Author: Gateway Gazette Contributor

A new task force has been struck to provide recommendations on the future of student transportation across the province. Members will focus on issues related to student transportation, including student safety, costs, eligibility, partner collaboration and the responsibilities of school authorities and industry partners. Their scope of work will cover busing for students attending publicly…

How to Talk to Kids During Stressful Times Kids know something’s up. Something big. Something scary. Something you might not want to talk about. Like a virus called COVID-19 and what it’s done to jobs, school and nearly everything else. As parents, our instinct is to shield and protect our children. But making them part…

Government has taken steps to enable non-profit groups to respond to the pandemic and help those in need. After reviewing applications from across the province for the emergency social services funding announced in April, government will provide $30 million to more than 460 successful applicants to support their responses to COVID-19. Food banks across Alberta…

Increased funding to the Community Initiatives Program Operating grant will help front-line non-profits continue caring for vulnerable Albertans. Reallocating money from the Community Initiatives Program Project-based grant to the Community Initiatives Program Operating grant will help struggling front-line charities and non-profits maintain their core operations and provide services during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Front-line charities and…

Government is kick-starting an expanded electronics recycling project that will support job creation, grow the economy and help municipalities divert more resuable material from landfills. Through a two-year $43 million pilot project, the Alberta government has approved the Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA) to use reserve funds to recycle up to 24,600 tonnes of electronics…

Government is accelerating infrastructure and transportation projects across the province to get thousands of Albertans back to work and the economy back on track.  From renovating schools to repaving highways and upgrading bridges and culverts, hundreds of shovel-ready projects are moving ahead to create jobs and ensure important infrastructure is ready to support communities and…

A new online hub called CORE will coordinate community services for older Albertans and seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. CORE – Collaborative Online Resources and Education – provides a platform for seniors-serving organizations to improve delivery of services for seniors. The hub will make it easier for organizations to share resources and coordinate…

The Royal Alberta Museum is reopening on May 16, and the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology is reopening on May 22. The Alberta government’s relaunch strategy puts safety first and Albertans are asked to continue to take the proper precautions and follow public health guidelines when visiting museums. “We know Albertans are craving those regular…

In response to COVID-19, the Government of Alberta has created a new Agriculture Training Support Program to help employers in the food supply chain provide necessary training to new Alberta employees. The program is intended to offset costs for COVID-19 safety and training, including the costs for personal protective equipment and to remove any barriers…

Calgary Zoo After months of overcoming barriers to transporting fresh bamboo to feed its giant pandas, the Calgary Zoo announced today that it will be relocating giant pandas, “Er Shun” and “Da Mao”, back home to China where bamboo is abundant and local. “We believe the best and safest place for Er Shun and Da…

The government has charged a Calgary-based business with ignoring an order to stop charging exorbitant prices for several consumer products. Service Alberta’s Consumer Investigations Unit (CIU) first learned of the business by an anonymous tip received through its Report a Rip-Off line. A CIU investigator went to CCA Logistics Ltd (Newsway) on April 1 and…