Leaders in northern Saskatchewan are calling for immediate government action after two recent deaths in Pelican Narrows. In a statement sent to the media, leadership from Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN) and the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) say the community is facing escalating violence and needs more support from federal and provincial governments. The call comes after the discovery of the remains of 16-year-old Jay’siiah Webb-Long and the suspicious death of a 26-year-old Jaden Custer. “The two recent deaths have deepened fear and grief in a community already confronting serious and ongoing challenges involving firearms, gangs, and violent crime,” the statement read. It says Pelican Narrows has seen multiple drive-by shootings in recent weeks, along with reports of Molotov cocktails and bear spray incidents. According to the statement, the situation is made worse by limited policing resources, as the community has fewer RCMP officers than in the past and lacks specialized units such as drug enforcement and investigative teams. “There are no detectives, no drug enforcement officers, and no school liaison stationed in Pelican Narrows, a community with approximately 1,100 students. While centralized drug and gang enforcement resources exist, they reach Pelican Narrows too infrequently to have a sustained impact,” the statement read. “The officers currently assigned to the community are overextended and cannot reasonably be expected to manage the complex, long-term investigations that gang and drug files require.” Leaders in northern Saskatchewan are calling for vacant policing positions in northern detachments to be filled and for increased access to specialized officers. They say the situation in Pelican Narrows reflects a broader crisis across northern Saskatchewan and are renewing calls for a First Nations-led policing model. The Saskatchewan RCMP said in a statement it “is engaging with local leadership, including Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation and Prince Albert Grand Council, to discuss new policing models in the area.” The statement goes on to say “any policing model under consideration would strengthen police presence in the community, increase resources in a detachment area, and ensure officers have access to the backup and support they need to respond safely and effectively.” Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Community Safety says the $310 million dollars in the budget for RCMP includes $26 million for First Nations policing. Regarding calls for better cell service, SaskTel told CTV News the federally funded Aurora Program will bring fibre broadband connectivity to residents in 2027, and a new cell tower in Jan Lake is expected to be operational later this year. Meanwhile, leaders in northern Saskatchewan hope more help and support arrives soon, with concerns growing about community safety.
