Okotoks

Thousands are out of their homes, and many more are on alert to evacuate as wildfires continue to rage across Atlantic Canada.

Officials in Newfoundland and Labrador have expanded an evacuation alert along the Bay De Verde Peninsula as the Kingston wildfire burns nearby.

The community of Job's Cove in Newfoundland is affected by the expanded evacuation alert for the wildfire, which is considered out-of-control and is now more than 90 square kilometres in size.

The Kingston fire is the largest in the province and has forced more than 3,000 people from their homes.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has set his sights on Canada's electric vehicle mandate, pledging Thursday that his party will embark on a national campaign to push the Liberal government to scrap the policy he's dubbed the "Carney tax."

Poilievre led the charge as the Conservatives relentlessly attacked the consumer carbon price over the last two years, with the Liberals admitting the Tory tactics swayed public opinion and forced them to end the so-called carbon tax earlier this year. 

The Heaven Can Wait Animal Rescue Foundation is teeing up for its sixth annual Golf Classic on Sept. 8.

President Kim Hessel said the event never fails to be a fun time.

A judge has denied an application to quash a review of a proposed Alberta referendum question on separation.

Court of King's Bench Justice Colin Feasby says it will benefit democracy to have a full hearing on the constitutionality of the question.

Alberta's chief electoral officer, Gordon McClure, referred the question to court last month so a judge could determine whether it violates the Constitution, including treaty rights.

The group that submitted the question applied to have the referral quashed.

Foothills County is encouraging residents to help protect the ecosystem by reporting noxious weeds that have been found in the area. 

A variety of noxious weeds have been found in the county.  

The plants can be difficult to remove once they are established, due to their aggressive reproduction methods, adaptability, and resistance to control methods.  

The Town of Okotoks is hosting a movie night to celebrate the Alberta Day weekend.

On September 1, 1905, Alberta became a province, and in recognition of this anniversary, the Provincial government designated the day as Alberta Day.

To help celebrate the day, the Town of Okotoks is hosting a Movies in the Park event on Friday, August 29, in Ethel Tucker Park.

As part of the event, they will be showing a double feature under the stars, showing family friendly movies for free.

The Rolling Barrage reached Okotoks on Wednesday, Aug. 14.

Now in its ninth year, the Rolling Barrage is an annual cross-Canada motorcycle ride that raises funds to support veterans and first responders living with PTSD.

The Okotoks stop has been part of the tour since 2019, and it has become a beloved town tradition.

There will be teams of cowboys and cowgirls competing at the Bar U Ranch this weekend.

The Bar U Ranch is hosting their annual Old Time Ranch Rodeo this weekend, which will see 12 teams of four compete to see who will come home the champions.

According to Christy Gustavison, the Visitor Experience Manager for the Bar U Ranch and Waterton Lakes National Park, the competitions will do events that demonstrate the typical ranch activities.

There's a growing push for Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Liberal government to step up and help support Western Canadian producers that are being impacted by the increased tariffs on canola.

The Town of High River is letting residents know they may hear sirens today (Aug. 14).

Crews are doing routine maintenance, and the Town says the alarms will sound at a lower volume than usual during testing.

Those living in the northwest are more likely to notice the siren.

The Town stressed that there is no emergency and the testing is strictly for maintenance purposes.