The Evan Bray Show

Open phones - Evan goes to the phones to chat with listeners about what's on their minds today. Call 1-877-332-8255.

Saskatoon’s homeless encampment remains in place for now, after plans to clear the site and install fencing were put on hold amid a court challenge. The situation has raised questions about safety, policing, available services and what happens to the people living at the encampment as the city heads toward winter. Joining us to discuss what's next for the encampment is Saskatoon Police Service Staff Sgt. Mike Horvath.

Homeless encampments continue to be a growing concern in many communities in Saskatchewan, including our two major cities, Regina and Saskatoon, with leaders calling on the province for more support. City councillors and the NDP have both requested immediate action from the provincial government. Minister of Social Services, Terry Jenson, joins Evan to discuss how the province plans to address the encampments, especially with winter looming.

Virtual reality has been around for a while, but the technology is changing — instead of standing in one spot with a headset, newer systems let people physically move around and interact inside a virtual space. A relatively new Regina business, Another World VR Arena, is bringing that free-roaming version of VR to the city, and its co-owner Solomon Adewole joins us to talk about where the technology is headed and who's actually using it.

Volunteer organizations across Saskatchewan are facing growing challenges when it comes to recruiting and retaining people, as busy lifestyles and changing attitudes make traditional approaches less effective. Doug Fehr, chairman of Battlefords Citizens on Patrol and the Saskatchewan Citizens on Patrol Association and Kristy Muckosky, with Volunteer Manitoba, join forces for an upcoming workshop on helping volunteer organizations find and keep volunteers. They join Brent to discuss the changing landscape and practical strategies.

The next few games for the Saskatchewan Roughriders are make-or-break. Jamie Nye, Host of The Green Zone, joins us to recap the latest game and talk about other sports news making headlines.

Seniors Day is later this week, and an event in Saskatoon is bringing older adults, caregivers and researchers together to explore tech that supports health agining. Dr. Cari McIlduff, assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine, is an organizer of the event and joins Brent to discuss what people can expect at the free event: AGE-WELL AgeTech Discovery Day.

Diesel prices have climbed sharply this year, putting additional pressure on Saskatchewan farmers during the busy harvest season. This comes as farmers continue to face difficult weather conditions, higher fertilizer prices, trade uncertainty, tariffs and more. How are producers feeling and handling the challenges? Bill Prybylski, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS), joins us to bring us up to speed on these issues.

Saskatoon residents are being asked to weigh in on a major proposed entertainment and events district, known as the DEED project. Ken Wood, former CEO of SaskPlace and the Credit Union Centre, and a group of volunteers have 90 days to collect about 30,000 signatures to meet their goal of stopping the billion-dollar project in its tracks. He joins Brent to discuss the petition campaign and what he thinks residents should consider.

The federal government has introduced Bill C-39, aimed at cutting red tape and making it easier to do business in Canada. The Western Business Coalition, which includes the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, is welcoming some of the changes but is in Ottawa pushing for more — including cutting federal regulatory requirements by 25 per cent over three years and giving provinces more say in selecting newcomers based on their workforce needs. Guest host Brent Loucks talks with Prabha Ramaswamy, CEO of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, about what Western businesses want to see from Ottawa.