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May 6, 2016.
Evacuees from Fort McMurray and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo can expect to get funding by the middle of next week.
Premier Rachel Notley announced today that Cabinet authorized emergency financial assistance on par with what was done for Slave Lake evacuees in 2011 and southern Alberta flood victims in 2013. Adults will receive $1,250 each and dependents…
May 6, 2016.
The first convoy of 50 vehicles of evacuees is traveling south on Highway 63 from northern points past Fort McMurray this morning.
The Unified Command of the Emergency Operations Centre in Fort McMurray gave the go ahead early this morning and RCMP began escorting the first group of vehicles at 6 a.m. through Fort McMurray. RCMP will stay with the convoy until 20 km…
Reaching Indigeneous youth to stop suicide focus of workshop
May 6, 2016. The Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research is hosting a workshop that will look at how to reach Indigenous youth and prevent suicide. The workshop, entitled Mental Health Promotion, Suicide Prevention and Strengthening Resilience among Indigenous Youth, takes…
May 5, 2016.
The fire is still burning hot and as of yet there is no timeline for when residents will move back to Fort McMurray, but that doesn’t mean planning hasn’t already begun.
Bill Loutitt, vice-president for the McMurray Metis Local, says a private company has already approached the local about using their land to set up a temporary camp, perhaps of modulars, that could…
May 5, 2016.
The sole remaining Métis trapper’s cabin in downtown Fort McMurray has burned to the ground.
“Harvey was just able to grab a few papers. The fire was coming down the hill so they had to take off,” said Bill Loutitt, vice-president for the McMurray Métis local. “There’s nothing left.”
Standing in front of his cabin is Harvey Sykes (left) with…
May 5, 2016
The province plans to start bringing evacuees from the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, who fled north for emergency accommodations, to the south Thursday afternoon.
“With respect to evacuees our latest numbers show that there are roughly 25,000 people who were evacuated north of the city and our focus right now is getting those people south as…
Boil water advisory issued for Wood Buffalo area
May 5, 2016. Due to the wildfire situation in Fort McMurray, Alberta Health Services has issued a boil water advisory for the area of Fort McMurray including Anzac, Conklin, Gregoire Lake Provincial Park, Janvier, Fort McKay and nearby work camps that pull water from the Regional Municipality of Wood…
MNA opens local office to Métis impacted by Fort McMurray fire
Photo: Rupertsland Institute, a Métis Nation of Alberta affiliate, has been providing outreach services since Tuesday as the mobile van has delivered food, water, toiletries and other essentials to evacuees in Lac la Biche.
(Photo: Métis Nation of Alberta)
Wildfire threatens Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation residents
May 4, 2016. Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation residents are on one hour evacuation notice as a precautionary measure, Scott Long, executive director, provincial operations with Alberta Emergency Management Agency, said shortly after 3 p.m. today. A wildfire burning in Lac Ste. Anne County is being fought…
CCAB asks for businesses to support Fort McMurray
May 4, 2016. The Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business has joined the call for support to the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo through donations to the Red Cross. CCAB is “facilitating a call to action to our national business community network to help Fort McMurray in its time of need,” said the organization in…
May 4, 2016.
Indigenous Relations Minister Richard Feehan has followed through on his promise to do away with a bill that led to First Nations leaders and members protesting on the steps of the Legislature in 2013.
On Tuesday, Feehan introduced legislation to repeal Bill 22, the Aboriginal Consultation Levy Act.
“Many First Nations felt they were not adequately consulted…
UPDATED May 4, 2016.
Fort McKay First Nation has opened its three company lodges, school, band hall and any available building in the community to house evacuees from the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
“People started coming in yesterday afternoon. When (the authorities) started talking about evacuation, people just hit the highway,”…
Province begins partial coverage of specialized baby formula
May 2, 2016. As of Sunday, government-sponsored benefit programs began providing partial coverage for Neocate infant formula, needed by an infant because of a complex food allergy or a specific medical condition and who cannot tolerate common infant formula. The average cost of Neocate is…
May 2, 2016.
A class action law suit, that claims from 1985 to 2009 the province took thousands of children and then illegally retained them, is a step away from certification.
“You can’t take somebody’s child without following the law, whether you’re a neighbour, a stranger or the government,” said lawyer Robert Lee, whose firm began the class action. “The only way (Alberta)…
Firefighter charged in trestle bridge fire
May 2, 2016. A Mayerthorpe firefighter will appear in Stony Plain Provincial Court on Wednesday facing 18 counts of arson, including setting fire to the CN trestle bridge in Mayerthorpe. Lawson Michael Schalm was arrested and charged by the Mayerthorpe RCMP on Saturday. Schalm helped fight the trestle fire,…