Lacombe

The federal government is extending the timeline for Ukrainians in Canada who fled Russia's invasion to apply for new or renewed temporary visas by one year. 

The new deadline to apply for new or renewed work and study permits under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel program is March 31, 2026.

Nearly 300,000 Ukrainians came to Canada under the program, which said they had to arrive by March 31, 2024. 

Last week the Government of Alberta announced that it was awarding $5.5 million in funding to 19 groups working to stop human trafficking.

The Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre (CACAC) in Red Deer will receive $600,000 over two years to continue their work in child exploitation and human trafficking.

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) is among institutions across western Canada to share a $899,500 investment from the federal government.

Budget 2025’s three-year Capital Plan is providing funding for several projects in Central Alberta.

Those include:

Meals on Wheels continues to be a valuable service in Lacombe.

Lacombe FCSS delivered close to 1,500 hot meals over the past year.

Senior Servicers Coordinator Carlene Wagner says they also provided over 2,000 frozen meals.

"It's typically seniors but certainly anyone who has difficulty accessing regular meals and nutrition," she noted.

Hot meals are made in the Lacombe Lodge and are delivered Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Frozen meals are ordered through Golden Circle and are delivered and picked up on Thursdays.

The Alberta RCMP is inviting Sundre and area residents to ‘Coffee with a Cop,’ today (Feb. 28).  

RCMP members will be available to discuss policing priorities, crime in the community, current crime reduction initiatives, and how to keep the community safe.  

‘Coffee with a Cop’ will be held at the Sundre McDonald’s (841 Main Ave W) from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. 

Critics say the Alberta government's proposed health-care and education spending in its new budget won't address long-standing problems in either sector.

"Public education, once again, with this budget ... is not a priority with this government," said Alberta Teachers' Association president Jason Schilling.

"This government should be ashamed of themselves for, once again, short-changing the students of this province."

Premier Danielle Smith appointed Martin Long as Alberta’s new minister of infrastructure days after Airdrie-Cochrane MLA Peter Guthrie resigned from cabinet over concerns about financial oversight.

Long, the United Conservative Party MLA for West Yellowhead, was sworn in Thursday. He previously served as parliamentary secretary for small business and tourism, small business, and rural health.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has rejected NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh's call for the federal government to bar U.S. President Donald Trump from coming to Canada for the G7 summit this June.

At an event in Montreal Thursday, Trudeau said he sees the idea of banning Trump as an "irresponsible" approach to governance and relationships with other nations.

"It's easy for politicians these days to toss out easy and shocking things to say. We see a lot of it around the world these days. I'm not one of those Canadian politicians," Trudeau said when asked about Singh's comments.

With many producers in Western Canada getting ready for spring seeding and focusing on their seeded acres, it can be easy to overlook those areas that aren’t farmed. Native areas such as shelterbelts, road allowances, and wetlands provide water and nutrient capture for your crop and are key homes for animals and insects that not only benefit agriculture, but the ecosystem as a whole. Dr. Shathi Akhter, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, talks about the importance of these areas not just from an environmental standpoint, but from an agriculture one as well.