Okotoks

Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said he left Washington Wednesday with a sense that progress was made after a meeting with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

"It was constructive in the sense it was an exchange of views that I think helped both us and the Americans understand the work we need to do to get, we hope, to an agreement," LeBlanc said in an interview with The Canadian Press after arriving in Montreal.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre on Wednesday accused the federal Liberals of allowing temporary foreign workers to take jobs away from young Canadians while youth unemployment is high.

"As our young people have a quarter-century high in their unemployment, Mark Carney this year is expected to bring in a record number of temporary foreign workers to take the jobs of Canadian youth," Poilievre said. 

Statistics Canada data shows unemployment for youth, aged 15 to 24, hit 14.6 per cent in July. This is the highest it's been since 2010, outside of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Canada changed its BSE surveillance after lower global incidence of ‘mad cow disease’ led to international standards shift

Canada’s agency for food safety is encouraged with cattle industry response to a new, more farmer-friendly approach to BSE surveillance.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) updated national bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) surveillance program — put in place earlier this year to meet new international standards — has received 152 samples of risk material as of Aug. 11, it recently said.

Massive storm in southeastern Alberta causes significant damage to crops and reported deaths of livestock

The numbers are still coming in for the cost of the damage caused by a huge hail storm that hit various areas of Alberta Aug. 20.

The storm ripped its way through vast swaths of land from Cayley, Milo and Brooks to the Saskatchewan border, as well as Camrose to the Viking, Edberg, Sedgewick, and Hughenden areas.

The Best of Alberta Photography Exhibition is coming to High River.  

The travelling exhibit features award-winning images from the Alberta Region of Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC).  

The images will be on display at the High River Public Library from Sept. 2 to Sept. 29.  

Manitoba Agriculture released its latest weekly crop report on Tuesday, offering a snapshot of harvest progress and crop conditions across the province. Cereal crop specialist Anne Kirk, who is compiling the reports this month, says harvest operations are moving forward despite recent weather challenges.

The Town of Diamond Valley is warning about salespeople going door-to-door, making false claims.

On Wednesday (Aug. 27), the Town took to Facebook to let the public know they have been made aware of salespeople going home-to-home using high-pressure tactics and falsely claiming the Town will stop permitting solar projects soon.

This is false.

The Town of Diamond Valley has no plans to restrict solar permits.

Now, the Town is reminding residents to be cautious and avoid making rushed decisions.

Some wastewater main replacement work in Diamond Valley will cause a road to be closed for almost two months.

The Town of Diamond Valley contracted UG Excavating Ltd. to complete the Frontenac Wastewater Main Replacement Project, with the work taking place on Frontenac Avenue, between Main Street and George Street.

This work will replace the existing wastewater main, repave the roadway to the lip of the gutter, and reconnect sanitary services, which is essential work to improve service reliability and renew aging infrastructure.

The Town of Okotoks has announced this year's Sheep River Artists in Residence.

Gary Briggs and Wendy Madell are the 2025 Sheep River Artists in Residence, and they are accomplished Alberta artists who will bring their creativity and environmental focus to the community.

"Gary and Wendy bring a rare blend of imagination and insight," explained the Culture, Heritage and Events Team Leader, Allan Boss, in a media release. "Their work invites us to see conservation not just as science, but as a story - shared, felt, and moved by community."

The Alberta RCMP are on the lookout for a wanted man.  

Yuol Kuol Bol was included in the Alberta RCMP’s Wanted Wednesday campaign this week.  

His areas of activity include Brooks, Calgary, and Foothills County.  

He is wanted for various crimes.