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AlbertaAug 05, 2022

Alberta ends Edmonton hospital hallway medicine directive

The United Conservative government has cancelled an emergency directive that called for some patients in Edmonton hospitals to be treated in hallways. The order was enacted to reduce pressure on emergency departments while Alberta Health Services worked to place some patients in other hospitals. The province says it was dealing with high demand, staffing shortages and higher numbers of patients due to COVID-19. The Opposition NDP says the government contributed to the staffing shortages by tearing up the master contract with doctors and fighting at one point to cut nurses' salaries.
AlbertaAug 05, 2022

Alberta defence lawyers to no longer take Legal Aid cases

Defence lawyers working with Legal Aid Alberta have voted to stop taking any cases for two weeks. They say it is their response to what they call the provincial government underfunding the system. The Criminal Defence Lawyers Association, the Criminal Trial Lawyers Association, and the Southern Alberta Defence Lawyers' Association have been pushing the province to increase Legal Aid's budget in line with other Canadian jurisdictions. Alberta Justice says it has reached out to all three organizations for a meeting.
AlbertaAug 04, 2022

One person dead after a crash this morning in central Alberta

Emergency crews were called to Range Road 24 on Township Road 524 in Parkland County at about 4:20 a-m for a report of a two-vehicle crash. Mounties say a collision analyst is on scene, and traffic will be delayed until the investigation is complete. No information about other injuries or people involved in the crash has been released. RCMP is currently on scene investigating and traffic in the area will be affected.
AlbertaAug 04, 2022

Alberta's Opposition leader slams UCP, for big COVID-19 bonus to Hinshaw

Alberta's Opposition N-D-P leader says the United Conservatives must bear the responsibility -- and the fallout -- for the record-setting six-figure bonus payment to the chief medical officer of health during COVID-19. Rachel Notley says she isn't passing judgment on whether the payout to Dr. Deena Hinshaw is merited. But she says the payout has to be set against a government that, at the same time, was trying to cut the pay of front-line health workers in collective bargaining. The government's sunshine salary list shows that Hinshaw received a bonus of almost 228-thousand dollars for COVID-1
AlbertaAug 03, 2022

Hail as big as tennis balls, softballs and eggs fell in Alberta: Environment Canada

Environment and Climate Change Canada says hail ranging from the size of a pea to a softball fell in central Alberta on Monday. Sara Hoffman, who is a meteorologist with the agency, says although the storm that passed through the Rocky Mountain House and Red Deer areas wasn't record breaking, the size of the hail was bigger than expected. Environment Canada issued a tornado watch in the afternoon that warned large hail might fall from the sky later in the evening. Videos on social media were posted after the storm of drivers on Queen Elizabeth II Highway pulled over and covering their heads as
AlbertaAug 03, 2022

Woman charged with manslaughter after man found in stairwell, Edmonton police say

Woman charged with manslaughter after man found in stairwell, Edmonton police say Police say they have charged a woman in the death of a man in central Edmonton over the weekend. Edmonton police say officers responded Sunday to a call of a man in a stairwell. They say the man was found unresponsive and pronounced dead on scene. Police say a 41-year-old woman was arrested and charged with manslaughter. They have identified the victim as 38-year-old Christopher McMullen. An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.
AlbertaAug 03, 2022

Attempted theft of copper wire causes power outages in Red Deer

RCMP in central Alberta say an attempt to steal copper wire from an underground vault was responsible for a power failure that affected multiple neighbourhoods. Police say someone got into the enclosure in Red Deer and tried to cut live electrical wires early Monday. Red Deer utilities manager Jim Jorgensen says approximately six thousand customers were affected. Police said yesterday they were still trying to locate the suspect, noting the person might be seriously injured.
AlbertaAug 02, 2022

Calgary home sales down 3% in July as interest rates rise: real estate board

The Calgary Real Estate Board says last month's home sales slipped by three per cent year-over-year as the market continued to experience a slowdown. The region's sales for the month totalled 2,254, down from 2,314 last July. The Alberta board says the figures mark the second month in a row that the pace of sales slowed, but noted that the numbers are still among the strongest the market has ever seen. Last month's new listings amounted to 3,174, down almost four per cent from 3,298 in July 2021. The average price of a home in the region hit $491,392, a nearly one per cent climb from $488,484
AlbertaAug 02, 2022

Man with ‘large knife’ arrested at Calgary city hall

Police say a man armed with a large knife inside Calgary City Hall was arrested this morning. Police and firefighters were called to the building located at the corner of 7 Avenue and Mcleod Trail just before 4 a-m. Police say the suspect, who was armed with a knife, set four separate fires on the third floor, but minimal damage was caused due to the building's sprinkler system. The Calgary Fire Department says that though the fire damage is minimal, there is water damage from the sprinkler system and it's expected the third floor will be off limits for some time.

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BCNov 06, 2025

City of Surrey seeking feedback, asks residents to share what matters

City of Surrey is asking people to share feedback and tell the city what matters. City of Surrey says, "As a Surrey resident, your input plays an important role in shaping the City’s 2026 budget priorities. Share your thoughts by completing our online survey or visit one of our open houses to learn more about the budget process, ask questions and provide feedback." Find full details on City of Surrey's website: https://engage.surrey.ca/budge...
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BCNov 06, 2025

Blue Jays’ playoff run drives tourism surge and business gains in Toronto

Toronto’s hospitality and tourism sectors saw a significant boost this fall, thanks to the Blue Jays’ extended post-season run and the World Series games held in the city. Destination Toronto reported that hotel demand during the four home games of the World Series rose by an average of 15 per cent compared to the same nights last year, adding more than 11,000 room nights. Across the team’s entire playoff run, hotel demand increased by an average of 11 per cent, accounting for over 20,000 additional room nights. Andrew Weir, President and CEO of Destination Toronto, said the surge in vis
BCNov 06, 2025

Audit finds gaps in B.C. livestock tracking system used for emergency response

British Columbia’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food needs stronger measures to ensure it can quickly locate farm animals during disease outbreaks or natural disasters, according to a new report from the Office of the Auditor General. The audit reviewed the ministry’s Premises ID program, which was created to help emergency officials identify where poultry and livestock are kept and who owns them. Acting Auditor General Sheila Dodds said the system could play a vital role in protecting animals and food supply chains during crises such as bird flu outbreaks, wildfires, or floods. However, th
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BCNov 06, 2025

Record number of shelter spaces opening before winter

British Columbia is opening a record number of shelter spaces this winter to help people experiencing homelessness find warmth and safety as temperatures drop. The Province, through BC Housing, is funding 6,486 shelter spaces across 58 communities — the highest total to date. The expanded network includes 4,158 permanent shelters operating year-round, 1,154 temporary seasonal spaces, 771 extreme-weather response (EWR) beds activated during severe conditions, and 403 new Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing (HEARTH) spaces — nearly two and a half times more than last year.
CanadaNov 06, 2025

Ottawa man pleads guilty in mass stabbing that killed mother, four children, and family friend

A 20-year-old man has pleaded guilty to six counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in connection with a mass stabbing that shocked Ottawa last year. Febrio De-Zoysa entered guilty pleas today in an Ottawa courtroom to four charges of first-degree murder and two of second-degree murder, as well as one charge of attempted murder. The killings took place in 2024 at a rented townhouse in the Barrhaven area. The victims were 35-year-old Darshani Ekanayake, her four children aged between two months and seven years, and 40-year-old family friend Gamini Amarakoon. The children’s father,