Local News

Red Deer County is seeking public input on potential changes to its planning policies pertaining to the subdivision of agricultural land. Citizens will have the opportunity to attend three (3) open houses scheduled in April and May.

Everybody is going to want to go to the pool in Innisfail, now that Town Council has given final approval to modernizing the building following its meeting on April 14.

The aging facility, which first opened in 1987, has not seen many changes over the years other than routine maintenance to keep the pool functioning.

“Over the past five to six years we have considered several options, including modernizing the existing facility, expanding the footprint of the existing facility, or building a new aquatic centre on the arena site,” said Innisfail Mayor Jean Barclay.

The Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA) held its 2025 Honouring Spirit: Indigenous Student Awards ceremony in Edmonton on April 14, celebrating the achievements of 12 First Nations, Métis and Inuit student recipients.

The students were selected from more than 300 nominees, from kindergarten to Grade 12, across Alberta schools.

Three students were awarded in each of the following categories:

The southeast has felt its first substantial spring rain over the weekend, as a system that came in Saturday night has finally passed us by. With farmers looking to get moisture in their fields and homeowners wanting their lawns to green up, that moisture can be good if it comes down at the right times.

Environment and Climate Change Canada Meteorologist Stephen Berg says that the amounts we saw were somewhat substantial for the area.

The Little Seedlings Daycare Center is in the running for a $25,000 prize through BASF’s Growing Home initiative—but community support is needed before voting closes tonight.

Little Seedlings, a non-profit project in development since 2022, is working to open Wilkie’s first licensed daycare and extended care program for school-aged children. The centre would address a critical childcare shortage in the area and support working families—especially those in the agriculture sector.

As governments race to address Canada’s housing crisis, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC) is warning that worker exploitation and tax fraud are threatening the integrity of the construction industry.

The union’s Canadian District says the country’s push to build more homes — while necessary — is also fuelling growth in the underground economy. It has launched its annual Tax Fraud Days of Action campaign, running April 12 to 18, to raise awareness about the issue.

The Chinook School Division is trying out a different construction tender process for their $40 million dollar renovation of the Swift Current Comprehensive High School.

They're going with a construction management at risk process rather than the usual design-bid-build progress.

The chief of a Dakota Plains First Nation is facing sexual assault charges following an investigation by Saskatchewan RCMP.

Donald Smoke, 53, currently the acting chief of Dakota Plains First Nation located southwest of Portage la Prairie, has been charged with two counts of sexual assault in connection with an incident reported to police in June 2024.

According to RCMP, investigators determined the alleged offences occurred in February 2024 in Kindersley, Sask. The complainants are both adult women.

Crews with the Chestermere Fire Department are responding to a house fire in the West Creek area.

"As a result, West Creek Boulevard is currently closed to traffic between Seagreen Gate & Rainbow Falls Drive," the City of Chestermere said in a statement.

Support has also been provided by Rocky View County and the City of Calgary.

"Please avoid the area to allow emergency responders room to effectively manage the situation," the city added.

There is no word yet on whether anyone has been injured.

Manitoba’s provincial and municipal leaders united at Tuesday's Association of Manitoba Municipalities Spring Convention to demand stricter federal bail reforms, citing preventable tragedies and systemic failures. The call follows high-profile cases like the killing of a young Portage la Prairie woman by a repeat offender released on bail.