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Shellbrook Chronicle, 46 Main Street, Shellbrook, SK (2025)

12/18/2025

Shellbrook Elementary hosts Christmas concert
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

The holiday season is a time of many long-standing community traditions in Shellbrook. For Shellbrook Elementary School’s students, there’s no surer sign of the season than its annual Christmas Concert.

On Thursday, Dec. 11, the Shellbrook Theatre was filled to the brim with the festive spirit — and proud parents and community members — as the students took the stage to perform both an afternoon and an evening show.

Organized by the school’s staff, the concert was MCed by students Kambry Knaus and Graham Taylor, who kept the show moving along at a brisk pace by trading off jokes between each act.

Up first on the program, the whole school joined in a performance of the classic Christmas carol, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Then, Mrs. Senger and Ms. Storry’s Kindergarten students took the stage to recite a welcome poem and sing and dance to “Jingle Bells,” and Ms. Storry’s pre-Kindergarten students gave an animated performance of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”

Ms. Carrier’s Grade 1 class was up next, showcasing their moves on the “Gingerbread Cookie Dance,” followed by Ms. Amendt’s Grade 1/2 class with their take on “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” The stage was then turned over to Mrs. Jewitt’s Grade 2 class, which sang and acted out a series of Christmas songs set to the tunes of nursery rhymes while Mrs. Jewitt accompanied them on acoustic guitar.

Mixing music and poetry, Mrs. Chretien’s Grade 2/3 class sang “That’s Christmas to Me” and recited the poem Christmas joy, while Mrs. Verbonac’s Grade 3/4 class shared the ABCs of Christmas and rocked out to “Jingle Bell Rock.”

Heading into the final few acts of the show, Mrs. Ledding’s Grade 4/5 class recited and acted out Dr. Seuss’s classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas, with Madison Graham taking on the role of the Grinch, while Mrs. Winsor’s Grade 4/5 class sang a classroom-inspired rendition of “The 12 Days of Christmas.”

Mrs. Pederson’s Grade 5 class closed out the individual class performances, getting the audience laughing with their Christmas jokes and singing a lively version of “Run Run Rudolph.”

In keeping with a long-standing tradition, the show concluded with the whole school uniting to sing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

As with each year, the performance was made possible by the efforts of staff, students, the school’s SCC, and many other volunteers. The costs of the production are covered by a silver collection.
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12/04/2025

Mont Nebo Store enters new era
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By BEVRA FEE
Spiritwood Herald Reporter

With a rich history in the tiny community of Mont Nebo, the local hub and the only remaining business saw a change of ownership that was marked by a grand opening on Nov. 26.

Over 30 attendees were gathered at noon to hear a message from Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation Chief Larry Ahenakew, as he welcomed new and current staff to the newest version of the Mont Nebo Store.

Built in 1950 by the Knight family, the store evolved into being the Steffens Store until 1978, when it became Gunderson’s Store.

Most recently, it was owned and operated by a Gunderson daughter and her husband, Sherry and Glenn Mezzo. The Mezzos have been at the helm since 1997, when they renamed it the Mont Nebo Store.

“I have seen so many changes through the years that I could write a book,” said Sherry Mezzo. “My dad added the post office in the mid 1980s, and we have done some trading post and pawn business to our regulars over the years. You have to always diversify to meet the customers’ changing shopping habits. We have been affectionately known as the Mont Nebo Mall sometimes.”

When Sherry and Glenn decided to retire, their main focus was on keeping the store in operation and keeping the staff employed.

“Ahtahkakoop and Mistawasis have been our biggest supporters, with many of the members holding a post office box here,” Sherry said. “We are grateful that Ahtahkakoop has taken it over and kept the Mont Nebo Store name — I know they will carry on the spirit of friendliness and community.”

Economic Development Director for Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation Kevin Isbister touched on minimal changes to be made to the store’s offerings.

“We will be adding ‘Spirit Bear Coffee Bar’ in the immediate future, and we will be selling gasoline at the pumps. There is a food truck on hand today, that is owned by members, and we will be showcasing some of our members’ merchandise and we will be promoting our members. We will employ three Ahtahkakoop members and two non-members. We are hoping to be able to expand the services of the post office, but we need to work with Canada Post on that issue. The hours of operation will stay the same, but possibly be extended during the summer.”

Under Ahtahkakoop’s management, the store is part of Treaty Six Developments. Isbister says the group played a role in the decision-making and helped get everything in order.

On hand to officially bless the opening of the new Mont Nebo Store were Elders Marjorie Hyman and Sheila Reimer. While Hyman’s blessing was delivered in English, Elder Sheila spoke her blessing on the store in Cree.

Isbister invited the Mezzos to offer a message, “It’s been a long journey for Glenn and I, being involved for over 40 years. We have made many friendships and we have enjoyed our staff, they have helped us keep going.”

Before heading outside for the ribbon cutting ceremony, Chief Larry Ahenakew addressed the guests, emphasizing the importance of creating jobs and training for the First Nations youth. Chief Ahenakew also thanked Elder Sheila and Elder Marjorie for cutting the ribbon and blessing the opening.

The grand opening in Mont Nebo was the second major ceremony celebrated by Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation last week. On Monday, Nov. 24, the community held a grand opening for the Riverbend Store (formerly the Olive Tree restaurant), located on Highway 12 just after the Petrofka Bridge.
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11/27/2025

Hallmark Christmas feeling comes to Shellbrook
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

All the hallmarks of a small-town Christmas season were on full display in Shellbrook on Saturday, Nov. 22, when the Shellbrook Kinettes’ Santa Fun Day made its return alongside Moonlight Madness, keeping the community buzzing with Christmas spirit from 11 a.m. until late into the evening.

The day’s festivities began at the Shellbrook Community Hall, where Santa Claus and the Grinch joined the Kinettes to greet children and their families for a day filled with writing letters to Santa, ornament crafting, gingerbread house decorating, cocoa drinking, and all-around fun.

Kinette Kat Mackin-Smith says this was the biggest Santa Fun Day yet, giving the credit for the planning and ex*****on to committee members Kim LaMotte and Sam Borix.

“The entire Kinette team loves this event, either as volunteers or attendees with their own kids, because it really just kicks off the holiday season in the very best way,” she said.

“A highlight for me is seeing the kids light up when they see Santa, or shy away when they see the Grinch. It is so fun to watch all the different reactions to those two characters, and see kids interacting with them. Hard to say who is more popular.”

Based on last year’s attendance, the Kinettes prepared to host 150 kids for the day. In the end, they welcomed more than 175 children, along with their families, meaning the Community Hall was busy from the time the doors opened until just before things wrapped up at 3 p.m.

In addition to providing fun for kids, Santa Fun Day supports the Shellbrook and Area Ministerial Food Bank by asking attendees to donate non-perishable food items as opposed to paying an entry fee. Though no formal count of items was taken, Mackin-Smith says the Kinettes have four large boxes of items to donate to the food bank.

“Events like Santa Fun Day are important for Shellbrook because they bring people together — long-time residents, new families, and people of all ages sharing a fun, positive community experience,” Mackin-Smith said. “It’s a chance to create memories, support local initiatives, and kick off the holiday season in a meaningful, family-friendly way.”

Two hours after Santa Fun Day, as the lights along Main Street came on with the setting of the sun and the community Christmas tree was lighting up the end of Main Street (topped with an angel made by Beau “Lac” Funeral Home), Moonlight Madness began.

Organized by a committee that includes Shari Crawford (Shellbrook Home Hardware), Ian Clark (Lake Country Wildlife Federation), Pauline Mason (Shellbrook Royal Purple) and Leola Skrupski, Moonlight Madness is a revival of a long-time Shellbrook Christmas tradition that shines a bright spotlight on the local business community.

The evening sees local businesses (not just those on Main Street) open their doors or stay open late to offer deals to early Christmas shoppers and activities for kids to take part in. There’s also plenty of hot chocolate and other treats to go around.

Adding to the plethora of things to do and see, the Shellbrook Senior Citizen’s Centre became a Mistletoe Market, providing a bounty of vendors’ wares to peruse, the Shellbrook Community Hall had inflatables from Diskotek set up to give kids a warm place to play, Murray Hannigan rounded up a crew of Christmas carollers to serenade attendees, and Santa decided to hang around for more visiting.

“We had a great turnout for the Moonlight Madness event this year and couldn’t have asked for better weather,” said Shari Crawford. “It seemed like this was our biggest turnout so far with more people moving around the entire time from 5 to 9 p.m.”

Looking at this year’s Moonlight Madness by the numbers, the Shellbrook Royal Purple put together 150 bingo sheets and treat bags for kids, as well as 150 bags of cotton candy — all of which were gone well before the evening was through.

Meanwhile, at the Lake Country Wildlife Federation fire pit on Main Street, 300 hot dogs and smokies were sold to hungry customers, and over at TJ Disposals, 500 tickets were sold for the gopher shoot/potato cannon.

Finally, Taya M’s Hometown Photo Studio sold 85 dirty sodas and did 26 photo shoots throughout the evening, and Evergreen Oasis, which is a little ways from Main Street, handed out 125 Italian sodas.

“It’s wonderful that we have so many businesses that participate in this event... and the volunteers who come out and help get everything set up and running,” Crawford said.
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11/20/2025

Shellbrook, Leask craft sales draw crowds
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

Early Christmas shoppers had a plethora of unique, locally crafted Christmas items to peruse and purchase on Nov. 15 and 16, as annual Christmas craft sales rolled into Shellbrook and Leask.

Starting in Shellbrook on Saturday, the Shellbrook and District Arts Council’s Christmas Craft Sale continued its nearly four-decade legacy of showcasing local and area artisans at the Shellbrook Community Hall, which was set up beforehand by members of the U18 AA Parkland Elks.

All told, Shellbrook Arts Council member Lorraine Adamson says there were 26 vendors with wares spread across 37 tables for 530 guests to browse through. Doing double duty as an organizer and a vendor, Adamson says all the other vendors she spoke to seemed happy with their sales on the day. Meanwhile, the steady stream of customers ensured the Community Hall was abuzz with activity all day long.

Calling the craft sale a “kick off” for people to do their Christmas shopping, Adamson says one of the things that has made the event so enduring is its social nature.

“The social aspect is important,” she said, noting that the soup and sandwich lunch served up by the Shellbrook Royal Purple gave patrons even more reasons to stay and visit.

“People may come and buy nothing, or a buy a pie or some baking, but they wander around and get ideas. And a lot of them talk to the vendors and ask them about their craft, which is quite nice, too.”

Also helping to boost the craft sale, says Adamson, is the Shellbrook Kinettes Winter Market over at the Shellbrook Senior’s Centre.

“It makes it worth the while to come to town, because there’s not just one event, they can go see two of them,” she said.

As the organization’s name implies, the Shellbrook and District Arts Council is all about promoting the arts within the community. That’s why, Adamson says, vendors at the craft sale need to be selling handmade goods, rather than corporate products like Tupperware or Scentsy.

As a chief fundraiser for the Arts Council, the craft sale helps it put on its annual Carol Festival each year. But Adamson says the Arts Council has more plans up its sleeve.

“We’re trying to kick off a new identity. We’ve got some new membership, and we’re trying to establish a series of performers coming in, so that we can bring entertainment in,” she said, hoping the group will bring something different that will be enjoyed by the community.

Running in tandem with the Arts Council’s Craft Sale, the Shellbrook Kinettes Winter Market saw the Shellbrook Senior’s Centre filled with goods from 21 vendors — many of them new to the market, Kinette Kat Mackin-Smith says.

Keeping things status quo this year, the Kinettes also made space for a community organization to sell baked goods as a fundraiser. This year, the space was occupied by Happy Hearts Childcare Centre, which raised more than $800 on the day to assist it and meeting the challenges associated with rising costs.

All in all, Mackin-Smith says beautiful weather and an amazing crowd made this year’s Winter Market another success. And it only marks the beginning of the holiday season for the Kinettes, who have their Santa Fun Day on Nov. 22, Twinkle Tour on Dec. 7, and a raffle draw for a complete Christmas dinner going until Dec. 4.

“We were thrilled with the turnout, and it was especially exciting to welcome many new vendors this year,” she said. “Overall, it was a wonderful day of sunshine, community spirit, and strong support for our vendors and Happy Hearts.”

As Saturday rolled into Sunday and a dense fog blanketed the area, the Leask Recreation Board played host to its annual Christmas Craft Sale at the Leask Community Hall.

This year marked the first time the community group has chosen to hold the sale on a Sunday, and while there’s no admission at the door to help keep track of shoppers, organizer April Smith says having the event after church helped bring in a much larger lunch crowd of about 75 people.

This lunch crowd, in addition to the variety of wares being sold by the 10 vendors helped the group raise about $500 on the day, when it would normally just cover its costs. Smith says there’s no specific project that these funds will be dedicated to.
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11/13/2025

Shellbrook observes week of remembrance
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

Veterans’ Week in Canada (Nov. 5 to 11) was filled with solemn acts of remembrance in Shellbrook, as the community came together in many ways to celebrate those who have served and sacrificed for the country in many ways throughout Canada’s History.

The week kicked off early at the Shellbrook Legion Hall, where, on Nov. 3 and 4, the Legion branch was selling Remembrance Day wreaths to raise funds for the Royal Canadian Legion’s Poppy Trust Fund, which supports veterans and their families. At lunch time, the Legion also served up soup by donation.

The sale raised $1,042.

Shellbrook Library

On Wednesday, Nov. 5, the Shellbrook Public Library participated in Veterans’ Week by inviting Sgt. Linwood Williams to deliver a presentation to Grade 4 and 5 students from Shellbrook Elementary School.

Born and raised in Holbein, Sgt. Williams has been posted to Latvia to defend the country, and also served in Ukraine in 2014, when Russia invaded and annexed Crimea. Sgt. Williams is now stationed with the North Saskatchewan Regiment in Prince Albert, and serves as a crew commander in charge of a light armoured vehicle.

In addition to sharing some of his own history, Sgt. Williams highlighted the roles Canada has played in many conflicts and peacekeeping initiatives, and also the roles service men and women play at home, whether it be search and rescue, protecting the arctic, or fighting wildfires.

“Something really important to me is remembering all of the men and women who have come before, and helped defend Canada and our allies,” he said. “A lot of brave people served our country, in good times and in bad.”

Sgt. Williams also touched on Lt. Col. John McCrae and shared the history and inspiration behind the poem In Flanders Fields, and taught students about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the National War Memorial in Ottawa — a monument to honour all the unidentified soldiers who never made it home.

Always, though, he circled back to the theme of remembering those who have served.

“When we say the words ‘Lest we forget,’ we’re making a special promise to them so that their memories will live on forever. Let’s keep that promise, not just today, but every day,” he said.

“If you know [a veteran], or if any of your family members are still alive, make sure to say thank you.”

School Ceremony

Maintaining a new tradition that started in 2022, the staff and students of Shellbrook Elementary School and W.P. Sandin High School united for a joint Remembrance Day ceremony on Friday, Nov. 7, filling the high school’s gymnasium with the spirit of remembrance.

The high school’s ceremony opened with younger students being piped into the gym by bagpipers Dave Hjertaas and Kim Bradley, who then marched and piped Shellbrook Legion members and attending RCMP officers to their seats of honour at the front of the gym.

Following the singing of O Canada by the schools’ choirs and a prayer by Padre Dave Bodvarson, the choirs sang a rendition of The Beatles’ “Let it Be” for the special guests. Then, all in attendance listened to “Soldier’s Cry” by Roland Majeau, a handful of students read their Remembrance Day poetry, and Shellbrook Legion member Nancy Carswell took the stage to share her family’s experience with war through her great uncle, Alexander Ryan.

“This is my family’s story, one about the casualties felt not only on the battlefield, but within the quiet walls of the home, where grief seeped through the generations,” she began.

Carswell recounted the day in 1944 when her mother came home to find her father, Archie, standing in front of the wash stand mirror, crying. She soon learned her uncle Alexander had been killed while fighting in Belgium.

“For [my mom], it was as if the ground beneath her small, secure world had given way,” Carswell said. “The war had reached her, too — not in bombs or hunger, but in the shattering sight of her father crying. She had never seen him cry before.”

Closing out her remarks, Carswell asked all in attendance to reflect on three questions:

Why are countries at war with themselves and other countries?

Why do you think it’s important to remember?

How can thinking and learning about the sacrifices made in the past, help us make better choices today and make the world more peaceful?

Continuing the ceremony, students Kyleigh Schmalz and Hayley Van Hereweghe recited In Flanders Fields, which served as the lead-in to the playing of the last post and the observation of a moment of silence.

Next, the roll call was read and all in attendance were invited to pin poppies and lay wreaths in honour of family members who served, and W.P. Sandin Principal Tyler Kuzma closed out the ceremony with some final remarks.

“Personally, I’ve never had to make any sacrifices for the freedoms I enjoy. But like many of us here, I’ve had family members who have made the sacrifice,” he said.

“I’m truly thankfully for their service, which has given us the freedoms we’re privileged to have here today.”
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11/06/2025

Quarter Carnival provides tricks and treats
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

Ghouls and goblins, tricks and treats, and fun and games. All the hallmarks of some good Halloween fun were present in abundance, when the students of Shellbrook’s W.P. Sandin High School invited the community in for their annual Quarter Carnival on the evening of Thursday, Oct. 30.

Organized by members of the high school’s Student Leadership Council (SLC), the Quarter Carnival was initially conceived as a fundraiser for Happy Hearts Childcare Centre when the first edition was held back in 2014. Since then, it’s become a must-attend Halloween attraction in town and an integral part of the high school’s attempts to create ties with broader community.

As always, this year’s Quarter Carnival encouraged parents, children, and staff members to don their Halloween costumes and take part in a wide range of classic activities that were given a twist for Halloween. Meanwhile, those who wanted some tricks with their treats could brave the haunted house attraction, and those looking for a glimpse of the future could visit the fortune teller.

With the event spanning supper hours, they were also hot dogs and baked goods on offer for a low price, making the event an affordable way for the school to invite the community in for an evening of fun.

“It’s a good opportunity for the kids to see how to be a community member and to give back to the community,” said Rhonda Berezowski, W.P. Sandin’s inclusive education coach.

Berezowski says the Quarter Carnival is one of the first events that junior SLC members play a role in organizing. To ensure the night goes off without a hitch, planning meetings begin at the start of October and are held weekly up until the Quarter Carnival, with junior SLC members being responsible for planning and running the games, and senior SLC members tasked with brainstorming ideas for the haunted house — the night’s main attraction.

Following last Thursday’s Quarter Carnival, Berezowski says it’s clear that all the planning paid off, as the event brought 221 trick-or-treaters to the school. With strong attendance, and plenty of hungry guests taking advantage of the canteen and bake sale (thanks to food provided by the SLC and sugar cookies baked by staff member Mrs. Simpson), the evening raised in excess of $1,500.

“We put the money raised back into the school, so we can do various activities during the school year,” Berezowski said, noting that the SLC’s next big event will be the Christmas banquet in December.
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10/30/2025

Royal Purple delivers for PA women’s shelter
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

Decades ago, domestic violence was something that occurred in the dark, behind closed doors. But as societal attitudes have changed and the issue has been brought into the light, it’s become increasingly evident how deep the problem runs.

In Canada, Statistics Canada has found that one in three women (and one in five men) will experience intimate partner violence at some point in their lives.

For many years now, Saskatchewan has led the provinces in rates of intimate partner violence, with more than one quarter of all violent crime in the province being intimate partner violence.

According to RCMP data from 2023, the most recent year for which statistics are available, the province recorded 813 cases of domestic violence per 100,000 inhabitants in Saskatchewan’s north, central, and southern districts, while family violence rates were 890 per 100,000 inhabitants.

When both domestic and family violence are combined, the RCMP says it dealt with an average of 718 victims per month in 2023, an increase of more than 30 per cent from 549 in 2018. Alarmingly, Saskatchewan’s rates of domestic violence have increased every year since 2018, except for a slight dip in 2021.

In its second-ever Domestic Violence Death Review Report, which was released at the beginning of 2025, the province’s Ministry of Justice found that rates of domestic violence related homicide in rural areas were more than double the rates in urban areas.

Analyzing 31 domestic homicide-related deaths, including an in-depth analysis of 11 cases, the report also highlighted how domestic violence deaths continued to occur along gendered lines, with 83 per cent of victims being female and 82 per cent of perpetrators being male.

Recognizing Canada’s problem with intimate partner violence, the Canadian Royal Purple has made the issue one of its central causes in recent years. Hoping to spur awareness and action, it’s designated the third Thursday of October as Purple Thursday, a day on which Royal Purple Lodges deliver care bags to women’s shelters across the country.

This year, however, the organization realized that one day simply wasn’t enough and opted to hold a week-long Purple Thursday x7 campaign.

Elaine Perkins, who serves as president of the Shellbrook Royal Purple lodge and is also a member of the Prince Albert lodge, has been involved with Royal Purple for 55 years, and says it “runs deep” in her.

So, too, does her passion for raising awareness about brain injuries, including the often overlooked intersection between those injuries and intimate partner violence.

Calling this year’s Purple Thursday x7 campaign “awesome,” Perkins says Royal Purple lodges delivered 5,000 care bags to women’s shelters across Canada, with the Shellbrook and Prince Albert lodges personally delivering 70 bags to the PA Safe Shelter for Women (10 more bags than last year).

These care bags contain essential items, such as shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and body wash, combs, brushes, toothbrushes, and toothpaste.

Each bag costs about $100 to fill, with proceeds coming from the lodges’ own funds or community donations.

“Lots of women come in with just the clothes on their backs, so they have nothing,” Perkins said. “Those 70 bags will not do for the whole year — that’s how many [women] they get in there.”

In addition to the care bag deliveries, the Shellbrook Royal Purple also hosted an intimate partner violence information session in Parkland Integrated Health Centre’s Great Room, with guest speakers Nicole Erb of Evergreen Oasis Counselling and Consulting, and BrendaLee Pellerin from the PA Safe Shelter for Women. Perkins says there were about 30 attendees at the session.

With strong support from the community, Perkins says she’s pleased to see an “inching forward” of awareness and action. However, she knows there’s still a lot of work to be done to lower intimate partner violence rates.

“How can we do it? One little thing at a time,” she said. “We just need to keep bringing attention to it and getting the public involved, so they can understand the importance of doing this.”
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10/23/2025

Shellbrook Scotiabank set to close in 2026
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By JORDAN TWISS
Shellbrook Chronicle Reporter

Recent years have seen banks and credit unions exit small towns in the Shellbrook and Spiritwood area. Now, it’s been announced that Shellbrook’s Scotiabank will be the next financial institution to follow this trend.

News of the pending closure, which is slated for June 18, 2026, began emerging last week, with posters going up around town. Moving forward, Scotiabank says all accounts will be automatically moved to the nearest branch in Prince Albert, and urges customers to reach out to the local branch with any questions.

The Chronicle & Herald reached out to Scotiabank headquarters to ask questions about the reasons driving the closure of the Shellbrook branch, but was told a spokesperson was unavailable. In lieu of taking questions, the company provided a brief statement.

“After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to relocate our services at our Shellbrook branch to our branch at Prince Albert,” it read.

“With client preferences changing, and more day-to-day banking being done digitally, we are continuing to evolve how we serve our clients and invest in areas that make it easier for our clients to bank with us in multiple ways. We are communicating this change to all affected clients and will be working with them to ensure a smooth transition. Our teams in Shellbrook and Prince Albert are committed to assisting all clients with any questions they may have.”

The Chronicle & Herald attempted to confirm how many employees the Shellbrook Scotiabank branch has, and whether they’ve been offered jobs elsewhere, but the company said it “couldn’t provide this information.”

Though he couldn’t say how the town will respond to the closure until it can be discussed by council, Shellbrook Mayor Amund Otterson expressed disappointment that “these banks are abandoning small towns.”

He also noted that Scotiabank’s benefits to the community far exceed it being a business on Shellbrook’s Main Street.

“Scotiabank’s been a great community support,” he said. “There’s lots of community development funding that has come through the Scotiabank because of local involvement [by employees].”

The closure of the Shellbrook Scotiabank marks the third loss of a local financial institution in this area since 2023. That year, the Village of Canwood lost its Affinity Credit Union branch, leaving it without a bank thanks to the closure of the CIBC branch in 2017.

Clients and community members in Canwood were first informed of the impending Advice Centre closure via mail and a press release sent out by Affinity in early February of 2023.

The announcement prompted a strong backlash from the community. And to address the community’s concerns and answer their questions, then-Affinity CEO Mark Lane attended a public membership meeting in Canwood in March, where he quickly dispelled any hope that Affinity would backtrack on its decision.

Instead, over the course of a 20-minute presentation and a 70-minute question and answer period, Lane outlined the strategy driving Affinity’s decision, saying it was the result of a change in the financial services industry and an evolution of the role of physical banks in people’s lives.

Lane’s explanation did little to appease community members. And after stating that the Canwood Advice Centre hadn’t been a source of trouble or financial losses for Affinity, community members were further disappointed when Lane couldn’t clearly explain why the closure was necessary for the company to pursue its strategy, or offer solutions to address their concerns.

In November of 2023, the Town of Spiritwood learned its Scotiabank branch would be closing its doors in July of 2024, ending its 96 years in the community. The community responded with a campaign to oppose the closure, sending 400 letters to Scotiabank’s head office and starting a petition that garnered nearly 1,250 signatures, but its outcry was also ignored.
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