Latest news with #Drumheller
CTV News
a day ago
- Business
- CTV News
Alberta planning to power some of its jails with solar energy
Solar panels pictured at the Michichi Solar project near Drumheller, Alta., Tuesday, July 11, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh EDMONTON — Alberta's government is looking to power some of its jails with solar energy. The province says it's planning to build solar installations at five of its 10 correctional facilities, with early energy cost savings estimated at $1 million per year. 'The solar installations are expected to offset approximately 80 per cent of the energy used at each site,' Michael Kwas, press secretary for Infrastructure Minister Martin Long, said in an email. He said the estimated savings will likely change as the installations are further designed. A procurement document published by the province, which lists future projects with approved construction funding, says the government's budget for the solar proposal is anywhere from $10 million to $50 million. Like the savings, the budget figure is also preliminary, Kwas said. A more exact estimate would be determined later as planning progresses. While the ministry didn't say which jails have been chosen, Kwas said two are in the Edmonton area and three are around Calgary. 'The significant amount of non-agricultural land, underutilized land on these sites presents an ideal opportunity for ground mounted solar installations,' Kwas said. There are three provincial jails in the capital region: the Edmonton Remand Centre, which houses those awaiting trial; the Edmonton Young Offender Centre, directly beside the remand centre; and the Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Centre, northeast of Edmonton. Calgary has a remand centre, a young offender centre and a correctional centre, all of which are built beside each other. There are also correctional facilities in Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Peace River and Red Deer. Some other government-owned buildings are already equipped with alternative energy generation systems, Kwas said, but didn't provide examples. 'None of the (existing) installations are as large as those planned for the correctional centres.' Kwas added the Edmonton facilities use about 11,500 megawatt hours of energy annually. Calgary's total is roughly 6,300 megawatt hours per year. Alberta-based utility supplier ATCO says the average home in the province uses roughly seven megawatt hours annually. The procurement document says the province plans to start accepting bids to build the solar arrays later this year or in early 2026. Stephen Legault, an Alberta-based senior manager with advocacy group Environmental Defence, said he doesn't know if other jails in Canada are solar powered, but he'd be thrilled if Alberta were breaking new ground. 'When little announcements like this come out that suggests somebody is thinking rationally within the government about our energy future, it makes me pretty happy,' Legault said. 'It's a great idea.' The office of federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said no prisons currently run on solar power. 'We wish the Alberta government well in their pursuit of renewable energy solutions to power their correctional facilities,' a spokesperson says in an email. While it seems to be a unique proposal in Canada, using solar energy to power jails and prisons is almost common south of the border. Ned Lamont, governor of Connecticut, announced earlier this year seven state-run correctional facilities were being powered in part by new solar arrays expected to save the government USD$11 million over the lifespan of the panels. 'Installing solar energy systems at correctional facilities is a way that we can deliver cost savings in the operations of state government while also reducing our carbon footprint,' Lamont said in an April news release. There are also examples in Colorado and California. The Santa Rita Jail, near Dublin, Calif., had the largest rooftop solar installation in the entire United States when nearly 10,000 panels were installed between 2001 and 2002. Legault said he was somewhat surprised by Alberta's plan. The province put a seven-month moratorium on project approvals for solar and wind energy in 2023, along with 'draconian' rules on new projects that restrict where new solar and wind farms can be built. Kwas said the infrastructure ministry is always looking for ways to improve efficiency and reduce costs, 'including innovative energy solutions that minimize environmental impact.' Legault said Alberta shouldn't stop at jails when it comes to putting up new solar arrays on or around provincially owned buildings. 'The only barrier is ingenuity, creativity and cash. And the third one is something that I will admit is always difficult,' Legault said. 'My hope would be that it would lead this provincial government to realize that renewable energy isn't necessarily the boogeyman.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 18, 2025. Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press
CBC
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Drumheller documentary about wolves getting international attention
A Drumheller documentary called The Last Howl is the story of two brothers and their close relationships with the wolves they rescued. Director Matt Paproski joined the Calgary Eyeopener to talk about it.
CTV News
09-08-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
‘It was really easy': Alberta byelection advance polls open with more than 200 candidates
Residents of Battle River-Crowfoot began casting advanced votes in the byelection where over 200 candidates are registered. CTV's Kathy Le has more. Residents of Battle River-Crowfoot began casting advanced votes in the byelection where over 200 candidates are registered. CTV's Kathy Le has more. Advanced polls open in Battle River-Crowfoot for byelection, as Poilievre hopes to win seat A steady stream of people have shuffled in and out of the lone advance voting station in Drumheller, Alta., one of the towns in the sprawling rural riding of Battle River–Crowfoot, where federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre hopes to win and restore his position in the House of Commons. The voters CTV News spoke with say the process has been easy. 'It was pretty straightforward. I had done my preparation. I knew where the different candidates were coming from,' said Roger Hanm. Another voter, Brad Luchak, was in agreement. '(It was) really easy today,' he said. 'It was no problem at all.' There are 214 candidates registered in the byelection, making it the largest number of candidates on a federal ballot in Canadian history. Those running include Poilievre, Liberal candidate Darcy Spady, NDP candidate Katherine Swampy, Jonathan Bridges of the People's Party of Canada, Ashley MacDonald of the Green Party and independent candidate Bonnie Critchley. To ensure the voting process goes smoothly, Elections Canada created an adapted ballot, meaning for the first time ever, voters must fill out a blank ballot with the name of their preferred candidate. Voter Thomas Laffin says they had references to ensure they got the name of the candidates spelled correction. 'You've got your big book there on the side that has all the 214-some-odd names, and then they have the small one that has the ones that are connected to a party,' he said. The majority of candidates running in the traditionally Conservative Alberta riding are sponsored by the advocacy group the Longest Ballot Committee, who are protesting the First-past-the-post (FPTP) system and wanting electoral reform. The group ran a campaign in Poilievre's former Ottawa-area riding of Carleton, where he lost his long-held seat during the general election in April. The ballot had 91 candidates. The Conservative leader is looking to get back into Parliament, given a chance after former MP Damien Kurek, who won the riding in a landslide with 83 per cent of the vote, stepped aside. Lori Williams, political scientist at Mount Royal University in Calgary, says it's expected that Pierre will win the byelection. 'Nobody's expecting him to lose the by election. But if he doesn't win it by close to 83 per cent, then questions are starting or going to start being raised,' she said. 'That will feed into his return to the house in the fall and into his leadership review in the new year.' Poilievre has long expressed frustration about the Longest Ballot Committee, calling its actions a 'blatant abuse' of electoral democracy. During an unrelated press conference in Calgary Thursday, the Conservative leader said his party is proposing to change electoral laws to 'make sure that this longest stunt never happens again. While voter Adrine Giles thought the voting process was simple, she wasn't too keen with all the candidates running. 'I wasn't happy to have, you know, so many candidates. It's just not really a good idea. You just confuse people,' she said. Giles wouldn't reveal who she voted for, but confirmed it wasn't Poilievre. 'We need a local person to represent us,' she said. 'We're not going to see him. He's not going to do anything for us here.' Some other voters, like Art Bonaguro, disagree. 'I know he doesn't live in the riding, but the leader of the party really needs a seat in the house to do anything,' he said. 'So that's where my vote went.
CTV News
08-08-2025
- CTV News
Siksika man accused of deliberately running over family appears in court
The man accused in an allegedly deliberate hit-and-run that left two people dead and a third person severely injured had his matter called in court on Friday. Adolphus Weasel Child, 27, was scheduled to appear before a judge in Drumheller. He's charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder, relating to an incident that occurred late last month on Siksika Nation. Following the incident, RCMP said five people were walking along the roadway when some of them were run over by a pickup truck. Trayton Running Bird, 27, and Clifton Saddleback, 45. Adolphus Weasel Child, 27, was charged following the incident that claimed the lives of 27-year-old Trayton Running Bird and 45-year-old Clifton Saddleback. Trayton Running Bird Adolphus Weasel Child, 27, was charged following the incident that claimed the lives of 27-year-old Trayton Running Bird and 45-year-old Clifton Saddleback. Clifton Saddleback. Emiline Turning Robe, 45, was taken to hospital in critical condition, and has since undergone multiple surgeries. Soon after the incident, the vehicle believed to be involved was located and seized and Weasel Child was arrested. Weasel Child remains in custody. He was called in court in Drumheller on Friday and the matter was ultimately quickly adjourned. He is scheduled to appear before a judge next just a little over a month from now, on Sept. 12. With files from Tyson Fedor
Associated Press
06-08-2025
- Science
- Associated Press
ProtoSpace Mfg Named Title Sponsor of 2025 Canadian International Rover Challenge
Empowering the Next Generation of Planetary Robotics Engineers With Hands-On Support and Manufacturing Resources SYDNEY, NOVA SCOTIA - August 5, 2025 ( NEWMEDIAWIRE ) - ProtoSpace Mfg, the advanced manufacturing division for aerospace and defense of the Protocase Companies, is proud to announce its title sponsorship of the 2025 Canadian International Rover Challenge (CIRC), an international university-level robotics competition simulating real-world Mars exploration challenges. Held August 8–11 in the strikingly Mars-like badlands of Drumheller, Alberta, CIRC brings together top engineering students from around the world - Canada, the United States, Poland, and beyond - to test their custom-built planetary rovers in a rigorous series of terrain, dexterity, and environmental analysis tasks. Now celebrating its ninth year, the event is organized by the Canadian Space Technology Advancement Group (CSTAG), a not-for-profit formed by alumni of the University of Saskatchewan's Space Design Team. As 2025 Title Sponsor, ProtoSpace Mfg is providing meaningful, hands-on support to student innovators at every stage of the competition: The CIRC's unique multi-day format includes robotic navigation, sample collection, excavation, autonomous and manual control trials, and the only nighttime rover challenge of its kind: the rugged overnight 'Traversal.' In a demanding environment that mimics the surface of Mars, participants must account for strict weight limits, weather variability, and autonomy standards while ensuring their rovers perform mission-critical tasks under pressure. 'For us, supporting the Canadian International Rover Challenge isn't just about manufacturing parts, it's about manufacturing opportunity,' said Dr. Doug Milburn, Chairman of the Protocase Companies. 'We want students to go beyond theoretical knowledge and gain real-world experience designing, building, and iterating at the edge of what's possible. CIRC represents exactly the kind of bold, imaginative engineering we believe in at ProtoSpace Mfg.' In addition to ProtoSpace Mfg, sponsors of the 2025 event include Nordspace and Birchcliff Energy, helping to ensure the continued growth of Canada's most compelling space engineering challenge. With its roots in student-led innovation and a legacy of global participation, CIRC is not just preparing future space scientists, it's giving them the tools, resources, and mentorship to lead. For more information about ProtoSpace Mfg or to learn how your team can access support, visit ProtoSpace Mfg. About ProtoSpace Mfg ProtoSpace Mfg is a division of the Protocase Companies, offering rapid, high-precision manufacturing for custom electronics enclosures, mechanical components, and prototyping applications. With industry-leading turnaround times and a mission to empower engineering innovation, ProtoSpace Mfg serves clients in aerospace, robotics, education, and beyond. About CIRC Founded in 2017, the Canadian International Rover Challenge is an annual robotics competition that invites student teams from around the world to test their planetary rover systems in a Mars-analog terrain. Organized by CSTAG, the competition emphasizes real-world engineering, collaboration, and autonomous systems development. Contact: Jonathan Phillips [email protected] View the original release on
