Local Journalism Initiative

Source: Local Journalism Initiative


Town of Caledon officially launches Lobbyist Registry

The Town of Caledon has officially launched a Lobbyist Registry, a tool designed to help make local government more transparent and accountable. The Lobbyist Registry is available online and provides residents with easy access to information about who is lobbying with Council, Committee of Adjustment members, Property Standards Committee members, and statutorily appointed staff.  It […]

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Northern school transforms library into innovation hub

​KIRKLAND LAKE — When Dan Kurz began teaching at Kirkland Lake District Composite School (KLDCS) in 2006, he didn’t imagine a robotics lab taking over the school library.  But 20 years into his teaching career, that vision has not only taken shape, it’s led his students to a national gold medal. Grade 12 student Liam […]

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Valemount Council: pension plans, water metering, blood plasma

Valemount Council discussed employees’ pension plans, water metering and plasma donation in northern B.C. during its regular meeting on Tuesday, June 10th. Mayor Owen Torgerson called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m. After adopting the minutes of the May 27th regular meeting as well as the May 27th public hearing, Council received two delegations. […]

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Team raises internet safety and fraud awareness in local communities, Sessions help rural seniors fight back against scammers

GUYSBOROUGH – In rural Nova Scotia, a team of women from four organizations is ensuring womeniors and others are kept in the loop and aware of the dangers that lurk online. Travelling throughout Antigonish and Guysborough counties, the team gives a collaborative presentation focused on fraud prevention, online  safety and scam awareness. Each presenter speaks […]

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Mystery of the Missing Lake – Waswanipi investigates the sudden drainage of Lac Rouge

In the quiet hours of May 7, when many Waswanipi members had scattered to bush camps for Goose Break, a massive landslide hurtled towards Lac Rouge on William Dixon’s trapline W26. Two days later, his son Freddie Dixon discovered that the lake had completely disappeared. Eagles and crows scavenged the remains. “It happened all of […]

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UCP ‘disasters and fires’ fail Albertans with disabilities, NDP maintains

Economic hardship, anger and untenably long waitlists have taken root in Alberta because of UCP mismanagement of the disability file, an opposition critic charged recently. Marie Renaud added that issues harming Albertans with disabilities extend beyond a lack of accessibility legislation. But the government needs to act on that too, she said. “Our focus got […]

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‘Not based on science’: documents show internal government scramble to expand Alberta cougar hunt

A controversial decision last year to substantially increase the number of cougars that can be hunted in Alberta was not based on science, according to government documents obtained by The Narwhal. Instead, expanded cougar hunting was “based on direction from [the] minister last year and input from stakeholders,” according to an internal email between senior […]

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Controversial Alberta private health centre helped behind the scenes by Airdrie mayor, documents reveal

Airdrie Mayor Peter Brown provided extensive behind the scenes help to a controversial private health care centre, according to emails obtained by the Investigative Journalism Foundation. The City of Airdrie has publicly claimed it did not help develop a proposal for the centre, which would be Alberta’s first urgent care centre not run by the […]

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‘No end in sight’ for systematic killing of BC wolves to save caribou

The BC government spent a decade killing wolves to protect caribou. Now, critics warn that despite questions about its effectiveness, ethics and impact on the rest of the environment, the government is moving to make the wolf cull a permanent part of its strategy.  Launched as a short-term emergency measure in 2015, the decade-long wolf […]

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Legal experts gear up to challenge Bill 5 as First Nations pledge to ‘close Ontario’s economy’

Rallies for endangered species. Protests led by First Nations. A filibuster from the NDP. More than 4,000 amendments tabled by the Liberals. Two committee hearings with Indigenous leaders, legal experts, labour representatives, and more. Despite all of it, Bill 5 passed. On June 5, as Ontarians across the province struggled to breathe through smoke-filled air […]

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Communication during Bocabec wildfire ‘challenging’: report

An after-action report released by the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organizations said communication during the Stein Lake wildfire near Saint Andrews in 2023 was challenging.  The wildfire burned more than 500 hectares, surpassing the province’s 10-year average and was started by an ATV that caught fire, according to Saint Andrews fire chief Kevin Theriault.  An […]

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SDG Rural Education Committee looks at rural school funding

Phillip BlancherLocal Journalism Initiative Reporter CORNWALL – Rural schools in SDG Counties are receiving specific provincial funding, and the Rural Education Committee wants to know what that funding is and how it is used.  Members of the Rural Education Committee, an SDG Counties council committee formed in 2022, discussed the provincial Rural and Northern Education […]

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