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Calgary’s mayor says repairs on a troubled water main are ahead of schedule in Calgary.

The massive Bearspaw South Feeder Main in the city’s northwest burst in June, forcing the city to ban outdoor water use and urge Calgarians to use their toilets, showers, washing machines and dishwashers less.

A second round of repairs and restrictions that began in late August were slated to be completed Sept. 23, with water rationing to end three days later.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek told reporters that work is a week ahead of schedule.

But she says the water restrictions will remain in place until at least Sept. 22 so the pipe can be flushed and the water quality tested.

She also said one of two reviews into the feeder main break is expected to be completed in October.

“We are expecting construction on the Bearspaw South feeder main to be completed this weekend. That’s a week ahead of schedule,” Gondek said Thursday.

“This new construction timeline means you will only need to keep conserving water for about 10 more days. We can actually see the finish line now.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published September 12, 2024.

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HALIFAX – Nova Scotia’s opposition parties say they can’t understand why the government insists the province doesn’t need an enforcement unit to help settle disputes between landlords and tenants.

The parties’ reactions come after the government released a $300,000 report earlier this week that laid out how such a unit would work.

Halifax firm Davis Pier Consulting was mandated by the government in 2022 to study how an enforcement unit could manage disputes more efficiently, and the company delivered its report more than a year ago.

Colton LeBlanc, minister of Service Nova Scotia, said that upon reviewing the report the government decided such an enforcement unit would result in more red tape and longer dispute resolution times for both landlords and tenants.

“We took that report, we looked at other jurisdictions that have a compliance enforcement unit … we determined those outcomes would not be desired for Nova Scotians,” LeBlanc said during question period Thursday.

Currently, enforcement of rulings from tenancy hearings is preformed through the province’s sheriff services.

Opposition Liberal Leader Zach Churchill said in an interview it’s baffling the province is not proceeding with an enforcement unit that both tenants and landlords have called for.

“There’s obvious reasons why this is important. We’ve got near zero vacancy rates. We’ve got a premier that’s doubling the population when we don’t have enough houses. Housing disputes are on the rise between tenants and landlords. We’re seeing record numbers of evictions,” Churchill said, adding the report seemed to indicate that such units would offer increased protections to both rental parties.

NDP Leader Claudia Chender said she finds it “stunning” that about a year ago the province appeared to be moving forward with tenancy enforcement only to decide to scrap the plan. A compliance unit could help protect renters from landlords who are behaving illegally, she added.

“Our question now is who’s in the premier’s ear telling him not to do this? How did this change? Because it remains clear that both tenants and landlord organizations want this enforcement unit,” Chender said, speaking at a housing rally in Halifax Thursday morning.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.

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LLOYDMINSTER, SASK. – RCMP said suspects were at large but the public was not at risk Thursday following a triple homicide at a home in Lloydminster, Sask.

Staff Sgt. Brian Nicholl didn’t give details about the victims.

He told reporters it appears they were targeted.

“It’s not a random incident,” Nicholl said.

“The suspect or suspects are still at large. So I do understand the concern by the community, but this is not a random incident.”

Mounties said the bodies were discovered after officers were asked to do a wellness check at the house on Wednesday afternoon.

Media reports from the scene show yellow police tape blocking off a green-coloured home on the Saskatchewan side of Lloydminster. The city straddles the Alberta-Saskatchewan boundary.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version said the three deceased were found on the Alberta side of Lloydminster.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.