Eligible Albertans will receive a $100 provincial relief payment within approximately two weeks of submitting an application, according to Premier Danielle Smith. Smith said the Alberta government chose to provide direct payments to residents instead of reducing the provincial gasoline tax. She said fuel tax reductions do not always result in savings reaching consumers, making direct assistance a more effective way to help households manage rising costs. According to the Alberta government, the relief program was triggered after higher global oil prices increased provincial energy royalty reve

Prime Minister Mark Carney says the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) will remain in effect for the foreseeable future, despite renewed criticism of the trade pact from U.S. President Donald Trump. Speaking to reporters in Vancouver on Thursday, Carney acknowledged that Trump has not been supportive of extending or strengthening the agreement. He said that position is well known but noted that the trade deal remains legally in force. Carney’s comments came after Trump indicated he would prefer ending the agreement rather than continuing it under its current framework. Under C

Mission RCMP say officers seized multiple firearms and issued several violation tickets during an enforcement operation targeting illegal recreational shooting along the Lost Creek Forest Service Road area over the June 13–14 weekend. According to a Mission RCMP release, officers responded to a report on June 13 of people shooting near the 7.5-kilometre marker of the forest service road. Police located five men from Abbotsford and seized five firearms from two 21-year-old gun owners. The pair later received $690 violation tickets for discharging firearms in a designated no-shooting area. RCM

West Shore RCMP say a 33-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a sexual assault investigation involving a youth in Langford. According to an RCMP release, the incident was reported to have occurred on June 9 at about 3 p.m. near the intersection of Jacklin Road and Station Avenue. Police said a female youth was approached by an unknown adult male at a bus stop, where a brief conversation took place before the youth was allegedly sexually assaulted. West Shore RCMP issued a public appeal for assistance on June 12 as investigators worked to identify the suspect. Police said officers

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has temporarily paused the final processing of some citizenship cases approved under Bill C-3, commonly known as the "Lost Canadians" legislation. According to IRCC, several dozen individuals have received notices asking them to surrender citizenship certificates that had already been issued while the department reviews their files. The department says the affected cases are undergoing additional document verification. In a statement, IRCC said individuals who have already received citizenship certificates and moved to Canada may continue to

The British Columbia government has announced a series of upgrades to its hydroelectric system that it says will increase the province's electricity supply by about seven per cent. Energy Minister Adrian Dix said the largest project will involve adding a sixth generating unit at the Revelstoke Dam, increasing capacity by approximately 500 megawatts by 2032. According to the provincial announcement, the first four generating units at the Revelstoke generating station will also undergo modernization work. The government said upgrades are also planned at six other generating stations and at the W

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says it may be too late for a citizen-led petition seeking a ban on new coal mining projects to be included in the province's Oct. 19 referendum vote. Earlier this month, Alberta musician Corb Lund submitted what he said were more than 200,000 signatures in support of a petition that would require the Alberta government to consider legislation banning new coal mining or submit the matter to a provincewide referendum if the signatures are verified. According to Alberta's citizen initiative rules, a successful petition can compel the government to either introduce

Prime Minister Mark Carney is in Vancouver today, where he is scheduled to join British Columbia Premier David Eby for an announcement related to new housing development and local infrastructure projects. According to information released by the Prime Minister's Office, the joint announcement will be followed by a private meeting between Carney and Eby. Details of the measures to be announced have not yet been released. The announcement comes as housing affordability, housing supply, and infrastructure capacity remain key issues across British Columbia and other parts of Canada. Federal and pr

A policy approved during the first Surrey Police Board meeting chaired by Parm Jawanda on Wednesday is drawing criticism from the Surrey Police Union and local politicians, who argue it could limit public communication by the city's police chief. Under the resolution, the Surrey Police Service chief may speak publicly only on operational policing matters. The policy restricts the chief from commenting on administrative or governance issues involving the police board, Surrey City Hall, or the provincial government. Critics have described the measure as a "gag order," raising concerns about tran