Here's why you might be paying more for your power bills
Some Albertans may see a rise in their power bills this month.
About 800,000 Albertans on a regulated rate option (RRO) for their electricity are expected to pay a bit more than usual.
This rise comes from the end of a program from the provincial government which put a cap on power costs. The program capped charges at 13.5 cents per kilowatt hour for the first three months of the year.
'A good first step' food bank reacts to federal grocery rebate
The federal government plans to introduce a grocery rebate that could impact up to 11 million Canadians.
The rebate is a part of the 2023 federal budget that is being tabled by the federal Liberals and would be targeted toward low-to-middle-income citizens in an attempt to ease the stress of high food prices.
The one-time payment depends on the situation of each eligible recipient, which includes $234 for single Canadians, $467 for couples who have two children, and $225 for seniors.
Vehicle fire closes a portion of Highway 37
Highway 37 near Namao was closed for a portion of the morning (Mar. 31).
A blue Jeep caught fire on the side of the road.
Fire crews responded quickly and were able to extinguish the fire and remove the vehicle from the road.
The highway has since re-opened in both directions.
There is no word on the cause of the fire or if anybody was injured as a result.
More people with greater needs driving $7B increase to dental-care cost
The federal government now expects far more Canadians with long-overdue dental needs to sign up for its insurance plan, and the health minister says that's why the estimated cost has risen by $7 billion.
In its 2023 budget Tuesday, the government revealed the federally-administered insurance program will be far more expensive over the next five years than it originally thought.
It is also projecting that ongoing costs after that will more than double, to $4.4 billion per year, up from $1.7 billion.
Changes coming to Fort Saskatchewan waste collection
The City of Fort Saskatchewan will be changing up their waste collection schedule this weekend.
Starting Saturday (Apr. 1), the city will be moving back to its weekly organic, or green cart, waste collection.
"Residents are encouraged to use their green carts for all organic materials and not just yard waste," said Sadie Miller, the waste program supervisor for the city. "Everything from your food scraps to soiled paper products can be placed in your green cart."
Police reveal how many charges alleged Fort Saskatchewan fraudster faces
A Fort Saskatchewan man is facing several charges related to fraud.
Taylor Berezowski, 22, was arrested in Edmonton during an investigation into several Facebook and Kijiji scams in early March.
Berezowski was wanted on outstanding warrants for fraud-related crimes in Edmonton, Vermillion, and Fort Saskatchewan.
With two court dates in the coming weeks, Berezowski faces a total of seven charges so far:
- Fraud under $5,000 (x2)
- Failure to attend court (x3)
Berezowski faces two other charges from when he was a minor.
Farmers invest in new more efficient grain drying technology though the Agricultural Clean Technology program
Ottawa announced funding this week for farmers looking to upgrade their farming operations to include more efficient grain drying technology.
Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced $22.2 million for 45 new projects through the Agricultural Clean Technology program - Adoption Stream.
Barlow disappointed the Liberals didn't step back from the carbon tax increase on April 1st
The Conservative Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Agri-Food says he's concerned by what he heard in the federal budget.
John Barlow says this is a government that promised to get their their spending under control, get deficits under control and start to work towards a balanced budget - but that obviously did not happen.
Key funding and priorities announced in the Federal Budget
Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau says they tried to balance the budget the best they could in terms of so many priorities.
"We wanted to support Canadians because we know that times are hard, and everything is very expensive. So we brought what we call the grocery rebate to be able to give some money to those who need it most, while not putting fuel on the fire and provoking an increase in interest rates."
Appropriate for Alberta premier to discuss COVID case with accused, deputy says
An Alberta deputy premier says it was appropriate for his boss to phone up a pastor and discuss his upcoming criminal trial on charges stemming from protests over pandemic restrictions.
Kaycee Madu says Premier Danielle Smith has a broad mandate to reduce divisions over the COVID-19 pandemic while helping the province grow.
Madu says in pursuing that mission, Smith is free to contact whomever she wants.