• The owner of Ace Liquor and Spiritleaf raises its bet on U.S. cannabis, as its manufacturing arm faces a strategic review

  Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
  Date: 2026-10-28 11:00:16.0
  Tags: [Alberta, British Columbia, Economy, Industry, Labour, Trade]

  Edmonton-based retailer SNDL Inc., owner of Ace Liquor, Value Buds, and Spiritleaf, is conducting a strategic review and weighing the potential sale of its unprofitable Canadian cannabis production assets while exiting the dried flower business. The company reported a $52-million write-down and a 28 per cent year-over-year sales drop in its weed production segment, alongside cutting its workforce at its Kelowna, British Columbia manufacturing facility by more than 30 per cent. Simultaneously, SNDL invested $60.8 million into the United States market, acquiring approximately a 92 per cent stake in a partnership controlling Parallel, an American cannabis grower and retailer operating over 50 locations across Florida, Texas, and Massachusetts.

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• Advocates flag contributions, not costs, of newcomers in Alberta referendum aftermath

  Source: Alberta - Provincial Politics
  Date: 2026-10-23 12:21:33.0
  Tags: [Alberta, Immigration, Labour, Healthcare, Economy, Agriculture]

  Following an Alberta referendum where a slim majority of voters supported limiting access to or charging fees for provincially funded services based on immigration status, advocates and industry groups have warned of negative economic and operational impacts. Premier Danielle Smith’s government had estimated that healthcare and education costs for temporary residents total $1 billion annually. However, union representatives from the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 401 at the Cargill abattoir in High River, alongside the Christian Health Association of Alberta and the Business Council of Alberta, emphasized the critical economic contributions of newcomers, noting that immigrants paid an estimated $4.1 billion in Alberta personal income taxes in 2026.

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• Minimum wage hikes set to begin across 5 provinces

  Source: Nova Scotia - Halifax & Regional News
  Date: 2026-10-01 12:34:05.0
  Tags: [National, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Labour, Economy, Affordability]

  Minimum wage increases ranging from 25 to 40 cents take effect in Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, bringing their respective rates to $17.95, $17.30, $17.00, $16.40, and $15.70 per hour. Ontario has tied its adjustment directly to the rising cost of living. With these changes, Alberta maintains the lowest minimum wage in the country at $15.00 an hour, having not increased it since 2019, while Nunavut leads the country at just over $20.00 an hour following an increase at the beginning of September.

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• Alberta commits $148.4 million over three years to create 8,000 new seats in high-demand post-secondary programs

  Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
  Date: 2026-09-11 19:53:56.0
  Tags: [Alberta, Education, Labour, Economy, Healthcare]

  The Government of Alberta is committing $148.4 million over three years to create 8,000 new post-secondary seats across 21 institutions, targeting high-demand fields such as engineering, health, sciences, nursing, education, technology, and trades. Specific allocations include over 1,100 seats at the University of Alberta (including Augustana Campus and Campus Saint Jean), 1,600 seats at the University of Calgary, and over 170 seats at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). Additionally, $15 million is dedicated to creating about 1,000 seats in education programs, which includes $3 million set aside over three years for up to 86 new seats in expedited teaching certificate pathways.

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• NAIT breaks ground on Advanced Skill Centre planned for 2030

  Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
  Date: 2026-09-08 22:44:42.0
  Tags: [Alberta, Infrastructure, Education, Labour, Economy]

  The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology has broken ground on its new 625,000-square-foot Advanced Skills Centre on its main Edmonton campus, slated for completion by 2030. The $779 million capital project is funded 75 per cent ($384 million) by the Government of Alberta, with the remaining 25 per cent provided by Northern Alberta Institute of Technology through internal resources, donors, and industry partners. The facility will consolidate 29 programs spanning construction, transportation, manufacturing, and energy, enabling the institution to train an additional 5,500 students and bring total annual capacity to over 15,000 students.

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