The Rural Municipality (RM) of Sherwood council has unanimously approved plans to move forward with an AI data centre after reviewing its agreement with Bell Canada (BCE) at a meeting Monday.

Ever since Bell Canada announced its plans to build a 300-megawatt AI data centre outside of Regina, local residents have been voicing their opinions.

In hopes of stopping the process from moving forward, close to 100 people gathered outside the RM of Sherwood offices during Monday’s meeting.

“I think it’s really disappointing. I think the fact that there’s been a lack of transparency is so worrisome,” protester Genevieve Robinson explained.

“If the data centre is built we’ll protest against it because we know the harm that data centres have done to cities in the U.S.,” Nicholas Fruzesy, another concerned resident, told CTV News.

The majority of concerns raised by protestors pertained to the potential environmental impacts they believe the centre could have including noise pollution, stormwater, drainage and increased electricity use.

Following council’s vote in favour of the development agreement, a few individuals who attended the meeting left the RM office and were yelled at by protesters as they walked to their vehicles.

Only 20 seats in the gallery were available for residents to attend the meeting. Many of the protestors, delegates and the majority of media who attended the event, including CTV News, were unable to watch the meeting unfold in person. However, the proceedings were streamed online.

Interim Reeve Ray Orb said the RM council was confident in its decision.

“I think that it’s important to get that message out there. This is a positive project whether people like AI or not, they are probably already using it,” Orb told reporters following the meeting.

“It’s in our lives right now, especially in agriculture and health care, and in the work municipalities do it’s very important to us. Data sovereignty is very important. We have a good opportunity here to build something and to us, it’s a success story for the province.”

Orb added the RM council had much time to review the agreement prior to voting on it at Monday’s meeting.

When speaking to reporters, a spokesperson for Bell Canada said the company has gone through the province’s environmental impact assessment process.

“In Saskatchewan, it’s a process where you self-assess based on criteria,” explained Dan Rink, president of AI Fabric for Bell Canada.

“Because of the way we design these facilities, and the fact that they actually are very environmentally friendly, they don’t use water, they don’t have large waste products of any kind, it’s not necessary for us to enter into a full environmental process.”

When asked about the environmental concerns raised by those in the community, Rink said the corporation will be engaging with various local organizations, the provincial government, as well as George Gordon First Nation, during the development process.

Rink reiterated the technical aspects of the proposed facility, seemingly responding to certain public concerns over water use by AI data centres.

“All of the facilities we build don’t use water,” he explained. “They all use closed loop systems, fully closed loop system. No evaporative cooling at all so the system gets filled with technical water. That water is used for around ten years before it’s fully recycled and refilled.”

With the goal of providing more transparency to the public, the RM of Sherwood’s council said it plans to publish more information on its website as the project unfolds.

A White City teenager has been charged for allegedly making threats online.

On April 14, White Butte RCMP said it received a report about threats made on a social media platform.

Mounties say they later determined that the posts were made from someone with a White City address.

On April 17, Mounties executed a search warrant at a home in White City along with the Regina Serious Crimes Unit and the Saskatchewan Internet Child Exploitation Unit.

A teenage boy was arrested as a result, charged with one count of counselling to commit an offence and one count of uttering threats.

The teenager’s name cannot be disclosed in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

A bill that seeks publish real-time emergency closures has passed its second reading, but the Saskatchewan NDP is pushing to get it approved quicker.

During legislative assembly on Tuesday, NDP MLA Jared Clarke called on Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill to pass the bill right away.

“It has been 173 days since I introduced Bill 606, requiring the public health authority to publish information in real time on emergency room closures. This is information that the Sask. Party has had at its fingertips for 173 days now,” he said. “I was hopeful when the government supported Bill 606 at second reading, but yesterday, the health minister said he needed more time to review it.”

In response, Cockrill said his government voted to pass the second reading because they agree with the principle that patients should have access to reliable and accurate information. However, he said there are certain steps that need to be taken before the bill can be put into place.

“Much of what’s already in that bill is already being operationalized by the Saskatchewan Health Authority,” he said.

“To operationalize these policies, it’s not just writing a paragraph in a bill, there’s actually multiple things that need to happen. We’ll continue discussions with the Saskatchewan Health Authority on how we continue to provide that information to patients.”

Clarke said legislation of this nature “could save lives,” and pushed for the government to expedite the process.

“We are hearing from so many people across this province that they want this bill passed, and they want it passed now,” he said.

Cockrill reiterated that there is a process that needs to be done before the bill can be passed, and that discussions are underway with the SHA and the Ministry of Health. He also called attention to the Health Human Resources Action Plan as his focus for helping patients.

“You know what does save lives? Training more nurses, hiring more nurses, training more doctors, hiring more doctors in this province, that’s what this government’s focused on. That’s what I’m focused on. That’s what’s best for patients,” he said.

Clarke referenced a closure in Turtleford, Sask. that he claimed was not updated on the website.

“Just last night, the minister’s super duper ambitious notification website missed another closure in Turtleford, Saskatchewan. Bill 606 will save lives and I’m proud to support it,” he said.

“People in rural Saskatchewan shouldn’t need to play Russian Roulette when they’re searching for an open ER.”

Cockrill said he’s had the opportunity to meet with some of the leaders in Turtleford to discuss some of the challenges facing the community.

“What we need to stay focused on is training and hiring more physicians and nurses,” he said. “That is putting patients first.”

Cargill’s canola crush plant located near Regina is now operational, following years of development.

Breaking ground at the Global Transportation Hub in July 2022, the $350 million facility was originally slated to begin operations in the fall of 2025 – before being delayed to the spring of 2026.

With the capacity to process 1 million metric tonnes of canola annually, the site will serve producers across Saskatchewan and western Manitoba.

The plant will allow for more Canadian canola to be processed into high-value products, including canola oil, renewable fuels and high-protein meal for animal feed.

According to Cargill, the facility is supporting more than 100 jobs in the region through a combination of full-time workers and contractors. The company had previously said the plant would be staffed by 50 full-time workers.

“This facility strengthens our ability to connect Canadian farmers to growing global demand for food and renewable fuels,” Cargill Canada President Jeff Vassart said in a news release Tuesday.

“By expanding processing capacity in Saskatchewan, we’re creating more opportunities for farmers while helping ensure Canada remains competitive in rapidly evolving global markets.”

The Regina facility compliments Cargill’s other facilities in Camrose, Alta. and Clavet, Sask.

A small section of Wascana Park, south of Wascana Hill, was the site of a prescribed burn Tuesday afternoon.

The controlled burn helps remove fuel that could feed future wildfires and reduces invasive grass species. While relatively new in the City of Regina, prescribed burns have been used in other major cities for decades.

Fire also plays a key role in renewing plant life, and Tuesday’s conditions— including light winds—were ideal.

Safety remains a top priority, with natural barriers like creeks, lakes, and roads used to contain the fire. Indigenous communities have used controlled burns for thousands of years to manage the land.

“They wanted to see bison come to a certain area, so they burned it. The grass that grew back was more nutritious, and the bison would return. The same idea applies to berry patches, which grow back more abundant,” said grassland ecologist Dale Gross.

Volunteer firefighters from rural departments also attend these burns to gain experience in managing wildfires.

Regina Fire has concluded its investigation into the carbon monoxide leak that killed an 11-year-old.

Fire Chief Layne Jackson is set to speak to media regarding the investigation’s findings on Wednesday at 10 a.m.

On Dec. 19, 2025, 11-year-old Henry Losco died following a carbon monoxide leak in his family’s apartment building, located on the 1800 block of Albert Street.

His father, Sergio Losco, was found unconscious in the fourth-floor apartment. He was taken to hospital and survived the incident.

The family claims their carbon monoxide detectors did not go off.

In a previous update, the Regina Fire and Protective Services (RFPS) revealed the incident was unintentional and was caused by a boiler, which failed and released a substantial amount of carbon monoxide.

In that update, RFPS said it was investigating with the Regina Police Service to determine if there was a criminal aspect to the incident. At the time, RFPS stated that investigation was still ongoing. The Technical Safety Authority of Saskatchewan is also investigating the incident.

Considering recent overpass collisions across the province, a Regina city councillor has submitted a notice of motion regarding infrastructure protection.

Ward 10 Coun. Clark Bezo’s motion comes in light of a string of recent overpass crashes in Saskatoon.

The motion seeks collaboration with the Ministry of Government Relations and the City of Saskatoon to review disciplining powers regarding over-height vehicles and exploring infrastructure damage recovery.

“Repair costs arising from these incidents have been estimated to exceed $750,000 for the first two Saskatoon collisions alone, with individual incidents expected to cost between $350,000 and $400,000, placing a substantial financial burden on municipal taxpayers,” the submission read.

“Similar overpass strikes have recently occurred elsewhere in Saskatchewan, including the March 16, 2026 collision near Moose Jaw where an over height semi struck an overpass on Highway 1, demonstrating that this is a province wide issue rather than an isolated urban concern.”

The motion aims to review fines, penalties and cost recovery options that could be applied to commercial drivers and carrier companies should their vehicles strike a bridge or overpass while flouting height, permitting or routing requirements.

Bezo’s submission points to the City of Saskatoon’s amended traffic bylaws as a potential model Regina could follow. Drivers of non-compliant vehicles can face fines up to $10,000 while companies can face fines up to $25,000.

Additionally, Bezo wants to explore the feasibility of harmonizing municipal and provincial enforcement tools to “improve consistency, deterrence, and recovery of repair costs across Saskatchewan jurisdictions.”

If approved, the motion also contains a provision directing city administration to return to council with its findings and/or recommendations by Q4 2026.

City workers back to office

Bezo also submitted a notice of motion recommending that all designated in-office or hybrid city employees return to full-time office work by Aug. 21, 2026.

Exceptions would have to be approved by executive leadership for “operational, medical, or accommodation-related reasons.”

The submission argues that returning employees to full-time office work helps contribute to a vibrant, active downtown and improves public safety by increasing daytime presence.

The notice of motion would also require administration to report back to council if the move generates a financial impact exceeding $250,000.

Following the death of newly-wed Alyssa Thompson last December, the community of Churchbridge, Sask. is hoping to secure grant funding for safety upgrades to its railroad crossing.

In December 2025, Thompson was killed when her vehicle collided with an incoming train at a railroad crossing in Churchbridge. She was only 29 years old. The crash came just weeks after Thompson’s wedding.

“[Churchbridge] had hearings years ago, and knowing that there was government funding and grants and stuff out there, why wasn’t it applied for [upgrading the crossing]? Why did it take another accident to sort of get the ball rolling on this again?” asked Matthew Thompson, Alyssa’s husband.

Thompson’s story is not the only recent tale of loss centered on that particular railroad crossing. In early 2023, David Holstein was taking his son to a hockey game when their car collided with a train at that same spot. Holstein was killed in the crash.

At that time, the town had considered upgrading the intersection but eventually abandoned the idea until the most recent fatality.

“I know the town was in contact with CPKC [in February, 2026]. They had a very fruitful discussion there, just trying to get a value as to what the new warning system may be on that crossing,” Warren Kaeding, who serves as Churchbridge’s MLA and the minister of trade and export development, told CTV News.

The price tag of a new and improved rail crossing comes out to $460,000, a high cost for the community made up of only 900 residents.

“We’ve applied for provincial funding. I think it’s an SGI grant or something, so we’re waiting to hear back on that,” Churchbridge Mayor Jared Melnyk said. “We’re still waiting for some of the Government of Canada infrastructure programs to open up before we can move forward on the project.”

He said Transport Canada’s applicable grant has been closed for some years, but they are hopeful that it will reopen this year.

For the time being, the town has not allocated any funds for upgrading the Lovel Street crossing.

“I think we’re probably going to have to have a public meeting and get input from the community because it’s going to be a lot of money to put this crossing in,” Melnyk explained. “Instead of seven people making the decision, it should probably be more of the community.”

Earlier this year, some members of the community called on CPKC to chip in with the costs.

“I find that it’s absolutely baffling that a for-profit company like CP Rail thinks that they should be able to offset the hundreds of thousands of dollars for these lights to keep patrons safe on a small tax base of 800 people,” Elyce Wilson, a friend of David Holstein, told CTV News back in February.

In its response to CTV News on April 17, CPKC said it remains engaged with the appropriate stakeholders.

“[The new warning system] could potentially be supported with funding from Transport Canada’s Rail Safety Improvement Program or other federal or provincial infrastructure funding contribution programs to municipalities and road authorities,” CPKC added.

Thompson’s widower remains hopeful that the safety upgrades will be installed.

“People are on board with that mostly. I understand there’s a cost involved to the taxpayers, but if it saves a family member’s life eventually, it seems like it’s worth it,” he said.

Mayor Melnyk expects to move forward on the matter in mid-July. For now, all anyone can do is wait.

EVO Radio Network – Scheduled Maintenance Notice

EVO Radio will be conducting a network-wide server migration and infrastructure update beginning Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 3:00 AM, with work expected to be completed by Sunday, January 18, 2026 at 8:00 PM.

During this maintenance window, the following services may be temporarily offline or intermittently inaccessible at various points:

Websites

• https://z1035.evoradio.ca/

• https://979thecowboy.evoradio.ca/

• https://101therockhound.evoradio.ca/

• https://887thegoat.evoradio.ca/

• https://advertiseraccess.evoradio.ca/

• https://vipclub.evoradio.ca/

• https://evomcorp.com/

• https://djspinderella.evomcorp.com/

Live Broadcasting

• Z103.5

• 979 The Cowboy

• 101 The Rockhound

• Classic 88.7 The Goat

Stream Relay Network

• All Stream Relay services will be unavailable during the migration.

Because this update involves server transfers, database installations, and name server changes, exact downtime periods cannot be guaranteed. Individual service interruptions may vary, with some components taking up to several hours to complete.

Our support and technical teams will work to keep all stations and websites online for as long as possible and will restore services immediately as each system becomes available. Broadcast services and station websites will be prioritized, followed by additional network services.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we complete these upgrades, which are designed to improve performance, reliability, and long-term stability across the EVO Radio Network.

Thank you for your continued support,
EVO Radio Network

🎉 Update Completed Successfully! 🎉

We are thrilled to announce that our scheduled network update has been completed without any issues! 🚀 All our broadcast stations, streams, and websites are now fully operational and running better than ever.

What’s New?

Here’s what you can expect from this update:
✅ Improved Audio Player – No more interruptions or cutting off! Enjoy seamless streaming on our websites.
✅ Enhanced Stream Stability – Our radio streams are now more reliable than ever.
✅ Upgraded Security & Quality – Improved protection and enhanced broadcast quality for an unmatched listening experience.

Fully Operational Services:

🎵 Stations:

• Z103.5 – https://z1035.evoradio.ca/
• 979 The Cowboy – https://979thecowboy.evoradio.ca/
• 101 The Rockhound – https://101therockhound.evoradio.ca/
• Classic 88.7 The Goat – https://887thegoat.evoradio.ca/

🌐 Websites:

• EVO Radio Advertiser Access – https://advertiseraccess.evoradio.ca/
• EVO Media Corporation – https://evomcorp.com/
• DJ Spinderella – https://djspinderella.evomcorp.com/

Experiencing Issues?

While everything is running smoothly on our end, we’re here to help if you encounter any issues. If you’re having trouble with our broadcasts or websites, please report the issue to us immediately so we can address it.

📧 Contact Us:

If you have having any issues please reach out to us on our websites!

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this process. We’re committed to providing you with the best listening experience possible and appreciate your support!

🎧 Happy Listening!
The EVO Radio & EVO Media Corporation Team