Man convicted of killing common-law wife in 2009 granted full parole
File photo of James Gary Urbaniak being escorted into court by police in handcuffs on Thursday, May 7th, 2009.
A man who killed his common-law wife in their Morinville home in 2009 has been granted full parole.
James Gary Urbaniak pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison.
During his trial, the court heard he beat, stabbed and strangled his long-time partner, Jessica Martel, after learning she planned to leave him.
The couple's three kids were in the home at the time.
When considering full parole, the Parole Board of Canada said it did not lose sight of the serious nature of Urbaniak's offence.
"When faced with domestic conflict you assaulted and then killed the woman you were supposed to love while your own children were present," the board wrote in its decision.
The board cited "serious concerns" with Urbaniak hiding an intimate relationship while on day parole in 2020.
"This is somewhat mitigated by the CSC's (Correctional Service of Canada) reports that since your subsequent release on day parole you have been open and transparent with your CMT (case management team) and have been engaged in counselling with your partner to address any issues or concerns," the board continued in its written decision.
Urbaniak is also said to have taken part in a significant amount of programming and intervention during his sentence, which the board said it felt would provide him with skills to address his emotions.
Support in the community and having a full-time job were also factors in the board's decision.
"It is positive that you have full time employment which you plan to continue, as financial stress has been determined to be a trigger for negative behaviours in the past," the board wrote.
Urbaniak must report all relationships with women, attend counselling, not buy, consume or possess drugs, and provide financial documents for monitoring.
He is also not allowed to have contact with the victim's family without written approval from his parole supervisor.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau says he 'can't wait' to get into it with Poilievre in Parliament
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he 'can't wait' to get back to Ottawa to get into it with Pierre Poilievre in the House of Commons, as he makes the case to his own party to put up a united front against the Conservatives.
Carnival cruise ship collides with iceberg
The words 'Titanic moment' are possibly the last thing you want to hear on a boat – but that was the phrase used by one passenger on board the Carnival Spirit cruise ship last week, after the vessel unexpectedly struck an iceberg.
Actions speak louder: What experts are saying about the body language in the U.S. presidential debate
The highly anticipated debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump was a heated matchup that revealed plenty about their plans for America's future, if elected. Here's what experts who analyzed the exchange had to say.
'I'm not going to listen to you': Singh rejects Poilievre's push for early election, sets sights on progressive policy
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party will focus on advancing progressive policies, amid renewed pressure from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to help him bring Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal minority government down when Parliament resumes next week.
'Buy nothing': PSAC wants federal workers to boycott downtown Ottawa businesses
A union representing federal employees is asking its members to bring their own lunch to work, in an apparent retaliation against downtown Ottawa businesses as new return-to-office protocols begin.
Man, 70, and woman, 71, found shot dead in Montreal apartment, police
Montreal police (SPVM) are investigating after a man, 70, and woman, 71, were killed by gunshot wounds in an apartment.
Trump suggests he won't debate Harris again, attacks ABC over moderators' fact-checking
The morning after Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump’s first presidential debate, it is far from clear if Trump will agree to a rematch.
Conservatives to push non-confidence motion against Trudeau government
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says his party will put forward a non-confidence motion when Parliament resumes 'at the earliest possible opportunity' with the aim of triggering an early federal election.
An iconic Winston Churchill photograph, once stolen and replaced with a fake in Ottawa, has been found
Ottawa's Chateau Laurier hotel says authorities have recovered an iconic photograph of Winston Churchill after it was stolen and replaced with a fake nearly three years ago.
Shopping Trends
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
Calgary
-
Calgary sports complex adding lazy river and water slides with $87.5M expansion
A well-known Calgary sports complex is getting a massive makeover.
-
Cougar stalks acreage southwest of Calgary twice in a day, kills cat
A warning from a concerned parent after multiple frighteningly close encounters with a cougar on an acreage just southwest of the city on Tuesday.
-
Calgary's August hailstorm caused $2.8B in damage: IBC
There have been almost $2.8 billion in claims made because of a severe hailstorm in Calgary this past August, making it the second-costliest natural disaster in Canadian history.
Lethbridge
-
Lethbridge man arrested after allegedly 'openly using drugs' downtown: police
A Lethbridge man is facing charges after police seized hundreds of doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine from him while taking him into custody on Tuesday evening.
-
Lethbridge looking for new strategies to address substance abuse
The City of Lethbridge and its police force are looking at new ways to address substance abuse.
-
Lethbridge police celebrate retirement of two K9s, welcome new four-legged graduate
Two Lethbridge Police Service dogs began their retirement journeys on Tuesday, as the force welcomed its newest four-legged member.
Saskatoon
-
Downtown Saskatoon dance studio owner worries about proposed shelter site across the street
The latest potential site announced for a Saskatoon emergency shelter is not going over well with owners of a dance studio located across the street.
-
Councillors endorse Saskatoon downtown planning roadmap
Saskatoon city councillors put their support behind a planning document that is expected to guide the next decade of development for the downtown core at its governance and priorities committee Wednesday.
-
Buyers say they lost life savings to a Saskatchewan company selling luxury vacation condos
In 2022, Tanya Frisk-Welburn and her husband bought what they hoped would be a dream home in Mexico.
Regina
-
'Another option': Sask. widening scope of practice for pharmacists
The provincial government is widening the scope of practice for Saskatchewan pharmacists with the launch of a new pilot project.
-
Moose Jaw Police Chief Rick Bourassa to retire in 2025
Chief Rick Bourassa, who has led the Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) since 2013, will retire in 2025.
-
Two teens and a child arrested following break and enter in Regina
Two teens and one child were arrested following a break and enter in Regina.
Vancouver
-
'Predatory' behaviour: Realtor manipulated client into selling her house, B.C. regulator finds
A B.C. Realtor manipulated a client with whom he had a close personal relationship into selling her home, the provincial real estate regulator has found, in a ruling that describes the misconduct as "predatory."
-
B.C. family doctors call for sick days, pensions ahead of October election
Organizations representing family doctors in British Columbia say physicians need paid sick days, vacation coverage, extended health and dental benefits and a pension plan.
-
RCMP enforcement at B.C. logging protests 'unreasonable,' federal police watchdog says
A federal police oversight agency has found the RCMP's enforcement of a civil injunction against old-growth logging protesters on Vancouver Island was unreasonable and violated the rights of activists.
Vancouver Island
-
RCMP enforcement at B.C. logging protests 'unreasonable,' federal police watchdog says
A federal police oversight agency has found the RCMP's enforcement of a civil injunction against old-growth logging protesters on Vancouver Island was unreasonable and violated the rights of activists.
-
'Concerning' number of impaired drivers arrested in roads in Saanich, B.C.: police
Police on southern Vancouver Island say they’ve arrested almost as many impaired drivers in the first eight months of this year than they did in 2023 in a concerning trend of people getting behind the wheel while drunk or on drugs.
-
Metro Vancouver men charged after several kilos of drugs seized
Two men are facing drug-trafficking charges after police seized several kilograms of cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine from multiple Metro Vancouver properties last year, British Columbia's anti-organized crime task force announced Wednesday.
Toronto
-
Judges quash OPP’s decision that officer misconduct in fatal crash was 'not serious'
A panel of Ontario judges has thrown out a decision by the Ontario Provincial Police that an officer’s misconduct behind the wheel that killed a pedestrian in 2020 was not serious, saying the force must reconsider, and at least explain its decision to his grieving widow.
-
Suspects in GTA auto theft ring came to Ontario ‘for sole purpose’ of stealing cars: Halton police
Halton Regional Police say they have disrupted a group believed to be responsible for the theft of at least 40 vehicles in Halton Region and the Greater Toronto Area worth over $3 million.
-
Port Lands gas plant emissions seven times too high for some building heights in new development: report
The proposed height of some buildings that are part of a new residential development on Toronto's east waterfront have been called into question after a newly released report found that a nearby gas plant is producing emissions seven times higher than the legal limit.
Montreal
-
Man, 70, and woman, 71, found shot dead in Montreal apartment, police
Montreal police (SPVM) are investigating after a man, 70, and woman, 71, were killed by gunshot wounds in an apartment.
-
Social media comments blocked: Montreal mayor says she won't accept vulgar slurs
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante is defending her decision to limit comments on her social media accounts — with an announcement on social media.
-
Gun control group not supporting Trudeau's buyback plan
PolyRemembers spokesperson Nathalie Provost - who is also a survivor of the Ecole Polytechnique massacre that killed 14 women in 1989 - says the federal government's buyback program won't work.
Atlantic
-
'Bit of a mess': The challenges of getting around Halifax
Ongoing construction is causing traffic woes for Halifax drivers.
-
Man charged with attempted murder after Halifax shooting
A 34-year-old man is facing an attempted murder charge after an alleged shooting in the north end of Halifax last week.
-
'Don’t get sick on a Friday,' Bedford, N.S., MLA tells health committee
Despite data and testimony from health officials reporting progress on emergency health-care access, a Nova Scotia Liberal MLA says the system is still not up to standard.
Winnipeg
-
'She was very honourable': Cathy Merrick lies in state at Manitoba legislature
The sound of sombre song serenaded the halls of the Manitoba legislature Wednesday as Cathy Merrick's casket was brought in for a closed-door ceremony. Merrick died last Friday and was to lie in state Wednesday afternoon to allow the public to pay their respects.
-
'We persevere': Ladies group holds lifeline for southern Manitoba ghost town
Abandoned homes line the streets of Lauder, a town that's now a ghost of what it once was. Yet inside, a small community is thriving.
-
Taxi scam spotted in Winnipeg; police warning public to be aware
The Winnipeg Police Service is warning the public of a fake taxi scam starting to circulate in the city that could leave you paying for more than the cost of a regular fare.
Ottawa
-
'Buy nothing': PSAC wants federal workers to boycott downtown Ottawa businesses
A union representing federal employees is asking its members to bring their own lunch to work, in an apparent retaliation against downtown Ottawa businesses as new return-to-office protocols begin.
-
Ottawa's mayor warns transit fare hikes, transit levy increases to address transit shortfall in 2025
Ottawa's mayor is warning of fare increases of 2.5 per cent to 75 per cent, service cuts, tax hikes, the elimination of free fares or a combination of levers to help offset a $120 million funding shortfall in the OC Transpo budget next year.
-
An iconic Winston Churchill photograph, once stolen and replaced with a fake in Ottawa, has been found
Ottawa's Chateau Laurier hotel says authorities have recovered an iconic photograph of Winston Churchill after it was stolen and replaced with a fake nearly three years ago.
Northern Ontario
-
Public defecation leads to threats charge at northern Ont. campground
An incident involving siblings last weekend in Thessalon, Ont., ended with threats against campground staff and charges for one of the family members.
-
U.S. presidential historian predicts results of November elections. Here's who he says will win
An American presidential historian is predicting a Kamala Harris presidency as the outcome of the upcoming U.S. elections in November.
-
Lotto Max jackpot hits record $75 million, could rise to $80M
Starting Friday, Lotto Max draw participants can play for prize of $75 million for the first time ever in Canada.
Barrie
-
Police investigate fatal hit-and-run on Highway 26 involving transport truck
Police are investigating an alleged hit-and-run after an individual was found dead at the side of the road in Springwater Township early Wednesday morning.
-
OPP constable charged after alleged assault at Santa's Village
A woman has been charged with assault following an incident at an amusement park in Bracebridge.
-
Highway 12 multi-vehicle crash sends 1 person to hospital
Traffic along Highway 12 was impacted by a multi-vehicle crash.
Kitchener
-
Civil lawsuit alleging 'brutal' sexual assault launched against accused in Ont.'s 'Woodland rapist' case
An alleged child predator who was arrested and charged earlier this year is now facing a civil lawsuit in connection with a "brutal" sexual assault in a Toronto area park reported nearly 30 years ago.
-
Guelph Humane Society helping foxes with contagious disease
The Guelph Humane Society believes a contagious disease is spreading among the local wildlife.
-
WRDSB appeals defamation lawsuit by former teacher
An appeals court is taking another look at a former teacher’s defamation lawsuit against the Waterloo Region District School Board and Scott Piatkowski.
London
-
'We’re in this mire and this muck': Former trustee and councillor says school board needs to come clean over director’s departure
A long-time former city councillor and public school board trustee is calling on the Thames Valley District School Board to come clean regarding its education director, now on a leave of absence.
-
Several sent to hospital after King Street apartment fire
London fire crews were called to 700 King St. for a fully involved fire in the east apartment tower stairwell.
-
London school built to merge two, already overcrowded: TVDSB
East Carling Public School, located near the corner of Oxford and Quebec streets, is bursting at the seams, according to the Thames Valley District School Board.
Windsor
-
Next steps for Downtown BIA’s camera pilot project
A pilot project spearheaded by the Downtown BIA has wrapped up, but the cameras are still in use.
-
Three Scarborough suspects arrested after series of armed robberies in Windsor
Windsor police have arrested two teens and a young man after a series of robberies.
-
Third suspect arrested in $45,000 theft
A third suspect has been arrested following a $45,000 theft earlier this year.
