Provincial News

The firefight on the Prairies wildfire front took a new turn Friday as officials in two provinces worked to support evacuees, while affected communities readied themselves to bring residents home.

TISDALE — RCMP say they're investigating after they say a "hateful symbol" was painted on a rainbow crosswalk in a Saskatchewan town.

WINNIPEG — Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew took to the air Thursday, touring areas hit by wildfire, meeting with firefighters and community leaders, and issuing a warning to hotel owners to free up more rooms for evacuees. "We have emergency powers.

TORONTO — Jeremaine Copeland and Nik Lewis will soon be together again.

SQUAMISH — Drivers on British Columbia's Sea To Sky Highway could see the smoke billowing from the forested hills above Squamish on Wednesday. But that didn't show how close the Dryden Creek wildfire got to homes overnight.

SASKATOON — Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, facing criticism that his government is failing to provide timely help to those fleeing wildfires, promised Wednesday a $500 payout for each evacuee.

There has been no place quite like TD Place for the Montreal Alouettes. Montreal (1-0) visits the Ottawa Redblacks (0-1) on Friday night.

REGINA — About 7,000 people in and around La Ronge, Sask., will be allowed to return home on Thursday after the lifting of a wildfire evacuation order, the director of the local emergency operation centre said Tuesday.

Canada is expected to see a warmer-than-usual summer with uncertain precipitation levels in most provinces, based on Environment and Climate Change Canada's summer forecast.

REGINA — Saskatchewan's liquor board says it will start buying and distributing American booze to retailers, months after Premier Scott Moe announced it would stop doing so.