News

zmason@medicinehatnews.com Health-care spending is set to reach record highs in 2026-27, including more than $2 billion in costs related to the new corporate services corporation. Alberta’s Budget 2026 includes $34.4 billion in total health-care spending, $2 billion more than in 2025. Health care represents 41 per cent of the total budget. “Budget 2026 is our [...] Read More »

newsdesk@medicinehatnews.com Last month Medicine Hat Fire and Emergency Services responded to 162 calls for service, including five structure fires and four ice and aquatics related incidents. Additionally, fire crews responded to 14 outdoor fires, 15 motor vehicle collisions and 20 calls for medical assistance. Fire chief Chad Eakins presented the Fire and Emergency Services 2025 [...] Read More »

asmith@medicinehatnews.com This flu season has proven the deadliest on record for Alberta, with more than 250 lives already lost. The respiratory dashboard reports as of Tuesday that there have been a total of 16,239 cases, which combines numbers for influenza A and B. From this, the province has reported 3,753 hospitalizations, 276 ICU admissions and [...] Read More »

Cypress County has committed to supporting the 20 Mile Irvine Rodeo for its 40th Anniversary. Council received a request Tuesday from the 20 Mile Rodeo Committee for a one-time $2,000 sponsorship. Recreation & community association co-ordinator Jody Phillips explained that as the rodeo is often a break-even event for the society, it lacks additional funds [...] Read More »

newsdesk@medicinehatnews.com A man was sent to hospital with minor injuries after he was struck while attempting to cross the street by a vehicle in Brooks last Saturday evening. Brooks RCMP responded to a report of a vehicle-pedestrian collision at the intersection of Second Avenue W. and Centre Street at approximately 8 p.m. on Feb. 28. [...] Read More »

TORONTO — Nancy Saunders says her son Ben Brennan accomplished so much in his short life. He was an exceptional musician, loved writing and was a freelance recording engineer, she said. Brennan played in bands across Canada and toured Europe. He studied at the University of King’s College in Halifax. Deeply kind and compassionate, “he [...] Read More »

OTTAWA — As Prime Minister Mark Carney shifts away from unequivocal support for American airstrikes on Iran, one expert says Canada could still be drawn into the conflict. Carney on Tuesday expressed “regret” over the state of the global order and said he would have preferred to see the U.S. seek debate at the United [...] Read More »

A Canadian man visiting Dubai says his family needs more help from the government to get home, as flight cancellations have impeded their travel since the U.S.-Iran conflict broke out on Saturday and halted air traffic across the region. Devin Ramoutar says he arrived in Dubai with his parents and sister on Thursday for a [...] Read More »

VANCOUVER — British Columbians took to social media Tuesday evening to share reports of a bright fireball in the night sky over Vancouver, and a house-rattling sonic boom. A seismologist from Natural Resources Canada’s earthquake early warning operation has confirmed a few local seismometers in B.C. picked up the event well, and the agency can [...] Read More »

The daughter of a Canadian woman killed in a bus crash in the Dominican Republic says her family is still searching for answers three days after the incident that left another Canadian dead and 13 others injured. Amanda Fullerton of Lockport, Man., said her mother, Colleen Fullerton, was killed in the Sunday evening crash and [...] Read More »

Over 200 Blood Tribe members took part in The Blood Tribe Resource Fair Thursday in Standoff. The event was the first of its kind, says Levi Little Moustache, Director of Blood Tribe Employment and Skills Training (BTEST). “The event today was a collaboration of all the HR departments (including) all the departments under Blood Tribe, [...] Read More »

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com Misconduct allegations from more than five years ago finally culminated in a disciplinary hearing for Lethbridge Police Service Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh this week. The Lethbridge Police Commission held the hearing Thursday at City Hall to address misconduct allegations against Mehdizadeh regarding an incident that took place in March 2021. The allegations were made [...] Read More »

LETHBRIDGE HERALDjmanio@lethbridgeherald.com A perpetual challenge for not-for-profit organizations is funding for their charitable work. In support of its continuing mission, Lethbridge Family Services (LFS) is hosting an inaugural gala called “Spring to Light” on April 25 at the Agri-Food Hub and Trade Center, featuring Canadian comedian, television personality, political satirist, and author Rick Mercer. “This [...] Read More »

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com The Alberta NDP and Friends of Medicare advocacy organization have raised alarms about the provincial government’s proposed legislation that will allow people suffering from addictions and mental illness who are deemed a threat to themselves or others to be treated against their will. On Tuesday, the government introduced Bill 53, the Compassionate Intervention [...] Read More »

Some Lethbridge homeowners might be surprised to see an almost 14 per cent increase in their education taxes when they get their property tax bill this spring. According to the Government of Alberta website, education property taxes are increasing for 2025-2026 after being frozen in 2024-2025. For Lethbridge residents, this will amount to a 13.8 [...] Read More »