Alberta got out of the starting gates in the global critical minerals race Thursday with the opening of the province's first lithium extraction pilot project.With this opening, the state has joined the global lithium race. with this project new job opportunities are expected to be created. Lithium, a light metal, is in demand around the globe right now because it is a key component in electric vehicle batteries. Currently, the world's biggest lithium producers are Australia, Chile and China. However, it has long been known that Alberta is home to one of the world's largest lithium deposits, l

British Columbia is experiencing a spike in COVID-19 numbers, with cases, test positivity, hospitalizations and deaths all up in recent weeks.The BC Centre for Disease Control says in a monthly report that 447 people tested positive in tests funded by the province's medical services plan in the week ending Sept. 2, more than triple the 133 cases in the week ending Aug. 12.Positivity doubled to about 18 per cent in the same period.The increase in COVID-19 numbers comes after the detection of Canada's first known case of the BA. 2.86 variant last month in B.C., but the centre says that remains t

Thousands of Ottawa parents are still scrambling to find a way to get their kids to school after their buses were suddenly cancelled because of a driver shortage.About 7,500 students are affected after the bus service for both the Ottawa public and catholic school boards cancelled 300 routes just before schools opened this week.The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority says the city's rural west end is among the hardest hit areas after a bus company that was to operate 36 routes pulled out.OSTA says they are looking to resolve service disruptions in two weeks after making changes to routes a

Farmers and labor organizations of Punjab have protested against the G-20 summit to be held in Delhi.Farmers' anger is against the central government.Effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been blown up at 90 places in Punjab.Sarwan Singh Pandher, leader of the Punjab Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, said that the central government's policies are anti-national.Farmers say that the countries participating in the G-20 summit have control over 75 percent of the world's economic resources.They want to control everything from air routes to sea routes, water, mining etc. in India.Telecom, railwa

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has reached India on Friday to participate in the G-20 Summit.The Canadian Prime Minister has traveled to India with his son Xavier, where he was received by Union Minister of State for Skill Development Rajeev Chandrasekhar.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that if he meets PM Modi, he will raise the issue of foreign interference in Canada.It is worth noting that preparations have been made for the G-20 summit to be held on September 9 and 10 in New Delhi.The arrival of guests from G20 members continues.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is on a visit to

Statistics Canada says the unemployment rate held steady at 5.5 per cent in August as the economy added 40,000 jobs.Today's report ends a three-month streak of increases in the jobless rate.The federal agency says Canada's strong pace of population growth means higher job gains are needed every month to keep the unemployment rate in check.Employment increased in professional, scientific and technical services as well as construction, meanwhile, jobs were shed in education services and manufacturing.Average hourly wage growth continues to be strong, rising 4.9 per cent on an annual basis.The la

The Valley Line Southeast LRT will open this fall, according to the company building the project, but an opening date has yet to be announced. "We expect passenger service to be this fall," TransEd spokesman said at a news conference on Thursday morning. According to the spokesperson, 13 kilometres long cables have been replaced and Line-wide train testing has resume. The $1.8-billion project, a 13-kilometre track with 11 stops from Mill Woods to Downtown, began construction in the spring of 2016 and was first set to open in December 2020. The most recent opening date was last summer, but th

Driving to B.C.'s Okanagan will be a little easier in just a week as Highway 97 near Summerland opens soon.B.C.'s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has shared this information.The roadway will reopen to single-lane traffic by September 16.In fact, a section of the highway was closed on August 28 after a rockslide.The ministry says crews are working quickly, and one lane will be opened to traffic when the work is complete.Until the highway reopens, travelers are advised to use Highways 97C, 5A, or 33.

Vancouver bylaw officers are issuing fines to people who violate water restrictions.As of September 3, officials have issued 152 tickets, according to the city.In fact, from August 4, the Vancouver region entered stage-2 of water restrictions, in which, instructions were given that residents would not be able to water the grass in their yards as the region had imposed certain restrictions on the use of water for treating drinking water.Violators can be fined up to $500.Despite this, some people have violated the water restrictions.In total, from May 1 to September 3, 496 tickets were issued in