Beyond Local

“COVID certainly has a strong hold on us here in the valley and we have to do everything we can to shake it loose.”

Younger Canadians in several provinces are now able to get the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Starting today, those aged 40 and over in Ontario and Alberta can get the shot.

Rogers Communications Inc. says wireless service has been restored after a massive nationwide outage left millions of customers without access to voice calls, texting and data services on Monday.

A group of kids notified RCMP after finding a suspicious bag in a shrub, in St. Paul.

OTTAWA — The first federal budget in more than two years extends Ottawa’s COVID-19 "lifeline" for workers and struggling businesses another few months as it aims to pull Canada through the pandemic once and for all.

EDMONTON — Scientists from the University of Alberta want the provincial government to rethink its plans to expand coal-mining in the Rocky Mountains.

Several provinces are lowering their minimum age requirement for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, allowing those 40 and older to receive the jab as unruly spread of COVID-19 continues in their jurisdictions.

According to Alberta Parks, construction work planned this summer to improve the Mount Yamnuska area in Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park would create safety issues for recreational users and contractors if hiking and climbing routes were to remain open to the public.

"Alberta is lowering the minimum age to receive the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from 55 to 40," Alberta Premier Jason Kenney tweeted on Sunday night. "This decision is based on growing scientific knowledge about the vaccine."

The Liberals' first budget in two years is expected to outline the government's plans for a national child-care system, including what strings will be attached to any spending.