AlbertaJul 14, 2025
Alberta surpasses U.S. in confirmed measles cases with more than 1,300
Alberta has surpassed the United States in confirmed measles cases, after 30 new cases were diagnosed over the weekend.
The province has now seen 1,314 cases since the beginning of March.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 1,288 cases so far this year across 39 states.
The outbreak of the highly contagious disease hasn't led to any deaths so far in Alberta.
Three people, including two children, have died in the United States.
The U.S. has also seen more hospitalizations, with the CDC reporting 162 people have been hospitalized compared to just over 100 Albertans.
CanadaJul 14, 2025
Alberta’s transgender ban in sports exempts visiting out-of-province athletes
Alberta is rolling out new regulations in September banning transgender athletes from playing women's sports, but officials say they will still welcome out-of-province transgender competitors.
Tourism and Sport Minister Andrew Boitchenko says the province doesn't have the authority to regulate athletes from different jurisdictions because they can't overstep the rules outside groups abide by.
Premier Danielle Smith says the ban is about fairness on the playing field so that girls are not battling opponents with biological advantages. But detractors say it's about stigmatizing and punish
AlbertaJul 11, 2025
Alberta, Ottawa putting $203 million into new affordable housing units
Alberta and Ottawa have signed off on $203 million for new affordable housing projects across the province. Provincial Social Services Minister Jason Nixon says the joint funding will go toward 25 projects and see more than 2,300 units built.
Nixon says the projects range from housing for young adults and students in downtown Edmonton to units in Calgary for those facing homelessness. He says this round of funding keeps the province on track to meet its goal of creating 82,000 units by 2031.
Federal Prairies Economic Development Minister Eleanor Olszewski says the funding is an
CanadaJul 11, 2025
2 charged with exploiting foreign workers with 90-hour weeks at Alberta motel, gas station
Two Edmonton men have been charged with human trafficking after police say several foreign workers were forced to clock up to 90 hours a week without proper pay.
R-C-M-P say they started investigating last summer after receiving a complaint about exploitative working conditions at a gas station and motel owned by the men.
The motel is in the northwestern town of Fox Creek, while the gas station is in Calmar, southwest of Edmonton.
A 55-year-old man and his 26-year-old son face a total of five charges, and police say they're also looking into allegations of money laundering.
AlbertaJul 10, 2025
Alberta rules on school library books to start Oct. 1
Alberta's education minister says school libraries must pull explicit, sexual content from their shelves starting Oct. 1. Demetrios Nicolaides says the province's new standards aren't about banning books but ensuring kids aren't exposed to the wrong material for their age.
The government has issued a list of specific sex acts that cannot be explicitly described in library books. It considers mentions of kissing, hugging or handholding as not sexual in nature and not part of the ban.
Religious texts, such as the Bible, are also exempt. School boards must review library materials
AlbertaJul 10, 2025
Two youths charged with manslaughter after man dies in Alberta house fire
Two youths have been charged with manslaughter and arson after a man died in a house fire in central Alberta. RCMP say they responded to the fire in Wetaskiwin, a city south of Edmonton, in December.
The body of 67-year-old Donald Robert was found inside the home and officers deemed his death suspicious.
They say a witness reported seeing someone running away from the home with their clothing on fire.
RCMP say a girl and a boy were arrested Wednesday. They can't be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
AlbertaJul 10, 2025
Alberta appoints lawyer, policy advisor to lead involuntary treatment commission
The Alberta government says a longtime lawyer and recent provincial policy advisor has been tapped to head its new involuntary drug treatment system. Earlier this year, Premier Danielle Smith's government passed legislation to create the new system, which allows people to be forced into addiction treatment facilities without their consent.
The legislation allows family members, health-care professionals, police or peace officers to apply for a treatment order from a provincial commission led by Jonathan Carlzon. The province says Carlzon has more than 20 years of experience as a lawy
CanadaJul 10, 2025
Alberta education minister to give update on new rules for school library books
Alberta's education minister is set to provide an update today on the development of new provincial rules for school library books.
Demetrios Nicolaides announced in May that Alberta would be setting new standards for the books. He said the review came after his ministry became aware of four coming-of-age graphic novels in school libraries in Edmonton and Calgary. Nicolaides said each of the books contained inappropriate content, including graphic sexual material as well as depictions of molestation, drug and alcohol use.
A government survey on the topic launched after Nicolaides' anno
AlbertaJul 09, 2025
Alberta has highest measles cases per capita in North America as summer travel gets underway
Alberta has the most measles cases in North America on a per-capita basis, worrying experts who say summer events could push case counts even higher. The province's former chief medical officer of health Dr.Mark Joffe says that's twice the rate of confirmed cases in Ontario.
Ontario has been deemed Canada's epicentre of the outbreak in absolute case numbers, reporting 1,910 confirmed infections since its outbreak began in October, but with a population three times the size as Alberta.
Alberta reported yesterday that 1,230 people have been infected with the highly contagious disea