FortSask

The 2023 Strathcona County budget looks like it will include a tax increase. 

The county says that inflation has caused the price of fuel and materials to skyrocket over the last year. 

This rise in costs will impact the next budget and the county is proposing a 5.5 per cent tax revenue increase to help maintain services. 

Jennifer Cannon, the county's chief financial officer (CFO), is aware of the hardships that this has caused on the community. 

The Grain Growers of Canada is urging all Members of Parliament to pass the legislation as it moves back to the House of Commons.

Bill C-234 will amend the federal government's carbon pricing legislation to provide an exemption from the carbon tax for natural gas and propane used on-farm for grain drying, irrigation, heating and cooling barns.

The City of Fort Saskatchewan is considering putting in some upgrades to the iconic water tower. 

In the latest round of deliberations for the 2023 budget, an initiative was proposed to the city to help clarify the tower's future and to potentially add a few features to help modernize the structure. 

Assessments on the structural, mechanical, and exterior coating of the tower are recommended as well as two separate estimates of its lifespan (one that assumes it stays operational and one that assumes it has been decommissioned). 

The City of Fort Saskatchewan provided updates on a variety of construction projects in the community. 

This included a small update on the status of the pedestrian bridge being built underneath the new Highway 15 bridge. 

"Work is complete on the portion of Hwy 15 within the City of Fort Saskatchewan limits except for the trails under the new bridge. Paving of the trails will occur in the Spring of 2023. Trail Closures will be in effect over the winter," the city said on its website. 

With the help of Protein Industries Canada a new line of products developed by partners Konscious Foods, Merit Functional Foods and Canadian Pacifico Seaweeds.

Konscious Foods is using Merit’s pea and canola proteins, and Canadian Pacifico Seaweeds’ seaweed ingredients, to develop more than 20 plant-based seafood alternative products.

The $15.3 million project includes a $5.5 million investment from Protein Industries Canada with the other three partners putting in the remaining $9.8 million.

Bill C-234 is headed back to the House of Common's (HoC) for third and final reading. 

The private members bill put forward by Conservative MP Ben Lobb would exempt farm use of propane and natural gas used in grain drying and barns.

John Barlow, the Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Agri-Food says the bill moved through the House Standing Committee on Agriculture last week.

Alberta's education minister says she will take advice from the province's new chief medical health officer on whether to allow school boards to bring in mask mandates in schools with respiratory illness outbreaks.

The Edmonton public school board has asked Alberta Health and Alberta Education whether it can require masks as schools deal with a wave of viral illnesses that is sending thousands of students home sick and straining hospitals.

The largest organic conference in Western Canada opened today in Saskatoon.

Canada holds the title of being the fifth largest organic consumption market in the world, and global demand continues to increase. 

Production varies across the country, in Manitoba organic operations in 2020 totalled 207 including livestock and crop production with total acreage at 102,612 acres.

In Alberta, the total number of organic operations in 2020 was reported at 725, with 607,249 acres. 

The Dairy Farmers of Canada have mixed feelings about this week's funding announcement from Ottawa. 

Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau re-confirmed Ottawa's commitment to compensate the Supply Management sector over the Canada, U-S, Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

Bibeau says $1.7 billion dollars will be shared by dairy, poultry, egg producers and processors impacted by CUSMA.

That money will be delivered through direct payments and investment programs.

Most parents get heart palpitations just thinking about having to install a child restraint seat let alone actually having to do it.

Yesterday (Nov. 15) St. Albert RCMP put some of those parents' skills to the test when they conducted a child seat compliance check in the northeast corner of St. Albert.

RCMP Traffic Services, St. Albert Community Policing, and St. Albert Municipal Enforcement Services all got in on the action of checking approximately 50 vehicles containing child restraint seats.