11.11°C Vancouver

News

alberta-moves-to-restrict-public-boards-power-to-police-trustees-councilors
AlbertaApr 09, 2025

Alberta moves to restrict public boards' power to police trustees, councilors

Alberta is looking to reduce the self-policing powers of elected public school boards and municipal councils. The changes are included in two bills put forward by Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservative government. In one bill, Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver proposes pulling local council's codes of conduct and also ending any related ongoing complaints or sanctions that aren't before the courts. McIver says in some cases, codes of conduct have been weaponized to silence dissent on municipal councils. In the second bill, Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides propo
american-man-gets-50-years-for-horrific-sex-abuse-kidnapping-edmonton-teen
CanadaApr 09, 2025

American man gets 50 years for 'horrific' sex abuse, kidnapping Edmonton teen

An American man who abducted an Edmonton teen, took her over the U.S. border and subjected her to ``horrific sexual abuse'' has been given a 50-year prison sentence by a U.S. judge. The decision against Noah Madrano was meted in Portland, Ore., almost three years after the teen was located and Madrano was arrested by FBI agents at a hotel in the U.S. state. Earlier this year, the 43-year-old pleaded guilty to sexual abuse and kidnapping charges. The manhunt began in the summer of 2022 after the girl, then 13, failed to show up for class at her junior high school in Edmonton.
alberta-measles-outbreak-not-dire-enough-to-warrant-public-address-health-minister
AlbertaApr 09, 2025

Alberta measles outbreak not dire enough to warrant public address: health minister

Health Minister Adriana LaGrange says Alberta's measles outbreak isn't dire enough for the province's top doctor for public health to address the public, despite mounting calls for the government to do more to stop the spread. Alberta has reported 43 cases of the highly infectious disease over the past month.The Edmonton Zone Medical Staff Association says the spread is a result of government inaction, especially around Alberta's low vaccination rates. The association is calling on the province to improve how it updates the public on the outbreak and develop a vaccination plan.
alberta-builds-groundwork-for-optional-provincial-police-agency-for-municipalities
AlbertaApr 08, 2025

Alberta builds groundwork for optional provincial police agency for municipalities

Alberta's government is taking another step toward giving municipalities the option of ditching the RCMP in favour of a new provincial police service. Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis says an independent Alberta service could step in to help address concerns he's heard about the Mounties' staffing shortages and rising costs. If passed, a proposed bill would mean a new agency must operate under a Crown corporation that would be at arm's length from the government. An extra $6 million has been set aside for the agency's leadership team, but Ellis says if the province shifts about
statue-of-prominent-canadian-solider-destroyed-in-sherwood-park-man-facing-arson-charges
CanadaApr 08, 2025

Statue of prominent Canadian solider destroyed in Sherwood Park; man facing arson charges

A man has been charged with arson after the memorial statue of a prominent Canadian solider was destroyed in a community east of Edmonton last month. RCMP say the statue of Sam Steele, which was made of wood, was burned on March 21st in Sherwood Park. Police say they arrested a 23-year-old Sherwood Park man shortly after the incident and he is scheduled to appear in court tomorrow. Steele was a key figure in the North-West Mounted Police and the Canadian military in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
alberta-revamping-health-care-grants-to-activity-based-hospital-funding-system
CanadaApr 08, 2025

Alberta revamping health-care grants to 'activity-based' hospital funding system

Alberta's government will soon tie public hospital funding to the number and type of procedures performed, a move critics warn won't improve the public system and will only accelerate private delivery. Premier Danielle Smith says the new ``activity-based'' model, expected to be implemented for some surgeries in 2026, will drive costs down by fostering competition among public and private providers who will be rewarded for delivering better results. Smith says it will make the system more efficient, lower wait times, provide more transparency and attract more surgeons to the province. Albert
final-canada-carbon-rebate-payment-before-april-28-election
CanadaApr 07, 2025

Final Canada Carbon Rebate Payment Before April 28 Election

Millions of Canadians are set to receive their final Canada Carbon Rebate payment ahead of the April 28 vote. Residents of eight provinces, including Alberta and Nova Scotia, which had a federal carbon fuel charge, will receive their final Canada Carbon Rebate payment on April 22. In addition, British Columbians will receive their final B.C. Climate Action Tax Credit payment. The federal government will distribute approximately $4 billion in payments under the Canada Carbon Rebate to around 13 million Canadians. According to the Canada Revenue Agency, only those who filed their tax returns be
special-to-the-world-supporters-hope-to-save-beloved-drumheller-dinosaur
AlbertaApr 07, 2025

'Special to the world': Supporters hope to save beloved Drumheller dinosaur

The mayor of Drumheller, Alberta, says the fate of Tyra the Tyrannosaurus is far from over. The Drumheller Chamber of Commerce plans to dismantle the towering tourist attraction in 2029 after it opened 25 years ago. Tyra brings in about 150-thousand visitors a year and is four times the size of a real Tyrannosaurus. But Mayor Heather Colberg wants to talk to the chamber and thinks an alternate solution can be worked out. She says the community is very fond of Tyra and she is an important part of the town and its tourism industry. Julia Fielding from Travel Drumheller says Tyra i
alberta-putting-17-million-toward-planning-urgent-care-centres
FeaturedMar 31, 2025

Alberta putting $17 million toward planning urgent care centres

The Alberta government says it will spend$17 million to plan nine new urgent care centres across the province. Health Minister Adriana LaGrange says the centres will besmaller than hospitals and designed to treat people with urgent but non-life-threatening medical needs, such as broken bones. Alberta has six urgent care centres in operation and LaGrange says the new facilities would help reduce emergency room wait times in hospitals. She says the funding is earmarked for cities across the province, including Edmonton, Calgary, Fort McMurray, Airdrie and Lethbridge. LaGrange s

Just In

b-c-homeless-count-shows-rising-numbers-in-12-of-20-communities-surveyed
BCOct 02, 2025

B.C. homeless count shows rising numbers in 12 of 20 communities surveyed

The British Columbia government says more than half of 20 communities surveyed saw an increase in homelessness since the last count in 2023. The Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs says in a statement that the count provides a snapshot of a community's homeless population during a 24-hour period. It says the latest count found 12 of the 20 communities they looked at had an increase in those who were homeless, while eight saw a drop. Many of the cities reporting higher numbers are in the Interior, including Williams Lake, Cranbrook, Merritt, Quesnel, Penticton and Salmon Arm. But the coun
charges-sworn-in-alleged-theft-and-sexual-assault
CanadaOct 02, 2025

Charges Sworn in Alleged Theft and Sexual Assault

Charges have been sworn against a man following a Surrey Police Service (SPS) investigation into an alleged theft and sexual assault that occurred in the early morning hours of August 26, 2025, in the 9800 block of King George Boulevard, Surrey. On August 26, 2025, at approximately 3:10 am, a man was walking in the 9800 block of King George Boulevard, Surrey when he was approached by a stranger, an adult South Asian male. During the interaction between the two, the stranger allegedly stole the man’s cell phone. A short time later, a woman was walking in the same area and was approached by
mla-garry-begg-new-bc-ndp-caucus-chair
BCOct 02, 2025

MLA Garry Begg new BC NDP Caucus Chair

Garry Begg, MLA for Surrey-Guildford, has been selected as the new chair of the BC NDP caucus. Begg was first elected MLA in 2017, and re-elected in 2020 and 2024. Before entering politics, he served as an RCMP officer for more than 38 years. Premier David Eby said: “Garry Begg brings with him a lifetime of experience serving the people of British Columbia. Garry will be a great caucus chair, keeping us focused on the needs of the people across the province who sent us here to get results on their behalf. I want to thank Stephanie Higginson for her diligent work, guiding us through the la
another-cbsa-inspection-kiosk-outage-affecting-some-canadian-airports
CanadaOct 02, 2025

Another CBSA inspection kiosk outage affecting some Canadian airports

The Canada Border Services Agency says there is another outage affecting its inspection kiosks at airports across the country. Toronto Pearson International Airport says the outage is affecting Terminal 1 and Terminal 3, where passengers may experience longer wait times. The border agency says it's working to resolve the issue. This is the second CBSA inspection kiosk outage reported in the last few days. An outage over the weekend caused delays at customs in some of Canada's busiest airports before it was resolved. The CBSA has also said that it experienced technical issues earlier this week
niagara-police-arrest-30-people-lay-more-than-200-charges-in-drug-investigation
CanadaOct 02, 2025

Niagara police arrest 30 people, lay more than 200 charges in drug investigation

Police in Niagara Region say 30 people face more than 200 charges after an investigation into an alleged drug trafficking and auto theft network. Police say the investigation dubbed Project Road King began in August 2024 after the force's gang unit uncovered an alleged drug trafficking operation with ties to the region and multiple jurisdictions. They say the force began investigating related criminal activity, including alleged auto theft, with help from several other police units including the RCMP. Police say they executed 12 search warrants in Niagara, Hamilton and Toronto on