The loss of Estevans newspaper is being mourned by Estevan Mercury. With the Estevan Mercury now in its final edition, also known as No. 1228, it marks the end of an era for Estevan’s oldest company. Editor David Willberg announced the closure via social media. The Estevan Mercury was one of the only committed newspapers in Estevan, Saskatchewan. Even though Estevan won’t be delivering print copies, articles from Estevan will remain available on SaskToday.ca.
The Announcement
The Estevan Mercury editor David Willberg posted on social media that the newspaper has been terminated. ‘Advertisers, businesses, readers, delivery people have been steadfast in their support over the years,’ Willberg said. The Mercury, formed in 1903, was also Estevan’s oldest business and for the sake of history, predated Saskatchewan as a province in 1905, he noted.
A Century of Service: The Mercury’s Enduring Legacy
The Estevan Mercury traces its roots back to 1903, before Saskatchewan was even a province. The Mercury is Estevan’s oldest company started before the province was founded in 1905. The historical aspect of it has more than just the newspaper value, as it was an important part of the development of the town; E.A. Bailey was the publisher/owner. The Mercury was a source of local news and information for many decades.
From E.A. Bailey to Glacier Media
The long history of Estevan Mercury began with E.A. Bailey founded the newspaper in 1903. It had a new owner a few times. In 2004, the Mercury was purchased by the Community Newspaper Group of Glacier Media. Glacier Media owned the paper, which it bought from till it ceased in 2025. The management of the newspaper was by several people.
More Than Just a Newspaper
The Estevan Mercury was there from birth to obituary to record the life of the community. Its pages held graduations, weddings, local sports and business expansions. Conferences and council meetings were also covered by the newspaper. Estevan and all its residents began to paint a vivid picture of MercuryIDAD. It was very much a pulse of the community.
A Pillar of Estevan
The Mercury’s closing was ‘sad news and gut wrenching,’ according to Estevan Mayor Tony Sernick. He has read the paper every Wednesday since the 1980s. Sernick emphasized the Mercury’s role as a center of the community to be a vital part of the city’s animation. The Mercury reported on covered city council meetings that Sernick also referenced.
The Mercury’s Impact
Community contact was maintained by the Estevan Mercury. The list of events included in the book covered a wide spectrum. They had seen these lemonade stands, these high profile municipal council meetings, these local sports and other stuff going on in the community. People were kept conscious of events in their town by the Mercury. The community was linked to be a source.
The State of Local News
Local newspapers all throughout the United States are having great challenges. Key elements are declining advertising revenues, increasing costs, and the move to digital media. Newspapers closing have produced a phenomena of news deserts. Many newspapers have reduced editorial content and staff, which often results in further and deeper circulation decreases and increased loss of advertisement income.
Glacier Media’s Decision
Glacier Media made the decision to close the Estevan Mercury based on financial considerations; the Canadian retail scene has seen major upheaval recently due to inflationary pressures, increasing running costs, and continuous supply interruptions combined with a challenging legislative environment.
Job Losses and Industry Impact
The Estevan Mercury and the Thompson Citizen of Thompson, Manitoba, both owned by Glacier Media’s Community Newspaper Group, were recently shuttered. According to Gord Brewerton, Vice-President and Group Publisher of Prairie Newspaper Group, this was a difficult decision. Fortunately, four out of the six affected staff members will be staying on with Prairie Newspaper Group, taking jobs in other PNG markets.
Though its print edition may be gone, the memories and stories the Estevan Mercury captured will always be felt in the community. The hope for a continuous journalistic presence in Estevan gives a glimmer of hope for the local news to find a new form and keep informing and connecting the community for years to come.
