Alberta
Track on 2 showcases Clayton Bellamy, Dan Davidson, and Maddison Krebs at the first “Stillhouse Songwriter Sessions” Jan. 15th

Edmonton, AB — In a new partnership that will create more opportunities for entertainment in Central Alberta, The Track on 2 and Trixstar are pleased to announce that Trixstar has been contracted to act as an entertainment consultant for the Track on 2 Horse Racing and Event Centre in Lacombe, Alberta.
Beginning January 15, 2020 The Track on 2 Event Centre will host a weekly Songwriters Series featuring local, regional and national level artists. Creating a special experience for both artists and fans, the listening room atmosphere will host 3-4 artists each week with a focus on the craft of songwriting and the stories that go along with it.
Plans are also in the works for various outdoor concerts, comprehensive race day programming and various other community events.
Set in an intimate listening room atmosphere that will create a unique experience for both artists and all those attending, The Track on 2 Stillhouse Sessions will focus on the craft of songwriting and the stories that go along with it. What you will experience here is a listening room. Talking is encouraged before the show, between sets, during intermission, and after the show but during the performances, audience members are asked to keep their voices low and talking to a minimum.
MEET THE SONGWRITERS

Clayton Bellamy
CLAYTON BELLAMY has won many awards including a Juno for Best Country Recording, a five time Canadian Country Music Award winner Canadian Country Music Awards, and SOCAN Songwriter of the Year award. Clayton has dominated the stage performing at the Grand Ole Opry has been featured in People Magazine The New York Times and Rolling Stone and even performed for President Carter. He has released five solo studio records and has had songs recorded by Big Sugar Matt Anderson Grady Dan Davidson Jason Blaine W3apons FKB Willie Mack and many more. Bellamy is also one of the three members of the group The Road Hammers, which has released four studio albums, in addition to charting twelve singles in Canada with two number one singles and two in the United States

Dan Davidson
DAN DAVIDSON has created undeniable momentum in the last few years. With 3 CCMA nomination, 10 ACMA awards, a gold record, a number 1 selling Canadian song, top 20 charting numbers and over 100 performances this year – its easy to forget that he is still a new face on the scene. Dan exploded onto the Canadian country scene in 2016 with the release of his second single “Found” (Co-written by Clayton Bellamy). Dan became arguably the indie story of 2016/2017 as his single “Found” rocketed up the charts and he became the #1 charting indie artist in Canada. It was also the #1 selling Canadian country song for several weeks in July and August 2016. On just his second release ever in country music – he has a GOLD single. The following singles “Barn Burner”, “Say We Did”, and “Lets Go There” helped further his momentum with more top 20 recognition and solidified his name as an artist on the rise – definitely someone to watch.

Maddison Krebs
MADDISON KREBS- The singer/songwriter from Okotoks Alberta, Canada, got her first guitar when she was six, so she could put her poetry to music. Right away, you could see her talents and drive would make her dreams come true. She dreamed of having a publishing and record deal by 2016; that’s the year she had won the ‘On the Spot Contest’ with Ole. She dreamed of moving to Nashville to pursue her career by 2018; that’s the year she moved to Music City. In Nashville, she finds herself working with some of music’s best producers and songwriters, such as Jeff Trott (Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks) and Tony Martin (Tim McGraw, Keith Urban). POP DUST says, “Maddison Krebs has one of those voices you listen to and instantly feel like you’ve known her your whole life.” Maddison’s brand new self-titled EP is now available everywhere. Beginning January 15, 2020 The Track on 2 Event Centre will host a weekly Songwriters Series featuring local, regional and national level artists. Creating a special experience for both artists and fans, the listening room atmosphere will host 3-4 artists each week with a focus on the craft of songwriting and the stories that go along with it.
Plans are also in the works for various outdoor concerts, comprehensive race day programming and various other community events.
“We are thrilled to bring the expertise and professionalism of Trixstar on board. They share the same passion for live events as we do and see the full potential of our property as more than just a race track. They also understand our commitment to the community and will help foster that partnership.”, says Kurt Belich co-owner of The Track on 2.
“Kurt, Kyla and Ross are exceptional leaders in their industry. We are excited at the opportunity to work with their talented team and create an entertainment destination at The Track on 2. Their vision will no doubt enhance the community and region.”, says Trixstar’s Chris Melnychuk.
About Trixstar
Founded in 2005 and with offices in Nashville, Edmonton and Calgary, Trixstar is a 360-degree live event management & consultation firm that activates both city and rural markets with festivals, concerts, brand activations as well as celebrity and speaker events. Working alongside organizations that want to create brand awareness, generate excitement and raise funds through impactful events and unique experiences. www.trixstar.com
About The Track on 2
The Track on 2 is a horse racing & event centre located just outside of Lacombe, Alberta on the QEII Highway. The racetrack has a one mile dirt track and the only 7/8 mile turf track in Western Canada. The facility includes a large grandstand, a riding arena and a number of stables. Open year round, the facility is also home to an amazing restaurant, The Funky Monkey Kitchen + Bar featuring famous Chef Pete Sok and has a simulcast room streaming international races as well as a VLT lounge. The Track is locally owned and operated by couple Kurt & Kyla Belich and their business partner Ross Morrison. A schedule of all upcoming events can be found at thetrackon2.com
Doors 6:00 PM, Show 7:00 PM, Tickets $5.00
TICKETS & ADMISSION
As a capacity crowd is expected for opening night on January 15, 2020 all attendees must have a ticket available through Eventbrite to ensure admittance.
COME EARLY AND JOIN US FOR A DINNER BUFFET
Dinner 530-630PM. $23/pre-purchase. $30/walk-ins.
Irish Beef & Guiness Stew
Jim Beam Bourbon Chicken
Chef’s Mashed Potatoes
Penne Primavera
Roasted Herb Seasonal Vegetables
House Salad
Assorted Dessert Squares
Read more stories on Todayville.
Alberta
Low oil prices could have big consequences for Alberta’s finances

From the Fraser Institute
By Tegan Hill
Amid the tariff war, the price of West Texas Intermediate oil—a common benchmark—recently dropped below US$60 per barrel. Given every $1 drop in oil prices is an estimated $750 million hit to provincial revenues, if oil prices remain low for long, there could be big implications for Alberta’s budget.
The Smith government already projects a $5.2 billion budget deficit in 2025/26 with continued deficits over the following two years. This year’s deficit is based on oil prices averaging US$68.00 per barrel. While the budget does include a $4 billion “contingency” for unforeseen events, given the economic and fiscal impact of Trump’s tariffs, it could quickly be eaten up.
Budget deficits come with costs for Albertans, who will already pay a projected $600 each in provincial government debt interest in 2025/26. That’s money that could have gone towards health care and education, or even tax relief.
Unfortunately, this is all part of the resource revenue rollercoaster that’s are all too familiar to Albertans.
Resource revenue (including oil and gas royalties) is inherently volatile. In the last 10 years alone, it has been as high as $25.2 billion in 2022/23 and as low as $2.8 billion in 2015/16. The provincial government typically enjoys budget surpluses—and increases government spending—when oil prices and resource revenue is relatively high, but is thrown into deficits when resource revenues inevitably fall.
Fortunately, the Smith government can mitigate this volatility.
The key is limiting the level of resource revenue included in the budget to a set stable amount. Any resource revenue above that stable amount is automatically saved in a rainy-day fund to be withdrawn to maintain that stable amount in the budget during years of relatively low resource revenue. The logic is simple: save during the good times so you can weather the storm during bad times.
Indeed, if the Smith government had created a rainy-day account in 2023, for example, it could have already built up a sizeable fund to help stabilize the budget when resource revenue declines. While the Smith government has deposited some money in the Heritage Fund in recent years, it has not created a dedicated rainy-day account or introduced a similar mechanism to help stabilize provincial finances.
Limiting the amount of resource revenue in the budget, particularly during times of relatively high resource revenue, also tempers demand for higher spending, which is only fiscally sustainable with permanently high resource revenues. In other words, if the government creates a rainy-day account, spending would become more closely align with stable ongoing levels of revenue.
And it’s not too late. To end the boom-bust cycle and finally help stabilize provincial finances, the Smith government should create a rainy-day account.
Alberta
Governments in Alberta should spur homebuilding amid population explosion

From the Fraser Institute
By Tegan Hill and Austin Thompson
In 2024, construction started on 47,827 housing units—the most since 48,336 units in 2007 when population growth was less than half of what it was in 2024.
Alberta has long been viewed as an oasis in Canada’s overheated housing market—a refuge for Canadians priced out of high-cost centres such as Vancouver and Toronto. But the oasis is starting to dry up. House prices and rents in the province have spiked by about one-third since the start of the pandemic. According to a recent Maru poll, more than 70 per cent of Calgarians and Edmontonians doubt they will ever be able to afford a home in their city. Which raises the question: how much longer can this go on?
Alberta’s housing affordability problem reflects a simple reality—not enough homes have been built to accommodate the province’s growing population. The result? More Albertans competing for the same homes and rental units, pushing prices higher.
Population growth has always been volatile in Alberta, but the recent surge, fuelled by record levels of immigration, is unprecedented. Alberta has set new population growth records every year since 2022, culminating in the largest-ever increase of 186,704 new residents in 2024—nearly 70 per cent more than the largest pre-pandemic increase in 2013.
Homebuilding has increased, but not enough to keep pace with the rise in population. In 2024, construction started on 47,827 housing units—the most since 48,336 units in 2007 when population growth was less than half of what it was in 2024.
Moreover, from 1972 to 2019, Alberta added 2.1 new residents (on average) for every housing unit started compared to 3.9 new residents for every housing unit started in 2024. Put differently, today nearly twice as many new residents are potentially competing for each new home compared to historical norms.
While Alberta attracts more Canadians from other provinces than any other province, federal immigration and residency policies drive Alberta’s population growth. So while the provincial government has little control over its population growth, provincial and municipal governments can affect the pace of homebuilding.
For example, recent provincial amendments to the city charters in Calgary and Edmonton have helped standardize building codes, which should minimize cost and complexity for builders who operate across different jurisdictions. Municipal zoning reforms in Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer have made it easier to build higher-density housing, and Lethbridge and Medicine Hat may soon follow suit. These changes should make it easier and faster to build homes, helping Alberta maintain some of the least restrictive building rules and quickest approval timelines in Canada.
There is, however, room for improvement. Policymakers at both the provincial and municipal level should streamline rules for building, reduce regulatory uncertainty and development costs, and shorten timelines for permit approvals. Calgary, for instance, imposes fees on developers to fund a wide array of public infrastructure—including roads, sewers, libraries, even buses—while Edmonton currently only imposes fees to fund the construction of new firehalls.
It’s difficult to say how long Alberta’s housing affordability woes will endure, but the situation is unlikely to improve unless homebuilding increases, spurred by government policies that facilitate more development.
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