CanadaOct 17, 2024
Alberta government shifts continuing care from Health to Seniors Ministry
The Alberta government has announced that long-term care and supportive living programs will no longer fall under the provincial Health Ministry, as part of its ongoing restructuring of Alberta’s health-care system.
Instead, responsibility for continuing care programs will move to Seniors and Social Services Minister Jason Nixon, the province confirmed Friday. The change is part of Premier Danielle Smith’s plan to divide Alberta Health Services (AHS) into four new agencies, each handling specific aspects of health care. One of these agencies will focus exclusively on continuing care, which
CanadaOct 16, 2024
Alberta launches $7M “Scrap the Cap” campaign opposing Ottawa’s emissions limit on oil and gas sector
The Alberta government has unveiled a new $7-million national advertising campaign aimed at opposing the federal government’s proposed emissions cap for the oil and gas industry - calling it a “production cap in disguise” that threatens jobs and economic stability.
Premier Danielle Smith announced the “Scrap the Cap” campaign on Friday, arguing that Ottawa’s planned regulations, expected later this year, would hurt Alberta’s energy sector and make it harder for families to afford everyday essentials. “This cap will kill jobs, drive away investment, and raise costs for Canadians
CanadaOct 16, 2024
Former Alberta justice minister Kaycee Madu faces sanction for calling Edmonton police chief over traffic ticket
Former Alberta justice minister Kaycee Madu is facing disciplinary action from the Law Society of Alberta after a tribunal found he “undermined respect for the administration of justice” by contacting Edmonton’s police chief about a personal traffic ticket.
The law society cited Madu for misconduct related to a 2021 phone call to Chief Dale McFee, which took place shortly after he received a distracted driving ticket. While the society has not yet announced the penalty, the tribunal said Madu’s actions were “worthy of sanction”, with possible outcomes ranging from a suspension to d
AlbertaOct 15, 2024
Alberta’s new “Primary Care Alberta” agency to launch next month, aims to improve access to family doctors
Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange says the province’s new Primary Care Alberta agency - tasked with improving access to family doctors and nurse practitioners - will be operational by next month as part of the government’s major overhaul of the province’s health system.
The new organization will focus on strengthening primary care delivery, developing new models of patient-centred care, and expanding after-hours access through virtual services. LaGrange said the move is designed to ensure Albertans can get timely access to medical care, especially in communities struggling with do
CanadaOct 15, 2024
Alberta pulp mill fined $1M for releasing 31 million litres of toxic wastewater into Peace River
The operator of a northwestern Alberta pulp mill has been fined $1 million after nearly 31 million litres of toxic wastewater were released into the Peace River, posing a serious threat to aquatic life and the surrounding ecosystem.
Environment and Climate Change Canada says the 2021 discharge by Mercer Peace River Pulp Ltd. was found to be “acutely lethal” to fish, in violation of the Fisheries Act. The company pleaded guilty last month, and as a result, its name will now be added to the federal Environmental Offenders Registry.
According to investigators, the release occurred in April 20
CanadaOct 15, 2024
Another water main break in Calgary leaves homes without supply, officials say not linked to June rupture
City officials in Calgary are working to repair a new water main break that has left several homes and businesses without supply, though they stress the incident is not related to the major feeder main rupture that caused widespread restrictions earlier this year.
Ryan Kidd, Calgary’s deputy director of water services, said the break occurred on a smaller 250-millimetre cast-iron distribution line near Bowness Road and 51 Street Northwest. The problem was first detected Sunday night when water began bubbling to the surface.
Crews immediately shut down the affected line and began repairs. Kid
CanadaOct 11, 2024
Alberta government shuts down second Edmonton daycare over child safety concerns
The Alberta government has revoked the licence of an Edmonton daycare over what it described as serious risks to the health and safety of children, marking the second such closure in the city this week.
In a statement, the province confirmed that the Waverley Day Care, which had been operating under a probationary licence set to expire on October 31, was ordered to close immediately due to “conditions posing significant danger to children.” Specific details of the violations were not disclosed.
The closure affects 56 licensed child care spaces. Officials say affected families are being con
CanadaOct 11, 2024
Alberta oilfield company fined $90,000 after worker severely burned in 2021 fire near Valleyview
O’Reilly Oilfield Services Ltd. has been fined $90,000 after pleading guilty to failing to protect the health and safety of workers under its supervision, following a 2021 oilfield fire that left one worker with severe burn injuries in northwest Alberta.
According to the Alberta government, the incident occurred in July 2021 at an oil and gas site near Valleyview, when liquid from a decommissioned pipeline ignited and overflowed from a portable flare stack, sparking a fire that seriously injured a worker.
As part of the sentencing, Crown prosecutors withdrew five other charges against O’Re
CanadaOct 10, 2024
Alberta UCP welcomes MLA who compared transgender kids to feces back into caucus
An Alberta MLA who was expelled from the United Conservative Party caucus last year for comparing transgender children to feces has been reinstated after issuing a public apology and pledging to support inclusivity.
Lacombe–Ponoka MLA Jennifer Johnson said she has grown “personally and professionally” since being removed from caucus 17 months ago. “Now, I am eager to apply what I have learned to benefit everyone who calls this province home,” Johnson said in a statement released Friday.
Johnson was removed from the UCP in 2023 after a 2022 recording surfaced in which she compared tra
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