Regina drivers have racked up approximately $7 million in unpaid parking tickets, according to city officials.

The number came up during budget deliberations in December, as councillors debated where to save cash and how to generate more revenue.

“Our main mode of collection is through a collection agency,” said Faisal Kalim, city director of community standards Dec. 18, 2025. “After the ticket is deemed convicted in court, it turns into a collectible for the city. And we send them to a collection agency.”

“We send out a number of pieces of mail, etc. But beyond that, we send them to a collection agency and there’s impact on their credit,” he added.

CTV News attempted to set up an interview with the City of Regina on the issue but one could not be accommodated.

Where could the money go?

In a budget which councillors approved a 10.9 per cent property tax hike, the largest single-year increase in the city ever, $7 million could be useful for the City of Regina.

If the outstanding fines were paid in full, that increase may have been about 8.7 per cent – saving the average Regina resident between $4 and $5 per month on their city expenses.

The cash could also fund more than 90 per cent of the $7.741 million Regina Police Service’s capital budget for 2026.

There is truly no limit to where the cash could be allocated to, but options including putting the money into depleted reserves, funding planned infrastructure and capital projects or towards utility operations also exist.

Last month, Regina city council signed a resolution asking the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) to explore alternative revenue tools for municipalities, including new or improved taxation options.

“The biggest thing is just trying to find a way to not solely rely on property tax as a source of revenue for the city,” Mayor Chad Bachynski said Jan. 22.

Ticket fines to increase

The shortfall in paid tickets comes as parking penalties are set to increase.

As part of budget deliberations, council passed amendments to increase fines a flat rate of $10.

“The feedback we get from residents is that the fine amounts we’re at right now is an adequate disincentive for people to park legally,” Kalim told councillors. “As a matter of fact, we get a lot of feedback our tickets are too high.”

Most parking tickets, like expired meters, are currently $30 if the offender pays within 14 days of its issuing. The fine increases to $65 if after 14 days.

Fines for more severe violations, such as illegal parking in an accessible stall, can be higher, with potential fines reaching $200 or more.

“Other provinces have it where you [can’t] renew your licence, if you have an outstanding ticket or fine?” asked Ward 1 Coun. Dan Rashovich.

“Requests or dialog has happened on many occasions with SGI and they have always turned us down,” responded acting city manager Jim Nicol. “So unless they were directed at some level by their political masters to at least give this consideration, we just keep hitting a brick wall on this.”

In response to CTV News, SGI says provincial legislation would require amendments to allow it to enforce such penalties like refusing to renew driver’s licences or vehicle registrations because of unpaid municipal parking tickets.

“This is not something SGI is considering at this time,” a spokesperson said. “Implementation and ongoing operation would result in a significant financial cost to SGI, which would have to be passed on to customers.

“SGI’s mandate includes issuing driver’s licences, registering vehicles and seeking to improve traffic safety; enforcement of parking tickets is not related to this activity. Refusing to renew driver’s licences and vehicle registrations for unpaid parking tickets would likely result in more uninsured motorists on the road, and that is not a risk SGI nor the Government of Saskatchewan is willing to take,” the statement added.

The city also has the power to immobilize or tow vehicles and issue warrants for collection of outstanding fees.

“It is very, very controversial for the community,” Kalim added. “The scrutiny the city gets in terms of parking and parking enforcement, certainly these changes, myself and my team will hear about it. And it will have an effect on the vibrancy of the downtown core.”

No more meters

On top of fines increasing, hourly parking fees will also increase following council approval during deliberations.

Current parking meter rates are $2/hour. The council approval will make it $2.50/hour.

“If we are going to raise our fees on transit, we need to raise our tax on parking as vehicles as well,” said Ward 5 Coun. Sarah Turnbull, who introduced the motion to increase parking fees and fines.

Not only will fees and fines increase, but the city will be removing all physical meters from the downtown as it transitions to a fully electronic form of payment.

The city already has online options to pay through the ‘PayByPhone’ app. Pending final bylaw approval, that will become the sole way to pay.

“Changes will not come into effect until an amending bylaw is passed by Council, which will be considered at the meeting in March,” a city spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday.

Based on budget deliberations, all changes, including parking fees, fines and removal of meters, are expected to come into effect April 1, 2026.

Officially launched on Monday, Café Francais has opened its door adjacent to the Mackenzie Art Gallery in the TC Douglas Building.

For couple and co-owners Ranjan Arora and Naina Kumar, this isn’t their first foray into the restaurant business in the Queen City.

They have been serving French pastries at their Victoria Avenue location for the last 12 years.

Arora told CTV News that the demand had begun to outweigh the supply, which led them to look for a place to open a second location.

“We were always so busy at our east location, that we had to refuse people tables. And people were not happy with it, so they felt like we should either expand the seating area or have another location.”

From crepes to croissants to compote, if it’s a taste of France it can be found at Café Francais.

Customers like Don Black are giving the dining experience five stars.

“I did have a croissant. And I was really, really impressed with that. Fresh baked a couple of hours ago. And really light, really nice and buttery, flavourful, fresh. And the coffee is very, very good,” he said.

Black added that he hopes to see the restaurant succeed as there aren’t many options for French cuisine in Regina.

“This is virtually the only French eatery in the city. There’s lots of Greek places, God bless them, and there’s lots of pizza places, there’s lots of Viet Thai and everything else. But I think this is a great addition to the city, and I hope it does really, really well,” he said.

Mackenzie Art Gallery Executive Director and CEO John Hampton wants the bistro to be a welcoming and relaxing hangout spot for everyone.

“I hope that everybody in the region, whether it’s people in the building that work with the government, that live across the street or down here in the south, can use it as a community hub.”

Kumar said the support that she and Arora have received from customers since starting their business 12 years ago, has been second to none.

“We are really proud that being immigrants, Canadian people have supported us and made us a part of the family here, that’s an honour. And we are really pleased to serve everybody.”

Police in Quebec and New Brunswick have seized large quantities of drugs, cash, weapons and biker gang paraphernalia a part of a wide-ranging operation targeting organized crime groups.

Investigators said the operation resulted in the seizure of 15 kilograms of cocaine, more than $564,000 in cash, more than 50 cell phones, silver bars worth around $5,000, and multiple weapons and protective gear.

Among the other items seized were several vests bearing biker gang insignia, including those marked “Prospect HA Nomads, NB,” “Street Soldiers North Shore,” “Prospect HA TR,” and “Red Devils Maritimes.” Police also seized seven lon guns, two handguns, two bulletproof vests, three tasers, and approximately 500 THC vapes.

“We had this organization that was pretty involved in cocaine trafficking pretty much everywhere in Quebec and New Brunswick,” said Sergeant Louis-Philippe Ruel. “We have officers from the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), RCMP, and several municipal police forces taking part in the raids.”

Sniffer dogs and investigators from several police forces fanned out across Quebec and in New Brunswick as part of what police called a “vast operation.”

The National Organized Crime Enforcement Squad said it executed 17 search warrants targeting homes and another 17 targeting vehicles.

Police said the searches are part of an investigation that began more than two years ago. While no arrests were planned during this phase, officers say it represents one step in an ongoing and extensive probe.

Investigators allege the groups targeted have links to the Hells Angels biker gang and are being investigated for their role in a broader cocaine trafficking network.

Police are also examining whether the groups were used to “plant a flag” on behalf of the Hells Angels in certain regions to prevent rival gangs from moving into their territory.

The Hells Angels’ presence in Quebec dates back to the 1970s, but their dominance in the province’s organized crime world has been challenged by other groups in recent years. From 1994 to 2002, violent conflicts between Quebec biker gangs Hells Angels and Rock Machine resulted in 162 deaths.

Investigators say the organized crime landscape has changed significantly over the past few years, with a growing number of street gangs vying for control of the drug trade.

“Criminal organizations exist to make profits, and anywhere there is profit to be made, they will be there,” says Ruel. “We are working against these cocaine trafficking rings to shut them down.”

Quebec Public Security Minister Ian Lafreniere praised police efforts online, congratulating officers for continuing to apply pressure on organized crime groups.

Warning: This story mentions suicide and contains details readers may find disturbing.

An RCMP officer testifying Thursday at a coroner’s inquest into the deaths of a family of four in northern B.C. offered the first account of what police believed took place.

Cpl. Matthew Blumberg was a member of the North District Major Crime Unit when Christopher Duong, Janet Nguyen and their two young children, four-year-old Alexander and two-year-old Harlan, were found dead in Prince Rupert in 2023.

Blumberg said he became involved in the investigation when local police contacted his unit, which is responsible for investigating suspicious deaths and homicides, to report “a possible murder-suicide” where it “appeared that a male had killed his wife, his two kids and himself.”

He told the coroner’s inquest Duong is believed to have killed Nguyen and their sons. All four bodies were found in a bed, with two teddy bears placed at the children’s feet.

“Neither of the children had obvious signs of injury, but their lips were blue and their skin was pale,” Blumberg said.

Nguyen had a “black electrical cord tightly around her neck,” according to Blumberg. Duong was found with “deep cuts” to his arms and legs,” and his blood had saturated the mattress, according to Blumberg.

“It’s the police’s theory that Chris killed his two children after drugging them, as well as his wife, before taking his own life,” Blumberg said, summarizing the findings of the investigation.

An inquest hears evidence from witnesses to make findings of fact but cannot “make any finding of legal responsibility or express any conclusion of law,” according to the B.C. Coroners Service.

Man was ‘extremely paranoid,’ witnesses said

The inquest heard Blumberg’s summary of witness interviews done by the officers who attended the scene on June 13, 2023, the day the family was found dead in Nguyen’s parents’ home.

On June 10, Duong had been detained under the Mental Health Act and brought to hospital, where he was released several hours later after an assessment. The inquest previously heard Duong had been pulled over by police at 2 a.m. that day with Nguyen and their sons in the car, which he said he was planning on driving around all night to evade a “hit” he believed had been put out on him and his family.

Although police said Duong was known to them as someone involved in the drug trade, Blumberg said the investigation did not reveal any credible threats to Duong’s life or the lives of his family members.

“There is no follow-up investigation to be done. The investigative team has concluded the file as a murder-suicide. There’s no outstanding suspects. Every avenue that could have been followed by the team has been,” he said.

The inquest heard that Erik Vendenberg, who was staying with the family and made the 911 call, told police Duong had been behaving erratically after his release from hospital.

“He said that Chris had been acting paranoid for the last few days. Earlier that day, around 6 or 7 a.m., he freaked out, grabbed the kids and sat in the vehicle. It took almost four hours to talk him out of the vehicle. They told him repeatedly that nobody was going to get him, but Chris was extremely paranoid, saying that people wanted to hurt him and hurt his family,” Blumberg said, summarizing Vendenberg’s account of the incident.

“The children had no understanding of what was going on.”

Nguyen’s mother gave police a similar description of behaviour in the days before the alleged murder-suicide.

“She said that Chris was acting paranoid, thinking that someone was out to kill him. He had been pacing back and forth, acting like he had mental health problems,” according to Blumberg’s summary. “One night recently, he had hugged her crying and said that people were trying to kill him. She described him as extremely paranoid.”

Witnesses also told police Duong had insisted on keeping all the home’s lights on and constantly monitoring security cameras. Nguyen’s father also told police Duong had been “wrong” since a car crash the previous year, in which he suffered a traumatic brain injury.

Woman was ‘willing participant,’ police believe

Investigators were told Nguyen was also scared someone was out to harm her family, and that she and Duong would “amp each other up” rather than calm each other down, according to Blumberg.

Her father told police she had said “she would die if Chris died.” Nguyen’s sister also recalled the woman saying she would be a “guardian angel with Chris.”

Those statements, along with evidence there was no sign of Nguyen struggling or attempting to defend herself when she was fatally strangled, led police to believe Nguyen “was a willing participant in being murdered,” Blumberg said.

Asked if it was possible Nguyen was a “willing participant” in the killing of the children, Blumberg said the evidence only conclusively showed Duong was the last to die.

“We can’t determine which order the decedents died in, but she was not opposed, at least, to the offenses being committed, and didn’t put up a fight or try to stop it in the least,” Blumberg told the inquest.

The couple had also recorded a video they titled their “last will and testament” in the days before they were found dead, Blumberg said. The video included statements about who they wanted to be the guardians of their children as well as their wishes for their property. The video was found on a phone seized from the scene that showed a search history that included things like “painless ways to kill yourself” and “where are the biggest arteries.”

The inquest also heard the investigation took a heavy toll on the officers involved.

“This particular incident was exceptionally difficult with two young children involved,” Blumberg said. “They are truly innocent victims.”

The inquest is set to continue through Feb. 20, and the jury will make recommendations aimed at preventing future deaths in similar circumstances.

If you or someone you know is in crisis or struggling with mental illness, here are some resources that are available.

Canada Suicide Crisis Helpline (Call or text 988)

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health 1-800-463-2338)

Crisis Services Canada 1-833-456-4566 or text 45645

Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868)

If you need immediate assistance, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.

A lawyer for the truck driver who caused the deadly Humboldt Broncos bus crash says his client is one step closer to being deported to India.

Lawyer Michael Greene says the Immigration and Refugee Board has rejected a request for Jaskirat Singh Sidhu to stay in Canada as a refugee.

Greene says that decision means the Canada Border Services Agency is now under a legal obligation to remove Sidhu from Canada as soon as possible.

He says he’s not sure when that might be but plans to ask for a deferral.

The board is still considering a previous application to restore Sidhu’s permanent resident status.

That application argues Sidhu should be allowed to stay on humanitarian grounds because he has a child with complex medical issues.

Sidhu drove through a stop sign and into the path of a bus carrying the junior hockey team at a rural intersection near Tisdale, Sask., in April 2018.

Sixteen people died and 13 more were injured.

The Moose Jaw Police Service is asking for the public’s help in the search for a suspect related to an assault last month.

On Jan. 15, officers responded to a business on the 1200 block of Main Street North after an assault was reported.

The man allegedly spat on the victim following a brief argument.

According to police the man appeared to be Caucasian, in his 20’s, and was wearing a green and white hoodie with a black cap underneath at the time of the incident.

The incident remains under investigation.

A fourth person has been charged in connection to the killing of Michael Ross, Regina’s first homicide of 2026.

Destin Doherty, 30, has been charged with indignity to a dead body and accessory after the fact to murder, according to the Regina Police Service (RPS) on Wednesday afternoon.

He will make his first appearance in Regina Provincial Court on Thursday morning.

Three others have been charged in connection to the killing.

Earlier on Wednesday, RPS revealed that Shyla Keewatin, 33, was charged with first-degree murder and indignity to a dead body.

Keewatin was scheduled to make her first appearance in Regina Provincial Court on Wednesday at 2 p.m.

Both Doherty and Keewatin were arrested Tuesday evening.

Steven Myslichuk, 37, has been charged with indignity to a dead body and accessory after the fact to murder.

Kobe Samual Fiddler, 26, faces the same charges in addition to carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a firearm contrary to a prohibition order and accessory after the fact to murder.

RPS ended off its update by thanking the public for its help with the investigation. It encouraged anyone with information that could further assist the investigation to contact police.

Shortly before 3 a.m. on Jan. 19, police attempted to conduct a traffic stop near Saskatchewan Drive and Albert Street. The driver fled police and eventually ditched the vehicle on the 1400 block of Princess Street.

Officers found the body of 56-year-old Michael Ross inside the vehicle’s trunk, inside a hockey bag. An investigation led officers to a home on the 3700 block of Dewdney Avenue.

Ross’s death represents Regina’s first homicide of 2026.

The Saskatchewan RCMP laid charges against 28 people in relation to 33 homicide investigations with 39 victims in 2025, marking another high-volume year for homicide investigators.

In 2024, the Sask. RCMP saw the highest number of homicide files on record, with 41 homicide files with 43 victims in 2024.

In the Sask. RCMP’s jurisdiction in 2025, there were 31 homicide investigations with 34 victims, and officers assisted with two murder investigations with five victims in the jurisdiction of the File Hills First Nations Police Service.

Of the victims in the RCMP’s 2025 homicide investigations:

• Three were children age 12 and under
• Three were teenagers between the ages of 13 and 19
• 12 were young people in their 20s
• 10 were in their 30s
• Six were in their 40s
• Four were in their 50s
• One was in their 60s

Of the 28 charges in 2025, there were seven first-degree murder charges, 17 second-degree murder charges, and four manslaughter charges.

The RCMP said that in 2025, investigators also continued work on at least 30 unsolved homicide or suspicious death files from previous years.

In 2025, investigators were able to solve 23 of the year’s homicide case, with 10 still under investigation. Of the 23 cases, 12 were solved within 24 hours, six were solved within one week, three were solved within one month, and two were solved in less than six months.

“While 2024 marked the highest number of homicide files we’ve investigated, the volume in 2025 remained elevated,” said Superintendent Josh Graham, officer in charge of Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes Branch.

“The work doesn’t stop for our teams, homicide files in our jurisdiction are at a rate that requires significant investigative capacity.”

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