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Urban containment policies driving up land values and housing costs

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

Canada has a severe and intractable housing crisis that could become existential for the middle class, eroding the standard of living. Our new Demographia Housing Affordability in Canada report (published by the Frontier Centre for Public Policy) reveals that more than half (24) of the 46 rated housing markets have severely unaffordable housing.Two of the markets, Vancouver and Toronto, have such costly housing relative to incomes that they ranked the third and 10th least affordable among the 94 major metropolitan markets rated in our Demographia International Housing Affordability report for 2022.Demographia uses the median multiple (median house price divided by median household income) to evaluate housing costs. A median multiple of 3.0 or below is considered “affordable,” while a median multiple above 5.0 is considered “severely unaffordable.” Among the major markets, Vancouver (median multiple 12.0), Toronto (9.5), Montreal (5.4), and Ottawa-Gatineau (5.2) are rated severely un...

Coaldale holds annual organizational meeting, swears in new deputy mayor

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

Southern Alberta NewspapersCoaldale held its annual organizational meeting last week, swearing in Jordan Sailor as the Town’s newest deputy mayor.The Oct. 23 organizational meeting and subsequent council meeting also saw the adoption of the new council meeting and event calendars, in addition to determining board and committee appointments.These meetings are required, as per the Municipal Government Act (MGA) to take place annually.According to a Town-issued release,  Lana Antony, Municipal Clerk for the Town of Coaldale said 2023 was the first year in which Administration presented Council with a comprehensive meeting and community event calendar.“In the past, we would have Council adopt a calendar only for meetings and holidays. But with the adoption of a new communications strategy in April 2022, we decided to consolidate meetings, holidays, and Town events all into one calendar to ensure that everyone can stay on the same page about what’s happening and when,” Antony said.The Oc...

Coalhurst resident launches 2023 banner campaign in honour of local veterans

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

By Erika MathieuSunny South NewsA Coalhurst-based resident has spearheaded a banner campaign for veterans in the town of Coalhurst.The banners bring visibility to local veterans and are a visual symbol of remembrance, helping educate community members on the importance of holding space to reflect upon the significance of the reall-world people behind the poppy.Krystal Libbey, is a long-time resident of Coalhurst, and bar manager at the Coalhurst Legion, Branch 273, she said she became involved in bringing banners to Coalhurst because it had not been undertaken yet in town.In taking on the project. Libbey said her life-long connections to people within the community as well as working as the bar manager at the local Coalhurst Legion were helpful in getting the word out to families of her ongoing goals in bringing a banner program into the community.She said, she has been working at the Coalhurst Legion, Branch 273, for about five years. She said it was important to her and her family...

Copperheads double up Strathmore to complete 2-0 weekend

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

By Garrett SimmonsSunny South NewsThe Coaldale Copperheads had a successful 2-0 weekend in Heritage Junior Hockey League play.Coaldale capped off its perfect weekend with a 4-2 win on Sunday over Strathmore, thanks to a two-goal performance from Rylan Bruns.But it was Strathmore that got off to a good start in the contest, as the Wheatland Kings led 1-0 after 20 minutes of play.Bruns scored his first of the game in the middle frame, assisted by Koden Lazar, before Nolan Price made it 2-1 Copperheads with a goal assisted by Brogan Booth and Brandon Creighton.The teams traded third-period goals, highlighted by the second of the game from Bruns, set up by Lazar and Drew Constant, which made it a 3-2 game, before Peyton Twigg scored with two seconds left to salt the game away.Kadan Fulton picked up the win in net for Coaldale, as the Copperheads outshot Strathmore by a wide 37-20 margin.Saturday’s game lacked the drama of the tight Strathmore contest, as Coaldale scored early and often ...

Blankets for Canada Society Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

By Erika MathieuSunny South NewsThe Blankets for Canada Society recently marked a significant milestone as it celebrated its 25th anniversary on October 26th.The event took place at Southminster United Church in Lethbridge, on Oct. 26. In attendance were members of various “Blankets for Canada” chapters, alongside the society’s visionary founder, Nancy Panting.Established in 1998, Blankets for Canada started as a humble initiative with a mission to provide handmade blankets to those in need. Panting laid the groundwork for the society, after returning from a visit to the U.S. where she participated in the “Warm up America” initiative, which is based on the principle of making and donating knit and crocheted blankets to those in need through collaboration. Upon returning to Lethbridge and discovering no such society existed here, Panting got to work.In its inaugural year, the society aimed to create 100 blankets by the end of 1998. However, their dedication and hard work exceeded exp...

LINK Pathway joins Trans Canada Trail Network: announces new title sponsor

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

By Erika MathieuSunny South NewsThe LINK Pathway project has been approved to become part of the Trans Canada Trail (TCT) network.With construction on the long-awaited LINK Pathway Project breaking ground earlier this year, 2023 has been a big year for the Link Pathway project and committee.The TCT, is the longest trail network in the world, boasting nearly 27,000 km of operational trail to date. According to the TCT’s website, statistically four out of five Canadians live within 30 minutes of the Trail, which is built on the goal to connect people to each other and nature.Once construction is complete, the LINK Pathway, although smaller in scale, will similarly serve as conduit for connection, offering trail users the safe access to a inter-municipal recreational corridor spanning 15km spanning from Coaldale to the City of Lethbridge and passing through the open prairies situated in Lethbridge County.In June 2023, a groundbreaking ceremony was held in Coaldale, kicking off construc...

Civic Square Atrium tree purchase deferred

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

By Nikki JamiesonSunny South NewsNo tree will be purchased for the Civic Square Atrium this year.During their regular Oct. 23 meeting, Coaldale town council discussed the potential purchase of a tree for the holiday season.The tree would have gone up in the Civic Square Atrium, and if council wished to have a tree there for the holiday season, the Town would have needed to order it soon. Additionally, council needed to consider a number of factors, such as the price, size, location, timing and type of tree. The price and location would influence the size of the tree, while the availability and price would influence the type of tree.For instance, a 14-foot pre-lit commercial grade tree from Dekra-Light would have cost $10,125, an 18-foot one is $17,850, and a 20-foot one is $22,950.Clayton Varjassy, community services coordinator for the Town, noted that the brand is the same one that the Town purchases its lights from for the Winter Walk in the Park.“If you’re looking at that 14-foo...

Cor Van Raay bequests “transformative” sum for Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

Southern Alberta NewspapersKnown for his deep roots in farming in the Picture Butte area, Cor Van Raay, who passed away in 2021 at 85 years old, bequeathed a portion of his estate to the Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation (CRHF), according to a recent CRHF-issued press release on Oct. 19.Van Raay, a renowned philanthropist, resided in and farmed in Picture Butte for over 50 years, and is known for his various successful agriculture ventures as well as leaving an indelible mark on the feedlot industry in Alberta.The CRHF’s media release did not include any specific figures about the magnitude of the bequest made by Cor Van Raay’s estate.In the years following his passing, Van Raay’s philanthropic legacy continues to have a profound impact across southern Alberta. Noted by Allan Bartolcic, Executive Director of the Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation, in the recent media release, “receiving this monumental bequest from Mr. Cor Van Raay fills us with profound gratitude. His relentle...

New details on supervised living facility death

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

GLOVERSVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) –  New details are available on the arrests made recently in connection to the death of a special-needs elderly woman. NEWS10 took a look at felony complaints that said the defendants failed to properly monitor the victim, 73 year old Patricia Nicholls, as they had been trained to do. They're also charged with covering up their actions.Gloversville police said Nicholls died November 3, 2022 after she suffered cardiac arrest at the Arc Lexington property on October 28, 2022. Felony complaints for the two employees who were working at the facility overnight were filed on October 23. Felonies include endangering the welfare of a vulnerable elderly person, criminally negligent homicide and falsifying business records.  Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! According to a spokesperson for the Arc Lexington, the agency has never experienced anything similar to this at any of their facilities. They prov...

Annual Saratoga Breakfast benefits vets

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Veterans Business Council of The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce held it's annual breakfast Wednesday morning in Saratoga Springs. MORE NEWS from NEWS 10With Halloween over, the festivities quickly jump to Christmas let alone Thanksgiving. But let's not forget Veterans Day. For one Saratoga County organization, it's not too early to serve those who have served.Local veteran, author, and artist Ryan Smithson was the keynote speaker. Smithson`s keynote, War, Writing and Butterflies, will discuss his military service in Iraq and how a college writing assignment turned into therapy and a published memoir. Smithson was an engineer in the Army Reserve and served in Iraq from 2004 to 2005.  Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! This event was being held by the Veterans Business Council of the Sar...