An evacuation alert has been issued for the community of Draper in northern Alberta after rising river levels linked to a large ice jam raised concerns about possible flooding. According to a notice from the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, approximately 140 residents of the unincorporated community have been advised to prepare to leave on short notice. Draper is located along the southern bank of the Clearwater River, about 12 kilometres southeast of Fort McMurray. Officials say a roughly 20-kilometre-long ice jam on the Athabasca River has contributed to a rapid increase in water level

Alberta health officials are warning of a potential measles exposure at a hospital emergency department in Grande Prairie. According to an Alberta Health Services advisory, the exposure is believed to have occurred on April 20 and April 22 at the emergency department. Officials say individuals who were present at those times may have been exposed to the virus. Health authorities say people who are not fully vaccinated are at higher risk of infection. Symptoms of measles can include fever, cough and a spreading rash. Alberta Health Services is urging residents to review their immunization recor

Police in Alberta are asking for the public’s help after a truck carrying two peacocks was reported stolen west of Edmonton. According to the RCMP, a 2005 Ford F-350 was taken from the community of Stony Plain on Sunday. Officers say the birds were inside the vehicle at the time of the theft. Mounties are asking anyone who may have seen the truck or the animals to contact police. No further details about the direction of travel or suspects had been released as of publication time. The investigation is ongoing.

A fire at an apartment complex in northeast Edmonton has caused an estimated $1.1 million in property damage and displaced residents, according to emergency response information. The blaze broke out April 20 at the Wyndham Crossing Apartments, where about 200 people live. Evacuating residents safely was a significant challenge for crews responding to the scene. One person was seriously injured in the fire and taken to hospital for treatment. A firefighter was also hurt during the response and received on-site care from emergency services. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and

Edmonton police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing 19-year-old man, identified as Prayag Dalbhatwala. According to an Edmonton Police Service news release, Dalbhatwala was last seen on April 23 at حوالي 4 p.m. at a residence near 99 Street and 90 Avenue. Police and his family have expressed concern for his well-being. Investigators say Dalbhatwala had planned to travel to Calgary but cancelled those plans at the last minute. His whereabouts since then remain unknown. Police describe him as approximately five feet nine inches tall, with black hair, and he wears

The Town of Peace River has issued a flood alert for areas including its downtown, warning residents to be ready to leave on short notice due to rising water levels on the Heart River. According to a municipal notice, the alert covers the area between the Highway 2 bridge and 104 Avenue in the town’s south end. Officials say the alert is precautionary but reflects the potential for flooding if river conditions worsen. Residents in the affected zone are being advised to prepare for a possible evacuation by fuelling vehicles and gathering essential items, including identification, medications

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police say a man is dead after an incident at a gas station in northern Alberta that investigators are treating as suspicious. According to an RCMP news release, officers were called to a Petro-Canada location in Peace River on Thursday morning, where they found a man deceased near the fuel pumps. Police have not released the victim’s identity. Investigators say surveillance video from the scene shows a suspect entering the driver’s seat of a red Dodge Caravan taxi and striking the victim with the vehicle. The circumstances leading up to the incident have not bee

Alberta’s government has introduced legislation that would end twice-yearly clock changes and keep the province on daylight time year-round. The proposal was tabled by Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative government, according to a provincial announcement. If passed, the bill would eliminate the need to switch between standard time and daylight saving time each spring and fall. The government has said the change is intended to provide consistency for businesses and residents, though details on when the change would take effect have not yet been confirmed. The move would require coo

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is expected to provide an update today on a planned provincewide referendum set for October, including previously announced questions tied to social policy and governance. According to a February announcement from the Alberta government, the referendum is to include up to nine questions. Among them are proposals that would restrict access to certain social services for some immigrants, though full wording of the questions has not yet been finalized. The update comes as debate continues in Alberta over the prospect of separation from Canada. A citizen-led initiati