Lacombe

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 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.

A Central Alberta father of two is preparing to travel to Germany for a complex spinal surgery that is not available to him in Canada, following years of debilitating back pain.

Dalyn Parada, a resident of Eckville, has been struggling with severe spinal issues for several years. After exhausting treatment options within the Canadian health-care system, he has been referred to a specialized spine surgery centre in Germany — considered one of the world’s leading programs for this type of procedure.

On Friday, July 4, 2025, at around 3:00 a.m., members of the Lacombe Police Service were conducting patrols in the industrial area of the 5500 Block of Wolf Creek Drive, adjacent to the police detachment. Officers observed three men and a large, unleashed dog near a GMC Sierra cube van.

A check of the license plate revealed the cube van had been reported stolen out of Edmonton.

As federal, provincial, and territorial agriculture ministers are meeting in Winnipeg this week, the future of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) is drawing renewed attention. While the Conservative Party has proposed eliminating the broader program, both farm leaders and Conservative MPs are emphasizing that agriculture will remain exempt.

Keith Currie, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), stressed the importance of the program to the sector.

Conservative Agriculture Critic John Barlow and Canadian Federation of Agriculture President Keith Currie are calling on the federal Liberal government to approve the emergency use of strychnine as a way to deal with the increased number of gophers or Richardson’s ground squirrels (RGS) across the Prairies.

The Village of Clive has confirmed that sales representatives seen going door-to-door between Sept. 3 and 6 were from Fire Fly Solar, a company that holds a valid 2025 business licence with the community.

The village thanked residents for their vigilance and said it appreciates the public’s efforts to help keep Clive safe and informed.

** With information from the Village of Clive Facebook.

Voters in Lacombe will elect a mayor and six councillors on Oct. 20.

Advance voting will take place Oct. 15 to 18 at the Lacombe Memorial Centre from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Election Day voting will also be held at the same location.

Eligible voters are reminded to bring identification. A list of accepted ID is available on the City of Lacombe website.

The deadline to file nomination papers is Sept. 22 at noon. The list of candidates is updated as papers are received and approved by the returning officer.

Red Deer RCMP have found a missing 29-year-old.

Brittany Payne was last seen Aug. 15, and there was concern for her well-being.

She has been located safe and RCMP thanked the public and media for their help.

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What began as a family friend’s outing to a local gym has turned into a competitive sport and a future in coaching for Red Deer’s Colton Bowes, who has been named the Strand 360/Sunny 94’s Athlete of the Month.