By Alexandra Noad, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The Premier’s Coal Town Hall event held on Wednesday evening at the Fort Macleod and District Community Hall was described as “a gong show” by many in attendance, with several being left outside, including the media. Hundreds of people lined up down the street hours before the doors opened, many of them protesting the … Read more…
By Somya Lohia, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Members of Piikani Nation gathered at Crowsnest Lake on the morning of June 10 to offer prayers for the health of the lake, its fish and all life that depends on its waters. This spiritual gathering followed the release of a fish-consumption advisory for the lake. According to the advisory, posted on the My … Read more…
By Somya Lohia, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter “You took us down!” “What about the back room deal?” Voices shouted in protest, fists pounded on chairs and anti-mining placards waved in the air at the Fort Macleod community hall as Premier Danielle Smith stepped to the podium June 11 to face sharp scrutiny over Alberta’s coal future. Dozens stood along the walls, … Read more…
By Somya Lohia, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Reactions to last week’s coal town hall revealed the sharp divide that remains over coal development in southern Alberta. Dean Ward, a Municipality of Crowsnest Pass councillor who attended the meeting, said he was disappointed by what he described as a lack of respectful dialogue. “I went to the coal meeting in Fort Macleod … Read more…
By Rob Vogt It may look like a new park in Granum, but water and greenspace on the eastern edge of the hamlet serves a greater purpose.That facility is the Granum Storm Water Management and Flood Mitigation Project, now known as the Leavings Heritage Park, and an event celebrating its completion was held on June 11.Reeve Maryanne Sandberg of the … Read more…
Starting June 1, Alberta is the first province in Canada to require mandatory inspections for all incoming watercraft to keep invasive mussels out. Zebra and Quagga mussels destroy ecosystems, threaten shorelines and can cause hundreds of millions in damaged infrastructure. Alberta is currently 100 per cent free of zebra mussels and quagga mussels, but reports are increasing across Canada and … Read more…
By Peter Shokeir, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter JASPER – When Mathew Conte moved to Jasper to become its fire chief in 2021, he was well aware of the wildfire risk that the town faced. That is a risk shared by every forested community in Canada. “That risk and the hazard is always there,” Conte said. “It’s not really a matter of … Read more…