Okotoks

Alberta's access to information watchdog has found the provincial government to be non-compliant with its own freedom of information rules.

A new report from information and privacy commissioner Diane McLeod says Alberta's government has implemented internal procedures and policies that allow government employees to wrongfully deny freedom of information requests.

Alberta's chief electoral officer is warning the government that proposed legislation will impair the election commissioner's power to investigate election rule breaking.

A controversial bill introduced last month, if passed, will make sweeping changes to voting and referendums in the province, and is making its way through debate in the legislature. 

The Foothills RCMP are on the scene of a serious collision east of Diamond Valley.

It happened on Highway 7 between 144 street and 128 street.

Traffic is being redirected while police and investigators are on scene.

It's not currently clear how many people were involved and the extent of their injuries.

More information is expected to be released later on.

Calgary and the surrounding areas have been the backdrop to numerous films and television productions over the past several years.

Military aircraft will become a regular sight in the Kananaskis region in the coming weeks.

Security preparations are underway ahead of the upcoming G7 Leaders' Summit, with Royal Canadian Air Force personnel set to familiarize themselves with the region.

Aircraft will be seen in the region, sometimes flying at lower altitudes and in formations.

CF-18 Hornet fighter jets are expected to be seen in the area in early May, with CH-147F Chinook helicopters and CH-146 Griffons later in the month.

Parking bans have been announced for Monday, May 12, for street sweeping.

While they're in effect, residents are asked to remove vehicles, bins, and any other obstructions from roadways to ensure crews can move through unimpeded.

The parking bans will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the following locations:

The federal government expects to spend about $7 million this fiscal year to store and maintain four custom-made, portable hospitals that cost taxpayers more than $200 million to buy — facilities meant to bolster overwhelmed hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic that were barely used.

Early on in the pandemic, as the federal government moved at breakneck speed to respond to a global health crisis, it issued rush orders for these Mobile Health Units.

Indigenous groups in Canada say they want to see Pope Leo XIV continue the reconciliation work started by his predecessor, the late Pope Francis.

Francis was recognized as an ally of Canada's Indigenous Peoples and was known for advancing reconciliation efforts and apologizing — both in the Vatican and in Canada — for the Catholic Church's role in widespread abuses at residential schools.

His visit to Canada in 2022 was described as a "penitential pilgrimage" as Francis insisted on meeting with Indigenous survivors of residential schools and hearing their stories.

Alberta Sugar Beet Growers and Rogers Sugar have reached a new 5-year agreement.

The new supply agreement was announced in a press release on Friday.

Roger's Taber location is the only sugar beet processing facility in Canada. Established almost 75 years ago, the Taber facility is supported by approximately 200 Southern Alberta farm families, which supply the refinery with sugar beets. 

According to the ASBG website, those farms harvest about 900,000 tonnes of sugar beets annually, which are turned into 125,000 tonnes of sugar or nearly 2 million cups!

Lack of progress means time is growing short to get a successfull crop into the ground in Southern Alberta.

Contract negotiations are dragging on for Alberta sugar beet producers.

It’s already early May, and Alberta Sugar Beet Growers and Rogers Sugar, the sole sugar-beet processing plant left in Canada, still haven’t hammered out a deal.

Jennifer Crowson, executive director with the Alberta Sugar Beet Growers, cautioned the Western Producer in an email that she was limited in what she can share, other than that they are still in active negotiations.