Alberta's government will soon tie public hospital funding to the number and type of procedures performed, a move critics warn won't improve the public system and will only accelerate private delivery. Premier Danielle Smith says the new ``activity-based'' model, expected to be implemented for some surgeries in 2026, will drive costs down by fostering competition among public and private providers who will be rewarded for delivering better results. Smith says it will make the system more efficient, lower wait times, provide more transparency and attract more surgeons to the province. Albert

The popular passenger train service between Vancouver and Seattle has resumed, including trains to and from Portland. On March 26, Amtrak, the US government-run company, had suspended the train service indefinitely to replace old trains. In the interim, Amtrak had been offering bus service between Vancouver and Seattle twice a day. Now, full train service has been restored. However, Amtrak has stated that the trains are currently operating with a limited number of cars, and passengers are advised to book in advance. Amtrak spokesperson Kelly confirmed that the train service to Vancouver has b

US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose an additional 50 percent tariff on China, giving the country until tomorrow to withdraw its 34 percent retaliatory tariffs on American goods. In a social media post, Trump stated that if China does not remove its tariffs by tomorrow, he will enforce the new 50 percent tariff on China starting April 9. Trump also warned that any requests from China for talks regarding trade concerns would be rejected. This threat comes as the Chinese and Hong Kong markets have seen a significant decline in today's trading. Meanwhile, protests against Trump's p

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has pledged to alter federal drug laws to prevent the opening of supervised drug consumption sites across Canada if his government is formed. He also stated that he would fire bureaucrats who advocate for prescribing alternative drugs in place of traditional prescription medications. Poilievre made the announcement yesterday during an election campaign in New Westminster, B.C., declaring that the funds currently allocated to supervised consumption sites would be redirected to build new drug treatment centres. In the meanhile, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh durin

Millions of Canadians are set to receive their final Canada Carbon Rebate payment ahead of the April 28 vote. Residents of eight provinces, including Alberta and Nova Scotia, which had a federal carbon fuel charge, will receive their final Canada Carbon Rebate payment on April 22. In addition, British Columbians will receive their final B.C. Climate Action Tax Credit payment. The federal government will distribute approximately $4 billion in payments under the Canada Carbon Rebate to around 13 million Canadians. According to the Canada Revenue Agency, only those who filed their tax returns be

Gas prices at pumps in Metro Vancouver have decreased, ranging from $1.61 to $1.70 per litre. Analysts predict that gas prices will continue to fall. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, stated that the recent decline in gasoline prices is due to the end of the carbon tax. According to GasBuddy, gasoline prices in Vancouver have dropped by about 25 cents per litre in the past week. On Sunday, the average price in the province was 19.1 cents lower than the same day last year. Similarly, gasoline prices in Vancouver have decreased by 43.9 cents compared to last year. De Haan

Vancouver police say two people have been arrested after an early morning homicide Sunday. The Vancouver Police Department says officers responded to the scene before 4:30 a.m. after receiving reports of a man being shot inside a home in East Vancouver. Police say a 49-year-old man died at the scene. Two suspects who are both in their 20s have been taken into custody. Police say the investigation is ongoing and detectives will be working in the area to collect evidence. They ask anyone who may have information about the shooting to call their homicide unit.

Gas prices in Metro Vancouver have risen again to $1.80 per litre at the pumps. This increase follows the provincial government's decision on Tuesday to remove the 17-cent carbon tax on gasoline. The rise in prices is being attributed to a fire at a refinery in California, which has disrupted West Coast supplies. However, GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan predicts that gas prices may decrease early next week or even as soon as this weekend. The ongoing trade tensions, particularly due to concerns over Trump's trade war, have raised fears of a potential recession, leading to a decline in crude

The Canadian and American stock markets have experienced a sharp decline for the second consecutive day due to President Trump's tariffs. The S&P/TSX Composite Index of the Toronto Stock Exchange fell by more than 1,000 points, or 4.16 percent. On Thursday, the Canadian market closed down 3.8 percent, marking the largest drop since June 2020 during the COVID-19 period. At the same time, the leading index of the American stock market, the Dow Jones, fell by more than 1,900 points during trading today. However, some recovery was seen later from this low point. Meanwhile, crude oil prices dr