Calgary-based WestJet says it will introduce a temporary $60 surcharge on certain bookings and consolidate some flights as fuel prices rise. In an email to customers, the airline said the surcharge will apply to bookings made using a companion voucher starting Wednesday. The company did not specify how long the surcharge will remain in place. WestJet also confirmed it has combined flights on lower-demand routes, reducing its schedule by about one per cent in April and three per cent in May. The airline said most affected passengers have been offered alternative travel arrangements. According t

The Alberta government has introduced legislation aimed at limiting access by children and young teens to graphic sexual images in public libraries, according to a provincial announcement. Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams tabled the bill, which would apply to all public library systems across the province. The proposed law does not include a ban on books, but would require measures to prevent those aged 15 and under from accessing visual depictions of sex. According to the province, options under consideration include placing such materials in restricted sections or requiring library st

The Alberta government has introduced Bill 26, the Immigration Oversight Act, aimed at increasing transparency in the recruitment of foreign workers across the province. According to a provincial government announcement, the proposed legislation would require all businesses to register with the province before hiring employees through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The measure is intended to strengthen oversight and ensure employers follow provincial rules when bringing in workers from abroad. The bill also proposes a new licensing system for immigration consultants and recruitment agen

Alberta RCMP say the fatal highway shooting of a 22-year-old international student from India was not motivated by race, as investigators confirm a second person has been charged in the case. Sgt. John Brown told a news conference Wednesday that the March 14 shooting near Leduc, south of Edmonton, does not appear to be linked to hate, road rage or a gang initiation. Birinder Singh was travelling with two friends toward the Rocky Mountains when a pickup truck driving alongside them made a hand gesture before shots were fired, according to RCMP. Police say a bullet struck Singh in the neck. One

Officials in Calgary say the city is on track to lift temporary water restrictions Thursday following the completion of repairs to the Bearspaw South Feeder Main, which ruptured in December. According to a City of Calgary update, pumps connected to the feeder main have been turned on and the system is now operational. Restrictions remain in place for now while crews monitor the pipe and overall water system to confirm stability. The city said if monitoring proceeds as expected, residents will no longer be asked to limit household water use, including shortening showers and reducing laundry, di

Residents of Atikameg First Nation in northern Alberta were told to shelter in place late Tuesday as RCMP responded to reports of multiple armed individuals in the area. According to a statement from High Prairie RCMP, officers are searching for four men believed to be carrying firearms. Police said the individuals were last seen on Highway 750 near Nahachick Road. Mounties are advising residents to remain indoors and to avoid the area while the investigation is ongoing. Drivers are also being warned not to pick up hitchhikers. Police have not released descriptions of the suspects. RCMP said t

Alberta’s government has introduced legislation that would restrict when citizens can launch petitions for constitutional or policy referendums, including a blackout period before and after provincial elections. Justice Minister Mickey Amery outlined the proposed changes in a bill now before the legislature. According to the minister, the bill would prohibit initiating referendum petitions in the 12 months leading up to, and the 12 months following, a provincial election. Amery said the intent is to ensure voters can focus on making decisions at the ballot box without overlapping referendum

Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi says his party is not aligned with newly elected federal NDP Leader Avi Lewis on energy policy, following Lewis’s victory at the party’s national convention. Speaking at the Alberta legislature on Monday, Nenshi said the divide between the federal and provincial wings of the party on energy issues has existed for years. “It was important for Albertans to remember that for many years now, the New Democrats have not been fully aligned, particularly on energy policy,” he said. Lewis, a Vancouver-based filmmaker and activist, was elected Sunday in Winnipeg

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she welcomes a range of views within her United Conservative Party caucus after one of her MLAs publicly supported a petition calling for a referendum on provincial separation. Speaking on her provincewide radio show Saturday, Smith said her government remains committed to a “sovereign Alberta within a united Canada,” despite comments from Jason Stephan, the MLA for Red Deer-South and her parliamentary secretary for constitutional affairs. Stephan wrote in an opinion piece published Friday that he supports a citizen-led petition to trigger a referendum o