FortSask

An early morning fire has destroyed multiple homes and damaged another in Fort Saskatchewan.

The fire occurred on Boxwood Bend on Friday (May 5), ripping through three houses and burning the side of another.

Fire crews were able to extinguish the blaze before it spread to other homes. 

Fort Saskatchewan's fire chief, Todd Martens, gave an update on the incident -- find that here. 

No injuries have been reported. 

The head of the Native Women’s Association of Canada says it’s clear there's an ongoing emergency nearly four years after the final report into missing and murdered Indigenous woman and girls was released. 

“We are in a crisis,” said Carol McBride. 

Red dresses are set to be on display across the country Friday to recognize the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People. It has become known as Red Dress Day and the empty garments serve as a symbol of lives that have been lost.

All residents in Drayton Valley and surrounding areas of Brazeau County have been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.

This order came just before 11:00 p.m. Thursday night (May 4) due to a large fire southeast of the area.

Traffic heading out of the town of around 7,000 residents is getting congested. Residents were told to leave via Highway 22 north to Highway 624, then east on that road to Tomahawk, north of Highway 759, then east again on Highway 627 towards Stony Plain.

Fire crews are battling a blaze near Redwater. 

Thursday evening (May 4), firefighters were on the scene of Township Road 575 and Range Road 215, near the Redwater transfer station. 

The Town of Redwater says the fire is now being held.

“Fire lines have been completed to the south of the fire and west of 215.”

Reportedly, no residents were evacuated. 

“Blockades are presently set up at this time to give our emergency workers room to work.”

The town asks people to avoid the area. The transfer station is also closed until further notice.

The Morinville splash park will be closed for most of the summer as work is done to the nearby Ray Macdonald Sports Grounds.

The town recently received a Canada Community Revitalization Grant of $750,000, which they are using for enhancements at the sports grounds on 104 Street.

Enhancements coming to the park include an outdoor washroom, a picnic area, and even an enhanced walkway.

Next week will be dedicated to emergency preparedness in Fort Saskatchewan. 

The city is planning multiple events for kids and residents to help them better understand the resources that go into responding to emergencies in the city.

Activities will start on Monday (May 7) at the Fort Saskatchewan Fire Department.  

The Fort Saskatchewan Rotary Club is offering a pair of scholarships to local students. 

Applications are now being accepted for two of their annual scholarships. One is available for students attending college or university while the other is being offered to students going to a technical institute or trade school. 

Both scholarships are worth $1000. 

Strathcona County taxpayers got some good news this week. 

After forecasting a tax increase of about 4.6 per cent in their 2023 budget deliberations last November, the county has now confirmed that the increase will officially clock in at 2.9 per cent. 

“Despite the inflationary times, we’ve maintained the county’s high-quality services, while keeping an eye on our long-term financial health,” said mayor Rod Frank in a release. 

Last year, while still Prince of Wales, King Charles III opened a meeting of Commonwealth heads of government in Rwanda's capital of Kigali and pitched Canada as an example for the world to follow.

In a speech that reflected on the relationship between Commonwealth countries and the Crown, and on the roots of the association that run deep into the African slave trade, he commended Canada's commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. 

The public-sector union representing Canada Revenue Agency employees has struck a tentative deal with the federal government, ending a strike of 35,000 workers just after the tax season wrapped up.

The announcement of a prospective agreement comes after the government and Public Service Alliance of Canada came to separate deals that ended a strike of more than 120,000 other public servants.

CRA employees represented by PSAC's Union of Taxation Employees were still on strike two days after the federal tax-filing deadline.