Ottawa. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canadians should "find strength in our differences" this Christmas. In his annual Christmas address, Trudeau called for Canadians to "love our neighbours as we love ourselves" and give back, helping those who have fallen on hard times.

Ottawa. A new report from BMO highlights how the rising cost of living is impacting Canadians and what their spending plans are as they head into 2024. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he knows people are frustrated with him, especially the same young voters who helped propel his party to a majority government in 2015. 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency first issued recall warnings on Nov. 1

Canada. A seventh Canadian has now died from consuming salmonella-tainted cantaloupe, Canada's Public Health Agency (PHAC) has confirmed. The agency says there have been 164 lab-confirmed cases of salmonella in eight provinces linked to Malichita and Rudy brand cantaloupes so far.

Alberta’s government is reminding drivers to plan how they’ll get home from holiday get-togethers and celebrations this holiday season. 

Impaired driving continues to contribute to fatal and injury collisions on Alberta’s roads. During the holidays, incidents of impaired driving increase as people celebrate the season and take to the province’s roads and highways. Since Dec. 1, 2020, more than 23,000 Immediate Roadside Sanctions (FAIL) penalties have been issued for alcohol- or drug-related driving under the Immediate Roadside Sanction Program.

Alberta| Tenant security deposits earn 1.6 per cent interest As of Jan. 1, landlords in Alberta will be required to pay 1.6 per cent interest on security deposits held in trust for tenants in residential and mobile homes tenancies.

 Landlords must pay any interest owing to their tenants annually at the end of each tenancy year unless both parties agree in writing that the interest will not be paid annually, in which case the interest must be compounded annually and paid out at the end of the tenancy.

Alberta| The Alberta Made Screen Industries Program will support 155 locally made film and television projects with $2.8 million in mentorship and post-production grants.

 Alberta’s film and television industry has been steadily growing, providing good jobs to Albertans in that industry as well as in construction, tourism and hospitality. 

National Times:-(Alberta) The union representing Alberta nurses says it’s “deeply concerned” at the prospect of job losses amid a re-organization of the province’s health care system and ahead of collective bargaining with the government set to begin next year.

 The United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) stated in a Tuesday news release its worry stems from a letter it was sent on Friday from Alberta Health Services (AHS) and in another from Covenant Health.

National Times ( Alberta):- A temporary solution to provide emergency shelter to those without housing is coming to Lethbridge, the Alberta Government announced, that the Blood Tribe Department of Health will receive $1 million through the Action Plan on Homelessness to provide critical and short-term housing to those most vulnerable during winter. 

The health ministry currently runs the 121 permanent shelter spaces in Lethbridge, using $3 million in annual funding from the province. With the additional investment, a modular trailer will be set up outside the main site to provide up to 50 temporary emergency shelter spaces.

National Times (Alberta):- Alberta’s official Opposition NDP  is hoping the government will help renters in the province during a housing crisis that’s seen rents increase by 20 per cent or more. 

MLA Janis Irwin tabled a private members bill that would seek caps on how much rent can be increased for the next four years. 

It also would have the minister in charge of housing prescribe annual minimum housing builds and report on how much housing was built.

 Alberta is in a housing crisis and it is causing uncertainty.