Alberta is without a chief medical officer of health, as the government says Dr. Mark Joffe's contract expired this week. Health Minister Adriana LaGrange's office says an interim replacement is to be announced shortly. Joffe was serving in the role on an interim basis, after Premier Danielle Smith's government fired Dr. Deena Hinshaw in 2022. Before Smith became premier, she committed to firing Hinshaw, who held the position throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. LaGrange's office says the minister will rely on other public health experts within government while the position is vacan

Police in Edmonton are issuing a warning to the public about a convicted sex offender. They say Robert Edward Ventress is set to be released from jail after serving his sentence, but officials believe he could commit another offence. The 55-year-old is subject to a court order with multiple conditions. Ventress is about 6 feet tall and weighs about 170 pounds. His eye color is green and hair is brown. Police say he has a history of sexual offences, child pornography and failure to comply with court conditions, so people are to call them with any concerns about him when he is released.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says hiring lawyers to funnel requests from the auditor general isn't meant to obstruct an investigation into multimillion-dollar health contracts- it's about helping get to the truth. The government has instructed Alberta Health public servants to contact a lawyer to co-ordinate if auditor general Doug Wylie requests an interview as part of his probe. The NDP's leader in the legislature, Christina Gray, says the policy suggests a coverup is afoot, and is challenging the premier to lift what the NDP calls a ``gag order.'' Smith says the NDP is twist

Alberta is reporting 16 more cases of measles, bringing the provincial total to 74 since the beginning of March. The government says the new cases were reported in Alberta's central and southern zones. Nearly all cases are in school-aged children, with 18 cases being reported in children under the age of five. The province says 64 of the total cases have passed the point where the highly contagious disease could be transmitted to others. Alberta's chief medical officer of health, Dr. Mark Joffe, warns that measles is much more serious than common childhood diseases and encourages Albertans

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has expressed concern over the lengthy wait times for surgeries in the province, announcing plans to introduce a new funding model aimed at addressing the issue. Smith made the remarks during a phone-in segment on the show Your Province, Your Premier. She noted that some patients are forced to travel long distances within Alberta to receive treatment, and in some cases, even seek medical care abroad. To address these challenges, Smith said her government is working to implement activity-based funding. The premier emphasized that the current strain on the health c

A fatality inquiry is to take place in June for the three people killed five years ago when a tour bus tumbled down an embankment on the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park. Three people died and 14 suffered life-threatening injuries after the bus lost control and landed on its roof in the popular tourist destination south of Jasper in July 2020. Alberta's government says the inquiry is to take place June 10 at the Jasper Court of Justice. RCMP did not lay criminal charges, but bus operator Brewster Inc. was charged in May 2022 under Alberta's Occupational Health and Safety

Alberta's government is looking to give the green light to hydrogen as a home and commercial heating fuel in a move it says will boost demand and reduce emissions. If passed, legislation tabled by Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf will allow utility companies to blend hydrogen into their supply of natural gas _ provided customers sign off on receiving the blended heat source. Neudorf says safety is top of mind and the province will work with regulators to set an acceptable blending rate, as hydrogen is easily ignitable and more explosive than methane. Neudorf's bill also sets th

Two people have been killed after being trapped under a house on a small island off British Columbia's coast. RCMP in Powell River say they received a call on April 6 about two people trapped under the house on Savary Island, just off the coast of the small city, about 150 kilometres northwest of Vancouver. Police say when the island's volunteer fire department and emergency health services personnel arrived they determined the house was under renovation and was being lowered onto a new foundation when it collapsed. Two men under the house were found dead, while a third man was t

As Alberta heads into the heart of wildfire season, the province is committing almost $1 million to upgrade its early-warning systems. Forestry Minister Todd Loewen says $900,000 is being allocated to upgrade and expand its network of 150 weather stations. These stations monitor environmental conditions, like temperature, humidity, wind and moisture, in real time to help fire crews know where they will be needed when the weather gets hot and dry. The monitors will also be able to monitor snowpack levels, which are strong indicators of Alberta's fire risk early in the season.