Airdrie

Some Airdrie parents may see a timely financial lift this month as federal and provincial child benefit payments are set to arrive just ahead of back-to-school season.

The next Canada child benefit (CCB) payment will be issued on August 20, according to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). This monthly benefit is available to eligible families who live with a child under 18, are primarily responsible for their care, and meet Canadian residency and immigration status requirements.

An Airdrie furniture and appliance retailer has lost its appeal of a $5,000 administrative penalty after failing to comply with five occupational health and safety orders stemming from a proactive inspection last fall.

Cyclists raised more than $663,000 during this year’s MS Bike ride between Airdrie and Olds, despite the first day of the event being cancelled due to poor weather.

The two-day ride was held June 21–22 and was scheduled to begin and end at TransCanada Turbines in Airdrie, with a 7 a.m. start time. Organizers called off the June 21 leg due to unsafe weather, but the event resumed the next day.

Participants raised $663,175, closing in on a $700,000 fundraising goal. A total of 453 riders and 59 teams took part, according to MS Canada’s event website.

Unionized workers at Canada Post are entering their final day to vote on the Crown corporation's latest contract offer.

Voting is set to wrap up today at 5 p.m., with results expected to be shared shortly after.

The offer includes wage hikes of about 13 per cent over four years but also adds part-time workers that Canada Post has said are necessary to keep the postal service afloat.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers has urged the roughly 55,000 postal service workers it represents to reject the proposal.

Canada was hit with 35 per cent tariffs on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump followed through on his threat to increase the duties if Ottawa didn't make a trade deal.

The White House has said the tariffs would not affect goods compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade, commonly known as CUSMA.

Prime Minister Mark Carney had tempered expectations of an agreement by Friday, saying Ottawa will only agree to a deal "if there's one on the table that is in the best interests of Canadians."

A new bear warning has been issued for a string of popular day-use areas along Highway 40 in Kananaskis Country, just ahead of the Heritage Day long weekend.

According to Alberta Parks, a grizzly bear and cub have been frequenting the area “feeding on natural vegetation.”

The warning, issued July 30 and in effect until further notice, applies to Canoe Meadows Day Use and campground, Widowmaker Day Use, the Widowmaker Trail, the Kananaskis Visitor Information Centre, Barrier Dam Day Use, and Barrier Boat Launch Day Use.

Alberta RCMP is reminding motorists to stay safe behind the wheel as the province heads into the Heritage Day long weekend.

“Many collisions are preventable,” said Sgt. Darrin Turnbull with Alberta RCMP Traffic. “By following safe driving practices, such as leaving early, staying alert, and driving according to conditions, we can help ensure Alberta’s roadways are safe for everyone this August long weekend.”

Airdrie-East MLA Angela Pitt will join two Alberta colleagues at a U.S. legislative summit this weekend to promote Alberta as a “secure and reliable energy and agricultural partner of choice,” according to a July 31 government news release.

Pitt, along with MLAs Glenn Van Dijken (Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock) and Chelsae Petrovic (Livingstone-Macleod), will attend the 50th annual summit of the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) in Boston from Aug. 2 to 7.

Airdrie’s East Lake ramp will shut down overnight for three consecutive nights starting tonight, as summer roadwork continues across the city.

Airdrie-based Burton’s Buttons has transformed a Canadian Forces mess kit uniform into a custom memorial bear, stitched with a zipper so the veteran’s ashes can one day be placed inside.

Erin Jensen, owner of Burton’s Buttons, said she felt the weight of the task as soon as she picked up her scissors.

“It felt really, really wrong to cut into a veteran’s uniform,” she said. “I had to really gear myself up for that. But they’d asked me to do this — this is what they wanted.”