Drunk driver who killed family of four near Saskatoon denied full parole

SASKATOON -- The drunk driver who killed a family of four when she ran a stop sign just north of Saskatoon has been denied full parole.

In July 2016, Catherine McKay pleaded guilty to four counts of impaired driving causing death for her role in the fatal crash at Highway 11 and Wanuskewin Road.

Her blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit when she crashed into a car carrying Jordan and Chanda Van de Vorst and their two children, five-year-old Kamryn and two-year-old Miguire on Jan. 3, 2016.

She was handed one of Saskatchewan’s stiffest sentences for impaired driving causing death.

In March, four years into her nine-year sentence, McKay was granted day parole.

During a Dec. 10 hearing, the Parole Board of Canada denied McKay's request for full parole.

While the board said McKay has "made impressive progress" in dealing with her risk factors by taking steps such as regularly attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and working with a counsellor, full release would pose "undue risk to society if released on this expansive form of release."

The board expressed concerns about elements of McKay's proposed release plan and that due to pandemic-related limitations, she has not had an opportunity to demonstrate that she is ready for full parole.

However, the board did grant McKay day parole for another six months.