Alberta
‘It could have been deadly’: Truckers end blockade at Alberta border crossing
COUTTS, Alta. — A blockade that paralyzed a United States border crossing for more than two weeks ended Tuesday as trucks and other vehicles with horns blaring rolled away from a southern Alberta community.
Protesters had been restricting access to the busy crossing near Coutts since Jan. 29 to rally against COVID-19 vaccine mandates for truckers and broader pandemic health restrictions.
Canada Border Services Agency said operations had resumed at the crossing and RCMP confirmed later Tuesday that traffic was moving smoothly.
The exodus of vehicles came one day after RCMP arrested 13 people and seized a cache of firearms and ammunition.
Charges laid include possession of weapons and mischief to property.
Four people also face a charge of conspiracy to murder RCMP members, said Chief Supt. Trevor Daroux. He said police worked closely with the Crown to ensure they had the necessary evidence to lay those charges.
Some of the accused were granted release in a Lethbridge, Alta., courtroom on Tuesday. A judge also ordered that they can’t contact one another or be within a 200-metre radius of any protest.
Mounties said an early-morning raid Monday uncovered 13 long guns, handguns, a machete, a large quantity of ammunition and body armour. Two additional weapons were seized later in the day.
RCMP also said a semi-truck and farm tractor had attempted to ram a police cruiser on Sunday.
“The dangerous criminal activity occurring away from the TV cameras and social media posts was real and organized,” said Deputy Commissioner Curtis Zablocki on Tuesday evening.
“It could have been deadly for citizens, protesters and officers.”
Daroux said the RCMP became aware of the heavily armed group a few days after the protest began. He said investigations are ongoing into this group and other events that took place during the blockade.
“Alberta RCMP will remain in the area until we are confident that the situation is safe and stabilized for all who travel through here,” he said.
Protesters are dissociating themselves from the group of people facing serious charges. Organizer Marco Van Huigenbos said that is why the convoy decided to leave peacefully.
He said he has no regrets about participating in the blockade.
“I think we’ve started a movement where people are going to get more involved … at the municipal level, provincial possibly, but also more involvement in politics in general.”
Two tactical vests seized by the RCMP had badges on them, which the Canadian Anti-Hate Network said have links to troubling movements.
One vest had a “Diagolon” patch on it, a white diagonal line across a black rectangle, that is linked to an often conspiratorial and antisemitic group, said Peter Smith from the network. He said the group often talks about a soon-approaching civil war.
“(Their) rhetoric is very violent,” said Smith. “One of the, kind of, common phrases used within the community is ‘A gun or rope?'”
The other patch said “Infidel” in both English and Arabic in yellow. Smith said the patch doesn’t indicate membership to a specific network but is known among Islamophobic militias and biker-style hate groups.
He said the biggest worry is having niche extremist networks that could work to inflame supporters linked to what was supposed to be a peaceful protest.
There was celebrating when the protest started winding down late Monday. A video posted to social media showed RCMP members shaking hands with and hugging protesters. People holding hats or hands to their chests or with arms draped across each other’s shoulders sang O Canada.
Cpl. Gina Slaney confirmed the scene was from Monday night in Coutts.Zablocki said RCMP is aware of the video.
“I will say, we do encourage our members to engage with the public and develop respectful, professional relationships with all Albertans,” said Zablocki. “We will be looking further into this matter.”
Jim Willett, mayor of the village of 250 people, said it had been a while since he had seen anything but semi-trailers on Highway 4.
“I can see all the way to Regina,” he said with a laugh.
Willett said he doesn’t blame the blockade leaders for the cache of weapons.
“They were a well-behaved bunch of people,” he said. “I think the organizers were taken aback as much as we were by what the RCMP discovered.”
The number of protesters at a police checkpoint, north of Coutts, had also dwindled and work was underway to start clearing away a first-aid trailer, a sauna and electric generators.
“Last night, emotions were high … I think a lot of people felt that we were giving up, but we’re not giving up,” said John Vanreeuwyk, a feedlot operator from Coaldale, Alta., also a protest organizer.
“Is it a victory? No. A victory means we’re done,” he said.
The blockade was one of several demonstrations in Canadian cities and border points that stalled trade, stranded travellers and disrupted lives of area residents, particularly in Ottawa.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has said $48 million in trade was lost each day that the Coutts border was closed.
— With files from Alanna Smith in Calgary
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 15, 2022.
Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press
Alberta
Passenger rail experts from across the world to inform Albertaās Passenger Rail Master Plan
Alberta’s future runs on rails
Alberta’s government is bringing together passenger rail experts from across the world to share best practices and inform the province’s Passenger Rail Master Plan.
As Alberta experiences record growth and evolving transportation needs, passenger rail infrastructure and services will be vital for enhancing accessibility and connecting communities. To support this, Alberta’s government is developing a Passenger Rail Master Plan to build the optimal passenger rail system for the province.
As part of the development of the plan, Alberta’s government is hosting a one-day forum to provide an opportunity for Alberta communities, industry and experts to collaborate and share information on passenger rail opportunities and challenges. The forum includes experts from Ontario, Quebec, California, Italy, Spain and Japan who are involved in passenger rail procurement, governance and operations. The sessions will allow for the sharing of best practices and lessons learned on passenger rail planning and development.
“Alberta was built by innovators and visionaries who saw potential in our province and its people. They believed that if you could dream it, you could achieve it. We believe there is opportunity and demand for passenger rail services in Alberta. Today’s forum marks an important step forward in the development of our Passenger Rail Master Plan and in achieving our vision for passenger rail.”
In line with the province’s commitment to engaging Albertans throughout the development of the Passenger Rail Master Plan, a survey has been launched to seek public input on passenger rail. Albertans are invited to complete the online survey by Dec. 20 to help shape the future of passenger rail in Alberta. There will be additional opportunities for Albertans to have their say on passenger rail in the future, including regional open houses which will be held in early 2025.
“Feedback from Albertans, Alberta municipalities, Indigenous communities and industry will be critically important to developing passenger rail services in Alberta. I encourage all Albertans to complete the online survey to help inform a shared vision for passenger rail to enhance accessibility, efficiency, and connectivity across the province.”
In April 2024, Alberta’s government shared its vision for passenger rail and announced the development of the Passenger Rail Master Plan for Alberta. The province’s vision is for an Alberta passenger rail system that includes public, private or hybrid passenger rail, including:
- a commuter rail system for the Calgary area that connects surrounding communities and the Calgary International Airport to downtown
- a commuter rail system for the Edmonton area that connects surrounding communities and the Edmonton International Airport to downtown
- passenger rail that runs between Calgary and Edmonton and the Rocky Mountain parks
- a regional rail line between Calgary and Edmonton, with a local transit hub in Red Deer
- municipal-led LRT systems in Calgary and Edmonton that integrate with the provincial passenger rail system
- rail hubs serving the major cities that would provide linkages between a commuter rail system, regional rail routes and municipal-led mass transit systems
The vision includes a province-led “Metrolinx-like” Crown corporation with a mandate to develop the infrastructure and oversee daily operations, fare collection/booking systems, system maintenance, and planning for future system expansion.
Quick facts
- The Passenger Rail Survey will be open until Dec. 20.
- Alberta’s Passenger Rail Master Plan is expected to be completed by summer 2025 and will include:
- a comprehensive feasibility assessment
- financial and delivery model options
- governance and operations recommendations
- a 15-year delivery plan
- public engagement
Related information
Alberta
REPORT: Alberta municipalities hit with $37 million carbon tax tab in 2023
Grande Prairie. Getty Images photo
From the Canadian Energy Centre
Federal cash grab driving costs for local governments, driving up property taxes
New data shows the painful economic impact of the federal carbon tax on municipalities.
Municipalities in Alberta paid out more than $37 million in federal carbon taxes in 2023, based on a recent survey commissioned by Alberta Municipal Affairs, with data provided to the Canadian Energy Centre.
About $760,000 of that came from the City of Grande Prairie. In a statement, Mayor Jackie Clayton said “if the carbon tax were removed, City property taxes could be reduced by 0.6 per cent, providing direct financial relief to residents and businesses in Grande Prairie.”
Conducted in October, the survey asked municipal districts, towns and cities in Alberta to disclose the amount of carbon tax paid out for the heating and electrifying of municipal assets and fuel for fleet vehicles.
With these funds, Alberta municipalities could have hired 7,789 high school students at $15 per hour last year with the amount paid to Ottawa.
The cost on municipalities includes:
Lloydminster: $422,248
Calgary: $1,230,300 (estimate)
Medicine Hat: $876,237
Lethbridge: $1,398,000 (estimate)
Grande Prairie: $757,562
Crowsnest Pass: $71,100
Red Deer: $1,495,945
Bonnyville: $19,484
Hinton: $66,829
Several municipalities also noted substantial indirect costs from the carbon tax, including higher rates from vendors that serve the municipality – like gravel truck drivers and road repair providers – passing increased fuel prices onto local governments.
The rising price for materials and goods like traffic lights, steel, lumber and cement, due to higher transportation costs are also hitting the bottom line for local governments.
The City of Grande Prairie paid out $89 million in goods and services in 2023, and the indirect costs of the carbon tax “have had an inflationary impact on those expenses” in addition to the direct costs of the tax.
In her press conference announcing Alberta’s challenge to the federal carbon tax on Oct. 29, 2024, Premier Danielle Smith addressed the pressures the carbon tax places on municipal bottom lines.
“In 2023 alone, the City of Calgary could have hired an additional 112 police officers or firefighters for the amount they sent to Ottawa for the carbon tax,” she said.
In a statement issued on Oct. 7, 2024, Ontario Conservative MP Ryan Williams, shadow minister for international trade, said this issue is nationwide.
“In Belleville, Ontario, the impact of the carbon tax is particularly notable. The city faces an extra $410,000 annually in costs – a burden that directly translates to an increase of 0.37 per cent on residents’ property tax bills.”
There is no rebate yet provided on retail carbon pricing for towns, cities and counties.
In October, the council in Belleville passed a motion asking the federal government to return in full all carbon taxes paid by municipalities in Canada.
The unaltered reproduction of this content is free of charge with attribution to the Canadian Energy Centre.
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