Talks between the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. and striking members of Unifor are set to resume Friday after both sides failed to reach a negotiated settlement prior to workers walking off the job Sunday. Approximately 360 lock workers are currently striking along the Welland Canal that bypasses Niagara Falls. More than 12 million tonnes […] Read more
Alex McCuaig
Stories by Alex McCuaig
Feed assistance announced for Alberta
This story is developing and will be updated later today. A livestock feed assistance program is being rolled out for Alberta. The province’s agriculture minister and a Calgary MP announced aid Oct. 20 for producers hit hard again by another year of drought. A joint Canada-Alberta AgriRecovery assistance program worth $160 million will be made […] Read more
Alta. cattle producers still wait for feed program
Ranchers confident assistance program is coming soon, despite a two-month delay since plans were first announced
Details remain unclear two months after Alberta agriculture minister RJ Sigurdson announced that the province was moving ahead with plans to draft eligibility requirements for a livestock feed assistance program. Request for comment to the ministry about the status of the program was not replied to as of press deadline. In an open letter dated […] Read more
Alta. sets stage for renewable energy inquiry
Interested parties will be able to attend in-person meetings or make written submissions as part of the review
The Alberta Utilities Commission is announcing details of its public engagement schedule that will form part of an inquiry into renewable power development in the province. The AUC will divide its renewables inquiry into two sections with the initial part examining land impact issues of the energy resource development as well as the role of […] Read more
Avian flu found on Alta. farms
After going nearly 10 months without any cases of avian influenza outbreaks on commercial poultry operations in Alberta, the province has seen four farms affected since mid-September and one in Maple Creek, Sask. Despite the small but sharp increase in affected operations, the situation is a far cry from that faced by poultry producers in […] Read more
Reservoirs fill back up in southern Alberta
Improvements in water levels have yet to impact the 41 shortage advisories that have been issued across the province
Reservoirs across southern Alberta are starting to fill again after a year in which irrigation water resources were stressed but managed to get through a growing season dominated by dry conditions and little precipitation. The one major exception is the Oldman Dam reservoir, which continues to see levels drop, albeit at a much slower rate […] Read more
Canola colour blamed on sooty mould
The condition is a non-pathogenic form of Alternaria that occurs if wet conditions are present during harvest
A black waxy coating began showing up on canola crops in central Saskatchewan in late August. However, despite a number of social media comments stating it was likely Alternaria blackspot, that’s not the case, according to a federal plant pathologist. It’s the wrong time of year, said Kelly Turkington, a plant pathologist with the Agriculture […] Read more
Ranchers feel the heat as water supplies dwindle
Cattle producers forced to haul water since early in the summer as lack of rain dries up dugouts across the province
The drought in Alberta has caused multiple rural municipalities to declare agricultural disasters, urban communities to issue water restrictions and warnings from the province about tough times for next season if present conditions continue. That warning includes irrigation districts that got through the 2023 season by tapping into its robust reservoir system built over the […] Read more
First frost makes for ideal time to tackle thistle
The weed can be particularly troublesome in pastures facing multi-year drought, but experts say it’s not too late to act
Canada thistle is an especially pesky weed estimated to cost producers billions each year in lost revenue. Left unchecked, its roots reach deep into the ground and into the pockets of ranchers. Mark Versluys, specialties business leader with Corteva Agriscience, said Canada thistle has been an issue this year as drought conditions continue to plague […] Read more
Invasive mussel alert in Idaho raises concern in Alberta
Idaho state officials have activated a rapid response plan after invasive quagga mussels were found on the Snake River near Twin Falls. State officials warn the invasive mussels threaten the Columbia River basin, which runs across the Pacific Northwest including British Columbia. Related stories on this issue: Mussels close in on Alberta irrigation district Pink […] Read more
