FortSask

Downtown Fort Saskatchewan is a bit cleaner than it used to be. 

That is thanks to a clean-up event that was hosted by the City of Fort Saskatchewan on Tuesday (May 9). 

City employees were joined by residents and volunteers from Dow Canada and Voshell Architecture to help clean up litter in the downtown core. 

"We got a really good showing," said councillor Lisa Makin. "I would say there were 30 to 40 people there." 

"It was really awesome to see." 

A special weather statement has been issued for the region due to some unseasonably hot and dry conditions that are expected to hit the area starting this weekend. 

"A loft is going to sit over the area and bring really hot and dry weather," said Sarah Hoffman with Environment Canada.

Highs in the area on Saturday and Sunday will reach 27 C but will continue to climb heading into next week, plateauing at 32 C on Tuesday. 

Fall registration is now open for the Fort Sask Minor Football Assocation (FSMFA).

Lisa McAleer, the registrar with the FSMFA, says that the program is open to kids of many ages.

"Our minimum age is 4 turning 5 for our novice, and up to 15 years-old as long as they're in Grade 9 not going into Grade 10 this September."

The FSMFA also held a 'Falcons in Training' event at Taurus Field on Wednesday (May 10), to give kids a taste of what's to come from joining football.

Strathcona County has announced the recipients of its 2023 Awards of Excellence.

“The Strathcona County Awards of Excellence is the County’s opportunity to recognize extraordinary people, businesses and organizations for their contributions and positive impact on our community,” said county mayor Rod Frank.

Recipients include a local athlete who has run over 115 marathons, a two-time winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal, and even a youth who showed leadership not only at his school but in the county as a whole.

Canadians who need their travel documents renewed before visiting far-off shores will soon be able to skip the line at the passport office, the immigration minister announced Wednesday.

Starting in the fall, Canadians with simple passport renewals will be able to apply online and upload the necessary documents and passport photo on a secure government website, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said.

Ardrossan's Parade & Picnic event is returning to the hamlet on Saturday (June 17).

Hosted by the Ardrossan Recreation & Agricultural Society at the Memorial Hall, the event will feature a parade, vendors, live entertainment, and the accompanying RCMP Musical Ride.

Strathcona County has revealed the cause of the two wildfires that started last week.

The county says the cause of both fires was unintentional human activity. 

"Throughout the firefighting response, we saw examples of kindness as the community worked together at all levels to ensure people were safe," said Strathcona County fire chief Martin Paulson. "Thank you to everyone for your cooperation and support.” 

Emergency services continue overhaul work on hot spots. This work is expected to go on for several weeks, and residents may see smoke in the area.

Strathcona County RCMP are prepping for their annual bike rodeo and safety fair this weekend. 

The event will take place at the Strathcona Athletic Park in Sherwood Park this Saturday (May 13) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Alongside their bike obstacle course, there will also be a BBQ provided by Enbridge, plenty of snacks, and even some face painting being done. 

On top of all that, the RCMP police dog service will be putting on two demonstrations on the track and field space. 

Property taxes are officially on the rise in Fort Saskatchewan. 

At Tuesday's (May 9) council meeting, the city officially passed the 2023 Property Tax Bylaw, which will see those taxes rise by 1.47 per cent as compared to last year. 

As of March 31, 2023, total stocks of wheat, canola, barley, oats and soybeans were all up compared with the same date in 2022.

In general, stocks of principal field crops increased compared with the same date one year earlier because of higher production, most notably in Western Canada, where improved growing conditions resulted in better yields.

Wheat

Total wheat stocks were up 18.2% year over year to 13.3 million tonnes as of March 31, 2023. On-farm stocks rose 31.0% to 9.3 million tonnes, while commercial stocks decreased 4.1% to 3.9 million tonnes.