School security camera footage of a nearly 15-second hug between a teacher and one of her students was repeatedly screened and scrutinized at a historic hearing. “This isn’t a fleeting or a casual embrace. The two were comfortable with each other,” teacher commissioner lawyer Tristan Sandulak told a professional disciplinary panel on Tuesday. Sandulak made […]

As the days grow longer, the Slave Lake RCMP detachment is noticing a familiar seasonal shift in the types of calls they receive. To get a clear picture of current crime trends and how residents can stay safe over the coming months, the Lakeside Leader reached out to Staff Sgt. Casey Bruyns for an update. […]

REGINA — The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) is encouraging residents to register with the Saskatchewan Evacuation Registration (SER) program before an emergency occurs, saying advance registration can reduce stress for evacuees while helping emergency officials provide faster, more effective support. The online registration system allows Saskatchewan households to provide information in advance that may […]

Ramara residents are almost equally divided on the fate of two aged municipal buildings on Highway 12 in Brechin. About half of residents want to see the buildings renovated, while the other half think they should be demolished. Financially impacting the decision, the Ministry of Transportation requires them to be set back from the highway. […]

A suggested policy change erupted in an argument about how Ramara conducts business. A staff report suggesting a change in fees related to information requests recommended same day ratification. “Although it is proposing an amendment to the fee structure, what we’re really trying to do is get records into the hands of the requesting party […]

Taber town council’s July 6 special meeting wrapped up in under 90 minutes, but only the first seven minutes or so were open to the public. Two agenda items were discussed during the brief open session.  The first was a request from the Taber Golf Club for a letter of support from the Town for […]

Halton Hills is moving forward with plans to establish a formal whistleblower program designed to give municipal employees a secure, anonymous avenue to report fraud, wrongdoing and waste. At its July 13 meeting, town council received a report outlining a proposed framework for the program, which will be brought forward for formal consideration during the […]

Nova Scotia – A provincial program helping low-income seniors with the cost of municipal residential property taxes is now open until December 31. Seniors can now apply for the Property Tax Rebate to help with the cost of municipal residential property taxes. The program provides eligible homeowners with a rebate of 50 per cent of […]

British Columbians subject to birth alerts can now apply to receive compensation as part of a proposed settlement of $66 million. In B.C., birth alerts happened between 1980 and 2019. Child welfare workers with the Ministry of Children and Family Development, or a delegated Indigenous agency, reached out to hospitals ahead of a pregnant person […]

Aspen View Public Schools has made a new set of rules to handle artificial intelligence in its classrooms, even as local officials state that official curriculum changes remain the job of the provincial government. The school division recently adopted Administrative Procedure 630 to guide how students and staff interact with emerging technology like artificial intelligence, […]

The Town of Slave Lake is taking sweeping action to ensure that all residents, regardless of their financial situation, have access to local health, wellness, and recreation facilities. At the July 7 regular meeting, town council gave first reading to Bylaw #10-2026, officially introducing the Leisure Economic Assistance Program (LEAP). The new framework is designed […]

Red Deer RCMP have begun sending drones to some calls before officers arrive. Police say the Drone as First Responder program, known as DFR, is the first of its kind in Canada. It launched on June 18. The program runs Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Drones take off from the north […]