Alberta's Brad Jacobs defeated Manitoba's Reid Carruthers 6-5 in the Page playoff 3-4 game on Saturday afternoon at the Montana's Brier in Kelowna, B.C.

Police responded to a single-vehicle rollover on Stoney Trail N.W., just north of Crowchild Trail N.W. at around 11 a.m.

Not since the Trans-Canada Highway’s completion in 1971 has there been such a push for major projects — everything from an east-west energy corridor to port expansions and rail upgrades. Yet to truly propel GDP, proponents say Canada must look beyond regional efforts and build big — and fast.

Millions of dollars — and thousands of jobs — are in flux as seemingly daily changes to tariffs mean Canada-based businesses feel they can't make any financial decisions.

Smith told reporters Friday that an unnamed group had approached the government with the idea to ship unused medication from Turkey to war-torn areas around the world.

Police say Dylan James Shott, 32, was teaching high school classes at the time of the alleged assaults, but the girl who reported him is not a student at his former school.

Alberta's governing United Conservatives have booted a rural backbencher from caucus following his public opposition to the government's proposed budget.

The post March 3-7, 2025 appeared first on Alberta Views.

Province announced it will spend $18.2 million over five years to expand its aquatic invasive species inspection, detection and rapid response programs.

The province, the City of Edmonton and the Edmonton Oilers ownership group are nearing an agreement that would pay for an event park beside Rogers Place and thousands of new housing units north of Ice District. The money would also pay for the demolition of the Coliseum, the Oilers former home arena.

Alex Van Herk, 55, was one of three men found guilty of mischief for their roles in the 2022 blockade at Coutts, Alta., which tied up traffic at the U.S. border to protest COVID-19 rules and vaccine mandates.

The UCP MLA demanded the health minister's removal during the Alberta Health Services probe. A day after he left cabinet, he entered a 30-day caucus probation.

Smith told an audience of municipal leaders Friday that the trade war with the United States is creating an "administrative and technical nightmare" for many Alberta businesses and exporters.

Some schools in the Edmonton's public school division are having dozens of students alternate between learning from home and learning online, while the school support worker strike continues. 

Aarron Kowalchuk was sentenced to more than four years in prison, but with enhanced credit for time already served in the Edmonton Remand Centre, plus acknowledgement of harsh conditions he faced, he has about a year and a half left behind bars.

On this day in 1957, a quarterback — and a future premier — named Don Getty was signing another contract with Edmonton's football team.

Getty first came to Alberta in 1955 as a new graduate and newlywed. While at the University of Western Ontario, he played basketball and football. Then, in 1955, Getty received and accepted an offer from Edmonton's team to play football.

The timing couldn't have been better. Getty and the team went on to win the Grey Cup in both 1955 and 1956. Getty would stay as quarterback with the team for the next decade, proving himself a valuable asset and ending up on its Wall of Fame.

In 1965, another former football player, Peter Lougheed, approached Getty to run for the Progressive Conservatives in the 1967 provincial election. While the Progressive Conservatives did not unseat the dominant Social Credit Party at the polls that year, Getty won Strathcona West in Edmonton, becoming one of the party's "Original Six". In the next election, in 1971, the PCs ended Social Credit's 36-year reign and took a majority, with Getty again winning, this time in Edmonton-Whitemud.

Getty served as the minister of intergovernmental affairs and the minister of energy before he left politics in 1979. He returned in 1985, running for and winning the leadership of the PC party, and then became premier. As premier, Getty took the reins at a turbulent time for Alberta: Oil prices were cratering, and the economy was in a dire state. Getty was criticized for responding with some expensive promises during the 1986 election. It didn't help that Getty was also prone to gaffes and attempts at jokes that got him in trouble, including saying the then-ongoing Chernobyl disaster would end up benefiting Alberta's oil sector.

In the 1989 election, the PCs held on to power, though they lost seats, including Getty's. That forced Getty to run in a byelection to regain a seat in the legislature. Getty continued to lead the province until 1992, when he resigned and took a step back from the public eye. He remained in Edmonton until his death in 2016.

Getty's legacy is complicated. Aside from managing economic turmoil, his terms in office saw Alberta attract increased investment in the oilsands and negotiate land claims with Indigenous nations. Today, though, Getty is probably best known for the Family Day holiday, an idea that the family-oriented premier was reportedly passionate about establishing. That holiday provided a welcome break for Edmontonians a few weeks ago.

This clipping was found on Vintage Edmonton, a daily look at Edmonton's history from armchair archivist Rev Recluse of Vintage Edmonton.

A field at Commonwealth Stadium may soon be renamed to Play Alberta Field, a member of Edmonton's Naming Committee confirmed to Taproot.

In December, the committee was consulted on naming the field after the gambling website. Play Alberta is the only regulated online gambling website that is offered to Albertans. It is operated by Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis. The revenue the website generates goes into the provincial general revenue fund.

Taproot asked the City of Edmonton to confirm the sale and provide specific details such as which field, the value of the deal, and other points, but a spokesperson said a news release would be available on March 7.

The Name Sale Policy, adopted in 2007, allows city-owned facilities to be named after corporations or businesses as recognition for financial support. The policy states that city facilities must only be linked with organizations that are "compatible with, complementary to, and reflective of the City's values and mandate."

On Dec. 2, the Naming Committee voted unanimously against naming the field Play Alberta Field.

Matt Dance, the committee's chair, clarified to Taproot that the committee's vote was not necessarily because it disagreed with the name. While the committee's mandate is to approve names that meet the criteria laid out in the Naming Policy, "the Name Sale Policy is interested in making money — in selling the naming rights to specific things and then putting that name … on that thing," Dance told Taproot.

The committee also voted against the Booster Juice Recreation Centre in Terwillegar name, which replaced Terwillegar Community Rec Centre and was announced in August 2024. "We're really agnostic on the names that come forward through the Name Sales Policy," Dance said. "We just don't feel that we're in a capacity to approve or disapprove something that's being approved by a different process."

At the Dec. 2 meeting, the committee made a motion asking city council "to consider the erosion of place-making through the sale of naming rights of civic assets, and how this does not align with the values expressed in the Naming Policy."

Council voted unanimously to accept the name sale agreement for the Edmonton Elks partner field at a council meeting in early February. Discussions about the agreement were held in private. Taproot has not been able to confirm which field in Commonwealth Stadium will be renamed.

The committee is reviewing the Naming Policy and its relationship to the Name Sale Policy. By the end of 2026, the two policies will no longer reference each other and administration will no longer be required to consult the committee regarding the sale of facility names, according to the committee's 2025 work plan.

University of Calgary researchers are leading a national surveillance system, tracking respiratory virus trends among Canadian children who seek care in hospitals.

Premier Danielle Smith ordered a halt to imports of American alcohol products. But because Alberta's liquor retail is privatized, the province can't pull existing stock from shelves.

The federal and Alberta governments are ushering in new support for Jasper, Alta., as the mountain town continues to rebuild from last summer's devastating wildfires.

Alberta RCMP is now formally investigating allegations of political pressure and potential conflicts of interest surrounding procurement practices at Alberta Health Services.

Alberta estimates its current agreement with the federal government, which is set to expire on April 1, 2026, has already reduced child-care fees for parents by 80 per cent.

The oil pipeline operator that was spun off from TC Energy last year says its marketing segment faces pressures from 10 per cent tariffs on energy exports to the United States.

Christopher Becks admitted to pressuring two women into the sex trade, one of whom he trafficked and sexually assaulted after initially offering to help her get off Edmonton's streets.

A city committee is urging council to partner with EPCOR to accelerate the adoption of ground-source heat pumps.

The Energy Transition Climate Resilience Committee, the board that advises Edmonton city council on transitioning toward renewable energy, recently wrote an open letter proposing that the city partner with EPCOR to fund and deploy heat pumps in new residential construction and retrofits of existing homes.

"This is the single most important upgrade we can make available for new homes and retrofits to reduce emissions from Edmonton's buildings," the letter said.

While a natural gas furnace burns gas to heat air and then forces that heated air through vents, a ground-source heat pump uses the earth as a source of thermal energy to heat a home, Dave Turnbull, president of Enerspec Energy Consulting, told Taproot.

"It's an air conditioner that goes forwards and backwards," Turnbull said. "There's always heat (in the ground and air), and what (a heat pump) does is it just transports heat from one place to another through a medium, which is the refrigerant that's in the units."

Financing programs like the committee has proposed exist in British Columbia with BC Hydro and Ontario with Hydro One. The committee has proposed that EPCOR would pay the upfront cost of installing a heat pump and the homeowner would repay that over a term of about 25 years through a monthly utility fee that is less than the typical cost of heating a home with natural gas.

Mattamy Homes, an Ontario-based homebuilder that has several developments in the Edmonton region, has used the Ontario program to achieve an 80% reduction in emissions and about 65% reduction in energy use across multiple developments in that province, the committee's letter said. Mattamy has achieved net-zero design on entire developments with a cost premium of less than $20,000, and the premium is paid by the utility, keeping the upgrade out of the price of the house, the letter said.

Buildings are responsible for more than one-third of greenhouse gas emissions in Edmonton. For the city to reach its emissions reduction goals, all new buildings will have to be net-zero by 2030 and all existing buildings will have to be retrofitted by 2050, the committee's letter said. "Our current progress shows we are not moving fast enough, especially considering that every new home that isn't built to be net-zero is adding to the long list of homes Edmontonians will need to retrofit and renovate," the letter said.

Coun. Michael Janz told Taproot he plans to introduce a motion at a future council meeting to direct administration to work with EPCOR to develop the program.

Some doubt the efficacy of ground-source heat pumps in cold climates like Edmonton. The first three weeks of February were colder than average. How did heat pumps fare? Taproot caught up with a homeowner who has used a heat pump for a few winters to find out.

Conrad Nobert started construction in 2009 on what he calls Edmonton's first attempt at a net-zero home. Heat pump technology wasn't quite ready to be used in cold climates back then, so he used electric baseboard heaters, but Nobert got a ground-source heat pump using a federal subsidy in 2021.

"It was fine," Nobert said when asked how the house handled the chilly winter weather. The heat pump has reduced the house's heating costs by between 40% and 50%, he added.

Turnbull's company consults with homeowners on energy-efficient upgrades. He said more people are interested in heat pumps thanks to the rebates and financing programs that are available, but there are other improvements homeowners should consider before a heat pump. "They are a step on the way to net-zero or low-carbon housing, but they're not the first steps people should take," he said. "Generally speaking, you can get a better return on the investment by adding insulation to most homes."

Turnbull said he recommends heat pumps sparingly if a home already has thick walls, is insulated, and is airtight, and he also recommends pairing a heat pump with solar to offset the electricity usage. "That's a really good one-two punch."

Because much of Alberta's power is generated by non-renewable resources, Turnbull said a heat pump without solar electricity won't have lower carbon emissions than a gas furnace, and without solar, energy costs will be higher with a heat pump than with a gas furnace. His company has worked to educate homebuilders on how to make heat pumps viable.

"What happens if we take just an average house, a new house built today, and we put a heat pump in it? It costs you more money for the machine, and it costs you more money to operate, and your greenhouse gas emissions are higher. So it kind of loses on all three fronts," Turnbull said.

But if the house is energy efficient with thicker walls, better windows, more insulation, and solar panels, then "it's a wash," Turnbull said. "You're producing as much electricity as you're consuming, so then you actually get a good benefit all the way around." He added that most homes will need some kind of supplementary heating system for temperatures below -30 C.

Nobert agrees that his heat pump was effective because his house is already very insulated and energy efficient. But he said if a homeowner can access a rebate, it doesn't hurt to install a heat pump, even if their house isn't very well insulated.

Homeowners who make a low-to-median income can currently access up to $10,000 to switch from oil heating to heat pumps through a federal program. The Canada Greener Homes Grant offered up to $5,000 for upgrades including a heat pump, but that program was fully subscribed and closed. The Canada Greener Homes Loan program offers interest-free financing of up to $5,000 to install a heat pump. The Clean Energy Improvement Program, which is delivered by the City of Edmonton and Alberta Municipalities, is fully subscribed, but a new round of funding is expected to open in May. That program allows homeowners to finance up to 100% of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and repay the cost through their property tax bill.

Here are opportunities to inform municipal decisions about rezoning applications, renewals, economic growth, and more. Please only answer surveys from the municipality where you live.

• Rossdale Centre Rezoning — The City of Edmonton is considering an application to rezone the Rossdale Brewery area, along 100 Street NW between 98 Avenue NW and Rossdale Road NW. If approved, the application would preserve the Rossdale Brewery while allowing development around it, including up to 17-storey buildings and up to 490 dwellings. Residents can attend an open house at the ArtsHub Ortona on March 12 or contribute to a discussion board until March 16.
• Rossdale Neighbourhood Renewal — The City of Edmonton is planning a renewal of Rossdale, including roads, sidewalks, and lights. Residents can let planners know how they move around and experience Rossdale by completing an online survey until March 23
• Green Industries Questionnaire — The City of Edmonton seeks feedback from businesses that contribute to the local green economy, which will be used to understand the state of that economy and how the City can support growth. A survey will be open until April 30.

More input opportunities

• Until March 11: Vision Zero Street Labs — Newton and Parkdale (City of Edmonton)
• Until March 19: Youth Transit Experience Survey — Riders Aged 12 to 18 (City of Edmonton)
• Until March 19: Youth Transit Experience Survey — Parents and Caregivers (City of Edmonton)
• Until March 28: Engage and Play: Shaping Public Recreation (City of Edmonton)
• Until March 31: 2026 Budget Planning Survey (City of Leduc)
• Until April 15: Passenger Rail Master Plan Survey (Government of Alberta)

The province's early data shows lower than normal snowpack levels in the Eastern Slopes, as experts warn of drought conditions worse than last year.

Last weekend’s warm temperatures have forced the cancellation of the 2025 Pole & Spur skijoring event for the first time in its history. Organizers say the recent stretch of mild weather has melted the snow base beyond repair, making it impossible to build a safe course.

“There is just no way we can make a safe track with this warm weather and lack of snow,” says event organizer Sacha Anderson.

Weekend temperatures soared above 15 C, melting much of the snow on the track. While the crew attempted to haul in fresh snow for the March 8 event, the effort was abandoned when mud buildup made conditions unworkable.

“Joe [Trotz] estimates we’d need another 50 loads of snow to make a half-decent course,” organizers said in a social media post Tuesday. “With Environment Canada calling for +14 on the weekend again, we’re going to have to call it.”

Registered contestants will receive full refunds over the next week.

Despite the cancellation, organizers are already looking ahead to next year’s event and are encouraging fans to check out this spring’s Kananaskis Pro Rodeo, set for May 2 to 4.

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OPINION

Jonathan Skrimshire — Stettler, Alta.

It’s budget time in Alberta and change is afoot. Education property taxes are up. Personal income taxes are down. And as with most significant changes to the tax mix, there will be winners and losers.

The provincial operating budget for education will increase 4.5 per cent for the new fiscal year, and the portion of the education budget to be funded by property taxes will also increase, resulting in unusually steep increases in the school tax portion of forthcoming property tax bills throughout the province.

Owners of residential property in Pincher Creek will be particularly hard hit: Alberta government data indicate the education requisition levied against residential property in the town will increase 22 per cent; of over 100 townships in the province, only five will experience a higher rate of increase.

Owners of residences in Crowsnest Pass and the MD of Pincher Creek will find themselves in much the same boat: the residential education requisitions in the Pass and the MD are increasing 20 per cent and 19 per cent, respectively.

As a result of these changes, the majority of residential property owners in the area will experience school property tax increases in the range of $100 to $250 — and significantly more for very high value properties.

For most households, these property tax increases will be more than offset by reductions in personal income tax. The 2025 budget introduces a new eight per cent tax rate on the first $60,000 of personal income, which will result in tax savings of up to $750 per individual.

But the picture for very low-income residents is a good deal less rosy. In fact, the combined impact of the budget’s tax measures is highly dependent on one’s financial circumstances and whether or not one normally has Alberta income tax payable.

For instance, a household with two high-income earners may find themselves with an additional $100 per month in disposable income, once all the changes are taken into account. But a low-income senior, living alone, with no income sources beyond OAS, GIS and the Alberta Seniors Benefit, may find themself $10 per month poorer due to increased property taxes with no other offsetting measures.

The people who crafted the budget were doubtless aware of these potential outcomes. And had they included some form of refundable income tax credit targeted at very low-income individuals, the resulting budget would have provided a meaningful measure of financial relief to all Albertans.

But they didn’t. And it doesn’t.

As it stands, the tax measures contained in the budget provide welcome relief to a wide swath of Alberta households in very uncertain times. But the fact that the budget’s architects chose not to provide a commensurate level of financial support to the province’s least advantaged residents is a telling indication of where this UCP government’s priorities lie.

Shootin’ the Breeze welcomes submissions about local issues and activities. Personal views expressed in Mailbox items are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Shootin’ the Breeze ownership and staff. Mailbox articles include letters to the editor, op-eds, news releases and notes from our readers.

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A Calgary jury has reached a verdict in John Sproule's murder trial. Sproule was on trial for second-degree murder in the death of Ryden Brogden, who was fatally stabbed in Banff in 2022.

Edmonton city council's executive committee has voted to recommend the city extend a program aimed at revitalizing downtown, as it struggles to recover post-pandemic. 

A Calgary mother convicted of assaulting her two-year-old daughter, causing broken bones and leaving the child with untreated burns has had her appeal dismissed.

Shum Shabat Yousouf, the former director of Contentment Social Services, was charged last week with one count each of fraud over $5,000 and theft over $5,000, the Edmonton Police Service said Wednesday.

April 4, 1936 – Feb. 25, 2025

It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Edwin “EJ” Joseph Hochstein.  Edwin was born in Pincher Creek, April 4, 1936, to Marcel and Pearl (Jack) Hochstein and was the eldest of four sons. He was raised on the family farm in the Kerr district, MD of Pincher Creek.

His early education was at the Robert Kerr School. He was then sent to the Kermaria Convent School at St. Michael’s, then on to the seminary in Edmonton, which he referred to as being “sent to work at the potato farm.” After the seminary, he attended Olds College, where he studied agriculture. While at Olds College he played in the band known as Louie Lipshit and the Ruptured Hawaiians. Even though he couldn’t read a note of music, he played the piano and was also on the college basketball team.

In the early years, EJ was proud of working for W.A. Cook and Sons Construction during the building of the Gulf plant and building roads. He married Florence (Pat) Copeland in April 1957. It was his passion for agriculture that led him back to full-time farming. They settled onto the Slater farm on Kerr Road, where they raised their three boys: Greg (Caren), Marcel (Linda) and Jerry (Pam). 

Edwin’s 4-H beef successes, and being known for having a good eye for cattle, led him to be a 4-H leader for many years and a judge at the annual 4-H achievement days. Edwin also coached St Michael’s boys basketball during the ’60s, still giving the grandsons tips some 50 years later. Later he joined the CASAL team through the ’90s as their president.

Getting his Realtor licence and working with property management was a different avenue, and a good challenge for this farm boy. Retirement allowed Edwin some volunteer time, where he spent many hours on the road with the Legion bus and logged many miles with the Pincher Creek Care Bears.

Edwin and Pat’s life was the farm and ranch.  He was a great steward of the land, and cattle. He always said, “Hang onto that cow’s tail, she’ll take you through all sorts of shit!” Well, maybe it was Grampa Marcel that said that, but the family stands by it.

In the ’80s, when his oldest son, Greg, came to help with the farm work, it freed up some time for Pat and Edwin.  They loved to go sledding in the mountains. No matter a short run or overnighters, they enjoyed the mountains, and adventures with their friends; many non-experienced riders often joined the group. He also had a joy for waterskiing with family and friends. It is nice to hear how many people’s lives he has touched.

Edwin leaves behind his wife, Pat/Trish, of 68 years, three sons, six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society, 325 Manning Rd. N.E. #200, Calgary, AB, T2E 2P5; or to Pincher Creek Care Bears, PO Box 44, Pincher Creek, AB, T0K 1W0.

Arrangements entrusted to Eden’s Funeral Home

The obituary for Edwin Hochstein appeared in the Feb. 26, 2025, issue of Shootin’ the Breeze. Condolences are extended to family and friends.

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Statement

Shelley Duggan, MD, FRCPC — President, Alberta Medical Association

The AMA has reviewed Alberta’s 2025 budget, and while there are some positive investments, significant concerns remain about how the government plans to meet the growing demands on our health-care system.

We welcome the increased funding for primary care, mental health and addictions, and continuing care, as well as support for Indigenous health and rural recruitment. The investments in surgical and urgent-care services are encouraging, but without a clear workforce plan, it’s uncertain whether wait times will improve.

Unfortunately, the physician compensation and development budget falls far short of what is needed — approximately $600 million below this year’s projected patient-care demands. The physician budget fails to account for population growth, inflation and patient complexity. There is also no funding for acute-care stabilization, leaving these critical services at risk. 

The AMA is seeking clarity on a number of items in the budget, including the transfer of health properties to Alberta Infrastructure and the cost implications for physicians. We are also concerned about increased reliance on private for-profit health-care providers. Without a clear workforce plan that prioritizes the public system, we worry about unintended consequences and an overall reduction in value for taxpayer dollars.

Read AMA’s full response.

The AMA will continue to advocate for physicians and patients to ensure Alberta’s health-care system is properly funded and sustainable.

Shootin’ the Breeze welcomes submissions about local issues and activities. Personal views expressed in Mailbox items are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Shootin’ the Breeze ownership and staff. Mailbox articles include letters to the editor, op-eds, news releases and notes from our readers.

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An Alberta RCMP officer has been charged with assaulting a woman who was detained last year while experiencing a mental health crisis at a home in Fort Saskatchewan.

Statement

Todd Loewen — Minister of Forestry and Parks

With wildfire season officially beginning on March 1, I want to talk to all Albertans about the importance of being prepared and proactive. Alberta has faced unprecedented wildfire challenges, and our government is committed to a three-pronged approach to wildfire preparations: prevention, mitigation and readiness to respond.

The key to prevention efforts is stopping wildfires before they start. It is essential that every Albertan understands their role in preventing wildfires, which is why we are increasing public-awareness campaigns and promoting safe practices for outdoor activities, while also enforcing fire bans as necessary. Every small effort counts in preventing wildfires and protecting our communities and natural resources.

For situations where prevention is not enough, we have strengthened our wildfire mitigation efforts. This includes controlled burns, creating firebreaks and managing forest vegetation to minimize fuel for fires. Fireguard projects are currently underway in the Bow Valley near Canmore, as well as Cypress Hills Provincial Park, Hinton, Whitecourt and Slave Lake.

In 2024, the Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta funded 38 FireSmart projects across the province worth more than $3.4 million. These measures focus on wildfire prevention and mitigation, educating communities on fire safety and supporting local emergency response plans.

Alberta is home to some of the best firefighting personnel in the world, and our teams are well trained, well equipped and ready to respond to any wildfire incidents. We continue investing in the technology and resources needed to support firefighting efforts through Budget 2025, which provides $160 million in base funding for wildfire personnel, equipment, training and contracts for aircraft, dozers and night vision-equipped helicopters.

This ensures we can mobilize significant resources quickly and effectively when needed. I have every confidence in our wildfire teams and their ability to meet the challenges ahead.

This year, we are entering the wildfire season with 10 active fires, a significant change from the almost 60 wildfires we saw this time last year. This is in large part thanks to the incredible work of Alberta’s wildland firefighters and support teams, the resilience of Alberta’s communities, and the province’s historic investments, preparations and quick response to last year’s wildfires.

As Albertans take the time to enjoy our incredible outdoor opportunities this year, it is important to remember we all have a shared responsibility in preventing wildfires. I encourage everyone to follow fire bans and restrictions, remember you must have a permit for any burning in the forest protection area, and follow the soak it, stir it and soak it again method to ensure your campfires are extinguished completely.

By working together, we will be ready to face whatever the 2025 wildfire season brings.

Shootin’ the Breeze welcomes submissions about local issues and activities. Personal views expressed in Mailbox items are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Shootin’ the Breeze ownership and staff. Mailbox articles include letters to the editor, op-eds, news releases and notes from our readers.

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This week in Shootin’ the Breeze:

Remembering the 1975 Canada Winter Games in Pincher Creek

• The 1975 Canada Winter Games put Pincher Creek on the national stage. See how the town overcame challenges to host ski events.

Meals on Wheels Delivers More Than Just Food 

• Pincher Creek’s Meals on Wheels delivers nutritious meals to seniors & those in need. Learn how the program works & how to get involved.

LRSD Board Votes to Maintain Five-Day School Week

• No four-day school week for LRSD: Trustees vote to keep the traditional schedule after extensive research & community consultation.

Walmart and Pincher Creek Food Centre Team Up to Fight Hunger

• Help fight hunger in Pincher Creek! Walmart’s campaign supports the local food centre—donate in-store or online to help families in need.

Community Generosity Helps Windy Slopes Raise $240K

• Generous donations helped Windy Slopes Health Foundation fund vital hospital upgrades in 2024. Learn how your support makes a difference.

Pincher Creek’s Support Helps STARS Save Lives for 40 Years

• Pincher Creek plays a key role in supporting STARS air ambulance, now celebrating 40 years. Learn about their impact & fundraising efforts.

Warm weather wipes out Pole & Spur

• Unseasonably warm temperatures have melted the Pole & Spur track, forcing the event’s first-ever cancellation.

Gun Smuggling Attempt Foiled at Canada-U.S. Border

• CBSA seized a loaded handgun at the Coutts border crossing. A U.S. citizen was fined & banned from firearms for 10 years.

Sponsor Night Raises $1,405 for Crowsnest Pass Health Foundation

• Crowsnest Pass Health Foundation is grateful for a donation from  Kirkham Insurance & Pass Powderkeg.

Obituary – Edwin Hochstein

• Remembering Edwin Hochstein: A devoted husband, father & rancher whose contributions to Pincher Creek will not be forgotten.

Skaters of the Week

• Kaysen, Jackson, Vara and Hadassah

Huskies’ Offence Shines in U9 Hockey Win Over Kainai Black

• Pincher Creek’s U9 Huskies delivered a powerful performance, defeating Kainai Black on home ice. Read about the top plays & standout players!

My Little Corner – Proudly local, proudly Canadian

• Shop local, buy Canadian and support Alberta businesses. Every purchase makes a difference.

Mailbox – Opinions, Letters, News Releases

• Sold-Out Benefit Concert Fights Coal Mines in Alberta
  • With music & activism, Fort Macleod’s sold-out concert sent a strong message: no coal mines in the Eastern Slopes.
• Alberta Cuts Income Tax but Raises Property Tax – What It Means for You
  • Property tax hikes in Alberta’s 2025 budget will hit some harder than others. See how these changes impact your finances.
• AMA Warns of Physician Funding Gaps in Alberta Budget
  • While Alberta’s 2025 budget includes key health investments, the AMA warns of critical funding gaps for physicians & acute care services.
• Minister Loewen on Alberta’s 2025 Wildfire Preparations
  • Alberta’s 2025 wildfire season is here. Learn about prevention, mitigation & response efforts to protect communities & natural resources.

Pincher Creek Court Closed for Maintenance – Hearings Relocated

• If you have a court date in Pincher Creek, be aware of temporary changes—cases are now being heard in Fort Macleod.

Crowsnest Pass FRCC Offers Free Tax Filing Support This Spring

• Crowsnest Pass FRCC is offering free tax filing help for low-income residents & seniors.

Eyes on the Road: How to Avoid Distracted Driving Fines

• From phones to grooming, Alberta’s distracted driving laws cover more than you think. Learn how to stay safe & legal on the road.

Town of Pincher Creek Announcements

• Municipal Development and Subdivision Authority vacancy
• 2025 Property Assessments
• Spring activity registration night
• Request for expression of interest

MD of Pincher Creek Memos

• Utility open house
• Seasonal labourer opportunities
• Clean Energy Improvement Program

Events and Opportunities:

• Pole & Spur – CANCELLED
• Whispering Winds Village – Accommodation information and testimonial
• Celebrate Women – Shootin’ the Breeze special feature
• Crowsnest Pass Food Bank Society AGM
• Group Group Youth now hiring
• Empress Theatre – BTU concert
• Empress Theatre – Becoming the Beatles concert
• S.A.L.E. – Fort Macleod Auction Calendar
• Pincher Creek Humane Society Pet of the Week
• Classified ads: auctions, buildings for sale, coming events, feed and seed, for sale, health, services

Ascent Dental – Bookings and Kids Club

At Your Service:

• Avalanche Contracting
• Eden’s Funeral Home
• Fitzpatrick Trucking
• Fort Macleod Glass
• GrayRock Contracting
• Last Stop Delivery
• Pincher Creek Denture Clinic
• R Roy Davidson Law Office
• Rocky Mountain Bobcat Service
• Rural View Real Estate
• Sorge Trucking
• South West Waste Management

Coffee Break

• Sudoku
• Crossword

Shootin’ the Breeze subscribers receive a weekly link to the current issue by email.

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Premier Danielle Smith will speak today about how Alberta will respond to U.S. tariffs on Canadian exports, brought into effect on Tuesday by U.S. President Donald Trump.

CBC's local podcast looks at what's motivating some companies — including some in Edmonton — to cancel diversity initiatives.

Marcia Hole resigned as trustee of Ward C last week, citing the political climate and erosion of school board autonomy.

A former fire chief and city manager is joining Edmonton's Darkhorse Emergency to serve as the "translator" between the data-to-action company and its clients, which include fire chiefs and municipalities.

"I wasn't brought into the team just to grow, grow, grow," Darrell Reid, who formerly headed Strathcona County, told Taproot about his new role. "We're growing (already), and I suppose I'm here to help Darkhorse understand the (municipal fire) industry — and help the industry understand Darkhorse."

Darkhorse Emergency helps fire departments optimize their services by mapping the areas they need to serve and identifying where best to locate infrastructure like fire halls. The company was spun out of its parent, Darkhorse Analytics, in 2023. Darkhorse was itself spun out of a research lab at the University of Alberta in 2008. Darkhorse Analytics has created data visualization tools on climate vulnerability and public health outcomes. All told, there are 45 "Darkhorsian" employees, Reid said.

Darkhorse Emergency now has 41 clients, 40% of which are American and 60% of which are Canadian. The Canadian clients, including emergency departments, serve nearly 14 million people. By the end of 2025, Reid said, the company expects to grow to support organizations that in turn support 50% of Canada's population.

Reid, who wrapped work with Strathcona County at the end of January, worked with Darkhorse when he served as fire chief from 2008 to 2013, and again when he returned to be chief commissioner (or city manager) from 2020 to 2025. In the former role, he worked with Darkhorse Emergency to make the case to municipal administration and council that the county needed a new fire station. That resulted in the opening of Fire Station #6 in Sherwood Park in 2011. Darkhorse Emergency also helped plan the opening of Fire Station #7 last year, when Reid was chief commissioner for the county.

"There we were, in a situation with rapid growth in the community, and some resource deficits in terms of being able to respond to the risk created with that growth," Reid said of the experience of the sixth staton. "It was a very successful exercise and a good example of Darkhorse having expertise and resources that a mid-size municipality, and a mid-size municipality fire department, did not have."

Beyond Strathcona County, the company has worked for fire departments in the Edmonton region including St. Albert, the City of Leduc, and Leduc County.

Between his jobs in Strathcona County, Reid served as fire chief in Vancouver and as deputy fire chief in Toronto. The latter city's fire department served three million residents in comparison to Strathcona County's 200,000, Reid said. Darkhorse Emergency helped Reid and his department navigate a "significant and unexpected" budget cut in 2014, when then-Mayor Rob Ford ordered a fire station to close, "despite the fact that calls for service were growing rapidly."

"Darkhorse provided a lens and an approach to analytics that was fresh and different, and as a result, allowed us to message things in ways people hadn't necessarily heard them before — to tell some truths in ways that people can understand those truths," Reid said. "(The company enabled us) to make some decisions that helped that department redesign itself and re-resource itself to deal with increasing risk and calls to service."

Reid said his new role with Darkhorse Emergency is to act as a "translator" between Darkhorse's tech and its work with those in the public service. Since joining Darkhorse Emergency, Reid has been a face for the company at the Western Fire Chiefs Association's IGNITE Symposium in Las Vegas in early February. "It struck me right away how trusted and appreciated Darkhorse is by that group of progressive (fire) chiefs," Reid said. "A lot of Darkhorse clients were there, and it's a good thing when a client brings a bunch of non-clients to the booth."

Five years after the province identified its first COVID-19 case, experts are urging Albertans not to forget about those still struggling with its devastating impacts.

The prime minister and other premiers addressed the public in angered and frustrated terms, and spoke of retaliation to Donald Trump's tariffs. Alberta's premier issued a written statement and went on U.S. business TV.

Alberta food producers are bracing for uncertainty in the short term and the potential for a complete reorientation of how they do business in the long term now that U.S. President Donald Trump's 25-per-cent tariffs have taken effect.

Muted wildfire activity is giving Alberta's government optimism after last year's grim start to the season, but experts say dry conditions could easily flip that narrative.

The price of a bottle of wine in Alberta is set to go up on April 1 after the province announced changes to its liquor markups in last week's budget.

U.S. President Donald Trump finally followed through with his tariff threat against Canada on Tuesday, and it's an action that's already sent a shock through the energy sector, the country's most powerful economic force.

A Calgary man has been charged with murdering his former partner, six months after he was placed on court-ordered conditions to stay away from her.