The premiers of Alberta and B.C. are celebrating an agreement to again allow direct sales to consumers after a tiff over taxes. With the temporary deal, Albertans can order wine directly from more than 350 wineries in B.C. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says it means the province's liquor wholesaler can collect consistent fees on all wine sold in the province, but details of how it will work are still being sorted. The agreement comes after Alberta threatened to stop stocking wine in retail stores from B.C. producers who were selling directly to Alberta customers. The Alberta government says a

Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek says the city is no longer asking residents to restrict their indoor water use stemming from a major water main break. Gondek says residents can resume the normal number of showers, toilet flushes and loads of laundry and dishes. But a mandatory ban on outdoor water use, such as lawn-watering, remains in effect. The city and surrounding municipalities have been under the water restrictions since a water main that supplies 60 per cent of the drinking water ruptured on June 5. Crews have been scrambling to repair the breach ever since, and that work was further complic

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the province plans to opt out of the federal government's dental care plan by 2026. In a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Smith says the program infringes on provincial jurisdiction. She says in the meantime she wants to negotiate getting Alberta's share of the federal funding in order for the province to support dental care as it sees fit. The $13-billion program began covering younger children and seniors in May and is being expanded to all those under 18 and people with disabilities. Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange's office says the Canad

The Alberta government is proposing measures, to takeeffect in January, that aim to protect power consumers from wild price swings. Premier Danielle Smith says the default power rate currently called the Regulated Rate Option is misleadingly named because it can vary monthly according to weather and global events. She says her United Conservative Party government aims to introduce legislation this spring renaming it the Rate of Last Resort so consumers can better understand what they've signed up for. Smith says her government is also planning set the Rate of Last Resort every two ye

When Alberta hiked the province's minimum wage to $15 an hour in the fall of 2018, it was the highest rate in the country. But nearly six years and a pandemic later, the minimum wage hasn't budged even as Albertans face the highest inflation rate in Canada. Most provinces and territories are increasing their minimum wage this year, and those that aren't just raised theirs in 2023. That means one of Canada's wealthiest provinces is falling behind. Alberta now has the second-lowest minimum wage in the country. Saskatchewan remains at the bottom, at $14 an hour. Meaghon Reid, executive director o

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is coming to Alberta once again today. He has to make an announcement about housing in Calgary. The tour is being seen as a campaign-like tour ahead of the country's budget. PM Trudeau will interact with the local business community in the afternoon. A day before that, he had gone to Winnipeg. He announced yesterday the release of a new $1.5-billion housing fund, which will create not-for-profit rental units across the country and ensure they are affordable. The Canada Rental Protection Fund will provide $1 billion in loans and contribute $470 million

The Alberta government says it's making good on its promise to offer seniors a 25 per cent discount for registry services. It says the move is expected to benefit more than 725,000 Albertans 65 and older. The discount can be applied to vehicle registration, driver's licences, standard plates and marriage licences. The discount is also to be available for services purchased online. The United Conservative Party government estimates in its most recent budget that the discount will mean annual savings for seniors of up to $16.5 million to $20 million. The seniors' discount is to come into place M

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