Saskatchewan: Man charged in arson that destroyed OCA church

Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada, November 10, 2026

Photo: cbc.ca Photo: cbc.ca     

A 28-year-old man is facing an arson charge after the fire that burned All Saints Orthodox Church in Meadow Lake to the ground last month, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced.

The Meadow Lake man appeared in Meadow Lake Provincial Court on Thursday, charged with one count of arson, CKOM News reports. RCMP said there’s “no indication the fire was ideologically motivated.”

The investigation is continuing, with Meadow Lake RCMP, the Saskatchewan RCMP’s North Battleford Serious Crimes Unit, and fire investigators with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency all involved.

Crews were dispatched to the church, a parish of the Orthodox Church in America’s Archdiocese of Canada, shortly after 2 AM on October 1 after a report of smoke and flames coming from the building. RCMP confirmed the church was destroyed and that no one was injured.

“We’re starting to see a bit of an uptick in people interested in Orthodoxy and coming to attend the church and appreciate the beauty of the services,” parishioner Kent Vidal said. “So, it’s a real shame that this happened at this time.”

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11/10/2026

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