Reach

Federal organizations failed to follow procurement and security rules when awarding contracts to the company behind the controversial ArriveCan app, the auditor general said Tuesday.

The report on GCStrategies — one of several audits tabled in the House of Commons on Tuesday — says the company was awarded 106 contracts by 31 federal organizations between 2015 and 2024.

The maximum value of those contracts was more than $90 million but only $65 million was paid out.

UPDATE: June 11, 2025

Overnight conditions reduced fire activity, but heavy smoke limited visibility, impacting planned operations. Today, progress continues on the Kiskatinaw River Wildfire as weather conditions are expected to improve. 

The size of the wildfire is 21,679 hectares. The evacuation order and alert issued by the County of Grande Prairie remain in effect. 

Operations 

UPDATE: June 11, 2025

Overnight the wildfire crossed into the west side of the Moonshine Lake Provincial Park boundaries. The Savanna Fire Department is standing by, ready to protect structures. The County of Saddle Hills is constructing a fire guard between the wildfire and Moonshine Lake in coordination with Alberta Parks. Blueberry and Happy Valley fire departments are also supporting firefighting operations in the area.

A report says new cleanup rules for renewable energy sites are hurting the competitiveness of Alberta's industry.

Business Renewables Centre-Canada analyzed the reclamation security requirements for renewables in 27 jurisdictions and found Alberta's are now the most costly. 

Under a code of practice for solar and wind projects published last week, the Alberta government says operators must provide an estimate for the cost of dismantling turbines and panels, removing underground concrete infrastructure, hauling waste away, replanting vegetation and other items. 

Mark and Karin Elford of Wood Mountain ranch near the Saskatchewan/Montana border, and have been named the Saskatchewan Stock Growers 2025 TESA winners.

Since 1996, TESA, or The Environmental Stewardship Award, has recognized producers who go above and beyond standard industry conservation practices and set positive examples for other cattle producers and the general public.

The Liberal plan to give first-time homebuyers a tax break on a newly built home could have substantial impacts on housing affordability — with a few caveats — a new analysis finds.

The Liberal government introduced legislation on June 5 to eliminate the GST portion from new home sales of up to $1 million for first-time buyers, which works out to as much as $50,000 off the cost of a new build or a substantially renovated unit.

For homes sold above $1 million, the GST relief is phased out as the price tag nears $1.5 million.

A government push to steer Canada Post and the union representing 55,000 mail workers toward common ground hit a big pothole Monday.

As an increasingly acrimonious impasse drags on, Canada Post rejected a framework put forward by the union for a binding arbitration process, which Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu asked the parties to work toward just five days earlier.

Colossians 3:13

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Proverbs 4:7

The good life—the one that truly satisfies—exists only when we stop wanting a better one.

It is the condition of savouring what is rather than longing for what might be. The itch for things, the lust for more—so brilliantly injected by those who peddle them—is a virus draining our souls of happy contentment.

Construction on Range Road 95, from Highway 667 (south) to Township Road 713 is set to start Wednesday June 11, 2025.

• Work involves removal of the existing ditch material, regrading of road and culvert replacements as needed.
• Traffic will be reduced to a single alternating lane and speed will be reduced in the construction zone.
• Obey all signs and flag persons, exercise extreme caution, and allow extra travel time. 

The project is expected to be completed mid-July, weather dependent.