Federal Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault says he expects money from an emergency COVID-19 general business wage subsidy program to start flowing within weeks to Canada’s beleaguered newspaper industry. Critics say this financial lifeline may come too late, however, to save the pandemic crisis-accelerated loss of newspapers and media jobs — specifically, because a stalled $595-million…

Rhett Melnyk can’t remember the last time he was off the ice this long.   The 15-year-old Vimy Ridge Academy hockey player is used to spending at least half of his day on skates playing the game he loves.  “I’ve definitely been missing the ice for sure,” said Melnyk who has replaced ice time with a…

Flooding in Fort McMurray caused by ice jams in the rapidly thawing Athabasca River worsened overnight Sunday, prompting a new round of mandatory evacuation orders. By Monday morning, access to the lower townsite had been closed by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.  “Access to the Lower Townsite, including MacDonald Island, downtown and Waterways, is…

The Alberta government says the absence of 141 communities from a list of areas eligible for a rural physician compensation program was an error. Health Minister Tyler Shandro faced backlash Sunday from physicians and the Opposition NDP following the apparent removal of communities on a list of eligible areas for the Rural and Remote Northern Program…

A mandatory evacuation order was issued on Sunday night for some residents of Fort Vermilion, Alta, who live near the banks of the Peace River.  The order applies to all residents in the northwest Alberta hamlet who live east of 50th Street and north of the golf course, River Road and Boreal Housing.  A critical emergency alert warning of high…

Edmonton’s community leagues will be key players in the city’s spring clean up efforts this year as they take on the role of distributing litter kits directly to volunteers. The city is leaning on the leagues and business improvement areas to help hand out litter kits for its Capital City Clean Up.  The kits are…