Province takes action on safer communities

A message from Premier Ed Stelmach

It’s been almost a year since we received the crime reduction and safe communities task force report. Since then, it’s been my commitment to elevate Alberta’s fight against crime to a new level. Government’s plan is based on enforcement, treatment and prevention.

While there’s no easy answer to crime reduction, our government is helping make communities safer. We are putting more police officers on our streets, and in our neighborhoods; encouraging more community and policing partnerships to get at the root causes of crime; and targeting the serious problem of repeat offenders who are taxing our entire justice system.

These are initiatives that we know will help make Alberta a safer place to live, work and raise families.

Read more about how we're making Alberta's communities safer

Changes to beverage container recycling

Changes to the province’s beverage container recycling program mean Albertans can recycle their milk cartons at bottle depots. The deposit and option to return milk containers to Alberta bottle depots comes into effect June 1, 2009. Milk containers will continue to be recycled through community recycling programs until then.

The government has also increased refund rates on containers one litre and less to 10 cents and containers over one litre to 25 cents. The deposit increases on all containers currently accepted at Alberta bottle depots, including pop, juice, beer, wine and spirit containers came into effect November 1.

Learn more about beverage container recycling

New award attracts top health researcher to Alberta

Dr. Bruce McNaughton, one of the world’s foremost brain scientists, has been awarded Alberta’s Polaris Award. Dr. McNaughton is moving his research from Arizona to the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN) at the University of Lethbridge to take up the award. The Polaris award is one of many investments in health research excellence that will lead to improved health of Albertans and people around the globe.

The $20-million award – $10 million from the Alberta government, through the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research and $10 million from the University of Lethbridge and the Informatics Circle of Research Excellence – will be invested in catalyzing brain research with Dr. McNaughton's leadership at the CCBN.

Read more about Dr. McNaughton and the Polaris Award

More Albertans eligible for flu shot

Healthy children aged two to four years and healthy adults aged 50 to 64 years will be able to receive the influenza vaccine through public health clinics and physician offices free of charge.

Thousands of other Albertans are also eligible to receive an influenza immunization at no charge. This includes those at risk for developing serious influenza-related complications and anyone who could transmit the virus to those at risk. Immunizations are provided through local public health units and physicians’ offices.

Albertans who are not eligible to receive the vaccine free of charge can pay for an influenza immunization to avoid illness during influenza season, and to help stop the spread of infection. Some workplaces also provide influenza immunization programs free of charge. Check with your employer.

More information on Alberta’s influenza immunization program