Category Archives: Prairies/BC
Manitoba government closes youth jail, cites decline in incarceration rate
WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government is closing one of its two youth jails, citing a sharp drop in the number of young people being sentenced to custody. The Agassiz Youth Centre will close July 22 after operating at less than half
B.C. ready to proceed with permanent repairs to flood-damaged Coquihalla Highway
HOPE, B.C. — The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure says it is moving ahead with permanent repairs to a key B.C. highway damaged by catastrophic flooding last November. A statement from the ministry says it has begun the process to select
Rapid COVID-19 tests available at B.C. pharmacies for people aged 18 and up
VICTORIA — The British Columbia government says COVID-19 rapid tests are now available at participating pharmacies for people aged 18 and over. The Health Ministry says one kit containing five rapid antigen tests is available for people with a B.C. pe...
Patients in B.C. waiting too long for surgery, not being counted by province: doctor
VANCOUVER — The incoming leader of a group that represents surgeons across British Columbia is questioning the health minister's claims that nearly all surgeries that were cancelled in the first and later waves of the pandemic have been completed. Dr. ...
Housing minister, municipal governments at odds over B.C. housing supply report
VANCOUVER — A municipal government report that says British Columbia is building enough homes to match the province's population growth has drawn sharp criticism from the housing minister. The Union of B.C. Municipalities report released Wednesday say...
Health care and mental-health services priorities for budget: Manitoba government
WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government is promising more tax cuts in its budget even as the province faces ongoing deficits and a health-care system struggling to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Finance Minister Cameron Friesen says the 2022-23 budget is ...
Group forms to support Indigenous-led searches of residential school burial sites
WINNIPEG — Indigenous organizations in Manitoba, officials from the city of Winnipeg and the provincial and federal governments are forming a council to support searches for burial sites of children who attended residential schools. Reconciliation Min...
Gym-goers, sports fans, smokers face more taxes in Saskatchewan budget
REGINA — Working out or going to a professional football game could cost more this fall with proposed new taxes outlined in Saskatchewan's budget. Starting in October, the province plans to add the six per cent provincial sales tax to admissions
Alberta MLA says he felt obligated to hack government website, used premier’s info
EDMONTON — An Alberta opposition legislature member under RCMP investigation after admittedly hacking into a government health website using some of Premier Jason Kenney's personal information says he felt a professional responsibility to do it. Thomas...
Alberta auditor general gives qualified thumbs-up to oil well cleanup spending
EDMONTON — The Alberta government is getting mostly check marks from the province's auditor general over how it handled the billion dollars it got from Ottawa to clean up abandoned oil and gas wells and get service contractors back to
