FortSask

With the Bank of Canada raising its benchmark interest rate to 4.25 per cent, how will this affect homeowners in Fort Saskatchewan?

Cheri Kucy, a mortgage broker based out of Fort Saskatchewan, says that the rise will affect young people in particular.

"As that rate increases, the qualifying rate also increases," Kucy said. "I'm finding a lot of my first-time homebuyers need co-signers no matter what because their income level isn't there yet."

The rate has been raised seven times this year, alone.

It's been an information-packed week for participants taking in the Canola Industry Meetings in Saskatoon. 

During the event Oilseed Specialist Cory Jacob gave a prairie-wide overview of the 2022 canola crop.

In Alberta, producers seeded 6.5 million acres to canola, about a 2.5 per cent decrease from 2021 and about a 1.1 per cent increase from the five-year average.

He says on average farmers brought in  41.7 bushel yield, which is 44.1 per cent above 2021's drought and about 8.7 percent above the five-year average.

The Bank of Canada raised its key interest rate by half a percentage point or 50 basis points this week, putting the new rate at 4.25 per cent.

It's also signaling it may pause its aggressive rate hike cycle.

Farm Credit Canada's chief economist J.P. Gervais says he hopes we've seen the worst of it.

"My message is that even if there is a major slowdown or even a recession, I would say don't expect interest rates to be lower in 2023."

That can create a dilemma for farms or operations that need to renew loans. 

A couple of former Fort Saskatchewan Rangers will be looking to crack Team Canada's 2023 world junior squad over the next few days. 

Colton Dach and Olen Zellweger both received invitations to the camp and are hoping they can earn spots on the final roster. 

Zellweger, who currently plays for the Everett Silvertips of the WHL, is a veteran of the world junior tournament, having won gold with Canada last summer. 

Calls from the daughters of a slain Indigenous woman to bring her remains home from a landfill that police in Winnipeg won't search turned into a rallying cry Wednesday to end the violence against their women and girls.

Cambria Harris, speaking before an Assembly of First Nations gathering in Ottawa, says her mother, Morgan, was a "bright and loving soul" who had her life stolen by a "monster."

The 39-year-old mother and grandmother is one of four victims police believe were killed by 35-year-old Jeremy Skibicki, now facing first-degree murder charges. 

With flu season, packed hospitals, and a lack of children's medicine, parents are desperately trying to find ways to help their sick kids.

Since the Alberta government announced on Tuesday (Dec. 6) that they are working to move 5 million units of children's medicine into the province, many parents may find the relief they've been looking for.

Brooke Warford, a resident of Fort Saskatchewan, says her children, two-year-old Sadie and four-year-old Gavin, have been dealing with bronchitis, ear infections, and the flu.

A mysterious stranger has been helping spread Christmas cheer in Fort Saskatchewan. 

Two residents posted on social media lately to say that they had been given a Christmas card that compliments their Christmas lights and includes a gift card to Tim Hortons. 

In both instances, nobody was able to confirm who exactly it was that gave them the card. 

Michael Gabriel, one of the recipients of the cards, gave his best description. 

Do you hear the bells jingling? Do you have sugar plums dancing in your head? Are you just maxed out and want to win some free stuff?

Any reason is a good reason to be in the Christmas spirit with MIX 107!

Tomorrow (Dec.8) is the first day of MIX 107's 12 Days of Chrismas. Win spectacular prizes from local businesses including:

Strathcona County RCMP arrested a man in late November for trying to break into the back of a jewelry store.

On Nov. 30 just before 3 a.m., police responded to an alarm going off at Kings Fine Jewellery in Sherwood Park.

Once police arrived, they noticed a man trying to pry open the back door of the store. When officers approached the man, he fled on foot.

The man was caught by police soon after and was arrested for breaking and entering. Although no items from the store were taken, there was extensive damage caused to the back door.

Canola producers, agronomists and industry representatives are gathering in Saskatoon for Canola Week meetings.

The event kicked off Tuesday with the President of the Canola Council of Canada talking about how important innovation has been for the industry and will continue to be going forward. 

Jim Everson told the crowd that after weathering a couple of tough years we're seeing many promising signs of growing demand.

He says we continue to see growing demand for canola oil and a growing awareness of canola meal advantages as an animal feed ingredient.