Estevan

Southern Alberta irrigators enter the growing season with full reservoirs following the much drier conditions of previous years.

Irrigation reservoirs in southern Alberta are looking a lot better than they have in recent years.

“We are going into the year with full reservoirs, which is nice, especially since the snowpack in the mountains is still in that lower quartile,” said Alex Ostrop, chair of the Alberta Irrigation Districts Association (AIDA) and board member of the St. Mary River Irrigation District (SMRID).

As the warmth of spring settles in and April showers promise a season full of blossoms, we’ve been busy gathering your adorable entries for this month’s Perfect Pet Contest! With tails wagging, paws prancing, and whiskers twitching, your pets have truly brought the spirit of the season to life.

It's been a journey for the Estevan Market Mall's liquor scene, following the province's divestment from liquor retail back in 2023. The province closed down their existing vendors, auctioning off the licenses to new owners.

One of those selloffs was in the Estevan Market Mall, which represented a loss of a dependable, long-time business for the organization. Dawson Macauley, a sales and leasing agent with ICR Commercial Real Estate working with the mall, talks about the situation on their end.

The federal government, provinces, and territories have made a key change to AgriStability that will benefit producers.

Given the pressures and uncertainty facing the agricultural sector, they have agreed to extend the 2025 AgriStability enrolment deadline from April 30th to July 31st.

The extension gives producers more time to evaluate their needs and the potential impact to their farming operation for production losses, increased costs, and changing market conditions. 

This is the second change to the program as farmers deal with tariff issues.

After a short, intense and heated election campaign of just 35 days, Canadians go to the polls today to elect a new federal government.

Liberal Leader Mark Carney, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh spent weeks pitching their cases to voters.

Carney, the former central banker and political neophyte, presented himself as a safe pair of hands for a country threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump, while Poilievre focused on addressing crime and the high cost of living and Singh pushed to protect social programs he argued are under threat.

Charges have been laid against a man who's accused of racing a vehicle through a crowded street at a Filipino community festival in Vancouver, killing 11 in an attack the interim police chief called the "darkest day" in the city's history.

Vancouver Police said in a statement Sunday that Kai-Ji Adam Lo faces eight counts of second-degree murder and further charges are anticipated.

Const. Tania Visintin said some victims remained unidentified.

Charges have been laid against a man after the attack on a Vancouver Filipino festival on Saturday night that killed 11 people. 

British Columbia's Court Services Online says Adam Kai-Ji Lo faces eight counts of murder.

Vancouver Police have said those who were killed range in age from 5 to 65 and the death toll could rise as dozens more were hurt when an SUV raced down a street where the Lapu Lapu Day festival was just wrapping up. 

The Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) is building a vertically integrated rare earth processing facility in Saskatoon, marking a major step in Canada’s rare earth industry. The facility, under construction with support from Saskatchewan and national funding, aims to position the province as a rare earth technology hub. 

The Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame will officially recognize six outstanding individuals who will be formally inducted into the Hall and honored for their lifetime of achievements and contributions in agriculture. 

Reed Andrew, President of the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame, says this award recognizes a lifetime of commitment, innovation, and plain hard work to help strengthen and grow Saskatchewan’s agricultural sector.

"Congratulations to this year’s inductees; they have made a lasting impact on agriculture and the province as a whole."

Former prime minister Jean Chrétien predicted the Liberals will win a majority government on Monday, as party leaders blitzed key ridings in Ontario and British Columbia hoping to swing last minute votes their way.

At a rally for Ottawa Centre Liberal incumbent Yasir Naqvi, Chrétien said he expects "to celebrate the majority government of the Liberal party" after polls close Monday night.

"Monday is going to be a Liberal sunshine," he said, drawing cheers.