Brett McKay, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The Alberta government is creating a productivity review cabinet committee that will assess spending in every government program, Premier Danielle Smith said at two party events over the weekend. At a UCP constituency fundraiser in Westlock on Aug. 16, Smith said the committee will perform a program-by-program review with…

Natasha Bulowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter A career oil and gas insider will soon be shaping climate policy in Alberta’s department of Environment and Protected Areas. After a decade working in various roles for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), Patrick McDonald has been hired by Alberta Environment and Protected Areas to serve as…

On August 17, 2024, at approximately 4:15 p.m., Lac La Biche RCMP received a report of suspicious behaviour at the Kikino Rodeo near the Silver Birch Resort. Witnesses described a male waving a firearm around causing a disturbance and inciting fear to the rodeo attendees. Lac La Biche RCMP in coordination with the RCMP’s Real Time Operations Centre deployed police…

John Watson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter A recent survey conducted by the Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta (ASET) has indicated members who are internationally trained professionals are finding Alberta to be an attractive destination to work and live. Via a release, ASET stated over 92 per cent of respondents to the…

On June 6, 2024, approximately 4:00 a.m. Enoch Alberta RCMP responded to a robbery of a taxi cab driver at a residence in Enoch. During the course of the robbery the driver was stabbed causing minor injuries to his arm. On Aug. 13, 2024, as a result of the investigation, Kelsey Crate, a 37-year-old male…

$5 million through the industry-funded TIER program will expand technology that turns wastewater from oil and gas into minerals used for smartphones, electric vehicles and more. Global demand for lithium is soaring. This mineral is used to create batteries for a wide range of electronics that people rely on every day, from pacemakers, smartphones and…