Okotoks

A report says new cleanup rules for renewable energy sites are hurting the competitiveness of Alberta's industry.

Business Renewables Centre-Canada analyzed the reclamation security requirements for renewables in 27 jurisdictions and found Alberta's are now the most costly. 

Under a code of practice for solar and wind projects published last week, the Alberta government says operators must provide an estimate for the cost of dismantling turbines and panels, removing underground concrete infrastructure, hauling waste away, replanting vegetation and other items. 

Mark and Karin Elford of Wood Mountain ranch near the Saskatchewan/Montana border, and have been named the Saskatchewan Stock Growers 2025 TESA winners.

Since 1996, TESA, or The Environmental Stewardship Award, has recognized producers who go above and beyond standard industry conservation practices and set positive examples for other cattle producers and the general public.

The Liberal plan to give first-time homebuyers a tax break on a newly built home could have substantial impacts on housing affordability — with a few caveats — a new analysis finds.

The Liberal government introduced legislation on June 5 to eliminate the GST portion from new home sales of up to $1 million for first-time buyers, which works out to as much as $50,000 off the cost of a new build or a substantially renovated unit.

For homes sold above $1 million, the GST relief is phased out as the price tag nears $1.5 million.

A government push to steer Canada Post and the union representing 55,000 mail workers toward common ground hit a big pothole Monday.

As an increasingly acrimonious impasse drags on, Canada Post rejected a framework put forward by the union for a binding arbitration process, which Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu asked the parties to work toward just five days earlier.

The Okotoks Parade is returning this Saturday (June 14), rain or shine.

While the parade is going to be downtown again this year, according to the Town of Okotoks Community Events Specialist, Connie Drake, they have had to make some changes to this year's parade route.

"There was a strong desire for us to keep with the tradition of having the parade downtown, so we worked really hard to come up with a solution," Drake explains. "As most people know, we've got some construction happening and we wanted to make sure that we were providing a very safe location."

The Town of Nanton is staying at a Level 2 Water Conservation, even though things are improving.

They initially moved to Level 2 in early May, due to an increase in groundwater flowing into the Town's collection system.

Even though they were using temporary storage tanks, vacuum trucks, and a containment cell to relieve the system, the Wastewater Treatment Plant was not able to handle the additional water.

The ongoing wildfire situation stretches from northern Ontario right across the prairies, with the threat to homes and communities and thousands of people being evacuated.

The Assistant Vice-President of Grain for CN, David Przednowek, says they are monitoring the situation very closely as their rail lines run through the north.

CN reports they've had some delays moving grain in and out of the Port at Thunder Bay but are also doing what they can to help with the wildfires. 

Two first responders from Diamond Valley Fire Rescue were deployed to Swan Hills to help with wildfire mitigation efforts on May 29.  

With the recent wildfire activity, it has become common for Diamond Valley Fire Rescue to deploy firefighters and fire apparatus to support provincial operations.  

Claresholm residents get their say on what parks, recreation, and culture looks like within the town. 

Residents can provide their feedback through the Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Plan 2026-2030 online survey until June 25.  

Happy Gilmore 2 is coming out July 25 on Netflix.