Latest news with #PeterBallantyneCreeNation
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Family of missing Cree woman pleads for information after Edmonton disappearance
With no trace of 24-year-old Natanis Merasty for more than two months, her family is pleading for answers about what happened to her. Merasty, a member of Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation who is from La Ronge, Sask., was last seen in Edmonton on May 5. With no confirmed sightings since, Edmonton Police Service is now leading the investigation into the suspicious disappearance. Merasty's aunt and godmother, Marcela Merasty, said Friday that it isn't normal for her niece to be out of touch with family members for so long. "By this time, she'd be calling home for family. Anything that was ever wrong with her, she came to us for support," she said. "The people who have any answers, come forward. Let it out of your heart. Let us family have closure in this." EPS Det. Lisa Riou said police believe Merasty came to Edmonton with friends or acquaintances. She said police have spoken with people who had contact with Merasty in the city, and there a number of "people of interest." While Merasty hasn't been seen since she was in Edmonton, police have traced the path of her vehicle in the days that followed. She appears on surveillance footage from the Continental Inn in west Edmonton, and then a nearby 7-Eleven, in the early morning hours of May 5. After that, police say her car passed through Edmonton and Sherwood Park, east of the city, before travelling southwest. It passed through the areas of Buck Lake, Nordegg and Lake Louise in Alberta, before crossing into B.C. On May 7, the vehicle was on a ferry to Nanaimo, B.C. Three days later, it was back in the Edmonton area, before travelling west, where it was seen west of Lloydminster, on the Alberta-Saskatchewan border. On May 15 — 10 days after Merasty was last seen — her vehicle was found abandoned, repainted from black to silver, in James Smith Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. Riou said there aren't any confirmed images of Merasty during the journey into the other provinces — only the car that belonged to her. Because Edmonton is the last place she was seen, EPS is leading the investigation and working with RCMP. Investigators are still looking into whether Merasty had connections to the places her car was spotted. Riou said police are seeking tips from all three provinces involved in the investigation. "Hopefully as we seek and gain more public information, continue to work with the family, we'll put together a better, broader picture with more details." Merasty's uncle Victor Michel said the family has a lot of hope that she's still alive. "We are hurt as a family, obviously ... We are seeking our girl. We want her home." Merasty often goes by Sikwan with her family members, aunt Noreen Merasty said. If anyone sees her, she said it might help to connect with her by speaking the family's Cree language. "Just tell her in Cree, like, 'It's OK. You don't need to be scared, you don't need to hide,'" she said. "We all love you," she said, then switching to Cree to tell her niece, "Come home now." Police say anyone who may have information about where Merasty is should contact EPS or report tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
CBC
3 days ago
- CBC
Family of missing Cree woman pleads for information after Edmonton disappearance
With no trace of 24-year-old Natanis Merasty for more than two months, her family is pleading for answers about what happened to her. Merasty, a member of Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation who is from La Ronge, Sask., was last seen in Edmonton on May 5. With no confirmed sightings since, Edmonton Police Service is now leading the investigation into the suspicious disappearance. Merasty's aunt and godmother, Marcela Merasty, said Friday that it isn't normal for her niece to be out of touch with family members for so long. "By this time, she'd be calling home for family. Anything that was ever wrong with her, she came to us for support," she said. "The people who have any answers, come forward. Let it out of your heart. Let us family have closure in this." EPS Det. Lisa Riou said police believe Merasty came to Edmonton with friends or acquaintances. She said police have spoken with people who had contact with Merasty in the city, and there a number of "people of interest." While Merasty hasn't been seen since she was in Edmonton, police have traced the path of her vehicle in the days that followed. She appears on surveillance footage from the Continental Inn in west Edmonton, and then a nearby 7-Eleven, in the early morning hours of May 5. After that, police say her car passed through Edmonton and Sherwood Park, east of the city, before travelling southwest. It passed through the areas of Buck Lake, Nordegg and Lake Louise in Alberta, before crossing into B.C. On May 7, the vehicle was on a ferry to Nanaimo, B.C. Three days later, it was back in the Edmonton area, before travelling west, where it was seen west of Lloydminster, on the Alberta-Saskatchewan border. On May 15 — 10 days after Merasty was last seen — her vehicle was found abandoned, repainted from black to silver, in James Smith Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. Riou said there aren't any confirmed images of Merasty during the journey into the other provinces — only the car that belonged to her. Because Edmonton is the last place she was seen, EPS is leading the investigation and working with RCMP. Investigators are still looking into whether Merasty had connections to the places her car was spotted. Riou said police are seeking tips from all three provinces involved in the investigation. "Hopefully as we seek and gain more public information, continue to work with the family, we'll put together a better, broader picture with more details." Merasty's uncle Victor Michel said the family has a lot of hope that she's still alive. "We are hurt as a family, obviously ... We are seeking our girl. We want her home." Merasty often goes by Sikwan with her family members, aunt Noreen Merasty said. If anyone sees her, she said it might help to connect with her by speaking the family's Cree language. "Just tell her in Cree, like, 'It's OK. You don't need to be scared, you don't need to hide,'" she said. "We all love you," she said, then switching to Cree to tell her niece, "Come home now." Police say anyone who may have information about where Merasty is should contact EPS or report tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'Beyond devastating': Residents of Denare Beach, Sask., start returning home
For Alannah Skot, returning to Denare Beach, Sask., has been both painful and therapeutic. Her home was among the 218 permanent residences destroyed by wildfire three weeks ago, when the Wolf fire roared into the northern village on June 2. But the lodge she owns, the Overland Resort, survived, so she was among the people allowed to return to the community on the weekend when the local evacuation order partially lifted. "It's beyond devastating," she said on Monday, when asked what it's like to be back. "But I personally feel so much better being here with all my friends, and just having the support.… To be back where people are feeling the same emotions as you is very therapeutic." Skot travelled to Denare Beach on Saturday to start preparing her lodge for guests, who so far will include some displaced residents as well as SaskTel crews in town to restore phone and internet services. She said she is "beyond grateful" to the firefighters who defended the community, and thankful her lodge is still standing, though she doesn't know how — there's blackened signs of the burn all around it and the rice plant across the street was destroyed. "The grass is longer, my barbecue is a pool of metal, like most around town," she said. "My glass bottles that were ready for recycling are melted." On Sunday, the village lifted the evacuation order for permanent residents whose homes weren't destroyed by fire. Then on Monday, the village announced the evacuation order will be fully lifted on Wednesday, meaning seasonal residents and non-residents will also be allowed to travel there. "Due to the many crews working in the village and for those who have experienced losses, we ask that any unnecessary traffic refrain from entering the village at this time," the village posted on Facebook. Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation has also been working on co-ordinating the response and recovery for its Denare Beach reserve, just south of the Northern Village of Denare Beach. Just 10 homes out of about 35 on the reserve were saved. The First Nation said in an update on its website that it is "working to restrict access to Denare Beach to community members only. Security measures are being implemented to prevent non-residents from entering or taking photos in the area." Some residents in the area will have to wait a bit longer until they can return, including anyone who needs medical services. Denare Beach and nearby Creighton depend on the city of Flin Flon, just across the border in Manitoba, for many services. Officials in Manitoba said they expect to lift the evacuation order for Flin Flon on Wednesday, but health-care services will be limited for a while. Denare Beach resident Maureen McBratney has been staying in Yorkton, to continue her dialysis treatment. She said she can't go home until she hears the dialysis unit is up and running at the hospital in Flon Flon. McBratney said it's been tough listening to other family members getting excited about returning. "I get it, you know, things [in the hospital] have to be cleaned and properly vetted to make sure everything's safe for people like me to go home," she said. "But, you know, it's still a little hard to take." There are still 19 active fires burning in the province, Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency vice-president Steve Roberts said in a media briefing on Monday afternoon. But favourable weather has meant crews have been making progress on containing the four major fires still burning: the Shoe fire is 50 per contained, the Pisew fire 30 per cent contained, the Wolf fire 30 per cent contained and the Ditch fire 80 per cent contained. He said there were no changes to the total "values" confirmed as burned, which is 1,931 provincewide, including 299 houses and 60 cabins. Members of the recovery task team, announced last week, were on their way to Creighton on Monday, Roberts said. When asked what kind of supports there will be for people whose homes burned, he said some will be relying on insurance and some are staying with family and friends. "For those that don't, that's one of the questions the recovery task team will be looking at, is what other supports might be available for those individuals," he said.
CTV News
11-06-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
‘Turning a corner': Some Saskatchewan wildfire evacuees returning home after rain-filled weekend aids firefighting
People stop along a highway as a large active wildfire fills the sky with smoke in the background in the La Ronge, Sask., area in an undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, *MANDATORY CREDIT* Residents of Pelican Narrows, Weyakwin and other northern Saskatchewan communities have been given the green light to return to their homes – as the province's state of emergency due to wildfires enters its 12th day. Speaking to reporters Monday, Minister of Public Safety Tim McLeod said repatriation efforts are moving along following a weekend of rainfall which offered a much-needed reprieve for fire crews. The evacuation order for Weyakwin has been lifted. At the same time, Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation announced Sunday that residents could begin returning to the community. Additionally, Foran Mining facilities southwest of Creighton are no longer considered under threat. McLeod says the company is anticipating a full return to its mine in the area by Friday. 'We're optimistic that more communities will indeed be returning home in the days and weeks ahead, and we look forward to that progress,' he said. Weyakwin, located 140 kilometres north of Prince Albert, was originally evacuated on May 31 due to the Ditch02 Fire. Saskatchewan RCMP have charged two suspects with arson in connection to that wildfire. McLeod says the province has determined most of the wildfires currently burning out of control were caused by human activity. 'We know that virtually all, if not all, of the forest fires in Saskatchewan were human caused, and unfortunately, some of those were intentionally caused by humans,' he said. There are 25 active wildfires in Saskatchewan as of Monday – with 256 recorded so far this year – smashing the five-year average of 145 by June 9. The SPSA has confirmed 295 structures have been damaged or destroyed due to wildfires this season. As of Monday, a total of 33 communities are on evacuation notice. According to the province, 10,262 people are being supported by the Canadian Red Cross – while 860 are being supported by the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA). An unknown number of residents have self-evacuated and are receiving intermittent supports while staying with family or friends. Federal support Responding to questions regarding federal aid – McLeod says the province is in constant communication with the federal government. 'This isn't a situation where we're not asking for assistance or they're not offering assistance,' he explained. 'It's simply a situation where the needs that we have to align with what they're offering and we continue to have those conversations daily to find that alignment.' McLeod says the province has requested two base camps from the federal government - in addition to two tents for sheltering up to 200 people. 'Those base camps would be established for working crews as they go back into the communities they're rebuilding,' he added. 'We're now turning a corner, I would say, and optimistic. Still much work to be done, but preparing for that next phase, making sure that we are ahead of the cleanup efforts and the rebuilding efforts that we know are to come with that.' Wildfires by the numbers According to the SPSA's Vice President of Operations Steve Roberts, several fires have merged. Such is the case with the Wolf, Club and Pelican2 Fires near Creighton and the Ditch02 and Shoe Fires north of Prince Albert. Roberts says that the agency will continue referring to several of the fires by their current names due to the fact that the crews managing them are in seperate regions of the province. 'In some cases where the fires have merged, we've actually turned them into one fire, such as the Shoe Fire,' he explained. 'But there's others ... such as the Ditch Fire and the Shoe Fire that we do not want to merge together because of logistical reasons ... so we've kept them separate, even though their borders touch at some point.' Shoe Fire Remaining the largest blaze in the province, the Shoe Fire has surpassed an estimated 500,000 hectares. Highways 912 and 913 have remained closed due to the blaze. About 22 millimetres of rain fell on parts of the Shoe Fire over the weekend, which aided firefighting efforts. JaySmith Fire The JaySmith Fire has grown to 139,000 hectares, No highways are currently affected. Ditch02 Fire Highway 969 remains closed due to the Ditch Fire, which has grown to 153,000 hectares. The village of Weyakwin, originally evacuated due to the Ditch Fire, is now seeing residents return. Pisew Fire The Pisew Fire, which has threatened the La Ronge area, is currently estimated at 181,000 hectares. Highway 2 north and Highway 102 north near La Ronge have been intermittently closed. Wolf Fire The Wolf Fire, located west of Denare Beach, is estimated to cover 130,000 hectares. Highway 167, 106 and the Highway 135 junction are closed due to the flames. Pelican2 Fire The Pelican2 Fire, located north of Pelican Narrows, is estimated to be 34,000 hectares. Access to Highway 135 has been restored - and residents are in the process of returning. Club Fire Located over the Saskatchewan and Manitoba border near Creighton and Flin Flon, 17,000 hectares fall within Saskatchewan. The fire totals 60,000 hectares.
Cision Canada
09-06-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Foran Announces Staged Return to McIlvenna Bay Project Site
VANCOUVER, BC, June 9, 2025 /CNW/ - Foran Mining Corporation (TSX: FOM) (OTCQX: FMCXF) ("Foran" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, following consultation with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency ("SPSA") and internal subject matter experts, it has been determined that the McIlvenna Bay Project site (the "Project") is no longer under threat from regional wildfires. As a result, Foran has begun a staged and controlled repatriation of personnel to site, proactively managing re-entry safely and responsibly. A full return to site is expected by Friday, June 13, 2025, positioning the Project for a well-coordinated ramp-up of construction activities. Foran Executive Chairman & CEO Dan Myerson stated, " Wildfires are an unfortunate reality in many remote parts of Canada, and this season has brought particular hardship across Saskatchewan and Manitoba. While we are fortunate that the McIlvenna Bay Project remains intact and that our personnel can now begin returning safely, we recognize the broader toll these fires are taking. Communities, families, and colleagues, especially within the local Indigenous Nations with whom we share longstanding and meaningful relationships, are facing profound challenges. At Foran, we are keeping all those affected in our thoughts and are committed to doing our part in the collective recovery. As we move forward, our focus remains on supporting a safe, respectful, and resilient return to construction." Aligned with Foran's commitment to responsible resource development and community stewardship, the Company is taking active measures to support both employees and local residents impacted by the wildfires: Launched a relief fund for Foran employees affected by the wildfires; Organizing donations of clothing and essential supplies for evacuated members of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN); Implementation of comprehensive safeguarding measures to protect Foran's people and assets; and Continuing direct engagement and support for local emergency response and recovery efforts. Foran encourages those wishing to contribute to wildfire relief to support the following initiatives: Red Cross: Saskatchewan and Manitoba Wildfire Response – donations matched 2:1 by the federal and provincial governments Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation Wildfire Relief GoFundMe – supporting direct aid to affected Indigenous communities About Foran Mining Foran Mining is a copper-zinc-gold-silver exploration and development company, committed to supporting a greener future and, empowering communities while creating value for our stakeholders. The McIlvenna Bay project is located entirely within the documented traditional territory of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, comprises the infrastructure and works related to development activities of the Company, and hosts the McIlvenna Bay Deposit and Tesla Zone. The Company also owns the Bigstone Deposit, a resource-development stage deposit located 25 km southwest of the McIlvenna Bay Property. The McIlvenna Bay Deposit is a copper-zinc-gold-silver rich VHMS deposit intended to be the centre of a new mining camp in a prolific district that has already been producing for 100 years. The McIlvenna Bay Property sits just 65 km West of Flin Flon, Manitoba, and is part of the world class Flin Flon Greenstone Belt that extends from Snow Lake, Manitoba, through Flin Flon to Foran's ground in eastern Saskatchewan, a distance of over 225 km. The McIlvenna Bay Deposit is the largest undeveloped VHMS deposit in the region. The Company filed its NI 43-101 compliant 2025 Technical Report on the McIlvenna Bay Project, Saskatchewan, Canada (the "2025 Technical Report") on March 12, 2025, with an effective date and report date of March 12, 2025, outlining a mineral resource in respect of the McIlvenna Bay Deposit estimated at 38.6 Mt grading 2.02% CuEq in the Indicated category and an additional 4.5 Mt grading 1.71% CuEq in the Inferred category. Investors are encouraged to consult the full text of the 2025 Technical Report which is available on SEDAR+ at under the Company's profile. The Company's head office is located at 409 Granville Street, Suite 904, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6C 1T2. Common Shares of the Company are listed for trading on the TSX under the symbol "FOM" and on the OTCQX under the symbol "FMCXF". CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, as defined under applicable securities laws (collectively referred to herein as "forward-looking statements"). These statements relate to future events or to the future performance of Foran Mining Corporation and reflect management's expectations and assumptions as of the date hereof or as of the date of such forward looking statement. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited, statements regarding our ability to return our personnel to the Project site by June 13, 2025, and ramp-up our construction activities; our commitment to assist with recovery activities in connection with wildfires; our commitment to support a greener future, empower communities and create value for our stakeholders; expectations regarding our development and advanced exploration activities; and expectations, assumptions and targets in respect of our 2025 Technical Report. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release speak only as of the date of this news release or as of the date specified in such statement. Inherent in forward-looking statements are known and unknown risks, estimates, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward looking statements contained in this news release. These factors include management's belief or expectations relating to the following and, in certain cases, management's response with regard to the following: risks related to wildfires and other extreme weather events; the Company's reliance on the McIlvenna Bay Property; and the additional risks identified in our filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR+ in Canada (available at The forward-looking statements contained in this news release reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant operational, business, economic and regulatory uncertainties and contingencies. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described or intended. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and should note that the assumptions and risk factors discussed in this press release are not exhaustive. Actual results and developments are likely to differ, and may differ materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. All forward-looking statements herein are qualified by this cautionary statement. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. If the Company does update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that it will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements, unless required by law. Additional information about these assumptions, risks and uncertainties is contained in our filings with securities regulators on SEDAR+ in Canada (available at
