Public safety concerns result in demolition of Olds building

The Town of Olds is moving forward with the demolition of a vacant and deteriorating building located at 5033 51 Street, under the authority of the Municipal Government Act and a court order issued in early 2025.  

This property has been vacant for an extended period and shows visible signs of structural decline, creating both safety concerns and a negative impact on the Uptowne Olds area. This includes a collapsed roof, punctured walls, the presence of asbestos, and extensive animal waste.   

Stettler County wants your photos

Amateur photographers are being invited to capture the beauty of the County of Stettler for a chance to be featured in the 2026 county calendar.

Participants can submit up to five photos, with prizes awarded to the winners. The submission deadline is Sept. 22.

Entries must be in JPG format without watermarks or identifying marks, as judging will be done anonymously.

RDP Athletic teams kick off the new season in winning form

It was a triumphant return in the first week back for RDP Athletics.

This past week, both the Kings and Queens Cross Country Running teams placed first in Edmonton.

Both the Kings (23 points) and Queens (40 points) ranked first at Running Room Grand Prix #1 in Edmonton. The RDP Kings and Queens had several outstanding individual efforts.

Kenya’s Japhet Kipkosgei ranked first among ACAC male runners. The second-year RDP University Arts student completed the 8 km course in 27:52.

Canola Industry says federal support falls short given China trade crisis

Canada’s canola industry is expressing deep frustration over the federal government’s newly announced support package, saying it fails to meet the urgent needs of farmers and the broader value chain affected by the ongoing closure of the Chinese market.

While industry leaders welcomed the government’s attention to agriculture, they say the measures announced on Friday do not reflect the scale of the crisis.

Alberta urges teachers back to bargaining, union says old offer not good enough

While the Alberta government is urging teachers to get back to the bargaining table to get out of an ongoing stalemate, their union says the province needs to move beyond reiterating a deal that teachers have already rejected.

Finance Minister Nate Horner is encouraging teachers to take a closer look at the latest offer, which he says shows respect for teachers.

"We've never left the table," Horner said in an interview Monday.

"We think this is a fair deal. We think this is a good deal."

Ottawa drafting public registry of AI projects as tech spreads through government

The federal government says it plans to launch a public registry to keep Canadians in the loop on its growing use of artificial intelligence.

"We are seeing a lot more activity across departments and agencies," Stephen Burt, the government’s chief data officer, told The Canadian Press.

Federal government says it has found almost 500 ways to cut red tape

The federal government says it has found almost 500 ways to streamline regulations and cut costs following a 60-day red tape review exercise.

Departments and agencies have published reports identifying measures to make them more efficient and eliminate complicated or redundant regulations or processes.

Examples include a Canada Border Services Agency proposal to end the rule requiring that travellers arriving in Canada only on their way to another country, be examined by the agency before making their way to their departing flight.

Alberta's UCP to fight a legal challenge that aims to scrap school pronoun law

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservative government says it will fight hard to defend a court challenge to its school pronoun law.

“Alberta’s government will vigorously defend our position in court,” Heather Jenkins, press secretary to Justice Minister Mickey Amery, said in a statement after two LGBTQ+ advocacy groups officially filed the court challenge last week.

Jenkins stressed the legislation was introduced to strengthen ties between parents and their child’s education.

Almost half of Canadians want the Temporary Foreign Worker program eliminated: poll

A new poll suggests 44 per cent of Canadians want to see the temporary foreign worker program scrapped as the country grapples with high unemployment, especially among young people.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre recently proposed eliminating the program in response to high youth unemployment. The unemployment rate for people aged 15 to 24 hit 14.6 per cent nationally in July, according to Statistics Canada data.

Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Agriculture Ministers meet in Manitoba


Federal, provincial, and territorial agriculture ministers are gathered in Manitoba this week for critical discussions on the future of Canadian agriculture. The meetings, which wrap up Tuesday, come at a time when global trade disruptions, domestic infrastructure needs, and food security are top of mind for producers and policymakers alike.

Federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald says the meetings are an opportunity to listen to regional concerns and collaborate on national solutions.