Lacombe

Tariffs and trade are top of the agenda as the country's premiers arrive in Ontario's cottage country for a three-day meeting that comes at a pivotal time for both Canada-U.S. and domestic relations.

The premiers' summer gathering in Muskoka will also feature a Tuesday meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney, as trade talks with the United States are expected to intensify.

After 45 years in their Jasper home, it took mere minutes for Wes Bradford's quaint mountain abode to burn to a pile of ash.

A year later, he and his wife are itching to rebuild. They've hired a contractor and designer, and their insurance will cover the expected $1-million price tag. But they can't start yet — not until their empty lot, currently a flat mound of dirt, has been declared contaminant-free.

"We're up against the wall," says Bradford, after meeting their builder in Jasper the day before.

Choosing the right replacement heifers is more important than ever for cattle producers, especially with today’s record-high calf prices.

“Replacement heifers represent the genetic potential of a producer’s operation,” says Alexis DeCorby, Livestock and Feed Extension Specialist with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture’s Yorkton office.

“They’re a costly investment that requires about two years of inputs before they produce a live calf.”

A significant road construction project will begin tomorrow on 47 Avenue between Highway 20 and Charles Industrial Way, as the Town of Sylvan Lake begins work on transportation upgrades aimed at improving safety and traffic flow.

The project, which includes road widening and the installation of new traffic signals, will run from Monday (July 21) to October 1, weather permitting.

What to Expect

During the construction period, 47 Avenue will be closed to through traffic, with temporary access provided to Iron Gate businesses and local residents.

Youth are using construction skills learned at a Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) summer camp to help fight food insecurity.

Held July 7–11 at RDP’s main campus, the Building Skills for Tomorrow camp welcomed 11 participants aged 12 to 18 for a hands-on carpentry project with a lasting community impact.

Campers built potato planter boxes—each measuring four feet by two feet by two feet—for donation to the Red Deer Food Bank, combining practical learning with community service.

The Bank of Canada has largely kept to the sidelines as it tries to get a sense of how U.S. tariffs will impact the economy — and some economists think it might just stay there.

After a quarter-point cut in March, the central bank held its benchmark interest rate steady at 2.75 per cent in April and June.

With last month's jobs figures showing a surprise gain and core inflation levels holding steady at around three per cent, economists now broadly expect the central bank will continue its holding pattern at its next decision on July 30.

Alberta Health Services is warning the public of a confirmed case of measles in Red Deer involving an individual who was in a public location while infectious.

Anyone who visited the Tim Hortons/Wendy’s at 100–139 Leva Avenue in Gasoline Alley on July 11 between 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. may have been exposed to the virus.

People born in or after 1970 who have received fewer than two documented doses of measles vaccine are at risk. They are advised to review their immunization records and monitor for symptoms after exposure.

Alberta’s government is releasing the 2025 Alberta Public Land Trail Guide to help Albertans plan their next outdoor adventure on public lands.

The guide helps outdoor enthusiasts plan ahead for their next outing to explore the province’s natural beauty, connect with the land and try something new this summer.

Whether heading out for the day or staying overnight, Alberta’s public lands offer breathtaking spaces and memories that will last a lifetime.

The Town of Blackfalds has received $2.3 million from the Alberta government’s Local Growth and Sustainability Grant to support a major water infrastructure project.

Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams announced the funding on July 15, alongside Lacombe County Reeve Barb Shepherd, Lacombe-Ponoka MLA Jennifer Johnson, and Blackfalds Mayor Jamie Hoover.

The grant will support the Broadway Reservoir Expansion Project, which was initiated in late 2022 following discussions with Lacombe County about water and sewer servicing limitations for the Aspelund Industrial Area.

The 2025 wildfire season is already one of the worst on record for Canada and there is a high risk that more fires will break out in August, federal officials said on Friday.

More than 5.5 million hectares of land have burned so far this year, more than double the 10-year average for mid-July.

That is still well behind the record fire season in 2023, when more than 6,000 fires burned more than 15 million hectares of land.

There were 561 fires burning as of Friday, including 69 that were considered out of control.