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Global News
8 hours ago
- Business
- Global News
United Conservative Party releases CPP survey results 21 months late
It's taken nearly two years for the province to release results from a survey that asked Albertans if they wanted an Alberta Pension Plan (APP). The survey showed 63 per cent of respondents were opposed to an APP, while only 10 per cent were in support. More recent polling from Leger in February found 55 per cent of Albertan's opposed an Alberta Pension Plan. A May 2025 poll from Janet Brown found 55 per cent of Albertans were in support of the APP if there were more details. In May, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said, 'I am seeing the results you are, I am not seeing that there is an appetite to put it to the people at the moment.' Duane Bratt, a political science professor at Mount Royal University, says the Janet Brown poll, commissioned by the government of Alberta, has interesting results with the number of people waiting for more information. Story continues below advertisement He adds people wanted answers to questions. 'Like, what is the amount that Alberta Pension Plan would start with? What would be the contribution rates? What would be the benefit rates? What would be the mobility between provinces? All of those sorts of questions haven't been answered,' said Bratt. 1:56 Alberta finance minister says he has not 'flip-flopped' on proposed pension change Bratt says the survey was not fair because it asked questions that assumed the respondent wanted an Alberta Pension Plan. 'The question itself was, would you want to leave the CPP if you had the exact same program. In the absence of any details, how do you know that that's the exact same program,' said Bratt. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy He adds the survey results are no longer accurate but the delay of the release of the results shows a lack of transparency from the provincial government. 'The bigger story is how and why the government of Alberta refused to hand over public survey data that they encouraged Albertans to fill out. They went to extreme measures to block it, because they realized it was going to embarrass them. They believed that this was a neutral process to just explore the idea of leaving the Canadian pension plan, but it wasn't,' said Bratt. Story continues below advertisement The province says they will continue to talk with Albertans on this topic and says nothing will change unless Albertans approve a new pension plan in a referendum. Bratt says by itself, majority of Albertans are against the province pulling out of CPP and creating the APP. He adds that he expects to see several referendum questions about Alberta's independence. Those might include questions on the APP, an Alberta police force, and Alberta independence. 'I think what the government is hoping for is maybe people might not want to separate, but they still want to send a message to Ottawa,' said Bratt.
Global News
9 hours ago
- General
- Global News
Conservationists demand end to gravel extracton on B.C. creek
A coalition of conservation groups is calling on the federal and provincial governments to stop gravel extraction from a creek near Mission, B.C., saying it's destroying salmon habitats. The groups say gravel mining has lowered the level of Norrish Creek and its tributaries. Retired biologist John Werring said it was the sight of dead salmon dried up in teh creekbed last December that spurred him and others to try and figure out what was going on. Werring said he noticed the water level had been intentionally lowered by gravel extraction, work completed by the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railroad to protect a bridge there. 1:56 Anger and frustration in Fraser Valley over railway dredging of creek He suspects that caused the neighboring creek to dry out and damage the Fish Habitat….and over the past six months he's been pushing government to reveal what they know about the situation. Story continues below advertisement He said he's recieved 'absolutely nothing' in the way of ansers since then. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Normally Firsheries and Oceans Canada and the provincial govenrment would be involved in any activity that could affect fish habitat and involved mining of a public resource. After months of frustration Werring and his colleagues have turned to the lawyers at Ecojustice for help. This week they sent demand letters to Victoria and Ottawa, alleging that the digging is being done without a provincial permit and goes beyond the scope of work authorized by the federal government. 2:08 Gravel removal blamed for salmon habitat damage near Mission They say that's destroying the spawning habitat of tens of thousands of salmon, and drastically altering water levels that are vital to the survival of wild chum and coho. They accuse the company of expanding its operations without provincial approval and beyond the scope of its federal permission. Story continues below advertisement 'Massive amounts of gravel have been extracted, hundreds of meters upstream and hundreds of meters downstream of the bridges that are supposed to be protected,' Werring said. Fisheries and Oceans Canada wasn't able to respond in time for this report. The provincial Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship said it had not given any permits for gravel removal on Norrish Creek, and that they have forwarded complaints to the federal agency. Werring said given that his group involves professional biologists, getting anwsers will be a daunting task for anyone else. ' If we're facing that, one has to wonder like, what about the public if they want to get involved in something like this?' he asked.
Global News
9 hours ago
- Business
- Global News
B.C. man nets $40M Lotto Max win but might keep his job anyway
A B.C. man says he hasn't decided yet if he'll quit his job, after taking home a $40 million Lotto Max jackpot. A fateful decision to stop at a convenience store to grab a can of sparkling water while out for a run in Burnaby has rendered Daniel Chau a multi-millionaire. He picked up a couple of lottery tickets while he was there, but didn't check it right away. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'To be honest, I am very forgetful, so I put the two tickets in my bag. I bought it, I think, on May 20, and it was just sitting there,' he said. 'On Monday I was in my office and trying to find a candy to cure my coughing and I opened my bag and I saw the two tickets, and I was like I need to scan them. The first ticket didn't win. The second ticket, when I scanned it, and when I saw the number, I literally dropped my phone. Story continues below advertisement 'I've never seen that many zeroes in my life.' Chau said he plans to travel and give back to his family with some of the winnings.
Global News
9 hours ago
- Business
- Global News
B.C. Premier David Eby says it will be a busy summer as he reflects on past 8 months
B.C. Premier David Eby says it has been an 'eventful' period for British Columbians since he was re-elected in October. 'What we set out during the election campaign, which was in advance of the (Donald) Trump election, has shifted quite dramatically in terms of where we have to be,' Eby told Global News in a one-on-one interview. 'And so the focus has been on ensuring that B.C. can assume the role that we have assumed now, which is to be the economic engine for the country.' Eby said that while his government did not provide a $1,000 grocery rebate to residents, they did remove the carbon tax, as promised. 'The focus of our government has been ensuring that we're bringing the most vulnerable along, but the group of people that really feels pressure has expanded,' Eby added. Story continues below advertisement 'It includes the middle class, concerns around housing and health care and safe communities, which are the focus of our government.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Eby also said the province is working to diversify trading partners, especially in the Asia Pacific, including Malaysia, Korea and Japan. One of the big issues still facing Eby's government is housing. 'Rents are unacceptably high, which is why we continue to push on housing, why we're buying land around transit stations to build more rental housing, why we are giving direct support to more seniors through the Safer Programme so they can afford rent,' he said. 'The work needs to continue. The good news is we're finally pointing in the right direction. Rents are coming down. We've had eight months of decreases overall, we're the only province that's seen that. But we have to continue doing the work because they are too high.' 2:02 B.C. premier wants Ottawa to declare Indian gang a terrorist organization As summer gets underway, Eby said there is still a lot of work to be done. Story continues below advertisement 'First of all, it's advancing the economic work with the federal government, with the other provinces, whether it's corridors, internal trade, building major projects, ensuring that British Columbians have access to good jobs, as we see the direct attack on sectors like our forest sector here in British Columbia,' he said. 'The second is, I am hopeful we won't, but I am worried that we might see a significant wildfire season again, so supporting British Columbians through that, if we have to have large-scale evacuations like Manitoba and Ontario have had to do. 'The third, and I think a critical piece, is we have to continue to advance the work on a variety of other fronts, ensuring that our health-care system is strong.'
Global News
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Global News
Victoria's new community safety plan gets council's green light
Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto says she's 'thrilled' councillors have signalled support for a plan to address declining social order caused by homelessness, addiction and a fraying health care system in the city. Councillors meeting as a committee voted eight-to-one to endorse the Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan and unanimously directed staff to analyze its operational and financial impacts. Another vote to formally approve the plan, which does not have a price tag, is scheduled for July 3. Alto says the city is facing crises that are 'unacceptable,' and the public has clearly told the city that issues of social disorder and 'uncivility' are paramount. 4:07 Calls for safety crackdown in downtown Victoria The report was commissioned in 2023 and responds to what it calls increased disorder and a diminished sense of community well-being in the face of multiple challenges. Story continues below advertisement The report says people in B.C's capital are 'discouraged, upset, and frustrated' with visible and invisible levels of poverty, homelessness and service gaps, despite efforts to revitalize the downtown, increase housing and improve safety. Alto says the plan with its 95 recommendations — many aimed at the provincial and federal governments — is not just another report, but instead marks a 'watershed moment' in the history of the city as it responds to social challenges. She said many of the causes behind those challenges are the responsibility of other levels of government and organizations. 'We can't deny that, and we will continue to work with them to ensure that the results are collaborative, and then eventually, the right authorities take responsibility for the costs and execution of those solutions,' she said. 'But meanwhile, we cannot wait any longer. We have an obligation to Victorians to take action.' Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Alto said the city will fill some of the gaps for now, with the hope that other levels of government will see what works and do their part to help the city. She also expressed hope that other communities in Greater Victoria will take their cues from the report. She said in an interview that residents could see additional bylaw officers on their streets sometime this year after council directed staff to implement 'preliminary actions' within the available 2025 budget to support the plan. Story continues below advertisement 2:10 Victoria business association calls for safety in downtown core Alto added that staff could hire additional bylaw officers even without the approval of council if money could be found without changing the 2025 budget. Alto acknowledged financial constraints and difficult choices. 'It's impossible to predict the storm clouds that are coming, but what this indicates is that every order of government, every decision maker is facing some really extremely difficult choices,' she said. 'In this case, I believe that this is a priority. That has been indicated strongly by the public generally, and that there is a high expectation that this will be a priority.' Specific recommendations within Victoria's control include measures to improve downtown safety, explore the establishment of designated shelters and tiny homes for people transitioning from homelessness, and support the delivery of mental health first aid training. Story continues below advertisement The report says that concerns about safety and the impacts of social disorder are 'negatively impacting business vitality' in Victoria, whose success as a renowned tourism destination depends on the local economy, with its array of unique businesses. These concerns are echoed by Suzanne Bradbury, who guided the drafting of the plan as part of a panel consisting of community leaders. 1:45 Victoria city councillors bringing motion to prioritize downtown movie theatres Bradbury, who co-owns a property management company and is also a trained mental health and addictions counsellor, said nobody is thriving right now. Businesses are closing and those struggling with addictions are not getting better under the current system, she said. 'Momentum is certainly building, but it is moving in the wrong direction,' she told councillors. 'We need an intervention urgently to turn this around.' Story continues below advertisement The Downtown Victoria Business Association said in its annual report released last week that 48 per cent of businesses surveyed said that if their leases were due soon, they would either not renew their leases, or were unsure if they would, because of the 'current conditions' in the neighbourhood. 'We need bold, immediate action in 2025, or we risk a wave of closures, job losses, and a dramatic erosion of downtown's vitality,' said Jeff Bray, the association's chief executive officer. Jonny Morris, chief executive officer with the B.C. division of the Canadian Mental Health Association, also served with Bradbury on the panel. He said in an interview that the 'ambitious' plan serves as a 'very robust North Star' for all levels of government. 'So the city is taking on its piece,' he said. 'We will need to see the province, and the federal government find ways to interact and interface with these recommendations.' Not all members of Victoria city council think that will happen. Coun. Marg Gardiner said the plan includes a 'good list of steps' to help individuals who are currently living on the streets and dealing with addiction. But she added that she is not confident that senior levels will fulfill their obligations.
