The Alberta government says people in the province 12 years of age and older can soon get the latest COVID-19 vaccine booster. Health Minister Jason Copping says starting on October 24th, the bivalent (bye-VAY'-lent) Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, which includes some protection for the Omicron B-A-4 and B-A-5 subvariants, will be available This is in addition to the currently available bivalent Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which includes the B-A-1 subvariant. Copping says many Albertans are looking to receive their COVID-19 booster dose and the B-A-4 and B-A-5 are the prevalent strains in the provin

Alberta is reporting a growing number of people in hospital with COVID-19. As of Monday, there were 1,014 people being treated for the illness, including 31 in intensive care. Dr. Dan Gregson, an infectious diseases physician, says a new wave of COVID coupled with a big wave of seasonal flu would really stress the health system. The latest data shows 4,951 people in Alberta have died from COVID-19.

Danielle Smith has become Alberta's new premier. Smith was sworn into office by Lt.-Gov. Salma Lakhani in a ceremony at Government House in Edmonton. Smith will also serve as intergovernmental affairs minister and plans to announce a revised cabinet on Oct. 21. In her first remarks as premier, the United Conservative Party leader promised to govern on core values of freedom, family, faith, community and free enterprise. She also promised to challenge the federal carbon tax and to introduce a sovereignty act that would reject federal laws deemed against the province's interests. The 51-year-old

Alberta RCMP say an Australian man has died while rock climbing in Banff National Park. Daniel Heritage, who was 28, fell from Cascade Mountain on Wednesday. Paramedics, Parks Canada, and STARS Air Ambulance responded to the area. A GoFundMe page says his wife witnessed the accident and he died in her arms. According to Heritage's LinkedIn page, he and his wife Emma moved to the Calgary area a few months ago to pursue their passion for the outdoors.

The new leader of Alberta's United Conservative Party is to be sworn in as the province's 19th premier today. Danielle Smith won the leadership race to replace Premier Jason Kenney last Thursday. Smith is scheduled to hold a media availability with reporters this afternoon following her first cabinet meeting. She has said a new cabinet will be announced October 21st. Smith doesn't have a seat in the legislature but announced over the weekend that she will run in a byelection in Brooks-Medicine Hat. That seat became vacant when the constituency's current representative, Michaela Frey, resigned

Danielle Smith will become Alberta's new premier after winning the leadership of the United Conservative Party. Smith, a former leader of the Wildrose Party, captured nearly 54 per cent of the vote on the sixth round of the preferential ballot, defeating second-place candidate Travis Toews (TAVES) and five rivals. ``I'm back,'' Smith told a cheering crowd last night at the B-M-O Centre in Calgary. She says it is time for Alberta to take its place as a senior partner in building a strong and unified Canada, and that Alberta will no longer ask permission from Ottawa to be prosperous and free. Th

A Calgary father has been sentenced to two years in prison for failing to provide the necessaries of life for his severely disabled adult son. Jonathon Grunewald and Malinda Phillips entered guilty pleas in January. Court had earlier heard that the now 29-year-old man with severe cerebral palsy, a seizure disorder and brain damage was mostly confined to his bedroom for more than five years. When he was rushed to hospital in October 2020 in critical condition he weighed only 43 pounds. Before he was sentenced, Grunewald told the court he takes full responsibility for his "lack of action'' in th

Alberta's provincial court is getting a new name. The provincial government says the court will be renamed the Alberta Court of Justice to better represent its responsibilities. The change comes into effect on April 1, 2023. A news release says the name change was requested by the provincial court and that it better describes the relationship between citizens and the justice they seek from the court. Chief Judge Derek Redman says in the release that the trial-level court has grown in size and complexity and the name change reflects that growth. The change is being implemented as part of work b

United Conservative Party leadership candidate Danielle Smith says if she wins this week's vote and becomes the next Alberta premier, she would not call an early election to seek a broad mandate on her policy ideas. Smith, the perceived front-runner in the race, says the public tends to punish leaders who call an early election. She says she would wait until the next scheduled election in May 2023, but believes she has a mandate now to proceed with her plans. Smith has said she would immediately pass an Alberta sovereignty act, which would allow the province to ignore federal laws and court ru