The union representing striking teachers in Alberta say educators have tabled a reasonable offer to the province and that it’s now up to the Danielle Smith government to end the labour dispute. “The responsibility to end this disruption lies squarely with the government,” Alberta Teachers Associatio...

Teachers and public education supporters from across the region banded together in Jasper yesterday (Thursday, October 9) to demonstrate solidarity in their ongoing labour strife with the provincial government. Teachers walked off the job Monday amid stalled negotiations. Wearing “Red for Ed” clothi...

When Alberta teachers voted nearly 90 percent against the government’s latest contract offer, the message was clear: the deal does not meet the needs of our classrooms or our students. Yet, within hours, the Government of Alberta released a press release painting itself as the rational adult in the ...

Teachers reject province's proposal; October 6 strike action looms Alberta teachers have overwhelmingly rejected the Government of Alberta’s latest contract offer. On Monday, September 29, nearly 90 per cent of the 51,000-strong Alberta Teachers Association (ATA) membership voted against the tentati...

Pundits suggest strike action would be warranted, but risky The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) has reached a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the provincial government’s bargaining committee. The union will present the tentative agreement to its 51,000 public, Catholic and francophone school ...

Anti-separatist petition needs 294,000 signatures before Oct 28 Two Jasperites have taken up the torch with the Forever Canadian campaign. Val Young and Janet Frechette have been soliciting Albertans for signatures on a petition to keep Alberta in Canada. On Wednesday they set up a table outside of ...

Teachers trying to reach a collective agreement before October 6 are calling out the provincial government’s complaint to the Alberta labour board as a frivolous stall tactic. Yesterday, Alberta Teachers Association (ATA) president Jason Schilling addressed a September 15 complaint filed by the prov...

After months of lobbying three different governments for reimbursed costs incurred while hosting Jasper wildfire evacuees, the Village of Valemount and nine Valemount businesses have had their voices heard. In August, the Village received $302,585.60, disbursed by the Alberta Government via the Muni...

The recent opinion piece published in The Jasper Local raises concerns about the ethics, effectiveness, and motivations behind Alberta’s decision to permit hound-assisted black bear hunting in Caribou Conservation Areas (CCAs).  While the author’s passion for wildlife is commendable, the article unf...

For 40 years, the province has put industry ahead of endangered species Is the Alberta government hell-bent on eliminating what remains of the two caribou herds that live in the mountains just north of Jasper National Park? Looking at the province’s recently released draft management plan for the Up...

Rent is rising in Jasper, and with it, tenants’ anxiety about being able to afford to live here. Last week, residents in the 36 units of the “Walk Ups” (1004 Patricia Street apartments) were sent notice that starting May 1, 2025, their rents were going up—from $1,500 to $2,000, in the case of one co...

January 6 meeting will test province and feds' willingness to put Jasper first Christmas was hard this year for Jasperites. Besides losing the homes that they built their lives in, the loss of personal belongings—from irreplaceable Christmas decorations to seasonal sports equipment—has come sharply ...

Parks Canada is stepping in to provide interim housing for Jasperites who lost their homes to wildfire. The federal agency will install two camp-style facilities with capacity for more than 200 people, according to Jasper National Park associate superintendent Ifan Thomas. “We’ve secured a camp that...

The wolverine is a reclusive, mysterious animal that is rarely seen by humans. I t’s scientific name is Gulo gulo, which translates to ‘glutton’ or ‘I swallow. ' But what’s more gluttonous? The feeding habits of a reclusive wild animal, or the self-serving policy decisions of a populist government g...

More than two dozen students walked out of school on Wednesday, February 7 in protest of the Alberta government’s proposed new policies around trans youth. The demonstration also included parents and allies of the LGBTQ2+ community. The group gathered to show solidarity with trans youth in Alberta a...

Jasper’s vulnerability is on full display in the height of the COVID pandemic’s second wave. Local officials are taking pains to protect our community’s health and safety while trying not to upset the applecart that is our economic viability. It’s a delicate dance, particularly because our municipal...