Health Canada says it will not reverse its ban on strychnine, maintaining that environmental and human health risks outweigh concerns raised by Prairie governments and farm groups. The federal department confirmed it reviewed requests from Alberta and Saskatchewan to reconsider the use of the rodent poison to control gopher populations that farmers say are damaging crops and pastureland. Health Canada concluded the risks associated with strychnine remain too significant to justify its use. Strychnine has been prohibited for most pest control uses because of its high toxicity and the risk it po

The Alberta government says it will present its next provincial budget on February 26, warning that deteriorating financial conditions will make the process difficult. Finance Minister Nate Horner says lower oil prices and ongoing global economic uncertainty are putting strain on provincial revenues, forcing the government to make what he described as tough choices. Alberta’s economy remains closely tied to energy markets, making budget planning vulnerable to swings in commodity prices. The province is currently projecting a 6.4 billion dollar deficit by the end of the fiscal year in March.

The Alberta government says it will review a rural highway intersection near Stavely following a deadly crash that claimed the lives of three junior hockey players earlier this week. The collision occurred Monday at a highway entrance just outside the southern Alberta community, about an hour south of Calgary. RCMP say a car carrying members of the Southern Alberta Mustangs junior hockey team was travelling east across the highway when it was struck by a northbound semi truck hauling two trailers of gravel. In a statement Tuesday, Alberta’s transportation ministry said reviewing fatal collis

The junior hockey community across western Canada is mourning the loss of three young players who were killed in a vehicle collision in southern Alberta while travelling to practice. RCMP say the crash happened Monday in the community of Stavely, about an hour south of Calgary, involving a passenger vehicle and a semi truck. Police have confirmed that JJ Wright, Cameron Casorso and Caden Fine, members of the Southern Alberta Mustangs junior hockey program, died as a result of the collision. The investigation remains ongoing. Tributes poured in from teams and hockey organizations across the cou

Thousands of Alberta government employees have begun returning to their offices full time following the end of the province’s hybrid work policy that was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The hybrid option officially concluded on Sunday, affecting more than 12,000 provincial workers who had been splitting their time between home and office. The Alberta government says the decision reflects changing circumstances and a renewed focus on in person collaboration, supervision, and consistent public service delivery. Provincial officials maintain that having staff back in offices will impro

RCMP say they believe the infant child of a woman found dead in a St. Albert apartment north of Edmonton has also died, as a homicide investigation continues. Mounties were called to an apartment in the city on Friday, where officers discovered the remains of 23-year-old Ayla Egotik-Learn. Police say Egotik-Learn was originally from Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, highlighting the broader interprovincial impact of the case. Her common-law partner, Christopher William Beasley, has been charged with second-degree murder. He is also facing a charge of causing an indignity to human remains in relation to

Calgary police say six people are facing a combined total of more than 100 charges following an investigation into a series of vehicle thefts and commercial break-ins across the city. Investigators say the case began in December after officers became aware that a repeat offender, who was on probation at the time, was allegedly in possession of a stolen vehicle. That discovery led police to uncover what they describe as an organized pattern of thefts over a two-week period. According to police, multiple autobody shops were targeted, with suspects breaking into several businesses to steal vehicl

Alberta RCMP say a paraglider has died after crashing into a mountain near the Town of Canmore in the Rocky Mountains. Police say officers responded to reports of an accident near Ha Ling Peak on January 18. A man was found at the scene and was pronounced dead by emergency responders. RCMP say an autopsy has been scheduled to determine the exact cause of death, but investigators do not believe the incident is criminal in nature. Ha Ling Peak is a popular destination for hiking and adventure sports, including paragliding, particularly during periods of favourable weather. Local authorities have

A Calgary man accused of abducting his young son and evading authorities for nearly two years will remain in custody after a judge denied his request for bail. Court heard that Muhammad Zia-Ur Rahman, 62, was considered a significant flight risk, with the judge agreeing with Crown prosecutors that his past actions showed a willingness to flee Canadian jurisdiction. The Crown argued detention was necessary to ensure his appearance at future court proceedings. Rahman is charged in connection with the alleged abduction of his son, who was five years old at the time, in December 2023. Police say t