Okotoks

A meeting between Canada Post and the union representing 55,000 postal workers has been delayed until next week due to the availability of federal mediators, the company says.

The two sides, which were set to meet Friday, will now meet on Aug. 20.

It's been two weeks since members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers rejected the employers' latest offers in a majority vote.

After more than a year and a half of negotiations, the two sides met with federal mediators earlier this week before agreeing to meet with each other.

The Okotoks RCMP are asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect involved in a series of vehicle break-ins.

According to police, a man entered an underground parking garage on Crystal Shores between 1 and 3 a.m. on Aug. 15. Several vehicles were broken into, and items were stolen.

An Okotoks man is facing arson, theft, and firearm charges after a suspicious house fire in Vulcan County sparked a multi-agency investigation.

Vulcan RCMP responded to a house fire on July 31. After they confirmed the house's occupants were unharmed, it was discovered that a vehicle and several firearms had been stolen from the property.

The next day, on Aug. 1, Olds RCMP received reports of a man setting small fires in the middle of the road. Officers recovered the stolen vehicle and some of the firearms, though the suspect had fled on foot into a nearby field.

The Federal Government's grain monitor, Quorum Corporation has released the stats for July 28-July 31, 2025 - the last week of the 2024-2025 crop year. 

According to the report, country stocks dropped to 2.31 million metric tonnes, utilizing 44 per cent of country elevator space. 

Total western port terminal stocks dropped to 1.1 million metric tonnes, using 57 per cent of the working capacity.

Alberta Open Farm Days (August 16-17) is a province-wide celebration of agriculture, food, and community where participating farms and ranches open their gates to the public to help connect visitors to where their food comes from.

The Province is Canada’s biggest producer of honey, beef and processed potatoes; the second-biggest producer of wheat and canola; and a substantial exporter of oats, barley and pork.

This year's Open Farm Days event coincides with 'Local Food Week' which encourages consumers to buy local in support of producers.

The Oldman Watershed Council (OWC) has recently won an award, honouring their environmental achievement.

During the 34th Annual Emerald Awards ceremony in Edmonton on June 5, the Oldman Watershed Council received the 2025 Emerald Award for Environmental Excellence, in the Legacy Community Group/Non-profit category.

Harvest time is just around the corner with some producers already started and there are many things to keep in mind before harvest to ensure your grain can be sold into any market. Before applying pesticides as a pre harvest application, always understand the label and be aware of any restrictions that may affect the marketability of your grain.

The Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Eleanor Olszewski was in Saskatchewan earlier this week for two key announcements, including $4.2 million for the province's ag sector. 

"By building on Saskatchewan’s many strengths and investing in them, we’re helping create good jobs and grow one strong Canadian economy."

This week, Alberta farmers learned more about the $5.2 million in funding planned for the province's two crop diversification centres.

Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation RJ Sigurdson says the province's farmers directly benefit from the work being done at CDC North near Edmonton, and CDC South near Brooks.

The funding supports upgrades and replacements to greenhouses, labs, and administrative buildings at both sites, as well as research essentials such as seed, fertilizer, and pesticides.  

Alberta Beef Producers have decided to withdraw from the Canadian Cattle Association.

Board Chair Doug Roxburgh says they've been talking with the organization about their concerns for years regarding governance and fiscal transparency.

He notes over the past five years there's been some discussion going on around the move, noting the final decision came following extensive deliberation and strategic review.