Fort St. John seeking exemption from carbon tax, rental act

With longer and harsher winters compared to the rest of B.C., the City of Fort St. John says the carbon tax on home heating bills is an unfair financial burden to its residents.  “We have winter longer than anyone, it costs our...

Alix council hears about property taxes, recycling

Alix village council heard a report about their 2024 municipal budget and that it’s likely local property tax rates will not increase next year. The report was made at the Nov. 1 regular meeting of council. Village Chief...

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Gamblers Anonymous starts in Drayton Valley

People dealing with a gambling addiction or those with a family member with the addiction now have a place to turn in Drayton Valley. Cody, who has asked us not to give out his last name in the spirit of anonymity that is...

Drayton Valley homeless survey of 250 tells a story

There are more than 250 people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in the Drayton Valley area according to the Rural Development Network’s study on homelessness in the community. In March the RDN reached out to Brighter...

Alix mayor happy with crime award, no tax increases

When a visitor to the Village of Alix enters town and makes the turn onto Main Street, they doubtlessly see the local mascot Alix-gator tirelessly watching over an award-winning community that hasn’t raised local taxes in years....

CANADA WIDE COMMUNITY NEWS - HAPPENING NOW

For a Prime Minister whose approval rating is drifting downward like a slowly falling leaf, last week’s audit reports released by the country’s Environment Commissioner might have hastened Justin Trudeau’s earthbound political fortunes. Canada’s leader has already lost ground with key constituent groups, as the Israel-Hamas conflict becomes more entrenched, the housing crisis worsens and […] ...More

With the annual United Nations climate conference just around the corner, environmental groups are calling for an end to subsidies that support burning forest biomass to generate electricity. In an open letter to Natural Resources and Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, the groups say financial support for the industry is at odds with […] ...More

Canola growers welcome $9M boost from Ottawa

A $9-million investment in Canada’s canola industry from the federal government will help to make the industry more sustainable, says Charles Fossay, the president of Manitoba Canola Growers. “It’s very nice to hear that the government recognizes the value of the canola industry and is prepared to invest in it,” Fossay, a farmer from Starbuck […] ...More

How do you accommodate growth and still protect farmland and green space?

CENTRE WELLINGTON ‒ Farmland and green space preservation were at the forefront of councillors’ minds during a discussion about how to facilitate expanding the township’s urban boundary to accommodate future growth.  In a new report from consulting firm Watson and Associates presented during a Centre Wellington committee of the whole meeting earlier this week, staff proposed several […] ...More

The work continues to restore systems and services at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance and other hospitals in the region following a devastating ransomware attack that compromised the privacy data of both employees and patients. At a special media conference Friday, the heads of the five hospitals affected by the breach provided an update detailing what’s being […] ...More

Residents of Arthur Street in Woodstock are concerned about a “rat outbreak” in the community, and suspect a homeowner’s ducks are behind the increased population of the unwanted rodents. A letter to city council, which has received 15 signatures, proposed politicians consider updating a bylaw to ban or regulate the number of fowl allowed on […] ...More

Port Moody councillors now restricted in how many meetings they can attend remotely

In the post-COVID world, should city councillors be limited in how many meetings they can attend remotely? Port Moody staff brought forward an amendment to its corporate work policy on Tuesday, Nov. 14, which sparked debate over how much virtual attendance was too much. Council eventually settled on restricting members to attending six meetings remotely […] ...More

Burton volunteer group restores local historical cemetery

A discovery during a Burton volunteer group’s annual clean-up day has set in motion a restoration project of historical significance. Since noticing the overgrown site in 2021, the Friends of the Burton Walkway have been restoring the Burton Historical Cemetery and working to uncover its past. “We want to build awareness about the cemetery and […] ...More

A physician shortage is affecting Canadians, especially in the fields of family and rural medicine, and the effects of this shortage are exemplified in rural regions such as Saskatchewan. Further impacting residents of Saskatchewan is the seeming difficulty in attracting and retaining specialists on our provincial roster of health professionals. According to the saskdocs.ca webpage […] ...More

Niagara Democracy Watch is The Pointer’s weekly feature aimed at increasing the public’s awareness and political involvement in the Niagara Region by highlighting key agenda items, motions and decisions.  Council (Budget) Meeting Date: November 22 – 6:00 p.m. | Delegate | Full Agenda | Watch live Staff proposes a 3.67% increase to the 2024 St. Catharines operating budget After a […] ...More

The Swan Hills Family And Community Support Services (FCSS) Board has proposed that it dissolve with Swan Hills FCSS reorganizing within the municipal structure as a department under the Town of Swan Hills. This proposed change in structure would not affect the programs and services offered by FCSS or their usual operations in any way; […] ...More

For more than a year-and-a-half, West Lincoln resident Dora Pavlidis talked about getting chickens. Having discussed it with her family and her neighbours, she purchased four chicks that the family would raise and keep as pets. Just five weeks later, her dream was shattered when the township told her she had to get rid of […] ...More

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