Airdrie

The Didsbury Fire Department has opened up applications as they are looking to add to their number of firefighters.

Kyle Leeson, Deputy Fire Chief for the Didsbury Fire Department, talked about opening up the recruitment process.

"We are looking for dedicated members of the community, you must live within five miles of the fire station so you are able to respond to a call quickly. We also provide all the necessary training for them to become a volunteer firefighter."

The federal government is slashing immigration targets to levels that will flatten population growth as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admits the government did not get the balance right after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The government had targeted bringing in 500,000 new permanent residents in both 2025 and 2026.

Next year's target will instead be 395,000 new permanent residents, and that will fall to 380,000 in 2026 and 365,000 in 2027.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he has no intention of stepping down as the leader of the Liberal party by next week. 

A letter signed by two dozen Liberal MPs asking Trudeau to step down was presented to the prime minister Wednesday at a tense caucus meeting in Ottawa.

The letter asked for him to let the caucus know by Oct. 28 what he decides to do.

Trudeau told MPs he would reflect on what was said, but when asked today if he would stay on as prime minister after that date he answered a definitive "yes." 

Residents of the Prairie region, including Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories, may be facing a significant public health concern due to elevated radon levels in homes.

Just northeast of Airdrie, the Village of Acme is set to join a growing movement in Alberta by applying for an initiative allowing golf carts on select municipal roads. This pilot program is being implemented in collaboration with the Town of Coaldale and other interested municipalities across the province.

Alberta’s government is working with municipalities to pilot the limited use of golf carts on select roads to enhance mobility and provide recreational options for residents. This initiative reflects the unique transportation needs of communities across the province.

17 cattle died earlier this week after a semi-truck rollover on the off-ramp from Stoney Trail to Macleod Trail Southeast. The collision occurred around 8:10 p.m. on October 22, 2024, as the semi-truck, transporting approximately 95 cattle, failed to navigate a curve and rolled over, coming to rest on its side.

In response to what the government says are concerns about potential overreach by regulated professional bodies in Alberta, the provincial government is launching an engagement initiative to protect individual freedom of expression. This initiative, set to commence this fall, will directly involve input from affected professionals.

This week's Airdrie Techmation Thunder Spotlight belongs to Lucas Veal.

The Thunder split their two most recent games, they lost Friday to the Sylvan Lake Wranglers 4-2 but beat the Ponoka Stampeders 4-0 on Saturday. Veal was in the net for both games. 

He had a strong performance on Friday stopping 37 of the 40 shots he faced. He followed it up Saturday earning his team their first shutout of the season stopping all 20 shots.

Head Coach and General Manager Mark Kulynych explained why, Veal earned the spotlight.

Homeowners in Airdrie will face increased costs when buying or selling property as Alberta's new Land Titles Registration Levy, which came into effect earlier this week, adds significant fees to real estate transactions.

This change, announced in the 2024 provincial budget, replaces the previous variable charges for land transfers, mortgage registrations, and certain caveats. Under the new system, a fee of $5.00 per $5,000 of property or mortgage value will be applied to land transfers, registrations, and caveats that charge the land.

The federal housing minister and the Alberta minister in charge of the file have spoken about funding to tackle encampments and homelessness.

The phone conversation comes after Housing Minister Sean Fraser said in a statement Tuesday that Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan hadn't formally responded to an offer of funding.

Officials say that during the call, Jason Nixon, Alberta's minister of seniors, community and social services, expressed his government's continued willingness to partner with Ottawa and to cost-match the additional federal funding.