Okotoks

One of the rec facilities in Foothills County will be more energy efficient, thanks to the Federal government.

The Scott Seaman Sports Rink in Foothills County, along with the Town of Olds Aquatic Centre, will be receiving $3.9 million from the Federal Government to make their building more energy efficient.

With this funding, the Scott Seaman Sports Rink will have major upgrades done to its heating and power systems, and rooftop solar panels will be installed, resulting in energy and cost savings.

The federal government has added 56 properties to a new public lands bank of locations that are suitable for long-term leases so developers can build housing, a move the Housing Minister says will help boost the supply of homes Canadians can afford. 

Sean Fraser made the announcement Sunday in Halifax just ahead of a three-day cabinet retreat intended to prepare for the upcoming fall sitting of Parliament.

"Making public lands available for home construction is going to reduce the cost of construction and in turn reduce the cost of living," Fraser said. 

Work is underway to get Canada's rail system back up and operational.

The Canada Industrial Relations Board released its decision late Saturday, reinforcing the Labour Minister's order for binding arbitration and the extension of collective agreements until a new deal is signed. 

A statement on the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference website says they will comply with the decision, but will also appeal the ruling to federal court.

CN started gearing up late last week, while CPKC workers were back on the job early this morning.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government will reduce the number of low-wage temporary foreign workers with stricter rules, urging employers to hire Canadian workers instead.

The federal government announced today that it will refuse applications for low-wage temporary foreign workers in regions with an unemployment rate of six per cent or higher.

Employers will be allowed to hire a maximum of 10 per cent of their workforce from the temporary foreign worker program, down from 20 per cent.

Parks Canada says a weekend drenching of rain on parts of Jasper National Park is doing a lot to quell fire activity, but the wet weather also comes with a warning.

In a daily update on the local wildfire situation, Parks Canada says parts of the national park received over 30 millimetres of rain on Friday night.

Cooler temperatures were also in the forecast, which the agency says could further decrease fire activity.

Traffic at Canada's two largest railways is slated to resume today as a rail work stoppage comes to an end following a Saturday decision from the federal labour board. 

Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City shut down railways last Thursday, locking out workers and disrupting freight traffic countrywide and commuter lines in the Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver areas.

The lockouts affected more than 9,000 railway workers amid an ongoing contract dispute between the two companies and the Teamsters union.

The Sheep River Health Trust (SRHT) will soon run a Memory Workshop in Okotoks to promote good brain health.

It's scheduled for September 18th at the Okotoks & Districts Seniors Club from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Topics explored at the free event include keeping your memory sharp, normal aging brain changes, memory issues that may require help, and how to support those experiencing memory loss. 

The SRHT encourages anyone interested in learning about memory function, issues, and strategies to promote brain health to come to the event.

The Okotoks Dawgs Academy announced that 11 of its players are headed to Toronto from September 17-21 to be a part of the Toronto Blue Jays Canadian Futures Showcase at Rogers Centre.

The Players who are on their way to Toronto are Austin Collins, Quincy Jenkins, Will Labonte, Tim Piasentin, Max Poirier, Louis-Charles Larouche, Robert Scalzo, Landon Kauffman, Preston Tocheniuk, Taye Thierman, and Matthew Tran.

The Town of High River has announced that the Aquatics Facility at the Bob Snodgrass Recreation Complex will be closed as the expansion project continues.

The closure is from August 30th to September 3rd as crews install a temporary construction wall so that residents and visitors can enjoy the existing pool during the expansion.

The Aquatic Facility is expected to reopen for public lessons on Wednesday, September 4th.

All other areas and activities at the complex will remain open during the closure. 

The wildfires around the province have caused issues for many people, including widespread property damage and health issues, but they have also caused issues for cattle producers.

Cattle can suffer from pneumonia, reproductive losses, as well as reduced weight gain and milk yield due to the wildfires according to a study done in November 2021.