Cochrane

As beer lovers across the country raise a glass in celebration of National Beer Day, today is the perfect time to indulge in a refreshing local brew. Whether you’re a fan of classic ales, innovative IPAs, or something with a little more craft flair, Cochrane has plenty to offer.

A long-standing community hub in Cochrane is marking 25 years of service with a new name, a major renovation and a look toward the future.

Frank Wills Memorial Hall offically opened on April 15th, 2000 and will soon be renamed the Wills Community Hall.

“We thought it would be more fit for purpose and more clear what it is,” says Mike Metz, a board member for the hall. “It’s more representative of what it is and that’s what it’s always functioned as.”

“This town is absolutely amazing. We've been here for eight or nine months and honestly, we’re just loving every second of it!”

Originally from Ontario, Pastors Scott and Carling Mortimer moved to Cochrane in July 2024 with their soon-to-be greatly expanded family.

“We have young kids – ages four and eight – with three more on the way,” reveals Scott. “We're expecting triplets in the summer – so the family-friendly dynamic here has been just incredible.”

With just three weeks to go until election day, Canada's federal party leaders are back on the road today.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is expected to make an announcement in Toronto today following weekend campaign stops on the East Coast, where he announced plans to impose national rent control and to get every Canadian access to a family doctor in the next five years.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is wrapping up a campaign sweep on the West Coast today before flying to Edmonton for a rally.

Cereals Canada has released a series of sustainability reports for Canadian non-durum wheat, durum wheat, barley, and oats to demonstrate how the cereals value chain is meeting the challenge of sustainable cereal production.

“Canada is a global leader in the production of high-quality, nutritious, and sustainable cereal grains,” said Mark Walker, vice-president of markets and trade. “These reports confirm that Canadian farmers grow some of the most sustainable crops in the world.”

Protesters rallied in several cities across the country on Sunday to demonstrate against Donald Trump's threats to Canadian sovereignty, as backlash to an American president who appears bent on upending the global order gains momentum.

Despite softer-than-expected tariffs against Canada last week and a more cordial tone from the White House over the past week, the echo from Trump's repeated remarks about making Canada the 51st state continues to ring in Canadians' ears.

The NDP promised to protect tenants through national rent control while the Conservatives focused their campaign trail message on addictions treatment Sunday.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said in Halifax in the morning that his party would tie federal housing funding for provinces and municipalities to tenant protection policies like rent control.

The NDP says housing and rent prices in Canada have doubled since 2015 and the average asking rent hit $2,109 per month in January.

Police say they've charged a 31-year-old Ottawa man with several offences following an incident that placed an area of Parliament Hill under lockdown on Saturday.

Ottawa police said in a media statement Sunday that a man entered East Block in downtown Ottawa at 2:40 p.m. Saturday and started issuing threats to those inside.

Security officials isolated the man in a security screening area while police evacuated the building, which mostly houses offices for senators and their staff.

Police said the man surrendered peacefully after hours of negotiations.

Cochrane residents are encouraged to lend a helping hand later this month as the Cochrane Food Bank launches its spring food drive on April 26. 

This year’s campaign brings a few changes. In the past, Helping Hands of Cochrane & Area organized the town-wide initiative, but with a shift in their mandate, the Cochrane Food Bank has taken over the reins.

Alberta-based country artists KJ Miller and Eden Taylor are proving that small-town roots can lead to big-time opportunities with their new song, Big City Dreams.

"We both came together to write a really cool song," says Taylor. "We put our hearts and souls into it, and we’re really proud."

The collaboration began as a songwriting challenge in an eight-month program. "It was an assignment," says Miller. "Write a song in 24 hours. I was at home with a piece of loose leaf and a pen. That’s how it started."