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Snowfall sends Alberta drivers a winter warning
Alberta RCMP say 2026 is on track to be the worst year for road deaths in a decade.
Alberta RCMP and AMA are urging drivers to ready their vehicles and emergency kits for the winter as snow fell across central and southern Alberta on Friday.
The Alberta Motor Association says cold temperatures can affect how a vehicle runs, meaning basic checks are important to carry out this time of year. AMA recommends keeping vehicles fuel tank at least half full, since cold weather lowers fuel efficiency and spare fuel helps during an unexpected delay.
Winter tires are another important step, the association says, because they grip and stop better than all season tires in snow and ice. Drivers should check tire pressure often because
it can drop when temperatures fall.
Road science supports the advice. The Canadian Automobile Association says all season tires lose grip below 7C because the rubber stiffens in the cold. Transport Canada says black ice can form between 4C and -4C, and they say bridges and overpasses often freeze before roads do.
The AMA says drivers should pack a kit with booster cables, a flashlight and spare batteries, blankets, warm clothing, non-perishable food, candles, matches, first aid-supplies and a charged cellphone. If a vehicle breaks down, the kits can help keep people safe while they wait for help.
Alberta RCMP are also asking drivers to slow down and make safe choices. Police say impaired, distracted, fatigued and aggressive driving cause the most serious crashes. They suggest setting navigation and music before travelling, not while the vehicle is moving.
"We're seeing a concerning trend in fatal collisions on Alberta roads," said Cpl. Mike Warman of Alberta RCMP Traffic Services. "All road users have a part to play in road safety."
The reminders come during a deadly year on provincial roads. Alberta RCMP say 2026 is on track to be the worst year for road deaths in a decade. As of Aug. 31, there were 192 fatal crashes on roads the force patrols.
Drivers can check road conditions by calling 511 or visiting 511 Alberta online before they leave. RCMP warn drivers that highway conditions can change fast this time of year.
Copyright 2026, Medicine Hat News. All rights reserved.
Brook Wagner, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Medicine Hat News.
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Remains found in B.C. identified as man who went missing from hospital in 2015
Remains identified as B.C. man missing 11 years
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
RCMP say human remains found in B.C.'s Peace Region in June have been identified as those of a man reported missing 11 years ago.
Police say Raymond Chalifoux was last seen on May 25, 2015, leaving the Fort St. John Hospital against the advice of his doctors.
Mounties say an extensive missing person investigation was undertaken at the time, but no sign was found of the 57-year-old man.
The remains were discovered along the Peace River near the community of Old Fort on June 8, setting off an investigation by the coroner and police
The BC Coroners Service notified RCMP on Monday that the remains had been "positively identified" as Chalifoux.
Sgt. Ian Rissanen with the Fort St. John RCMP says although it's not the outcome anyone hoped for, being able to identify the man and offer answers more than 11 years later brings some closure to the "long-standing" missing person investigation.
Police say investigators don't have any reason to believe that the death involved foul play.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Inspections continue on Mercier Bridge
Quebec’s transport ministry does not expect more emergency repairs but is still assessing similar beams.
No further emergency repair work to the Mercier Bridge is anticipated following initial inspections, according to the Quebec transport ministry (MTMD), but the ministry has not finished assessing the condition of all the bridge’s similar beams.
Last Tuesday, the left Montreal-bound lane was suddenly closed due to a crack in a steel beam that was discovered during maintenance, causing major traffic problems and renewing calls for the aging infrastructure to be replaced.
The beam was repaired over the weekend, a process that involved drilling into the crack and reinforcing the beam with steel plates.
“As a precautionary measure, a new round of inspections for steel beams similar to the one that was repaired is scheduled for the coming weeks,” said MTMD spokesperson Louis-André Bertrand in a statement to The Eastern Door, noting last week’s inspections targeted easily accessible beams.
Planned maintenance will continue no matter the findings of these inspections.
So far, it hasn’t been confirmed how the need for emergency closure arose, according to the MTMD.
“The ministry is continuing its analysis to determine the exact cause of this crack,” Bertrand said.
Grand chief objects to reaction
Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) grand chief Cody Diabo took to Facebook this week to praise Kahnawake workers and criticize regional leaders for failing to offer assistance on traffic, which is exacerbated by regional development Kahnawake opposes, and for taking stances about what should happen on Kahnawake territory without involving the community.
Diabo said Highway 132 and 138 through Kahnawake territory, and the bridge itself, must not increase their footprint under Kahnawake’s “not one more inch” policy.
“Kahnawake has our own priorities, and it does not include making it easier for our community to be a shortcut over the bridge,” he wrote. “We have never been asked how is the development affecting us, instead (we) are expected to accept it and stay silent.”
He tagged Chateauguay mayor Eric Allard, who had called for action on the bridge, including the construction of a new crossing over the Seaway. He also tagged new premier Paul St. Pierre Plamondon and member of the National Assembly Felix Rheaume, who was elected under the Liberal banner to represent the riding of Chateauguay, which includes Kahnawake.
Allard was not available for an interview, and the city of Chateauguay offered no comment.
marcus@easterndoor.com
Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Copyright 2026, The Eastern Door. All rights reserved.
Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Eastern Door.
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