Thousands of municipal workers in Edmonton are preparing to strike Thursday after rejecting the city’s latest contract offer, a move that will shut down libraries, recreation centres, pools, and other civic facilities. Civic Service Union 52, which represents about 6,000 employees, announced the strike Monday after members voted against a proposed 7.25 per cent wage increase spread over five years from 2021 to 2025. The walkout will involve library staff, clerical workers, IT employees, and front-line staff at arts and fitness centres. City councillors warned Tuesday that meeting union wage

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet up face-to-face in Calgary today. Smith’s office says the two will meet in the morning, and Smith will head to Edmonton to speak to reporters at a subsequent news conference. The two leaders have not met in person since last summer at the Calgary Stampede festival. Smith’s office did not say what is on the agenda for the meeting. However, her government has taken issue with Ottawa on a range of issues, including energy development, pharmacare, child-care funding and the federal consumer carbon price. Trudeau was in

Six contenders are competing for the helm of the Alberta New Democrats, with the successor to long-time party leader Rachel Notley to be chosen in June. Here are the candidates: Naheed Nenshi was mayor of Calgary from 2010 to 2021 and has made the colour purple a mix of Liberal red and Conservative blue a big part of his non-partisan political brand. Kathleen Ganley is the legislature member for Calgary Mountain View. She served as justice minister while the NDP was in government. In Opposition, she has been energy critic. Rakhi Pancholi, elected after the NDP's time in government, represent

The Alberta government announced in the budget presented yesterday that a $200 annual tax will be imposed on electric vehicles. This tax will be applicable from January 2025. This tax will be paid when the owners register their vehicles and the fee will be paid in addition to the existing registration fee. According to the Alberta government, electric vehicles will be charged the same amount of annual fuel tax that drivers of gas vehicles pay. This tax will not be applicable on owners of hybrid vehicles. The government says that electric vehicles are heavy and cause damage to roads but their

The Alberta legislature's spring session is set to start today, with health care expected to be a main focus. Premier Danielle Smith's government is planning to dismantle Alberta Health Services and has indicated legislation is coming to begin the process. AHS is to be replaced by four agencies while being reduced to the role of service provider in acute care. Thursday will see the release of the 2024 provincial budget.Smith said in a recent televised provincewide address that it will be balanced but fiscal belt-tightening is needed. She says softening oil prices means provincial funding won't

A town north of Edmonton has voted in favour of a bylaw that bans Pride flags and rainbow crosswalks on municipal property. A slim majority of Westlock residents who took part in a plebiscite Thursday voted in favour of the town only flying government flags and painting crosswalks in a white striped pattern. Those in favour won by 24 votes, as 49 per cent voted against the ban. Westlock Mayor Jon Kramer says councillors didn't support the move, as they felt it was against their commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. Kramer says the town of 4,800 will continue to find ways to embrace

Police are investigating a shooting in Calgary's Sage Hill community this morning. Due to this, one person was injured and he was admitted to the hospital. According to the official, theyCalled about 8:30 a.m. in the 200 block of Sage Meadows Green NW. According to the police, the man was seriously injured due to the bullet and was taken to the hospital. The identity of the person has not been shared at this time. Police have not yet shared any information about arresting anyone.

Calgary's oldest grand theater teeters on the brink of closure. The theater celebrated its 112th birthday just two days ago, but today its executive director says it is only a short-term guest after a temporary deal with the landlord fell through. Opened in 1912, the Grand Theater was the cultural center of Western Canada for most of its life. Historian Don Smith says it was a center for the display of art. Smith lamented the tragedy of his golden days. The Grand was sold out 3 years ago. Its executive director tried to strike a deal with a new landlord to keep it afloat, but the deal fell t

Alberta Premier Daniel Smith today met with Ontario Premier Doug Ford at his residence in Toronto. Smith is visiting Washington DC from today. Her visit is considered very important as she will meet with the US industry leaders and try to get new deals for Alberta. Premier Smith will also promote Alberta's energy sector on this visit. Smith said in a statement that Alberta has always been a partner of the United States and that both have similar goals in the energy sector. It is worth noting that the US has been a major trading partner of Alberta and Alberta has also been a major export of the