Lacombe

A British Columbia community's "out-of-the-box" plan to ease its family doctor shortage by hiring physicians as city employees is sparking interest from across Canada, says Colwood Mayor Doug Kobayashi.

The mayor said the community has hired its first family doctor for a city-operated medical clinic, and the Victoria-area city is looking to hire seven more under the first-in-Canada pilot project.

The family doctors will be paid as community employees, receiving full medical benefits, vacation and a pension, he said.

An "overheated" immigration system that admitted record numbers of newcomers to the country has harmed Canada's decades-old consensus on the benefits of immigration, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said, as he reflected on the changes in his department in a year-end interview.

The system, he said, needed some discipline to get the country back on track.

A long-time advocate for the engineering technology profession is retiring, leaving a legacy for pioneering change.  

Barry Cavanaugh, CEO of the Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta (ASET) has served as the association’s leader and general counsel for 17 years.  

Central Albertans are invited to celebrate the holiday season with festive  skating in Ponoka.  

The Holly Jolly Public Skate is today (Dec. 22) from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the Ponoka Arena Complex (4410 54 Street).  

Admission is $1.50 for ages one to five, $2 for ages over six, or a food bank donation for each skater. 

Near zero visibility in fog will continue this morning as Environment Canada has issued a fog advisory for much of Central Alberta.

RCMP say they responded to several collisions overnight  

The fog may break up through the day but is expected to redevelop this evening in most areas. 

There will also be a risk of freezing drizzle in these areas which may lead to slippery conditions.

If travelling, be prepared for slippery conditions and areas of near-zero visibility.

Visibility may be significantly and suddenly reduced to near zero.

Alberta RCMP advise of poor driving conditions on the QE II Highway between Leduc and Red Deer.
 

RCMP have been responding to several collisions on the QE II throughout the morning.

Icy patches are contributing to poor road conditions and travel is not recommended.

Click here for current road conditions. 

With Alberta having the second-highest rate of thefts-from-vehicles in Canada last year, the Alberta Motor Association (AMA) is urging Central Albertans to secure their vehicles as the holiday shopping season ramps up.

In 2023, Alberta saw 28,336 vehicle thefts, highlighting the vulnerability of leaving valuables in sight or failing to lock a car.

AMA Vice President Jeff Kasbrick warns that "theft from vehicles is often a crime of opportunity, so prevention is key."

Central Albertans are encouraged to nominate someone in their life for the Gift of Hearing. 

A manufacturer for Hear Right Canada is donating a premium set of rechargeable hearing aids, which will then be gifted to someone in the community.   

The Red Deer District Chamber has raised concerns following the city’s recent Point in Time (PiT) Homeless Count findings.   

The PiT Count was held in October, and identified 766 people who are experiencing homelessness, an increase from 2022’s count of 334.  

The Red Deer Chamber Homeless Task Force was launched in 2023, with the goal of understanding and identifying solutions that could be adopted in the community.   

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is adding eight fresh faces to his cabinet in a shuffle today, though they may not have much time in those new roles after all.

Just before Trudeau moved to shore up his front bench Friday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh declared he is finally ready to vote down the government and attempt to trigger a snap election in the new year -- though Parliament won't return for a month and he may not get that chance until March.