Town of Claresholm council increases natural gas franchise fee

By Rob Vogt Ratepayers in the Town of Claresholm will see an increase of $5.64 for the year on their natural gas bills after town council approved an increase to the franchise fee collected on its behalf by the gas company.At its Sept. 22 meeting, council heard a report from Chief Administrative Officer Abe Tinney explaining ATCO franchise fees are … Read more

Town of Claresholm council increases electricity franchise fee

By Rob Vogt Ratepayers in the Town of Claresholm will see an increase of $13.68, or $1.14 per month, on their electricity bills after town council approved an increase to the franchise fee collected on its behalf by the power company.At its Sept. 22 meeting, council heard a report from Chief Administrative Officer Abe Tinney explaining Fortis franchise fees are … Read more

Town council gives final approval to outdoor watering schedule

By Rob Vogt Claresholm town council has adopted a year-round, outdoor watering schedule.At its Sept. 8 meeting, Council approved the final two readings of a bylaw with an outdoor watering schedule.Key features of the schedule include:• The watering schedule has been incorporated directly into the town’s water shortage response plan, which now reads The Town of Claresholm watering schedule and … Read more

Cobra ‘A’ girls win home tournament

By Rob Vogt The Willow Creek Composite High School “A” girls volleyball team won their home tournament this past weekend with a thrilling victory in the final over Canmore.The Cobras welcomed teams from High River, the Piikani Nation, Canmore, Fort Macleod, Picture Butte, Nobleford and the Kainai Nation for a one-day tournament on Saturday, Sept. 27.The Cobras opened with a … Read more

UCP neglects caribou, sacrifices future for short-term gain, critic says

By George Lee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Originally published on Sep 27, 2025 at 05:15 A UCP lack of foresight threatens caribou populations and undermines Alberta’s economic future, an opposition critic has charged. Sarah Elmeligi, the NDP’s shadow minister of environment and protected areas, said the government puts too much emphasis on today’s human-focused demands on caribou habitat. “The government is … Read more

Rural Alberta commitment stays strong in new mandate letter, transportation minister says

By George Lee, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Originally published on Sep 24, 2025 at 09:35 Pipelines, planes and passenger trains will steal much of the limelight as details in a new mandate letter reach the public eye, Alberta’s transportation and economic corridors minister acknowledged Tuesday. But Devin Dreeshen said he’s also pumped about Premier Danielle Smith’s emphasis on partnering with municipalities … Read more

Oil industry lobbied for proposed carbon pricing revamp

By Brett McKay, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Originally published on Sep 25, 2025 at 09:09 Last week, Alberta’s government proposed changes to its industrial carbon pricing system that would allow high-emitting companies to avoid paying into a provincial fund or purchasing credits, and would also permit smaller facilities to opt out of the program. Documents reveal oil and gas lobbyists have … Read more