Access to Information

Topic: Access to Information


Valemount 2025 budget to include columbarium, economic recovery costs

Valemount Council approved including a 5.5 per cent tax increase in the 2025 budget during a special meeting on March 19th. The increase is in line with the Village’s Improving Asset Management plan which consulting company Urban Systems produced in 2020. Director of Finance Lori McNee presented the budget to Council and outlined new items […]

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Alberta Health Services claims fired CEO kept confidential emails, seeking injunction

Alberta’s health authority is claiming its fired former executive breached her employment agreement by holding on to confidential emails with information pertaining to allegations in a high-profile court case. A new affidavit filed Wednesday by Alberta Health Services says the agency is looking to amend its statement of defence in light of the emails, which […]

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The feds raised doubts about a climate scientist’s LNG research. He says they sounded like fossil fuel lobbyists

Edward Burrier chuckled as he told his colleagues what he thought about an academic paper written by a prominent U.S. climate scientist. Burrier, a director of public policy at Canadian fossil fuel giant TC Energy, said the study was largely to blame for public skepticism about whether liquefied natural gas (LNG) is as environmentally friendly […]

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N.S. legislature sitting marked by moves to consolidate power: political scientist

The Nova Scotia legislature has wrapped up a winter sitting that a political scientist says was marked by government moves to increase cabinet’s authority and shrink the legislature’s ability to provide oversight. Tom Urbaniak, a professor at the University of Cape Breton, said the government’s multiple omnibus bills paint the picture of a government working […]

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Internal report finds major flaws in program to recruit foreign nurses to Quebec

Foreign nurses recruited to Quebec through a provincial government program faced “major obstacles” upon their arrival, including a lack of housing, child care and transportation, according to an internal report.  A rigorous training schedule, culture shock and fear of failure caused severe stress among the recruits, says the report produced by the province’s Immigration Department. […]

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Environment ministry downplayed concerns expressed by health officials around St. Catharines GM site, FOI documents reveal

For years, St. Catharines residents living near the former General Motors industrial site have raised concerns about potential health and environmental risks posed by the contaminated 55-acre property. For just as long, their concerns have been met with vague assurances from officials, insisting there is no cause for concern.   Nothing underscores the ongoing worry more […]

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Finding health advice on social media is easier than knowing which claims to trust

In the corners of social media dominated by wellness content, influencers recommend an assortment of treatments and products to support weight loss, fight exhaustion or promote other desired health outcomes. Some of the endorsed approaches may be helpful. Many play into fads with scant evidence to back up enthusiasts’ claims, medical experts say. Some influencers […]

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Raven ReCentre and Community Services face off over contract changes

Raven ReCentre said it was knocked off a government contract without notification: Yukon Community Services said that’s not the case at all. The recycling centre in downtown Whitehorse alleges that the Yukon government took them off a transportation contract for shipping recyclables from the communities out of the territory. But the minister of community services, […]

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Pledge to ‘build, build, build’ includes 11 new schools

The Kinew government plans to break ground on 11 new public schools before the end of its first term by using a template that designers will copy and paste. Budget 2025 sets aside an initial $20 million to carry out the commitment that’s estimated to cost $700 million overall. An excerpt from the 146-page budget […]

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In response to critics, Nova Scotia amends bills on interprovincial trade, info law

The Nova Scotia government is responding to critics by amending key parts of its legislative agenda, including its bill to eliminate interprovincial trade barriers. Changes to the trade bill, shared with journalists on Thursday, are in response to concerns the proposed legislation would override the ability of regulatory bodies to provide oversight that protects the […]

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Alberta proposes oil-site trespass bill to keep federal workers from grabbing data

Alberta’s government is proposing a law it says would ban federal employees from going on any oil-related sites — from wellheads to corporate head offices – but the NDP says it’s an illegal and performative distraction. Premier Danielle Smith says the goal is to keep federal staffers away from any place where oil and gas […]

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Trump administration threatens to pull New York transit funds as it questions anti-crime efforts

The Trump administration is threatening to pull federal funding from New York City’s transit system if it doesn’t provide a plan to address crime. While New York transit officials point to publicly available statistics showing major crime on the subway system is trending down this year, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy noted “a number of […]

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