Travis Toews has resigned as Alberta's finance minister and launched his campaign in the race to replace Jason Kenney as United Conservative Party leader and premier. Toews, in a statement, says he wants to focus on healing rifts in the UCP and returning to core party values. Kenney says he received Toews's resignation letter earlier today and has not decided on a replacement. Kenney has stated cabinet ministers who run to replace him must resign their posts. Toews, 57, is a first-term legislature member from the constituency of Grande Prairie-Wapiti and has been finance minister since the sta

Alberta's justice minister and Edmonton's mayor are to meet today to discuss a spike in violent crime on downtown streets and on public transit. Last week, Tyler Shandro demanded a report from the city on what is being done to get crime under control. Shandro gave the city two weeks to respond and pointed to the recent killings of two men in the Chinatown district. On Monday, Mayor Amarjeet Sohi outlined a partial plan, which includes $1 million to revitalize Chinatown and grants for businesses to upgrade their security. Wen Wong is the executive director of the Chinatown and Area Business Ass

Fresh organic strawberries sold in Saskatchewan and Alberta have been linked to a hepatitis A outbreak. The Public Health Agency of Canada says the strawberries were sold at Co-op stores in the two provinces between March 5th and March 9th. The strawberries are past their shelf life, but consumers who may have frozen them are being urged to throw them out. The agency says six people in Saskatchewan and four people in Alberta became ill with hepatitis A last month _ four were hospitalized. Hepatitis A is a virus that can cause liver disease and, in rare cases, liver failure and death.

Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews has officially entered the leadership contest to replace Jason Kenney as United Conservative Party leader and premier. Toews has not made a formal announcement, but has registered his candidacy on the Elections Alberta website. He could not be immediately reached for comment, but said last week he was considering a run. Toews is a first-term legislature member from the constituency of Grande Prairie-Wapiti and has been finance minister since the start of Kenney's government in April 2019. UCP backbencher Brian Jean and Danielle Smith _ both former Wildrose

Closing arguments are expected Monday at the trial of a father and son accused of murdering two Metis hunters on a rural Alberta road. Anthony Bilodeau, who is 33, and 58-year-old Roger Bilodeau face two counts each of second-degree murder and have both pleaded not guilty. Jacob Sansom, who was 39, and his 57-year-old old uncle Maurice Cardinal were found dead on the side of the road near Glendon, Alta., northeast of Edmonton, on March 28, 2020. Sansom was shot once in the chest and Cardinal was hit three times in the shoulder.

A town northeast of Edmonton has issued a warning to residents after wild boars were seen roaming local streets. A notice from Lamont says people should not corner or provoke the animals if they encounter one. A professor in Alberta says wild boars could soon move from the bush into cities after they were spotted in at least 28 rural municipalities and counties. Ryan Brook adds the animals are smart and can eat almost anything.

A judge has denied bail for a man charged with conspiracy to commit murder at a border blockade in southern Alberta. Chris Carbert, who is 45, appeared by video in Court of Queen's Bench in Lethbridge today to hear the decision after a bail hearing last Friday. Reasons for Justice Johnna Kubik's ruling are protected by a publication ban. Carbert and three other men are accused of conspiring to kill police officers at a blockade near Coutts, Alta., in protest of COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other pandemic restrictions. One of the men, Christopher Lysak, was denied bail in March. Anthony Olieni

Alberta's justice minister says the city of Edmonton is failing to keep people safe from violent crime, particularly on public transit, and he's ordering Mayor Amarjeet Sohi to provide answers. Tyler Shandro has told Sohi in a letter that he is invoking his powers under the province's Police Act to demand a report within two weeks on what the city will do to arrest a spike in serious crime. He says the province is responsible for ensuring people receive effective police services and Edmonton residents are not getting that. The mayor of Edmonton Amarjeet Sohi says the problems are directly link

Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews is not ruling out a run to replace Jason Kenney as United Conservative party leader and premier. Toews says there would be a number of factors to consider, including what the rules of the race will be. But he says interest in the leadership race can be good for the party and the province. The party is working on the logistics of the race, but the vote is not expected for months. Two other cabinet ministers _ Rajan Sawhney and Jason Nixon _have also said they are considering running. U-C-P backbencher Brian Jean and former Wildrose party Leader Danielle Smi