Location: Crowsnest Pass

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Help after sexual violence can start with an anonymous call

Written on October 10, 2026. Posted in Health & Wellness.

Rural residents of southwestern Alberta who have been affected by sexual violence don’t need to drive to Lethbridge to get help, and they don’t need to give their name to start.

The Aurora Sexual Assault Centre, known as the Aurora Centre and formerly the Chinook Sexual Assault Centre, is a non-profit organization that provides trauma-informed services and advocacy for anyone impacted by sexual violence, regardless of age or gender.

While based in Lethbridge, its services extend through much of southwestern Alberta, including Pincher Creek, Crowsnest Pass and communities as far east as the Taber area and as far north as Nanton.

“We are a single-entry point for those that have experienced trauma due to child abuse or sexual assault,” says Kristine Cassie, Aurora Centre CEO. “We serve people of all ages throughout our region … providing them with steps forward on how they are dealing with the trauma that they’ve experienced.”

The centre wants rural residents to know what it offers and Cassie says using its services doesn’t necessarily mean a trip to the city. Appointments are offered over the phone and through Zoom, and staff can also travel within the region when there is a need.

“We’ve done both, so it really depends,” Cassie says. “We also at times will provide when people have limited resources. We can help out sometimes with gas to get into town if they prefer to come in.”

While remote services are an option for rural residents, she says some prefer the anonymity of an in-person appointment in Lethbridge. Regardless of where someone lives, Cassie says, the centre works with each person to find the form of support that best meets their needs.

That can begin with a phone call, and people can call anonymously if they are not ready to give their name, or just to ask what their options are.

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“We don’t expect people to tell us all of the details of what’s happened in the sexual assault or the sexual abuse,” Cassie says. “We don’t want to be secondary witnesses to the crime. We really just want to hear how they’re doing emotionally and what their needs are that way.”

Staff help people decide what fits best from services including crisis support, trauma therapy, peer support groups or specialized justice navigation (help understanding and moving through the police and court process).

Some people need help getting stabilized before they are ready for longer-term therapy, Cassie says, particularly when housing and food security are problems. The centre advocates for them with other agencies when such needs are present.

Longer-term services support people through individual healing processes, rather than following a single prescribed path.

“It’s really important for people to feel connected, to feel that type of support, to work on the issues that led them to seek the services in the first place,” Cassie says.

Peer support groups are part of that, connecting people with others who have similar experiences.

The centre offers several groups for adults, including groups focused on relationships, boundaries and recovery, as well as a weekly drop-in group for adults impacted by sexual violence.

It also offers a peer support program for youths aged 13 to 17 focused on dating abuse and healthy relationships.

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The centre works with people who have experienced recent or historical sexual assault or abuse, including some who carried the experience for years before seeking support. Cassie says clients have included people in their 80s, whose experiences happened recently or much earlier in their lives.

“It’s never too late to come forward, and it always matters,” she says.

The centre’s work also reaches people who haven’t experienced sexual violence first-hand. Through education and professional development, staff work with schools, workplaces and community groups on topics such as consent, healthy relationships, bystander engagement, sexual violence and trauma, sextortion and exploitation, and workplace sexual harassment.

Who Do You Tell? is a school program offered from kindergarten through Grade 6, which teaches about body boundaries, inappropriate sexual behaviour and identifying adults they can tell if they feel uncomfortable or have experienced abuse.

Cassie says prevention work is an important role of the centre, particularly helping people recognize how to respond when someone discloses an experience of sexual violence.

“The first thing is that we believe,” she says. “When people are telling us something that has happened in their life, it’s really important that we believe them when they say it.”

She says people who are supporting someone who has experienced sexual violence do not need to have all the answers themselves.

“We don’t have to be perfect to be helpful,” Cassie says. “Tap out. Bring us in. Bring in people that know this, to give that type of support.”

The organization has grown from six staff to 25 since 2019, gradually expanding to include the Aurora Child and Youth Advocacy Centre.

The Aurora Centre provides a co-ordinated response for children who have experienced sexual abuse, severe physical abuse or severe neglect, working alongside police, Crown, child protection, medical and mental health agencies.

Referrals to that program come through child protection agencies, partnering child and youth advocacy centres or policing services. People unsure whether the program fits a child can still contact the Aurora Centre for guidance.

Last year, Cassie says over 200 children and youth were referred to the advocacy centre, while the sexual assault centre recorded 744 crisis calls.

Cassie says the Aurora Centre’s growth has also meant looking at populations and issues that require more attention, including older adults, people with disabilities, faith communities and technology-facilitated sexual violence.

The centre is also working toward a restorative justice program for adults impacted by sexual violence. Cassie says the model and its evaluative framework have been developed, but the organization is seeking funding to launch the program.

She says the most important thing is that people understand they do not need to have everything figured out before asking for help.

“They’re welcome to call, they’re welcome to engage with us,” she says. “Don’t be shy. Ask us some questions, come visit with us.”

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Cassie says anyone who sees Aurora staff at a community event and isn’t sure about the centre is welcome to drop by the table.

“It is anonymous, it is confidential,” she says. “We’re open to the questions that you have, and we’ll help you find what you need.”

The Aurora Centre is at Suite 502, 740 Fourth Ave. S. in Lethbridge, and is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Those looking for more information or to access services can call 403-694-1094 or toll-free at 1-844-576-2512. Information can also be found online at aurora-ab.ca.

Alberta’s One Line for Sexual Violence is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 1-866-403-8000.

How to protect farm fuel and equipment from theft this harvest

Written on October 9, 2026. Posted in RCMP & Public Safety.

As farmers across southwestern Alberta work to finish the harvest, Alberta RCMP are reminding them to keep an eye on their fuel.

Alberta RCMP say fuel and equipment are often left unattended in fields and other remote spots during busy seasons like seeding and harvest. Those places are harder to watch and can give thieves an opening, but a few simple precautions can discourage theft and make suspicious activity easier to spot.

Light it up

Improve lighting around fuel storage areas and equipment, including motion-activated lights near tanks, pumps and dispensing areas.
Make sure yard lights reach fuel and equipment storage, and replace burned-out bulbs promptly.
Consider solar-powered lights where electrical access is limited.

Lock it down

Use durable, weather-resistant locks on tank caps, valves and access points, and lock pumps and dispensing equipment when they aren’t in use.
Consider anti-siphon devices or valves to make it harder to remove fuel.
Put fuel-cap locks on tractors, combines, trucks and other equipment that may be left unattended.
Remove keys and secure equipment whenever it isn’t being used.

Keep track

Check fuel inventory and tank levels regularly so a theft or loss shows up quickly.
Compare fuel use with the work being done in the field.
Look into any unexplained drop in fuel levels right away.

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Keep watch

When practical, park equipment where it can be seen from nearby homes or buildings.
Consider cameras or trail cameras for equipment that has to stay in remote locations.
Post signs saying the property is monitored by video surveillance, where that applies.

Report it

Police ask that stolen fuel or equipment be reported as soon as possible. Prompt reports help officers gather information while it’s fresh and spot connections between thefts in neighbouring rural areas.

In the Pincher Creek area, call the Pincher Creek RCMP detachment at 403-627-6000. In Crowsnest Pass, call the Crowsnest Pass RCMP detachment at 403-562-2866. Call 911 if a crime is in progress.

Alberta RCMP share more safety tips on Facebook at @RCMPinAlberta and on X at @RCMPAlberta.

Allison Creek camp asks for pause on West Fraser harvest

Written on October 1, 2026. Posted in Environment.

A group camped near Allison Creek in the Crowsnest Pass wants a planned logging project paused until West Fraser Timber and the province release the science behind it.

Defenders of the Eastern Slopes set up the camp Sept. 22 in the Allison and Tecumseh creek watersheds, about 15 kilometres northwest of Coleman, where West Fraser plans to harvest about 454 hectares of forest.

The same day, the group says, its members spoke with contractors and West Fraser representatives as crews tried to move a bridge toward Atlas Road and a new logging road. The bridge has not moved and remains at the edge of a meadow, the group says.

DOES describes itself as a grassroots group of Albertans concerned about protecting the Eastern Slopes. It focuses on headwaters, native forests, wildlife habitat and threatened species.

“We are not a large formal environmental organization,” says Colin Smith, the group’s media spokesman, in a written response. “The group brings together people who are prepared to advocate directly for the protection of these landscapes.”

West Fraser and the province

West Fraser says its harvest plan follows the direction of the Alberta government’s Community Hazardous Fuels Reduction Program, which it says directs forestry companies to prioritize fuel reduction near communities identified as high-risk for wildfire.

The company says Alberta’s regulatory framework “includes requirements for forestry companies while harvesting, including strict provisions regarding critically sensitive areas and to protect water sources.”

West Fraser says it also obtains authorizations under federal regulations where required.

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The company referred questions about the program to the province. It did not answer questions about the harvest timeline, species in the area or whether it plans legal action in response to the camp.

Alberta Forestry and Parks says the Allison Creek harvest was planned and approved under the current forest management plan. Under the fuels reduction program, which directs harvesting within approved plans to lower wildfire risk near communities, the department says the harvest’s design and timing were reviewed and adjusted to reduce community wildfire exposure “as soon as possible.”

The department says forest management planning weighs wildlife habitat, biodiversity, watersheds, recreation, wildfire risk and timber supply, and that harvest areas are approved through annual operating plans under Alberta’s timber harvest planning and operating ground rules.

Forestry and Parks staff monitor operations for compliance with approved plans and legislation, it says.

The department did not say what specific environmental or species assessments were done for this harvest, whether it has received concerns from DOES or other groups, or what its data shows about westslope cutthroat trout in the area.

The harvest area

DOES calls the area “one of the most diverse forests” in Alberta.

“The characterization comes from decades of field observations of the Allison Creek/Tecumseh Mountain landscape by people with extensive knowledge of the area’s natural history,” Smith says.

The group has described the proposal publicly as a 1,100-acre clearcut. Smith says that figure comes from West Fraser’s August presentation to Crowsnest Pass municipal council, which he says lists an initial proposed harvest area of 550 hectares and a current area of 454 hectares, about 1,120 acres.

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According to DOES, the Alberta government and West Fraser have not presented “any scientific evidence” to justify the project.

Smith says that statement needs context.

“We are not saying that no scientific work whatsoever has been done,” he says.

Smith says West Fraser’s August presentation referred to an equivalent clearcut area analysis and an independent hydrologic risk assessment, which the company said found the proposed harvest to be low risk.

“But stating the conclusion of an assessment is not the same thing as making the science available for independent scrutiny,” Smith says.

He says DOES has not seen the complete hydrological assessment or its underlying data.

The group wants evidence on water quantity and quality, peak and low flows, sediment, stream temperature, fish habitat, and cumulative effects from past logging and roads in the watershed. It also wants evidence tying the harvest plan to wildfire risk reduction.

Smith says the group recognizes that reducing wildfire risk to Crowsnest Pass communities is an important goal.

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“But that still leaves a fundamental scientific question,” he says. “Why these 454 hectares? Why this type and intensity of harvesting? What alternatives were evaluated? And what evidence demonstrates that this particular intervention provides the necessary wildfire-safety benefit while minimizing harm to the headwaters?”

Species

Smith says the area around Allison Creek, Deadman Pass and Tecumseh Mountain has an unusual mix of tree species, including western redcedar, western larch, ponderosa pine, western white pine, limber pine and whitebark pine.

Of those, whitebark pine is listed as endangered under the federal Species at Risk Act. Western redcedar is ranked imperilled in Alberta on Canada’s Wild Species database, a ranking that carries no legal protection. Nationally, it is ranked secure.

The group also points to westslope cutthroat trout in upper Allison Creek. Alberta’s population of the fish is listed as threatened under the federal act, and DOES says it is working to obtain the provincial genetic records on the trout.

David McIntyre, who holds a master’s degree from the University of Washington’s College of the Environment, says he first documented the area’s forest more than 40 years ago and has worked to protect it ever since. He describes the watershed as a “living sponge” that sustains the drought-affected Oldman Watershed.

Clear cutting and associated roads will disrupt creek and spring hydrology, McIntyre says, raising peak flows and worsening low flows while increasing sedimentation. He is also concerned about westslope cutthroat trout in upper Allison Creek.

McIntyre says the forest contains some of Alberta’s oldest trees, which he says serve as records of climate change over the past thousand years through growth-ring analysis.

What’s next

The group plans to continue taking action if construction proceeds. Smith says those actions will remain lawful, peaceful and safe.

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DOES has not yet formally requested an environmental assessment or independent scientific review from the province or West Fraser.

Smith says the group intends to request the release of existing scientific assessments first. He says additional studies should then be considered where information gaps remain.

“We don’t believe the first step should necessarily be commissioning another study if relevant scientific work already exists,” Smith says. “The first step is transparency.”

Council holds off on cutting utility franchise fees

Written on September 23, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government.

Pincher Creek town councillors put off a decision on utility franchise fees Sept. 14 after debating whether trimming the charges to ease pressure on residents’ bills was worth the hit to the town’s budget.

Council also heard Northback Holdings’ economic case for its proposed Grassy Mountain coal mine, voted down a funding request from the library, and set a date for its tax recovery auction.

Council debates utility costs

Council deferred decisions on both the natural gas and electricity franchise fees to Sept. 28.

It was asked to set the franchise fee percentages for 2027 and 2028 at once, as the town now budgets on a two-year cycle. Residents pay these fees on their gas and power bills.

The natural gas fee with Apex Utilities has sat at the maximum allowable 35 per cent since 2024, bringing in about $849,000 in 2025. The electricity fee with FortisAlberta, capped at 20 per cent, brought in about $673,000 in 2025.

Coun. Brian McGillivray proposed reducing the gas fee to 30 per cent, saying residents are facing difficult choices between groceries, rent and utility bills.

Coun. Sahra Nodge has historically supported the higher fee because it allows the town to collect revenue from utility customers who do not pay property taxes. However, she said the increasing dollar amounts have changed her view.

Chief administrative officer Konrad Dunbar told council a reduction from 35 to 30 per cent would reduce revenue by about $134,000. He said that could affect the town’s target of a three per cent tax increase and that keeping services at current levels might require other changes.

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Mayor Wayne Oliver said framing the fees as percentages was misleading, since a household’s actual savings from a five-point cut would amount to only about a dollar or two per bill.

He asked administration to report back on how much franchise fee revenue the town collected last year compared with what was budgeted. He also suggested councillors review their own annual utility bills before making a decision.

Northback outlines economic impact of coal mining

Northback CEO Brad Johnson presented council with findings from a socioeconomic impact study the company commissioned from the accounting firm EY to support its bid to revive the Grassy Mountain coal project in the MD of Ranchland, north of Blairmore.

Johnson said Northback provided EY with project data, including expected costs, employee numbers and other activities. EY then used Statistics Canada data and economic modelling to estimate the project’s broader effects.

The proposed mine would require about $1.4 billion in capital investment during a two-year construction period, Johnson said.

According to the study, about $1.2 billion of that spending could contribute to Canada’s gross domestic product during construction.

The study also estimates about $14 billion in additional Canadian exports over the life of the project.

Johnson said the mine could support about 9,577 full-time-equivalent positions during construction. Operations could support about 1,756 full-time-equivalent positions nationally.

He said the regional impact could include about 875 full-time-equivalent jobs, including direct, indirect and induced positions. Northback expects about 425 full-time-equivalent employees to work directly at the mine.

Johnson said the company expects about $3.8 billion in wages over the mine’s operating life and that about 90 per cent of its operating spending would remain in Canada.

The company is still completing its integrated application for regulatory approval. Johnson said Northback expects to submit the application within the next six months. That could be as early as December, depending on the completion of technical modelling, particularly related to water.

He said the regulatory process could eventually lead to a statement of concern process and additional information requests.

Oliver asked how Northback would address housing needs if the project proceeds, saying the region has limited housing options and could see an influx of workers.

Johnson said Northback has considered the issue and expects employee busing to be part of its plans. The company could provide transportation from Pincher Creek and communities farther east, as well as from Crowsnest Pass, he said.

Johnson also said Northback owns surface land in Crowsnest Pass and is open to discussions with the municipality about potential housing opportunities.

Library funding request denied

Council voted 6-1 against contributing up to $1,100 to Pincher Creek Municipal Library’s two-day dark sky planetarium program, planned for January 2027. Coun. Mark Barber was the only member in support.

The expanded two-day program is expected to cost $8,200. The library has secured $6,000 through grants and is seeking the remaining $2,200.

McGillivray questioned whether the town should contribute while looking for ways to reduce spending and support residents facing financial pressures. He said the request should have gone through the joint funding process instead.

Tax recovery auction set for November

Council approved the terms and process for its 2026 property tax arrears recovery public auction, set for Nov. 16 at 3 p.m. in the council chambers at town hall.

Council also set reserve bids for two properties heading to auction, a mobile home lot at $26,600 and a house at $313,400, based on assessed values.

Oliver questioned whether the reserve amounts were reasonable and why the figures must be discussed publicly.

Dunbar said the practice follows the Municipal Government Act’s requirement that current owners have the opportunity to recover their assessed value.

Regional water planning grant

Council agreed to join the MD of Pincher Creek’s application for a 2026-27 Alberta Community Partnership grant for a regional water and wastewater expansion and upgrade plan. The MD would serve as managing partner, with the town as a participating partner.

The proposed plan would examine the costs of servicing areas including the Pincher Creek Airport and Pincher Station.

The grant program can cover 90 per cent of eligible planning costs, up to $150,000. The application deadline is Oct. 1.

Council reviews second-quarter finances

The town recorded an operating surplus of about $2.24 million for the first six months of the year, largely because the full year’s property taxes were billed in that period. Council accepted the operating statements for the six months ending June 30.

Total revenue for the period reached about $9.18 million, about 75 per cent of the $12.15-million annual budget. Net municipal property taxes came in at about $5.66 million, essentially matching the full annual budget.

Other revenue was closer to the halfway mark:

—User fees and sales: $1.47 million of $2.92 million.

—Franchise and concession fees: $816,000 of $1.43 million.

—Government operating transfers: $623,000 of $838,000.

—Rental income: $322,000 of $829,000.

Total expenses stood at about $6.94 million, or about 52 per cent of the $13.41-million annual budget, in line with the midpoint of the year.

Salaries, wages and benefits made up the largest single expense category at $2.37 million, about 46 per cent of the $5.19 million budgeted for the full year.

Recreation and culture was the largest department expense at $2.08 million of a $4.22-million budget.

Spending on water supply and distribution, wastewater treatment, roads and protective services all tracked between about 28 and 46 per cent of their respective annual budgets.

Dunbar said administration has not identified any major concerns with the statements. He said the town is also working toward more detailed quarterly reporting as it moves through its two-year budgeting process.

Crowsnest council sets byelection date after MacDonald resigns

Written on August 26, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government.

Crowsnest Pass voters will head to the polls this fall after council set the date for a byelection to fill the seat vacated by Colleen MacDonald.

At its Aug. 18 regular meeting, council passed a motion setting Nov. 17 as election day and Oct. 20 as nomination day. Barbara Kelly was appointed returning officer, with Kristin Colucci as substitute returning officer.

The byelection is required under the Municipal Government Act, which mandates a vote be held within 120 days of a council vacancy. MacDonald resigned effective Aug. 6, meaning the municipality had until Dec. 4 to hold the vote.

Nomination period now open

The nomination period began Aug. 19, the day after council approved the election date, and continues until noon on Oct. 20.

Nomination packages are available through the municipality and papers can be submitted at the municipal office at 8502 19th Ave. in Coleman.

Under a legislative change introduced in 2025, anyone intending to run must file a written notice, known as Form 29, before accepting campaign contributions or incurring election expenses. The municipality is required to maintain a public register of candidates who have filed that notice.

Kelly has served as returning officer for the municipality’s previous three elections. Colucci, her substitute, has worked on the past six elections and leads the department responsible for municipal elections.

The returning officer appoints election workers, establishes voting stations, orders election supplies, receives nomination papers and oversees the conduct of the election.

Voting subdivisions unchanged

Council opted to keep the municipality’s existing three voting subdivisions rather than treat Crowsnest Pass as a single one.

Subdivision A covers Coleman, subdivision B covers Blairmore and Frank, and subdivision C covers Bellevue and Hillcrest.

Voting stations are expected to remain at their usual locations: the MDM Community Centre gym for Bellevue and Hillcrest, the Elks Community Hall for Blairmore and Frank, and either the Crowsnest Curling Club or Coleman Seniors Centre for Coleman.

Voting stations will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., as required under the Local Authorities Election Act.

Advance, special and institutional voting

As a municipality with a population of more than 5,000, Crowsnest Pass is required to hold an advance vote. The returning officer will set the exact date, which must be more than 24 hours before election day. Administration is targeting Nov. 5, depending on when ballots can be printed following nomination day.

Special ballots are available to eligible electors who cannot vote during the advance vote or at a voting station on election day. Under other 2025 changes, special ballots can no longer be returned through the municipal office drop box.

Institutional voting will be held at Peaks to Pines Lodge, Crowsnest Pass Health Centre, Tecumseh Apartments and Westwind Apartments.

Election costs

The byelection was not included in the municipality’s budget. Council approved $25,000 from the mill rate stabilization reserve to cover election expenses. There will be no cost recovery through a shared election with the school board.

The 2020 byelection saw 553 voters cast ballots out of 4,540 eligible. In comparison, 2,028 of 4,932 eligible voters cast ballots in the 2025 municipal election.

Administration recommended reducing the number of voting polls because the byelection is expected to have lower turnout than a general municipal election. Using one poll per voting subdivision is expected to save about $4,800.

Administration also presented an option to eliminate the voting subdivisions and operate three polls at Blairmore Community Hall, which would have saved an additional $1,400. Council chose to retain the three established voting subdivisions while reducing the number of polls.

MacDonald’s resignation

MacDonald resigned after a legal challenge to her eligibility to run in the 2025 municipal election. It alleged she did not meet the six-month residency requirement under the Local Authorities Election Act ahead of the October 2025 vote.

The court had not ruled on the merits of those allegations before MacDonald resigned.

MacDonald received 714 votes and finished last among the six successful council candidates.

In her resignation statement addressed to CAO Patrick Thomas and Mayor Pat Rypien, and published in the Pass Herald, MacDonald said defending her eligibility had come at “enormous personal cost,” affecting her reputation, emotional well-being and family finances.

She said she ran for council to serve the community and did not regret seeking office.

MacDonald also expressed hope her successor could focus on serving the community without experiencing the same level of what she described as personal scrutiny.

With MacDonald’s resignation, the byelection will now determine who fills the vacant seat, with results expected to be declared Nov. 23, ahead of council’s Nov. 24 meeting and December budget deliberations.

Municipal Elections

Construction vehicles working on a double lane highway

Mountain section of Highway 3 twinning still without a timeline

Written on August 18, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government, Environment.

Alberta’s transportation minister says the province is still working through the most challenging stretch of the Highway 3 twinning project — the section between the Crowsnest Pass and Piikani Nation — and cannot yet say when construction will move forward.

Speaking at an Aug. 11 rural media roundtable, Devin Dreeshen said the complex mountain section remains in the design phase. He was also questioned about wildlife crossings and other transportation issues.

Pressed on when planning for twinning the Crowsnest-to-Piikani section will finish and when construction tenders might follow, he said the province is still deciding the best route through the mountain pass.

“You can’t design and engineer forever,” he said, adding a decision on alignment will eventually need to be made.

The Treasury Board requires projects to be fully shovel-ready before construction money is approved. Dreeshen promised more details on timelines later.

The 47-kilometre twinned section between Taber and Burdett is now complete, while the remaining segments are in various stages of planning, design and engineering.

Dreeshen said the province divided the overall Highway 3 twinning project into eight sections so work could begin on the less complicated stretches first. The mountain sections near the British Columbia border are more complicated, while the connection near Medicine Hat still requires design work.

Dreeshen described Highway 3 as the next step in supporting southern Alberta’s growing economy. He linked the project to the province’s investment in irrigation infrastructure, saying expanded irrigation is expected to increase agricultural production and attract new agri-food investment, which would mean more commercial traffic along the corridor.

As work continues in Alberta, he said, the province is also discussing Highway 3 improvements with British Columbia. He acknowledged concerns that twinning the highway to the Alberta border could simply shift congestion west if similar upgrades are not completed in B.C.

Alberta will continue talks with the B.C. government about extending twinning on the B.C. side of the border, he said, adding the province wants Highway 3 to function as an economic corridor that extends beyond Alberta’s border.

Wildlife crossings called a success

Dreeshen said wildlife overpasses, underpasses and fencing have proven successful in reducing collisions between vehicles and animals.

“I think we should be telling that story better,” he said.

He noted that other jurisdictions, including Montana, have shown interest in Alberta’s wildlife crossing program.

Following the roundtable, a department spokesperson from the Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors told Shootin’ the Breeze that the proposed Island Ridge Wildlife Overpass remains in the design phase. It is planned for the north side of Highway 3 near the Island Lake Provincial Recreation Area, west of Crowsnest Pass.

The Iron Ridge Wildlife Underpass is also in the design phase. It is planned for the Jim Prentice Wildlife Corridor, about five kilometres along Highway 3 between Coleman and Crowsnest Lake.

Other wildlife crossing projects along Highway 3 are in preliminary design.

The Rock Creek Wildlife Underpass, which runs along Highway 3 between Lundbreck and Burmis along with a short distance north up Highway 22, was completed in December 2025.

Construction on the $10.7-million underpass and wildlife fencing project began in June 2024.

The underpass provides a safe crossing for wildlife such as deer and elk through an area with a high number of wildlife-vehicle collisions. Camera monitoring recorded an estimated 76 animals using the underpass during its first month of operation, with mule deer accounting for most of the recorded crossings.

Post-construction data collected in 2026 is expected to be released through Alberta’s open data portal in early 2027.

The ministry also pointed to Reconnecting the Rockies, a scientific initiative led by Alberta Environment and Protected Areas in partnership with researchers and non-profit organizations. The project is studying how wildlife move through the landscape before, during and after wildlife crossing infrastructure is built.

Reconnecting the Rockies aims to create a connected system of wildlife crossings and fencing along 80 kilometres of Highway 3 between Hosmer, B.C., and Lundbreck. It is designed to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions while restoring movement for species including grizzly bears, elk, deer, sheep and wolverines across one of the most important wildlife corridors in the Canadian Rockies.

Other issues

Dreeshen also addressed transportation issues elsewhere in Alberta, including regional air service, photo radar and truck enforcement.

He said the province is reviewing expressions of interest from airlines interested in providing regional air service to communities such as Medicine Hat, after WestJet ended service earlier this year. Alberta is also examining models used in other provinces, including Saskatchewan, where governments subsidize a certain number of seats on regional routes.

Dreeshen defended the province’s restrictions on photo radar, saying Alberta relied on the technology more than most jurisdictions without seeing better traffic safety results. Municipalities can still apply for exemptions if they can demonstrate a need for photo radar outside school, playground or construction zones.

On truck safety, Dreeshen said Alberta has shut down 20 trucking companies and five fraudulent driver-training schools since October as part of an ongoing enforcement campaign. While it is too early to measure the long-term impact, he said removing unsafe carriers should improve safety over time.

Highway 3 Twinning, Wildlife Crossings

More home dialysis among goals of Lethbridge unit expansion

Written on August 18, 2026. Posted in Health & Wellness.

Southern Alberta’s kidney-care system is getting more room to grow as cases of advanced kidney disease have risen by 20 per cent over the past five years.

A new hemodialysis unit at Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge increases weekly treatment capacity by 25 per cent, while an expanded kidney-care clinic gives patients more options for home-based dialysis.

The province has invested $23.4 million in the expansion, increasing the number of treatment stations at the hospital from 24 to 30 and allowing the hemodialysis unit to support up to 180 patients each week.

The expansion is more than a Lethbridge project. It is part of a regional kidney-care system that serves patients from Pincher Creek, Crowsnest Pass, Fort Macleod and other surrounding communities.

For rural patients, distance is part of the picture. Hemodialysis is typically needed three times a week, and the drive to Lethbridge is about 100 kilometres each way from Pincher Creek and about 150 from Crowsnest Pass.

Although there are dialysis centres in Blairmore and Fort Macleod, patients typically receive their first few treatments in Lethbridge before they can transition closer to home. The Lethbridge expansion does not add spaces at the rural centres, but growth in home dialysis could let more patients avoid the drive.

Shakhawat Hossain, patient-care manager with Alberta Kidney Care South, says the larger Lethbridge unit is important because patients starting dialysis need closer monitoring during the first few weeks.

“Usually when we start this treatment, especially the hemodialysis treatment, we try to keep them in our bigger centre, and our bigger centre is Lethbridge for this area,” he says.

Once patients are stable, the care team can move them to a rural centre, based on where they live and available space. Crowsnest Pass Health Centre and Fort Macleod Health Centre are the two rural options in the area.

Fort Macleod has capacity for 38 patients, while Crowsnest Pass has capacity for only five, Hossain says.

Staff settle into new shared space

The Lethbridge unit, which opened in late July, “has been good so far,” Hossain says.

“We’re adjusting some things here and there, and finding out what’s been working, what’s not, and working with the rest of the team, making sure that everybody is satisfied and making sure that we provide the best care possible.”

The new unit also brings staff together in one location. Previously, the dialysis team worked in a unit outside the main area, which made communication between nurses and other staff more difficult, Hossain says.

The new space is brighter and larger, allowing staff to work more closely and support each other during patient care.

A system under growing pressure

Hossain says the services offered have not changed. What has changed is the unit’s ability to keep pace with a growing patient population.

The Lethbridge centre was not over capacity, but he says it was getting close.

“Even in the next five years, if our number goes to 160, 170, we’re ready for it,” Hossain says.

Planning for the new unit factored in projected demand across the wider region, which includes Taber, Cardston, Pincher Creek, Crowsnest Pass, Fort Macleod and Picture Butte, among others.

Increasing the number of patients who can be treated at home will be a key measure of the program’s success, Hossain says.

Patients can choose between two options: peritoneal dialysis and home hemodialysis. The kidney-care clinic has four clinical rooms and five treatment areas, and supports both.

“Over the coming months, we’re looking to see if we can increase our home modality capacity so that we can have more and more patients receiving their treatment in their home,” Hossain says.

Alberta Health Services will also track patient comfort, treatment effectiveness and staff satisfaction in the months ahead, he adds.

The home-based approach could also help reduce pressure on hospital-based care, although Hossain says it is too early to tell whether the new unit has affected emergency department wait times or patient flow.

How patients get access

Patients with chronic kidney disease are followed regularly through the clinic. When a nephrologist determines a patient needs dialysis, a modality team explains the options.

After discussion with their care team, patients can choose between peritoneal dialysis, home hemodialysis or in-centre dialysis, depending on what fits their needs.

Province highlights closer-to-home care

In a July 30 media release, Adriana LaGrange, Alberta’s minister of hospital and surgical health services, framed the expansion as part of the province’s push to deliver care closer to home.

Martin Long, minister of infrastructure, said the new renal program providing home-dialysis training supports a service many Albertans rely on multiple times a week.

The province says the $23.4-million investment is part of broader health-care infrastructure spending in southern Alberta.

It also includes $59 million over three years for cardiac services at Chinook Regional Hospital and Medicine Hat Regional Hospital, and $74 million over three years for a new health centre in Cardston.

Dialysis, Home Dialysis, Kidney Disease

Graphic with the text "Municipal News from the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass" on the right side, featuring a stylized image of people seated around a meeting table on the left.

Personal data status unknown after Crowsnest Pass cyberattack

Written on August 11, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government.

Two weeks after a cyberattack hit the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass, officials still cannot say whether residents’ personal information was affected — even as most services have been restored.

The municipality detected the breach July 29 and immediately brought in external cybersecurity specialists to investigate. The incident was announced in a July 30 news release.

Most systems and services have since been restored, according to deputy chief administrative officer Kristin Colucci, though tax and utility billing have been slower to come back.

Officials say they are still working to determine the full scope of the incident, including whether any personal information was affected.

“As the investigation is ongoing, the municipality is unable to provide further details at this time,” Colucci says. “If the investigation determines that any personal information has been affected, appropriate steps will be taken in accordance with applicable privacy legislation.”

Billing delays

Property tax withdrawals and utility billing notices, both by mail and email, are normally processed on the last day of the month but have been delayed by the incident.

Municipal office staff are currently unable to provide account information, such as balances and account numbers.

Residents can still make payments online using a credit or debit card, and Colucci says tax and utility billing services are expected to resume early next week.

Investigation continues

The municipality has not said what caused the breach, which systems were initially affected or when the investigation will conclude.

“If we determine that personal information was affected, we will share that update and let residents know how to get more information,” Colucci says in the July 30 release.

Officials say they will continue to share updates as the investigation progresses. Residents with questions or concerns can call 403-562-8833.

Cyberattacks, Cybersecurity, Data Privacy

Gavel rests on sounding block on a table.

Water Not Coal asks court to overturn petition ruling

Written on August 4, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government, Environment.

The fight over coal mining near the headwaters of the Oldman River is headed to court. Corb Lund‘s Water Not Coal campaign has asked a judge to overturn Elections Alberta‘s decision that its petition, signed by more than 200,000 Albertans, fell just short of forcing a referendum.

One of the two projects the petition targeted is Northback Holdings’ Grassy Mountain, near the Oldman headwaters in the Crowsnest Pass. The other is Valory Resources’ Blackstone project in Clearwater County, near the headwaters of the North Saskatchewan River.

The campaign filed its application for judicial review July 29 in the Alberta Court of King’s Bench, on behalf of initiative proponent Lund. It argues Elections Alberta applied verification standards stricter than the Citizen Initiative Act requires, wrongly excluding thousands of valid signatures.

The application asks the court to declare the initiative successful or, failing that, send it back to Elections Alberta for reconsideration.

“More than 200,000 Albertans signed this petition in good faith, and they deserve a fair and reasonable process,” Lund said in a statement.

“Thousands of Albertans were effectively shut out by verification processes that don’t make sense. This judicial review is about ensuring that citizens’ voices weren’t lost in technicalities.”

How the count fell short

Water Not Coal submitted 207,435 signatures to Elections Alberta on June 10. An initial count validated 196,088 — well above the 177,732 needed to force a referendum.

A second-stage verification, conducted from June 11 to July 2, dropped that number to 172,088, leaving the campaign 5,644 signatures short. It was the first citizen initiative petition verified with scrutineers present, a change introduced through Bill 23, the Justice Statutes Amendment Act, 2026.

What the application alleges

The judicial review application raises several concerns about how Elections Alberta carried out its verification.

On the legal standard, it points to sections 4 and 6 of the Citizen Initiative Act, arguing the chief electoral officer demanded more than the legislation sets out and undermined its purpose of encouraging public participation in direct democracy.

On the verification calls, the application says the process required electors to recall precise details from a petition they may have signed months earlier, with limited opportunity to clarify their answers.

It also says the calls did not display “Elections Alberta” in caller ID as previously indicated and questions whether the agency considered the recent electors-list data breach and its possible effect on response rates.

On the statistical side, the application challenges the five per cent margin of error and the sampling method, arguing the process failed to account for uncertainty in small sample sizes, applied the mid-point of a formula rather than its low-point, and replaced non-responding electors too quickly.

Together, the campaign says, those practices rejected too many signatures and accepted too few.

The petition and how it got here

The petition, formally titled No New Coal Mining in the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains, sought to prohibit new coal exploration and mining in the region, exempting mines already in active production as of Jan. 1, 2026.

The campaign began after Elections Alberta issued a notice of initiative petition Feb. 10. Signature collection ran until June 10, when Lund and supporters delivered 18 bins of petition sheets to Elections Alberta’s Edmonton office in a horse trailer.

Elections Alberta’s response

As of publication, Elections Alberta had not publicly responded to the judicial review application. In an earlier written response to Shootin’ the Breeze on the caller-ID concerns, however, the agency said caller ID displaying “Elections AB” was active during verification, and that testing confirmed it worked as intended.

Some recipients may not have seen the identification, the agency said. Individual telephone companies may not include caller ID in their registries and some recipients may have had spam-blocking or caller ID settings that hid it.

Electors selected for verification received a text message before a verification phone call, if they had provided a phone number, the agency said. If a call went unanswered, staff left a voice mail explaining its purpose, a callback number and the verification questions.

Electors who provided an email instead received a message asking them to verify their petition information.

“No signatures were deemed invalid or failed verification because an elector did not answer a phone call or respond to an email or voice mail,” the agency said.

Citizen Initiative Act, Citizen Initiative Petitions, Coal Mining, Eastern Slopes, Judicial Review, Petition Verification, Referendums, Water Protection

Bob Toothill stands beside the Alderson-Carthew Summit trailhead information board and points to a location on the trail map.

Bob Toothill died in fall on Great Divide Trail, family says

Written on July 31, 2026. Posted in RCMP & Public Safety.

Update – Friday, July 31

The search for Bob Toothill has come to an unfortunate end in Waterton Lakes National Park. Seven days after he was reported missing, the 81 -year-old man from Golden, B.C., was located deceased July 30.

His daughter, Natalie Neustaedter, shared in a Facebook post that he died from “a sudden slip-and-fall while hiking the Lineham Ridge area of the Great Divide Trail.”

The search began July 23 after Toothill failed to arrive in Coleman (Crowsnest Pass) as expected. The seven-day effort included Pincher Creek RCMP, Parks Canada, Alberta Search and Rescue Teams, Parks Canada Drone pilots, Alberta RCMP Air Services and specially trained police service dogs.

Condolences are extended to Bob Toothill’s family and friends.

Search for missing Waterton Hiker remains active

Update – Tuesday, July 28

“Please help us bring him home.” That’s what Natalie Neustaedter asked of the community after her father, 81-year-old Bob Toothill, went missing on the Great Divide Trail.

RCMP confirmed late Tuesday afternoon the search remains active and Toothill has not yet been found.

His pack was located Sunday, July 26, and RCMP say this has tightened up the search to an unspecified area of the park.

Toothill, of Golden, B.C., set out from the Alderson-Carthew Summit trailhead in Waterton Lakes National Park on July 16, and Neustaedter says he was expected to reach Crowsnest Pass by July 22.

He was last seen July 19 at the Rowe Lakes trailhead. Other hikers he chatted with expected to see him at Lone Lake that night but he didn’t arrive.

Neustaedter says the family contacted RCMP and Parks Canada on July 23, after realizing her father was overdue.

RCMP say Parks Canada, Pincher Creek RCMP, Southwest Alberta Regional Search and Rescue and police dog services are all taking part in the search. Air searches have also been conducted.

Neustaedter describes her father as an experienced outdoorsman, fitter than most people half his age.

While public support is appreciated, RCMP and Parks Canada ask people not to search independently.

The search-and-rescue tip line is no longer accepting calls, but anyone with information they believe could be important is asked to contact their local RCMP detachment.

Updates will be posted they are received. RCMP do not know when the next update will be available.

Search narrows for Bob Toothill, hiker missing in Waterton backcountry

Update – Monday, July 27

Parks Canada says the search for Bob Toothill of Golden, B.C., has narrowed to a specific section of Waterton Lakes National Park.

His daughter, Natalie Neustaedter, says searchers found his backpack in the Tamarack Basin area late Sunday afternoon. High winds kept a helicopter from flying a team in, she says, and a two-person team went in early Monday for a more focused search.

Parks Canada says it is concentrating its efforts in the western part of the park, with Southwest Alberta Regional Search and Rescue covering areas outside it and aircraft assisting. No trail closures are in place.

Toothill may be wearing dark blue shorts or pants and a light blue shirt.

Both Parks Canada and Toothill’s family are urging people not to search on their own. Parks Canada says the terrain is remote, rugged and mountainous, and that unauthorized searches could put people at risk and pull resources from the operation.

The most helpful thing the public can do, the agency says, is share official updates.

Neustaedter says the family is grateful for the messages and offers of support, calling the response overwhelming.

Anyone with information, or who was in the area and saw someone matching Toothill’s description, is asked to call 1-855-727-6825, extension 2.

Search underway for Bob Toothill, missing in Waterton backcountry

Original post – Sunday, July 26

Somewhere on Section A of the Great Divide Trail, in the mountains between Waterton and the Crowsnest Pass, an 81-year-old hiker is missing, and his family is asking for help bringing him home.

Bob Toothill, of Golden, B.C., is an experienced outdoorsman his daughter describes as fitter than most people half his age. According to Parks Canada and his family, he set out from the Alderson-Carthew Summit trailhead in Waterton Lakes National Park on July 16 at 11 a.m., and was seen by other hikers as he started.

His daughter, Natalie Neustaedter, has pieced together the days that followed from calls, campground records, a trail camera and the hikers who crossed his path.

On July 17, she says, he phoned family to say hikers ahead of him had been charged by a grizzly and that he’d seen a sow and cubs himself. Bob told one family member he was heading down into a meadow to get around the bears but did not ask to be picked up at that time. It is unknown if he camped on the trail that night.

Neustaedter has confirmed that Bob arrived at the Waterton townsite campground Saturday, July 18 and checked out July 19. That Sunday morning, around 11, he got off a shuttle at the Rowe Lakes trailhead with two other hikers and was caught on a trail camera there.

Bob mentioned to other hikers that he might try to flag the bus to carry on toward Tamarack Trail. He was expected at Lone Lake that night, Neustaedter says, but other hikers say he never arrived.

The Parks Canada notice lists the Rowe Lakes trailhead as the last place he was seen, and says he was expected to reach Coleman by July 22.

When the pieces stopped fitting together, Neustaedter says, the family raised the alarm, reaching out to Parks Canada and Crowsnest Pass RCMP on July 23.

The response since has been considerable, according to the family. Search and rescue teams from Crowsnest Pass, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat have been out on the ground and in the air, Neustaedter says, with helicopters and riders on horseback in the search. B.C. search and rescue are assisting across the border as well. RCMP have asked businesses in Coleman and the surrounding area to keep watch, and notices have been posted along the trail.

As of Friday night, she says, the entire trail had been walked twice, with no sign of him.

Neustaedter says the worry is that her father is hurt somewhere. He’s a strong hiker who can cover 15 to 20 kilometres or more in a day, she says, which means the ground he might have reached is wide. His cellphone is powered off, and a satellite phone he carried was never activated.

“If you have seen Bob, or have noticed anything on the trail or outside the trail that seems unusual, please contact the search team,” she says.

Neustaedter says the family is grateful to the RCMP, the search crews, Waterton park staff, and the friends and hikers who’ve never met her father and have turned out to help anyway.

“Please help us bring him home,” she says.

The Parks Canada notice asks anyone who saw Toothill, or who hiked Section A of the Great Divide Trail since July 19, to call the search team at 1-855-727-6825, extension 2.

Bob Toothill points to a location on the Alderson-Carthew Summit trail map in Waterton Lakes National Park.

Photos courtesy of Natalie Neustaedter

Backcountry Hiking, Hiking, Missing Persons, Search and Rescue

A color-coded map shows areas in red, orange, and yellow, with several location markers and warning icons near Lethbridge. The left side features terrain detail and a label for Fernie.

Fire ban and restrictions in effect across southwestern Alberta

Written on July 31, 2026. Posted in RCMP & Public Safety, Weather.

Dry conditions and rising fire danger have prompted new fire restrictions across the region.

A fire ban is now in effect for the Town of Pincher Creek, the Village of Cowley, Piikani Nation and the Municipal District of Pincher Creek.

The Municipality of Crowsnest Pass has moved from a Fire Advisory to a Fire Restriction, and Waterton Lakes National Park is under its own fire restriction as well.

Pincher Creek, Cowley, Piikani Nation and MD of Pincher Creek — Fire Ban

Under the ban:

No new debris or fire pit permits will be issued.
Existing debris permits are cancelled.
Existing and new recreational fire pit and burn barrel permits are suspended until conditions improve.
Fireworks are prohibited.
All open fire is prohibited.
Propane barbecues and fire pits are still permitted.

People are asked to use caution with off-highway vehicles.

The ban will remain in effect until conditions improve. For more information, call 403-627-5333.

Crowsnest Pass — Fire Restriction

The restriction took effect July 29, and will remain in place until conditions improve or further escalation is needed.

Not allowed:

Outdoor wood fires on public land, including backcountry and random camping areas

Any burning on private land, other than a campfire

Fireworks and exploding targets

Still allowed:

Backyard fire pits
Propane fire pits and gas-powered appliances
Charcoal and wood-burning devices with an on/off switch
Indoor wood fires
Open-flame oil devices

For more information, contact the municipal office at 403-562-8833.

Waterton — Fire Restriction

Campfires are permitted only in designated Parks Canada metal fire rings or boxes and cook stoves within cooking shelters.

Building a rock ring in place of these designated pits is not permitted, and random fires are never allowed.

To safely enjoy a campfire in the park:

Keep campfires small and only in designated fire rings or boxes.
Never leave a campfire unattended.
Completely extinguish campfires with water — soak it, stir it, and soak it again until it’s cool to the touch before leaving it.
Naturally occurring wildfires, such as those from lightning strikes, can’t be prevented, but human-caused fires can. Parks Canada asks the public to help keep communities and first responders safe by not lighting illegal campfires.

Report wildfires, illegal campfires or suspicious smoke to Parks Canada Dispatch at 1-888-927-3367.

For the most current fire ban information, visit albertafirebans.ca.

Fire Bans, Fire Restrictions

Crowsnest Pass residents want a clear plan for growth

Written on July 15, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government.

Crowsnest Pass council has accepted the results of the municipality’s first structured public engagement session, in which residents called for a clearer long-term plan for how their community grows — the priority that drew the strongest support.

Council received the results as information at its July 7 meeting. The session itself, held June 16, brought 48 residents together in small groups to name what they value about Crowsnest Pass and what they want changed.

The findings showed strong support for protecting outdoor recreation and health care alongside concerns about growth, the economy and bylaw enforcement.

Residents worked in six groups, each including a council member, brainstorming ideas, narrowing them into actionable priorities and ranking which mattered most.

The clearest message was a call for direction on growth. Residents called on council to follow existing bylaws and the Municipal Government Act, enforce land-sale terms and update the municipal development plan to reflect a community-wide vision.

Economic development was the second-highest priority. Residents said they want barriers to business growth removed, more light-industrial opportunities, and better co-ordination between tourism and the arts.

Bylaw enforcement and nuisance properties, attracting a second grocery store and calls for tighter fiscal management — including suggestions of a third-party or forensic financial review — rounded out the top concerns.

Residents also raised operational concerns outside the formal priorities. Among them were recycling bins being emptied into the river, road maintenance in Blairmore, snow removal that blocks business access, and parking enforcement in downtown Coleman. Those items will be forwarded to the relevant municipal departments for followup.

While raising concerns about the community’s future, participants also highlighted what they believe makes Crowsnest Pass a strong place to live and what they feel needs protection.

Outdoor recreation topped that list, with residents pointing to trail systems, alpine and Nordic skiing, hiking, fly fishing and off-highway vehicle access. This was followed closely by health care, including the hospital, dental care, pharmacies and home care. Access to Crown land and backcountry wilderness, community events and culture, and volunteer opportunities followed.

Some offered suggestions for future sessions, including a chance to address the full room, combining similar ideas before voting so support isn’t split, and a later start time.

The session grew out of a motion brought forward last December by Coun. Doreen Johnson in response to residents who felt their voices were not reflected in council decisions.

Council directed administration to develop a structured public-engagement process, rather than a traditional open-microphone forum. That work was also shaped by a January municipal survey that received 448 responses and flagged many of the same themes — economic direction, housing, infrastructure, bylaw enforcement and municipal transparency — that resurfaced in June.

A summary of the town hall is posted on the municipality’s website at bit.ly/4wAbRYf.

“I think it was very successful and residents seemed quite happy,” says Sasha Lassey, the municipal communications co-ordinator. “We were happy with the turnout and we’re looking forward to the next one.”

A date for the second session hasn’t been set, but she says the municipality hopes to hold it in the fall, possibly October.

Bylaw Enforcement, economic development, Municipal Development Plans, Municipal Government Act, Municipal Transparency, Outdoor Recreation, public engagement

A chalkboard that says Livingstone Range School Division unveils new education plan

New LRSD plan aims to boost learning, belonging and career paths

Written on July 8, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government, Education.

Students across Livingstone Range School Division will see a greater focus on strong academic foundations, mental well-being and planning for life after graduation under a new four-year education plan.

The plan for 2026 to 2030 passed June 15, setting out three priorities — academic excellence, a stronger sense of belonging, and a culture of innovation that connects classrooms to careers.

Superintendent Sean Beaton says the direction reflects months of consultation with parents, students, teachers and school administrators who identified the skills students need to succeed beyond high school.

The plan covers 14 schools across eight communities, stretching from Fort Macleod in the east to Crowsnest Pass in the west, including a virtual school, two outreach schools and 13 Hutterite colony schools. About 3,700 students are enrolled this year.

Built on community input

The plan was developed through what the division describes as a broad engagement process. Consultations began last fall, starting with administrators and department leaders, then moving to conversations with school councils across the division.

Nearly 400 parents responded to an online survey in March and students weighed in through the Livingstone Leaders group.

“We believe the priorities, priority statements and the short-term goals reflect the feedback we received from all stakeholders,” Beaton tells Shootin’ the Breeze.

Trustees also reviewed results from division-wide assessments and engagement tools, including the Measurable Results Assessment along provincial data and accountability reports.

Beaton attended many of those meetings himself.

“Parents want us to focus on tangible, real-world competencies,” he says. “They explicitly asked for support in developing critical thinking, financial literacy, strong numeracy and essential interpersonal skills.”

That feedback pointed to gaps. High school completion rates have fallen, especially for Indigenous students, access to support services has shrunk and Grade 9 achievement has stagnated. The new plan is built to close those gaps.

Goal 1: Academic excellence

A major focus of the plan is academic success, especially in foundational skills.

Under the academic excellence priority, the division aims to strengthen learning through structured supports in literacy and numeracy, along with targeted academic improvement strategies.

The plan calls for an instructional framework that will bring together literacy, numeracy and social-emotional learning approaches by 2030. A literacy and numeracy framework is expected by 2027, with consultant Myron Dueck helping shape assessment practices.

Grade 9 students currently hit the acceptable standard on provincial achievement tests 62 per cent of the time. The division wants that number at 65 per cent by June 2027.

Schools will use early intervention teams to catch struggling students sooner and specialized literacy and numeracy teachers will support junior high classrooms directly.

“We are answering the call for strong foundational skills by building out comprehensive literacy and numeracy frameworks,” Beaton says.

Goal 2: Schools where students feel they belong

The second priority, a sense of belonging, centres on mental health and equity.

A new social and emotional learning framework is coming by June 2027, based on the widely used Collaborative Social and Emotional Learning Framework. A steering committee including mental health therapists, family-school liaison counsellors and the division’s clinical team lead is building it now.

Student well-being is already supported through extensive mental health services across the division, but more work is needed, Beaton says.

“The division does not receive enough funding from Alberta Education to provide this level of support,” he says. “That being said, the LRSD board of trustees, along with the administration team, feel the level of support we provide is essential to student success.”

Belonging also means closing the gap for Indigenous students. The division plans to hire Indigenous success coaches to mentor students through graduation and a superintendent’s elder advisory committee will guide culturally responsive supports.

The division is also partnering with a post-secondary institution on community-led research to understand why some Indigenous parents feel disconnected from their children’s schools and how to improve communication between schools and Indigenous families.

Goal 3: A clearer path after graduation

The third priority, a culture of innovation, is about life after high school.

Every Grade 11 and 12 student will meet one-on-one with a career practitioner at least once a year, starting this fall, and the division is building a tracking dashboard so no student falls through the cracks.

Career practitioners will also promote dual-credit courses and off-campus programs, which let students earn credits toward trades or college while still in high school. The division plans an information campaign for parents this fall, hoping more families will learn these options exist.

“The overarching goal in the first year of the plan is to develop a unified instructional framework for the division,” Beaton says. “Parents can expect to see comprehensive information regarding career pathways, high school completion and our academy programs.”

AI enters the classroom, carefully

For the first time, the education plan also includes guiding principles for the use of artificial intelligence in schools.

AI will be treated as what the division calls a “co-pilot, not an auto-pilot,” meant to support teachers and students, not replace the relationships between them. The division says any AI tools used in classrooms must protect student privacy and data.

“Parents and teachers have asked the division to ensure the tools being used in classrooms are safe and adhere to current privacy requirements in Alberta,” Beaton says. “We need to ensure we teach students how to safely and effectively use these tools in their daily life.”

Ambitious but achievable, superintendent says

Beaton acknowledges implementing the plan will come with challenges, particularly given the number of simultaneous priorities.

“The goals for the first year of the plan are ambitious,” he says. “The biggest challenge will be competing priorities. However, many of the component parts already exist across the division. This plan unifies these practices by providing a clear multistep plan.”

The division will track progress annually and adjust the plan each year through 2030.

Staff wellness is also part of the strategy — the division plans to strike a wellness committee this year to support teachers, since officials say staff well-being directly shapes student success.

As the division moves into implementation, Beaton says the goal is to ensure families see their input reflected in schools and to strengthen partnerships between educators, students and parents.

“I hope they see opportunities to be partners with us and are encouraged by the direction we are going,” he says, adding that success will be measured school by school, student by student, over the next four years.

Academic Achievement, Artificial Intelligence in Education, Career Pathways, Education Plans, Indigenous Education, Literacy, Numeracy, Student Well-Being

Corb Lund, man with dark hair wearing a cowboy hat with crowd behind him

Lund weighs legal action after coal petition fails

Written on July 8, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government, Environment.

The Water Not Coal campaign says it submitted more than enough signatures to force a referendum on new coal mining in Alberta’s Eastern Slopes, but Elections Alberta says it missed the mark by 5,644. Now proponent Corb Lund is exploring a court challenge over how the count came up short.

In a statement issued July 6 Lund says he has concerns about the “procedural fairness” of Elections Alberta’s validation and verification process and is consulting lawyers over whether it was applied reasonably.

Of 207,435 signatures submitted, the agency validated 196,088 — comfortably above the 177,732 required under Alberta’s Citizen Initiative Act. But a verification step that involved contacting a sample of signatories by phone and email reduced the estimated number of valid signatures to 172,088, leaving the campaign short.

Lund has concerns about the number of signatures removed during the process.

“In the end, 35,000 of 207,000 signatories were rejected for various reasons. This seems like a ridiculously large number, given the thoroughness and dedication of our canvassers,” he says. “After being briefed by my lawyer/scrutineer that was in the room during the count, I have some real issues with the way this was handled.”

He says Albertans made their opposition to coal development clear and the government should not allow “thousands of Albertans” to be disenfranchised. He and his team have 30 days to file for a judicial review and are weighing their options.

Lund says the provincial government should recognize the 172,088 verified signatures and pause coal development in the Eastern Slopes.

“That’s 10 per cent of actual voters from the last election,” he says. “The overwhelming voices of Albertans opposing development in these areas needs to be respected.”

Water Not Coal director Laura Laing defended the campaign’s canvassers.

“We had 196,088 validated signatures, meaning there was only a five per cent error rate in the signature sheets submitted by our volunteer canvassers. In a complex and detailed process, this reflects exceptional integrity and professional accountability,” she says.

“They are understandably exasperated by the announcement.”

Lund says he is now “up to his eyeballs in meetings with attorneys specializing in administrative law.”

Next steps for Water Not Coal are expected in the days ahead.

Reaction in the region is split

The outcome landed differently among locals, in a region long divided over coal development.

Allan Garbutt, a Cowley resident who supports the petition, is unhappy with the result. He questions whether the verification process was fair to signatories, not the campaign.

“I don’t think there was a lack of signatures,” he says. “I think it’s a difficult verification process.”

“This day and age, who picks up the phone for an unknown caller? A whole lot of email gets directed straight to junk. I suspect that had a lot to do with Elections Alberta not being able to verify some signatures.”

Garbutt trusts Lund and Water Not Coal to navigate the legal process ahead.

Pincher Creek resident Don McRae takes the opposite view. He is “very pleased” with the announcement, saying modern regulations already protect water sources from mining impacts.

“I believe the environmental guidelines today make companies more accountable to ensure water is not harmed,” he says. “I believe the southwest corner of Alberta needs an industry like Grassy Mountain to bring economic development to our area.”

McRae says the province should work with the federal government to keep environmental standards in place while approving development.

“Our younger generation needs some good-paying careers so they stay and raise families in our communities,” he says.

How the count worked

The 177, 732 threshold represents 10 per cent of the voters who cast ballots in Alberta’s 2023 provincial election.

Elections Alberta says signatures were most often removed during validation for errors in elector information, missing information, duplicate entries — 551 in all — and incomplete canvasser declarations.

The verification process, which reduced the total further, involved contacting a random sample of petition signatories by phone and email to confirm their information. This reduced the estimated number of valid signatures to 172,088.

The agency also checked the petition against seeded names as an anti-fraud measure and found none among the submitted signatures.

Background

The petition, formally titled No New Coal Mining in the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains, sought to prohibit new coal mining and exploration. It would have exempted mines already in active production as of Jan. 1, 2026.

Two projects were named directly. One is Northback Holdings’ Grassy Mountain project near the headwaters of the Oldman River in the Crowsnest Pass. The other is Valory Resources‘ Blackstone project in Clearwater County, near the headwaters of the North Saskatchewan River.

Grassy Mountain has a contentious history. A joint federal-provincial review panel rejected the project in 2021, when it was held by Benga Mining. It later returned to the approval process under Northback Holdings. In May 2025, the Alberta Energy Regulator approved deep-drilling exploration permits for the site.

The petition campaign launched with the issuance of a notice of initiative petition on Feb. 10. Signature collection ran until June 10. Lund and Water Not Coal supporters delivered 18 bins of signature sheets to the Elections Alberta office in Edmonton, unloading them from a horse trailer.

Verification began June 11 and concluded July 2, as required by regulations. It was the first citizen initiative petition verified with scrutineers present, a change introduced through Bill 23, the Justice Statutes Amendment Act, 2026.

Under the act, Lund and other proponents were required to return the petition and canvasser identification documents, destroy copies of signature sheets and file a signed affidavit confirming both steps by July 6.

Financial reports related to the campaign are due to Elections Alberta by Aug. 10.

Bill 23, Citizen Initiative Act, Coal Mining, Coal Policy, No New Coal Mining Petition, Resource Development, Water Security

Local schools to get new support teams under $100M plan

Written on July 8, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government, Education.

Livingstone Range and Holy Spirit each gain teams, but a local teacher says one-time money won’t fix years of underfunding

Livingstone Range School Division will receive one new classroom support team and the Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Separate School Division two, part of a $100-million provincial spend on what the government calls increasingly complex classrooms.

Both divisions received larger allocations in the winter — two teams for Livingstone Range and five for Holy Spirit, all in kindergarten through Grade 6. This round extends the support into higher grades, where local teachers say the need is mounting and the help, while welcome, falls short of what’s required.

The funding, announced June 29, will create 223 new complexity teams across the province — 160 for grades 7 to 12 and 63 for kindergarten through Grade 6. Of the $100 million, $75 million funds the teams and $25 million improves access to specialized supports and training in rural and remote communities.

“Every student deserves a safe, supportive classroom, and every teacher deserves the tools to succeed,” says Demetrios Nicolaides, minister of education and child care. “This money will strengthen supports, improve safety and ensure teachers have the resources to manage increasingly complex classrooms.”

Every public, separate and francophone school jurisdiction in Alberta will receive at least one additional complexity team, deployed at the school-authority level so divisions can direct support where needs are greatest.

Locally, the two new Holy Spirit teams and one Livingstone Range team are for grades 7 to 12. It is up to each division to decide which of its schools the teams serve.

Cautious optimism

Ron Gillespie, a teacher at Crowsnest Consolidated High School in Coleman and past president of the Alberta Teachers’ Association Local No. 14, says the funding reflects ongoing gaps rather than a new solution.

He welcomes the funding but calls it “reactionary,” a response to years of underfunding rather than a sustained fix.

“This is a short-term response by throwing money at an issue that we, as an association of professionals and parents and communities, have been calling attention to for a long time,” Gillespie says.

While one complexity team may translate locally into one teacher and one educational assistant, he says the impact remains limited.

“That’s not a lot, but it is something,” he says. “What it looks like on the ground, I’m not sure yet. A lot of that is going to be handled divisionally and those are decisions made outside the purview of teachers.”

Gillespie also raises concerns about recruitment, particularly in rural settings. He says the province’s broader hiring targets raise questions about where those teachers will come from, with schools already seeing fewer applicants than in previous years and additional challenges with housing costs and support staff retention.

“We used to have lineups for applications and that has dwindled,” he says. “Sometimes we’re looking for two feet and a heartbeat to try to get into classrooms.”

Gillespie supports the province’s plan to fast-track professionals from the trades and business into teaching, but only if they receive proper training before entering the classroom.

He says Alberta remains among the lowest-funded provinces per student for public schooling and that sustained, predictable funding — rather than a one-time investment — is what would make a lasting difference for students with complex needs.

Statistics Canada‘s most recent figures, for 2022-23, put Alberta school boards’ operating spending at $11,464 per student, about 16 per cent below the national average of $13,692.

The provincial breakdown

Each Grade 7-12 team includes a teacher and an educational assistant, with access to behaviour specialists, social workers and other specialists.

The funding is part of $355 million in Budget 2026 for class size and complexity, which also includes a $200-million grant to hire more than 1,400 teachers and reduce class sizes. It builds on a $143-million commitment in February for up to 476 complexity teams in K-6 classrooms.

Teachers welcome funding, press for delivery

The Alberta Teachers’ Association calls the announcement a step forward but says the real test is getting staff into classrooms.

“Any investment that recognizes the realities of class size and classroom complexity in Alberta’s classrooms is a welcome and important step forward. The challenge now is to actually get teachers in front of students,” says ATA president Jason Schilling.

“The success of today’s investment will be realized when qualified teachers are in schools by September, when resources reach the classrooms with the greatest need and when this funding is sustained over the long term,” he says.

The association says it will continue to push for sustained investment, predictable staffing and smaller class sizes.

Class Sizes, Classroom Complexity, Education Funding, Public Education, Rural Education, School Funding, Student Supports, Teacher Recruitment

AlbertaSW executive members and municipal representatives pose together at the annual general meeting.

From Mounties to Mountains grows to 25 years of regional collaboration

Written on July 4, 2026. Posted in Business & Economy, Community Life.

“I never miss an AGM. Alberta SouthWest is the most important organization in the region,” said the mayor of Nanton, Jennifer Handley, referencing the Alberta SouthWest Regional Alliance and its June 3 annual general meeting.

The organization is the original on which eight other alliances across the province were modelled. Each brings together municipal governments, non-profits, businesses and other organizations to promote economic and tourism activities. AlbertaSW stretches from Nanton to Cardston to Crowsnest Pass.

Speakers at this year’s AGM paid tribute to the people who have made the alliance’s work possible for a quarter-century, in particular thanking executive director Beverly Thornton for her leadership.

Alberta SouthWest is a driving force in attracting tourists, entrepreneurs and investors to the region. With its unique landscapes and mix of industry, people and resources, the area attracts people interested in sustainable economic development, community growth and wealth generation.

Following a dinner served in the Zoeteman-Vogelaar Dairy Barn at Heritage Acres Farm Museum, former Pincher Creek mayor Art Bonertz outlined the early days of the alliance.

“People refer to me as the instigator for getting things going,” he said.

As newly elected mayor, Bonertz called local businesspeople and asked, “What can Pincher Creek do to help you guys succeed?”

In 2001, he also reached out to elected officials in Fort Macleod, asking what would happen if both towns pooled their tourism budgets. This led to a series of partnerships and production of a promotional brochure for the entire southwestern region, a project matched by provincial funds.

The communities involved at the time were Pincher Creek, Crowsnest Pass, Fort Macleod, Cardston and Claresholm.

By 2003, 11 communities had signed the joint-venture agreement running under the name From Mounties to Mountains Economic Regional Initiative. The name Alberta SouthWest was suggested in 2005 by John Irwin, then mayor of Crowsnest Pass.

The Reel Adventures Alberta Movie Map Project launched in 2007. It serves a dual purpose — attracting filmmakers to the area and allowing moviegoers to follow the steps of their favourite on-screen characters across the regional landscape.

Bonertz said the five communities that signed the original memorandum of understanding in 2001 started by looking for “low-hanging fruit,” carrying out simple actions that promoted municipalities while saving money. Regional business licences were also established to support more than 350 businesses.

Bonertz encouraged current leaders to continue collaborating.

“I don’t think there has ever been a time when we needed each other more,” he said.

Mickey Vallee addresses AlbertaSW members gathered in the loft at Heritage Acres Farm Museum.

Speaking to a full loft in the Z-V Barn, Heritage Acres executive director Mickey Vallee welcomes everyone to the farm museum.

Livingstone-Macleod MLA Chelsae Petrovic speaks during the AlbertaSW annual general meeting.

Livingstone-Macleod MLA Chelsae Petrovic thanks members of AlbertaSW for their leadership.

Sahra Nodge presents a bouquet to Beverly Thornton while AlbertaSW executive members stand nearby.

As members of the AlbertaSW executive look on, secretary-treasurer Sahra Nodge presents a thank-you bouquet to longtime executive director Bev Thornton.

Shawn Patience, former Fort Macleod mayor, echoed the sentiment. He remembers being elected to council in 1989, when local governments rarely spoke to one another.

Working through AlbertaSW taught him “it is to our benefit to work together,” he said. “We are not competitors, we are allies.”

Informal conversations over dinner indicated how much attendees appreciate the opportunity to gather.

Today, AlbertaSW brings together municipal staff and elected officials from Glenwood, Hill Spring and Cowley with those from organizations like Heritage Crowsnest, Alberta Innovates, the Regional Innovation Network of Southern Alberta and many others.

Sahra Nodge, a Pincher Creek town councillor, was reconfirmed as secretary-treasurer, with Fort Macleod Mayor Brent Feyter continuing as chair and Claresholm Mayor Brad Schlossberger as vice-chair.

Livingstone-Macleod MLA Chelsae Petrovic said, “Getting this many people and players organized for 25 years is no small feat.”

Great ideas, she said, come directly from people who understand what is needed in communities and who work to make things happen.

“That kind of insight is invaluable,” she said.

Guest presenters shared examples of projects they are working on.

Brad Donaldson, president and CEO of Lethbridge Polytechnic, referenced his school’s motto: Preparing Learners, Shaping Communities. He explained how recent modernization work supports the school’s new course offerings.

By adding 23 programs, including pre-veterinary medicine, the polytechnic is helping young people access educational opportunities locally so they can build careers in the region, rather than going to larger cities for schooling and settling far from home.

Sean Miles, director of investment development for AlbertaSW, put it this way: “I consider myself a possibilist. I consider what I can do.”

That pragmatic can-do attitude has served the regional alliance well for 25 years and carries forward.

Anniversaries, economic development, Tourism

Blank petition form with tip of fountain pen above signature line

Corb Lund’s coal petition fails by 5,644 signatures

Written on July 3, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government, Environment.

A citizen-led campaign aimed at stopping new coal mining along Alberta’s Eastern Slopes has failed to clear its final hurdle after a provincewide signature review.

Elections Alberta confirmed July 3 that the initiative led by musician Corb Lund and the Water Not Coal group is unsuccessful under the Citizen Initiative Act.

Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure said the petition did not meet the required threshold after verification and statistical sampling of signatures collected across the province.

Despite more than 196,000 signatures being counted as valid, the verified total fell below the legal requirement needed to trigger the proposed legislative change.

Under Alberta’s rules, a successful citizen initiative requires support from 10 per cent of voters who cast ballots in the most recent provincial election. That number was set at 177,732 signatures based on the 2023 general election.

Organizers appeared to clear that bar easily. Elections Alberta reported that 196,088 signatures were initially counted as valid.

“There’ll be a few bad addresses, but we only needed 178,000. That’s a really big buffer. So we’re quite confident,” Lund told Shootin’ the Breeze after delivering the signatures to Elections Alberta.

However, after a required statistical sampling process applied at a 95 per cent confidence level, the estimated number of valid signatures dropped to 172,088, leaving the campaign 5,644 signatures short of the threshold.

In a statement issued July 3, Lund said he was “simultaneously shocked by this outcome, yet, unfortunately, not surprised, given the continual government rule changes and roadblocks we have faced throughout this campaign.”

He questioned both the result and the process behind it.

“This has been an unreasonable and opaque process from the beginning and, despite diligently following every rule, we are left with more questions than answers,” he said. “I have grave concerns about how this number was reached and the fairness of the process itself.”

Lund said his campaign delivered more than 205,000 signatures on June 10, of which roughly 35,000 were rejected. Elections Alberta’s count began from 196,088 signatures it initially deemed valid, which random statistical sampling then reduced to an estimated 172,088. The agency did not publish a figure for the total number of sheets delivered.

How the count worked

Provincewide, an estimated 5.8 per cent of Alberta’s roughly 2.96 million registered electors signed the petition, according to Elections Alberta.

The agency said most signatures rejected during the initial validation phase were tied to incomplete elector information, invalid dates, electors signing more than once and incomplete or improperly completed canvasser signature witnessing declarations.

During the verification phase, further signatures were lost. Some electors could not be reached and others were unwilling to confirm their information.

Elections Alberta also confirmed the petition was checked against seeded names drawn from the Republican Party of Alberta’s list of electors, an anti-fraud measure added May 1, 2026. No matches were found.

The petition, formally titled the No New Coal Mining in the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains initiative, sought to prohibit new coal mining and exploration. It would have exempted mines already in active production as of Jan. 1, 2026.

Two projects were named directly. One is Northback Holdings’ Grassy Mountain project near the headwaters of the Oldman River in the Crowsnest Pass. The other is Valory Resources’ Blackstone project in Clearwater County, near the North Saskatchewan River’s headwaters.

The petition campaign launched with the Notice of Initiative Petition on Feb. 10. Signature collection ran until June 10. Lund and Water Not Coal supporters delivered 18 bins of signature sheets to the Elections Alberta office in Edmonton, unloading them from a horse trailer.

Verification began June 11 and concluded July 2, as required under the Act. It was the first citizen initiative petition verified with scrutineers present, a change introduced through Bill 23, the Justice Statutes Amendment Act, 2026.

The process now moves to its final steps.

Under the Act, Lund and other proponents have until July 6 to return the petition and all canvasser identification documents to Elections Alberta, destroy any copies of signature sheets and file a signed affidavit confirming both steps were completed.

Financial reports related to the campaign are due to Elections Alberta by Aug. 10.

“Today’s announcement is merely another step in the overall fight to protect the Eastern Slopes, not the end of it,” Lund said. He will outline Water Not Coal’s next steps on Monday, July 6.

Bill 23, Citizen Initiative Act, Coal Mining, Coal Policy, No New Coal Mining Petition, Resource Development, Signature Verification, Water Security

Graphic with the text "Municipal News from the Town of Pincher Creek" on the left, featuring an image of a large statue of blue pincers in a flower bed.

Town considers funding women’s shelter as province cuts $60,000

Written on June 24, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government, Health & Wellness.

Pincher Creek town council is considering ways to support the Pincher Creek Women’s Emergency Shelter Association after the organization warned a provincial funding reduction could force service cuts and leave more women and children without access to safe shelter.

During a June 8 presentation to town council, a delegation from the shelter asked municipal leaders to advocate to the provincial government for the restoration of funding removed under Alberta’s new Emergency Family Violence Services program.

Council has not yet made a decision, but Mayor Wayne Oliver said the matter is expected to return to council for discussion on how the municipality should proceed.

According to PCWESA, it is one of 13 rural Alberta shelters that received a five per cent cut to their operating funding under the new provincial program, announced May 19. The reduction translates to roughly $60,000 — money already allocated in the shelter’s budget before the cut was announced.

“This funding cut means job losses, people being turned away, not having access to safe supports,” executive director Lori Van Ee told Shootin’ the Breeze in a previous interview. “We are already underfunded and to receive a five per cent cut from our budget is huge.”

The cuts are set to take effect July 1, midway through the fiscal year for most shelters, after operating budgets were already approved and staffing commitments made.

Tanya Matthews, treasurer of PCWESA, told council the timing made the situation especially difficult, because the government controls exactly how shelter funds are allocated — meaning the shelter cannot simply shift money between categories to absorb the shortfall.

“The government dictates where the money goes within the shelter, so we can’t just move money around to pay bills and pay staff,” Matthews said.

The shelter serves a wide geographic area, providing emergency accommodation for up to 21 days for women and children fleeing domestic and gender-based violence. Its catchment area stretches from Claresholm and Fort Macleod through Brocket, Standoff, Cardston, Pincher Creek and Crowsnest Pass.

Between April 2025 and March 2026, PCWESA received 422 calls for assistance and provided shelter services to 118 women and children, the delegation told council. During the same period, 120 women were turned away due to complex needs the shelter was unable to accommodate.

Adding to the funding concerns is a new mandate from the province directing shelters to prioritize admission for individuals considered to be in “imminent danger.”

Matthews said the government has not provided a clear definition of the term, creating confusion for shelter staff trying to determine who qualifies for services.

The consequence of that ambiguity was demonstrated June 4, just days before the council presentation, when PCWESA was forced to turn away a local woman and her three children.

The family was facing homelessness but did not meet the government’s threshold for imminent danger, because they were not under immediate threat of physical harm from another person, council was told.

“If somebody’s now just facing homelessness, that’s simply not enough,” Matthews said. “The new mandate is aimed at domestic violence. It [applies to] people who are in the threat of actual physical violence, like they could be killed by an intimate partner.”

The federal government, she noted, defines homelessness itself as a severe risk to life and therefore a form of imminent danger — a standard that differs markedly from how the province is now applying the term.

The shelter’s outreach program, staffed by two employees, currently supports 25 women and 33 children, and served 38 women and 51 children over the past year.

Matthews said this program is critical for preventing crises before they escalate to the point where emergency shelter is required, and warned that cutting it would place additional pressure on policing, health care and social services.

The province’s cuts come one year after the government announced a 10-year strategy to address gender-based violence and provided PCWESA with a one-time funding enhancement of $35,000.

“We actually considered broadening our scope to take vulnerable men, and now this year that plan is completely off the list,” she said.

Province, advocacy group at odds

The Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters has taken the issue to the highest level of the provincial government.

In a May 27 letter to Premier Danielle Smith, ACWS executive director Catherine Champagne and board president Sandy Vander Ziel asked the government to delay implementing the $970,000 in total funding cuts provincewide until the 2027-28 fiscal year. The letter was co-signed by Van Ee and representatives of eight other affected shelters.

The letter warned that without sufficient time to identify alternative revenue sources, the result would be immediate job losses and reductions to core services for women and children seeking safety.

As of June 22, the shelter had not received a response from the premier’s office.

At the local level, Matthews said the impact could be visible on Pincher Creek’s streets. An encampment already exists along Christie Mines Road and women and children turned away from the shelter could end up there.

“We will see more homelessness, more deaths, more crime, more people slipping into addiction,” she said. “It will impact local residents — they might not think it’s their problem now, but it will impact them somewhere.”

Council weighs its options

While the shelter’s primary request was for political advocacy rather than direct financial assistance, the question of whether the town should also contribute money emerged during council discussion.

Mayor Oliver acknowledged the importance of the shelter’s outreach work, describing early intervention as a practical investment in preventing far larger problems down the road.

He suggested one possible path forward would be for each of the six municipalities served by the shelter — Claresholm, Fort Macleod, Cardston, the MD of Pincher Creek, Pincher Creek and Crowsnest Pass — to consider contributing $10,000.

“If each community contributed $10,000, that would take care of the deficit,” Oliver said.

Under the town’s process, any financial contribution would require a formal motion brought before council and passed by a majority vote.

“The town could possibly donate $10,000 if it’s put on the agenda and moved by motion,” he said. “I’m only one person speaking, and seven people have to vote on it.”

Oliver also clarified that a town contribution would not be conditional on other municipalities agreeing to chip in. Whether or not other communities choose to contribute, Pincher Creek council could still decide independently to offer support.

The matter is expected back before council as a request for a decision in the future. Oliver acknowledged timing matters, given the shelter is already mid fiscal year and the $60,000 gap is immediate.

PCWESA plans to make similar presentations to other affected municipalities in the coming weeks.

Beyond financial support, the shelter’s central ask is political: that councils across the region lobby their MLA to reverse the funding cuts, and that they carry the issue forward at the fall municipal convention, where it could be raised more formally with the province.

Matthews said the shelter hopes the town’s backing — whatever form it takes — will signal to other communities that Pincher Creek takes the issue seriously.

“We just wanted council to be aware of what’s happening,” she said. “We would appreciate any funding, of course, but our biggest thing is just making sure that the shelter stays afloat.”

Emergency Family Violence Services Program, Family Violence, Family Violence Prevention, Gender-Based Violence, Homelessness, Municipal Funding, Operational Funding, Rural Shelters, Shelter Funding, Women’s Shelters

Jim Green, a Pincher Creek supporter of Water Not Coal, stands with Corb Lund.

Coal petition delivered, premier says no October ballot

Written on June 23, 2026. Posted in Civic & Government, Environment.

Corb Lund’s campaign to halt new coal mining along Alberta’s Eastern Slopes has cleared its threshold, but Premier Danielle Smith says the question won’t appear on the Oct. 19 referendum ballot, despite earlier indications it would.

On June 10, Lund and a group of Water Not Coal supporters unloaded 18 bins of signature sheets from a horse trailer outside the Elections Alberta office in Edmonton. Lund says organizers used the trailer to make a point about who this fight belongs to.

“We got over 205,000,” Lund told Shootin’ the Breeze. “There’ll be a few bad addresses, but we only needed 178,000. That’s a really big buffer. So we’re quite confident.”

Organizers say the four-month signature drive drew support from across the province — from urban centres to rural communities, First Nations and remote areas near the Eastern Slopes.

“It shows that Albertans are very strongly against these coal mines at the headwaters of our rivers,” Lund says. “We got signatures from 84 out of 87 ridings in the province. It was a very wide group of Albertans voicing their opinion.”

For Water Not Coal spokesperson Laura Laing, a rancher and longtime advocate for protecting the Eastern Slopes, the delivery was a milestone.

“It was very heartwarming,” she says. “We kind of wrapped all those months of blood, sweat and tears. It was quite the moment in history, really. One of the biggest moments that I think our province has seen on a grassroots initiative.”

Smith says deadline had already passed

On her June 13 Your Province, Your Premier radio show, Smith said the proposal is a legislative initiative that must be reviewed by a committee before recommendations are made to government.

During an unrelated press conference four days later, Smith told reporters the coal question will not appear on the Oct. 19 ballot. She said Elections Alberta set a June 1 deadline for the final list of referendum questions and the Water Not Coal verification process could not be completed in time.

Elections Alberta later confirmed to media that the deadline was set to ensure technological readiness, staffing and materials in advance of the referendum, saying each additional question requires 4.9 million ballot sheets.

Smith said the petition will instead be referred to a legislative committee, which will not be assembled until the legislature reconvenes Oct. 27.

“They’ll decide what direction to take with it,” she said. “It could result in a recommendation for a provincewide vote, which would take place in October of 2027.”

Smith also pointed to complications the committee would need to consider: provincial legislation requiring compensation when private property rights are restricted and the 2024 Crowsnest Pass plebiscite.

The premier’s announcement marks a shift from her earlier public position. As recently as April, she told reporters she expected the deadline for adding referendum questions to align with the close of the Water Not Coal signature-collection period.

Justice Minister Mickey Amery‘s office said the government plans “to see this process play out” and wait for the final verified signature count.

Lund disputes the deadline

Lund criticized the decision, saying organizers were not informed of the deadline despite discussions with the premier while the petition campaign was underway.

“To be told that the petition won’t make the ballot because it allegedly missed a June 1 deadline is unacceptable,” Lund said in a statement following the premier’s comments.

“I personally met with the premier in her office on May 11. We were literally discussing the wording of my question as it should appear on the ballot, face-to-face. And at no point was any June 1 deadline mentioned.”

Smith repeatedly said publicly that if Water Not Coal collected enough signatures, the question would appear on the fall ballot, Lund said.

“My team, all the canvassers and Albertans in general deserve consistency, honesty and fair treatment around these petition and direct-democracy issues that the premier has professed to believe in so strongly, so many times.”

He also argued the government has the authority to add questions to the ballot if it chooses.

“If the premier wants to put something on the ballot, she easily can,” he said. “She has done so multiple times — first with her original nine referendum questions, and then with the current question on separatism. The authority and the choice are available to her. And Albertans deserve to know why that authority was not used in this case, despite more than 200,000 people calling for it.”

Lund also pointed to evidence beyond the petition itself.

“Independent findings from the coal policy review initiated by the former UCP government in 2021 showed more than 80 per cent of Albertans oppose new coal mining on the Eastern Slopes,” he said.

“Those facts, and the overwhelming public support reflected in more than 200,000 signatures, cannot be dismissed by a procedural excuse or an arbitrary deadline that was never communicated.”

On the Crowsnest Pass plebiscite Smith cited, Lund said the comparison was misleading.

“A turnout of roughly 1,700 people in a heavily lobbied local referendum in the Crowsnest Pass that voted in favour of the Grassy Mountain mining project (which is not even in the Crowsnest Pass municipality) does not represent the will of Albertans,” he said.

“More people canvassed for this petition than were even permitted to vote in the Crowsnest Pass plebiscite that the coal companies like to refer to so frequently. The scale of public concern is provincewide, and it cannot be minimized.”

What the petition asks

The petition calls on the provincial government to prohibit new coal mining and exploration anywhere along Alberta’s Eastern Slopes, exempting only mines already in active production as of Jan. 1, 2026.

It specifically names Northback Holdings‘ Grassy Mountain project near the headwaters of the Oldman River in the Crowsnest Pass area and Valory Resources’ Blackstone project in Clearwater County, near the headwaters of the North Saskatchewan River.

The Grassy Mountain proposal was rejected in 2021 by a joint federal-provincial review panel. Held at the time by Benga Mining, the project re-entered the approval process under Northback Holdings, and in May 2025 the Alberta Energy Regulator approved deep-drilling exploration permits.

Industry responds

Northback Holdings and Valory Resources both responded to the petition delivery with statements to CBC News on June 10. The Coal Association of Canada has also been a vocal industry voice during the campaign.

Northback’s strategic communications manager, James Robson, said there is strong support for the Grassy Mountain project “as demonstrated by provincewide external polling which determined that up to 74 per cent of Albertans support it.”

“Further, the 2024 referendum in Crowsnest Pass saw 72 per cent support for the Grassy Mountain project,” Robson wrote.

“If approved, the Grassy Mountain project will produce high-quality steelmaking coal for global markets, provide hundreds of millions of dollars in economic benefits and hundreds of direct jobs, while adhering to the highest environmental standards.”

Ian Black, CEO of Valory Resources, said in a written statement that his company is committed to developing its underground metallurgical coal mine responsibly.

“It is disappointing to see misinformation about this industry, especially in Alberta,” Black said.

Rina Blacklaws, vice-president of industry development for the Coal Association of Canada, told the Western Standard in early June that the petition would put project decisions in “the court of public opinion as opposed to the technical expert review panel at the Alberta Energy Regulator.”

“That can put our province at a disadvantage in attracting private sector investment and realizing the economic and community benefits that come with critical mineral development,” Blacklaws said.

Where things stand

Elections Alberta has until July 2 to complete signature verification.

Lund closed his statement with thanks to the campaign’s supporters:

“I want to thank every Albertan who signed, every volunteer who canvassed, and every community group that stood up to protect our water, mountains and ranchland. Your work matters. We will continue to organize, to demand accountability, transparency and to insist that promises made to the public are kept.”

Citizen-Led Petitions, Coal Mining, Coal Policy, Direct Democracy, Environmental Protection, Public Accountability, Referendums, Water Security

The image features the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) crest on a background of blue and red police lights, with the text "Crowsnest Pass RCMP" in bold white letters on a black banner.

Crowsnest Pass RCMP search for missing two-year-old boy

Written on June 17, 2026. Posted in RCMP & Public Safety.

Update – June 18 @12:18 a.m.

The missing child was located and is safe.

*** Original Post – June 17 @ 10:35 p.m. ***

Crowsnest Pass RCMP are asking for the public’s help to find a missing two-year-old boy.

He is described as Caucasian with reddish hair and was last seen wearing purple pyjamas.

If you see this child, please call 911 immediately.

No further details (location last seen or photo) have been provided but will be posted here when updated.

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