cross in person at the Creighton Sportex Lounge today through Thursday between 9am and 4pm.

Virtual Case Management will be available to help you with insurance issues, financial and mental health support and any  other issues or concerns you may have.

You can also reach out by calling 1-800-863-6582 or e-mailing skrecoverysupport@redcross.ca.

You can also visit the website at redcross.ca/2025saskatchewanwildfires.

A reminder that Flin Flon, SK residents are eligible to receive the 2025 Homeowners Affordability Tax Credit, providing up to $1500 in credit towards municipal property taxes in Flin Flon!

In order to ensure that you receive this credit, residents living on the Saskatchewan area must contact Flin Flon City Hall by March 15^th  to ensure they are registered to receive this rebate.

Letters were mailed out to residents earlier this year, but the City  recognizes  some eligible residents may not have received them: If you have not contacted City Hall yet, please give them  a call at 1-833-210-6435 as soon as possible, or email hlengyel@flinflon.ca with your name and address as soon as possible.

COUNCIL REPORTED RECEIVING A REQUEST FROM THE FLIN FLON JUNIOR BOMBERS FOR SUPPORT TOWARDS THIS YEARS PLAYOFFS BY PURCHASING ADVERTISING. COUNCIL AGREED TO SHOW CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THE TEAM AND WILL BE PURCHASING AN AD AT A VALUE  OF $500 DOLLARS. 

A REQUEST WAS ALSO RECEIVED FROM FLIN FLON MINOR HOCKEY TO INSTALL THE ICE IN EARLY AT THE SPORTEX THIS OCTOBER. RECREATION DIRECTOR LINDSEY SHIRRAN TAKES CARE OF THAT  AND WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH THEM.

COUNCIL REPORTED RECEIVING INFORMATION FROM RURAL TRANSIT SOLUTIONS THAT THE TOWN HAS RECEIVED A TOTAL PAYMENT AND HOLD BACK OF $242 THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND THREE DOLLARS AND SIXTEEN CENTS WHICH WAS FOR THE FUNDING RECEIVED FOR THE BUSSES AND THE GARAGE.

MAYOR BRUCE FIDDLER WILL ALSO BE IN PRINCE ALBERT ON FRIDAY MARCH 20th TO MEET WITH THE MINISTER OF IMMIGRATION AND NORTHERN AFFAIRS ERIC SCHMALZ AND HONOURABLE MINISTER ALANA ROSS REGARDING THE NORTHERN ECONOMIC CORRIDOR.

The Flin Flon Norva Centre will be hosting a number of events as we get ready to celebrate Spring in Northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Acting President Laura Bryson fills us in on all the programs they will be offering. " We also have Beginner Sculpture class with Faith, she is going to do a beginners class on March the 14th and 15th during the day, and we still have spots available for that. That will be working in a 3-D  form which is something new here at Norva. We also have a Fabric Portraits exhibit featuring Collette Balsan and that will be on display tomorrow sometime,  as we are still waiting for that piece to come in. That is what we have going on."

The Bob Ross Shamrock On The Rocks Paint Night is full for this Saturday, but you can get your name on the waiting list, and if enough extra people sign up they will add a second night.

You can phone 204-687-4237 or e-mail norvacentre@gmail.com to find out more and sign up for these events.

Congratulations to former Creighton resident Kevin Garinger on receiving the Distinguished Service Award from Leads for his work on behalf of the Horizon School Division in Humboldt.

This award recognizes Kevin’s exceptional leadership in the PK to 12 education sector, and he  is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction and operations of the school division.

Prior to his current role, Garinger held a position with the Englefeld Protestant Separate School Division and started his teaching career with the Flin Flon School Division in the late 80’s.

Kevin was born and raised in Creighton and is a Hapnot Collegiate graduate.

The Flin Flon Kin Club will be hosting another fundraiser which will be directed towards kids between 2 and 12 with their annual Capes and Gowns event at the Creighton Community Hall.

Kin member Kerri Wood says it is a lot of fun for a good cause. " It is always a fun event that we enjoy hosting to give back to the community. We encourage kids to come dressed up as their favorite Super Hero or Prince or Princess. It is $10.00 per child and parents and children under 2 are free. Proceeds go right back into the community in the form of helping with  bursaries for Hapnot and Creighton as well as Kin Park and anything else that comes up that the community needs."

It will take place between noon and 2pm on Saturday March the 21^st and the first 100 kids that show up will get a free treat bag.

The Flin Flon Arts Council is excited about their Spring lineup including the return of the  Royal Winnipeg Ballet with their On The Edge Tour.

The Arts Council’s Crystal Woodward talks about what we can expect to see in their show. " They actually have some exciting dance routines that they will be presenting including two solos that they will be doing for their competition for an award in Switzerland. They also have a firey driven competitin they will be doing as well as a dazzling one and powerful contemporary. So they have a few dance routines in different areas."

The Winnipeg Royal Ballet will be in Flin Flon on  Friday April the 17^th at the Flin Flon Community hall with the show starting at 7pm.

Tickets are available on Showpass through the Flin Flon Arts Council website at flinflonartscouncil.ca.

Swan River RCMP are continuing to investigate the disappearance of Lorlene Bone, a Sapoteweyak Cree Nation female who was reported missing 10 years ago this week.

Bone, who would now be 41 years old, last spoke to her mother on Feb. 29, 2016. She was reported missing to Swan River RCMP on March 9th, 2016.

RCMP continue to receive tips about Bone’s disappearance, with investigators following up on each new piece of information they receive in the hope of resolving his decade-long mystery for her family and the community.

Anyone with information regarding Bone’s disappearance, or who may have details regarding the days leading up to her disappearance, is encouraged to contact Swan River RCMP at 204-734-4686, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

The Neighborhood Revitalization Committee is looking to move ahead on their community Consultation process where they are looking for public input on what the community would like to see them do.

The plan will include a process that will be developed over the next five years and  the Neighborhood  Revitalization  Committee is  hoping to launch this in the next few weeks.

Executive Director Laurence Gillespie says they are looking to hire a consultant who will help move things along. " There is some flexibility and there are different ways to approach this. We are open to people to come to us with ideas. We have drafted a want list, parameters for what we are hoping to achieve with this . A lot of how to do it is really up to the Consultant."

If you are interested in this position  you can call  204-687-6972 or e-mail ffnrc@mymts.net.

The Flin Flon Public Library has their own version of March Madness going on right now which includes checking out a book and winning some great prizes.

Library Administrator Lisa Slugoski has more. " We took the 16 books that were checked out the most last year and put them in the March Madness battle similar to the college playoffs that are going on in the United States right now. We have paired the books against each other and each week half of them will be eliminated. Then the next week we repair them and each week you can vote online and vote in the Library. We have weekly prizes and a great monthly prize where you can win a book of your choice."

You must be a Flin Flon resident to participate in this contest. Elimination happens every Monday and new pairings are posted every Tuesday in March. You can take part by going to flinflonpubliclibrary.org.

Late last week  Carrot River RCMP received a report of a shooting on Red Earth Cree Nation.

Officers immediately responded and located an adult male with injuries consistent with a gunshot wound. He was taken to the hospital. His injuries were described as non-life-threatening in nature.

Investigation determined a vehicle, described as a grey Chevrolet Impala, approached the victim. A firearm was discharged, injuring him.

It’s believed there were two individuals in the vehicle, which fled the scene of the shooting.

Carrot River RCMP are actively working to locate the suspects. Updates will be provided when possible.

Anyone with information about this incident should contact Carrot River 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.

The Red Cross continues to sponsor events in Denare Beach  to continue to bring the residents together as they deal with the hardships of last summer’s wildfire.

Rec Director Mel Durette  talks about the different events that they have planned. " People are in Flin Flon, Creighton, some are farther, so it gets everyone together. We have a Bingo Night and then on the 25th of March we will have a Paint night. The instructor will come in and she just step by step teaches everyone how to paint. We are trying to come up with different events to get the community together."

The Bingo Night will take place this Friday night with the doors opening at 6pm at the Denareplex, and the Paint Night will once again take place on Wednesday March the 25^th also at 6pm at the Denareplex.

Spots are limited so make sure you call to register at 306-362-2050.

There will be one more opportunity to come out and enjoy the Flin Flon Snowlodge with a community celebration the  weekend of Friday March the 27^th  and going right through Sunday March the 29th at the Rotary Wheel.

A great weekend of various activities are being planned and Crystal Kolt provides the details." There is going to be additional things happening at the Snow Lodge throughout the weekend. There is going to be the fabulous Cultural Teachings in the Tee-Pee. There will be skating, hockey is going to be going on, there will be guests coming and the Bombers will pop in on Sunday."

There will also be a Makers Market, live artists and performers, dog sledding and much more. There is still time for you to become involved as they are looking for vendors, local artists, story tellers and volunteers.

The festival hours are 4 to 9pm on Friday, 11am to 9pm on Saturday and Sunday 10am to 9pm.  If you are interested in signing up to be a volunteer or need additional information you can send an e-mail to flinflonsnowlodge@gmail.com. There will be a $5.00 entry fee to take in the festival this time.

The Flin Flon Creighton Seniors Support Services  are looking for interesting stories from all seniors in the Flin Flon and surrounding  area to help document some of the rich history from our communities  over the last 100 years.

Shauna Rutherford who is the Seniors Resource Coordinator explains. " Seeking seniors that would be willing to share their stories or tell me a little about what their adventures have been in the community. We are also looking for strories of  what brought them to the community. Our goal is to hire a student or a younger generation person  from University or that age group that would might be interested and might be a history buff. We are looking for someone who would like to connect with these people and collect information."

These stories will be collected and shared within the community through radio podcasts, social media and print form. This project’s funding was made  available by Age Friendly Manitoba.

If you would like to submit something or are looking for more information you can reach out to ffcrseniorresource111@outlook.com.

The Flin Flon Children’s Choir will be presenting the spring  production called  Dig It  on Sunday April the 19^th at 2:30 pm at the Flin Flon Community Hall.

Angela Ishaka is the Co- Director and she tells us it is a show you don’t want to miss. " It is going to be a group of 13 fantastic excited children who are ready to dabble you with their prowess on the stage. It is a great musical that will take you through the different anciet civilizations that have existed in our Earth's history. A couple of the kids are archaeologists who learn about these things along the way. The chorus will be acted by the rest of the kids and they will represent different groups of people  throughout history and it is a very fun  cute musical. "

The other Co- Director is Vanessa Whitbread and tickets are only $10.00 and can be picked up through Showpass on  the Arts Council website at flinflonartscouncil.ca or the Uptown Emporium.

Flin Flon City Councillor Heather Richardson had a chance to attend the recent Northern Transportation Conference in Winnipeg February the 19^th and 20^th.

There were over 20 municipalities from across the province that attended and a massive online presence as well.

Richardson appeared on the most recent City Beat program on 102.9 CFAR  and shared some of the topics that were discussed. "It was really good as there was a lot on Port Security and Canada Security in general from the Centre of Defense. Things like agreements, the fire which actually affected 190,000 Canadiens that were displaced. Threats, whether it was air, maritime, the war, climate change, melting permafrost. There was lots of talk about different modes of transportation obviously, so air, rail and air ships."

You can listen to the full interview at flinflononline.com by clicking on the your radio tab/CFAR podcasts/Flin Flon Today

The Province of Manitoba  reminds residents that Daylight SavingsTime will return to the Province  early Sunday morning when clocks will be moved ahead  one hour.

Under the Official Time Act, daylight time ends on the first Sunday in November and resumes the second Sunday in March.

Daylight saving time will begin this year on March 8, at 2 a.m. local time as the clock springs forward to 3 a.m. local time. While we might lose an hour of sleep by “springing forward,” it also marks the day when evenings grow brighter, mornings feel a little earlier, and everyone is reminded that spring is on the way.

Homeowners are also reminded that when changing clocks, it is a good habit to check both smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to ensure they are in good working order with new batteries, if needed.

The Flin Flon Arts Council is getting ready for a very busy Spring and will be bringing various productions to the community.

Crystal Woodward stopped by the CFAR studio earlier this week and provided the details.  " So we have the Royal  Winnipeg Ballet coming up in April and this will happen on the 17th, they have a very big crew. They are known for their skills with lots of different age levels and techniques, it is very beautiful. The Flin Flon Community Choir also  told me that they have a youth musical coming up on April the 19th. That will be new and interesting to."

A  few of the events to look forward to in May will be the Ham Sandwich production of Boston Marriage which was rescheduled to May the 1^st and 2^nd. The Flin Flon Community Choir will also  be doing their Spring production of Godspell on May the 9^th at the Flin Flon Community Hall.

Tickets are available for both these events by going to the Arts Council website at flinflonartscouncil.ca.

Weather and equipment permitting the City of Flin Flon  have the following streets scheduled for snow removal this week.

Thursday, March 5
- Ross Street (Sipple Hill) from 3rd Avenue to South Hudson Street
- Churchill Avenue from South Main Street to Hapnot Street

Friday, March 6
- Hapnot Street from 4th Avenue to 5th Avenue
- Lake Street
- Glenn Avenue

Please remember to remove vehicles from the street when it is scheduled for snow removal to allow crews to work safely and efficiently, and the city appreciates your help.

If you like listening to live music up close and personal, you don’t want to miss the next installment of the Home Routes series.

It will take place in both Cranberry and Flin Flon this weekend and Elly Spencer lets us know who the featured artist is going to be this time. " Well the artist being featured this time is Amy Blanding , who is from BC. She bills herself as a queer, disabled, protest song writer. So she is going to be quite a bit different than anything we have seen up to now. It will be pretty exciting I think."

The show will take place in Cranberry this Saturday at the Legion  with doors opening at 7 and the show at 7:30pm. It happens in Flin Flon Sunday at the Spencer’s home at 19 Hemlock with doors opening at 7 and the show also at 7:30pm.

Tickets are $25.00 each and you will be able to pay at the door.

Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard and his Chief of staff Mike O’Kelly made a trip to Flin Flon to present $2.4 million dollars towards construction of the new Aqua Centre, and another $500,000.00 towards the North Central Canada Centre of Arts and Environment.

The first step is to conduct a feasibility study and to see if this is something that will become viable for the North.

They also got a chance to tour the new Aqua Centre, Whitney Forum and Snow Lodge. Members of Council also had a chance to meet with Minister Simard to talk about additional funding for water works, the Main Street upgrade and the Whitney Forum ice plant.

The City has made donations in kind to both the Flin Flon Ladies Bonspiel and the Flin Flon Kin Club’s Trivia night. The City has also agreed to donate $1,000.00 towards the Flin Flon Bombers Hockey Night In The North this Saturday.

Flin Flon is getting ready to celebrate it’s 100^th anniversary and have put together an organizing committee that is called Flin Flon 27. They have a logo and a facebook page.

They are in the planning stages now on the different events they want to coordinate, different events they would like to host, Indigenous events, tours and coordinating with the Flin Flon Bombers on their upcoming celebration.

The meeting concluded with Mayor Fontaine offering condolences to Carl Lentowicz’s family. Carl was the Mayor of Denare Beach since the late 90’s and passed  away recently. Carl and Mayor Fontaine attended many functions together throughout the years and Fontaine mentioned how  carl will be missed.

The number of reported scams and frauds occurring in Manitoba continues to rise, stealing tens of millions of dollars from the wallets and bank accounts of hundreds – if not thousands – of Manitobans each year.

With this week marking the start of Fraud Prevention Month, the Manitoba RCMP is reminding the public that fraudsters work in a myriad of ways to separate individuals from their money.

In its latest annual report, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre notes that Manitobans were defrauded out of approximately $31 million dollars in 2024 – and that’s just from the scams that were reported. The actual amount of money taken is believed to be exponentially higher than what’s reported, as only five to 10 per cent of victims actually come forward to law enforcement agencies.

Frauds can be relatively basic and straight forward, such as phishing texts asking for payment information to receive a package you never ordered. They can also be increasingly elaborate, including the use of artificial intelligence to create deep fakes that legitimize investment scams. The most prevalent frauds reported in Manitoba include identity theft, false and misleading service-related promotions and scams posing as investment opportunities.

Some things to keep in mind include: If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is , be wary of strangers contacting you to ask for money. Always protect your personal information and don’t share any personal details with strangers especially over the phone and online.

If you or someone you know has been defrauded, report it to your local RCMP detachment or police service. Your report can help identify links, catch criminals and prevent further frauds.

There is going to be a special fundraiser taking place this Sunday at the Whitney Forum.

The Flin Flon Bombers will square off against members of the Flin Flon, Creighton and Denare Beach Fire departments in a charity hockey game with the proceeds going towards the new Bomber Bus.

This is an event that has taken place the past few years but has been revamped this year as we hear more from Damian Dominey of the  Flin Flon Fire Department. " A few years ago we were doing the Outdor Classic we were calling it, with the weather we get in the North it was tough to pick a date. It was tough to find something that worked with the Bombers schedule and getting the weather to cooperate and ice conditions. So we just thought we would simplify things and have the game at the good old Whitney Forum. We just wanted to find a way to give back to the community."

The game takes place this Sunday between 6 and 8pm and will be run just like a regular game with 50/50, door prizes and there will also be commemorative t-shirts for sale.

Tickets are $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for students and seniors.

Community Futures Greenstone is presenting a Women In Business Community Celebration on Thursday March the 12^th .

Becky Cianflone talks about the inspiration behind the event. " So we have been doing this event for many years and we recognize that Women play a huge role in our economy and our communities. So we wanted to take some time and have an opportunity to just celebrate and recognize the awesome women in our community. The women who are running business's , who are in leadership roles,volunteer positions and women who just care about community."

This event is open to everybody and will take place at the Flin Flon Public Library with doors opening at 6:30pm.

The night will include appetizers, Mocktail Bar, games, photo booth, special  opening by Ruth Betts Community School and Ecole McIsaac School Drum Groups. There will also be a keynote presentation by Tara Monroe.

Tickets are $10.00 each and can be picked up by going to admin@cfgreenstone.cm or call 204-687-6967.

The Pas RCMP are investigating a homicide following an early morning assault on February 27th.

At approximately 2:15 a.m., officers responded to a report of an assault at a residence on Connaught Avenue in The Pas. A 33-year-old male from Opaskwayak Cree Nation was found with life-threatening injuries and was rushed to hospital, where he later died.

A 22-year-old man from Saskatoon, Joey Campbell, was arrested the same day in connection with the homicide and charged with second-degree murder.

The following day, February 28th, Thompson RCMP arrested 32-year-old Nicholas Halcrow-Jewels from Thompson, also charging him with second-degree murder. Both arrests were made without incident.

A warrant has been issued for 30-year-old Draven Lester Mercredi of The Pas, who has connections to The Pas, Moose Lake, and Thompson.

Police are urging anyone with information on Mercredi’s whereabouts to contact The Pas RCMP at 204-627-6204 or submit a tip online at manitobacrimestoppers.com.

The Flin Flon RCMP have issued their monthly police report for February.

The RCMP received 28 calls for service for crimes against people including 4 robberies, 4 calls for uttering threats, 12 assaults, 5 assaults causing bodily harm, 1 aggravated assault and 2 assaults on police Officers.

There were 34 calls for service for crimes against property and 26 calls for miscellaneous reasons. The RCMP received a total of 165 calls between February the 6^th and 20^th.

The RCMP is also getting involved  with the community with their Project 11 with the Flin Flon School Division. Project 11 with the True North Youth Foundation is a school-based mental wellness education program designed to help students build mental health awareness and positive coping skills. 

Constables are also conducting regular foot patrols throughout the Uptown area as part of a proactive policing strategy. These patrols are designed to enhance public safety by increasing officer visibility, building positive relationships with community members/businesses, and deter criminal activity.

The Manitoba government is investing $2.9 million to support construction of a new, modern aquatic centre and a separate major art, cultural and educational institution in Flin Flon.

Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard was in Flin Flon for the announcement on Friday.

Funding includes $2.4 million for construction of the Aquatic Centre through the Manitoba Growth, Renewal and Opportunities (GRO) program. The other $500,000.00 will go towards North Central Canada Centre Of Arts and Environment.

The new rec facility will replace the former aquatic centre, which was demolished in 2020 due to infrastructure failure. Once completed, the aquatic centre will offer recreation opportunities for a regional population of more than 18,000 residents from Flin Flon, The Pas, Cranberry Portage, Sherridon, Creighton and Denare Beach and surrounding cottage communities.

The new Aqua Centre construction should be completed by the end of March,  and should open up later this Spring once all the equipment is running smoothly and training of staff is completed.

It is International Women’s Week across the globe and will  be recognized here  in Flin Flon.

Madison McIntire on behalf of the Women’s Resource Centre in Flin Flon shares the different activities that will be taking place in our area. " Monday we have a candle making group, Tuesday we have Chair Yoga, Wednesday is a Self Care day so we are doing some hair, nails those type of things. Thursday is Build A Bouquet,  so we will have an arrangement of fresh flowers and yo can come in and make your own arrangements. Friday is Ceramics and Saturday is a Women's Self Defense Class and on Sunday a Social Media Contest. We are asking people to take pictures of what ever they are doing for some sort of self care on Sunday."

The Women’s Resource Centre will also be announcing their Women Of Impact Award winners, with a different recipient announced  each  day this week. You can view the winners names on the Womens Resource Centre Facebook page.

The theme this year is Give To Gain.

Community Futures Visions  North is pleased to announce that Creighton  Mayor Bruce Fidler has been appointed to the Community Futures Saskatchewan Board Of Directors.

This provincial appointment recognizes Bruce’s long-standing commitment to economic development and his advocacy for Northern Saskatchewan.

Bruce Fidler has served on the Visions North Board since 2016, representing the Town of Creighton. With nearly three decades of municipal leadership experience, Bruce brings an unparalleled depth of knowledge in regional operations and economic growth to the provincial table.

Fidler’s appointment ensures that the voices of Northern entrepreneurs remain central to the provincial dialogue on economic diversification.

Bruce has had a big impact in Northern Saskatchewan having served on Creighton Town Council for 32 years, including 23 as Mayor. Bruce is also a recipient of Queen Elizabeth the 2^nd Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Platinum Jubilee Medal.