Police service officially replaces RCMP in northern Alberta city
A new police service has officially taken the reins from the Mounties in a northwestern Alberta city.
The Grande Prairie Police Service said the RCMP is no longer responding to calls coming from within city limits starting Wednesday.
The service said it has completed its transition into becoming the city's official police force two years ahead of schedule.
It said the city's roughly 71,000 residents should still call 911 for emergencies.
Grande Prairie councillors voted not to renew a contract with the RCMP in 2023 after a cost analysis found that having a municipal police service wouldn't be as expensive.
Mayor Jackie Clayton said the transition is a significant milestone.
"This transition reflects years of planning, collaboration, and commitment from many people and organizations," she said in a statement Wednesday.
"We are proud to welcome the Grande Prairie Police Service as our police service, marking a new chapter in public safety built on local oversight, strong community partnerships, and a shared commitment to keeping Grande Prairie safe."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Ontario's 1 km mountain coaster winds through a dreamy forest with views of a cozy village
Buckle up!
You don't need to head to an amusement park to enjoy an epic ride. This Ontario attraction is nestled in a quaint village and takes you on a high-speed ride down a mountain.
Along the way, you can soak up views of a lush forest and the cozy village below.
It's especially beautiful in the fall, when the trees burst into shades of red and gold, so if you're planning a last-minute autumn adventure, it's worth keeping this spot in mind.
The Ridge Runner Mountain Coaster is a year-round attraction located in Blue Mountain Village, about 2 hours from Toronto.
It's Ontario's first mountain coaster of its kind, and it runs along a 1-kilometre track through trees, over a stream, and past scenic hiking paths, giving you beautiful views of the Niagara Escarpment and the village below.
The coaster can reach speeds of up to 42 km/h, but you control how fast you want to go. The experience includes corkscrew turns, quick drops and high-speed descents, making it a thrilling way to enjoy the outdoors.
The ride up to the top of the mountain is slow and relaxing, allowing you to take in the views before you begin your descent.
While the Ridge Runner operates year-round, fall is an especially beautiful time to experience the attraction. The scenery is alight with vibrant colours, and the cozy village below looks even more charming.
If you can't make it for a late-fall visit, winter is also a magical time to ride the mountain coaster and visit the village.
The snowy forest and sparkling scenery make the ride feel like a journey through Narnia, and Blue Mountain Village lights up for the annual Holiday Magic at Blue event starting November 20.
The Ridge Runner Mountain Coaster is included with the Full-Access Ticket, starting at $60 per adult.
The ticket includes access to a range of attractions around the village and allows you unlimited rides on the coaster.
If you're up for a thrill this fall, or even a magical winter escape, this mountain coaster ride is worth checking out.
Ridge Runner Mountain Coaster
Price: $60 + per adult for Full-Access Ticket
Address: 190 Gord Canning Dr., Blue Mountains, ON
Canadian news publishers worried about Meta’s new terms of service
Canadian news companies say they’re worried about changes to Meta’s terms of service and want the company to clarify how they will be affected.
Meta’s changes to its terms of service, first reported by Neiman Lab, led some to suggest the terms could allow scraping of websites associated with a business account for AI training purposes.
Meta has now revised those terms but the anxiety has not abated. European and British publishers are asking governments and regulators to step in.
Publishers’ association News Media Canada said a statement that "like publisher associations everywhere, we’re very concerned and are seeking clarity."
The fact Meta blocked news content in Canada following the passage of the Online News Act in 2023 is creating additional uncertainty over how Canadian outlets could be affected by the new terms.
The Canadian Association of Broadcasters said its members have raised concerns and at a minimum, Meta should be transparent about how the new terms will affect Canadian outlets.
Association president Kevin Desjardins said there is an "obvious contradiction" and that Meta has blocked news "arguing that news provides insufficient value to its platforms."
"Yet it now appears to be seeking broad permissions to access and use content from publishers’ websites for its own commercial purposes," he said.
Desjardins said "Canadian broadcasters should not be put in a position where their journalism is unavailable to Canadians on Meta’s platforms, while Meta potentially reserves broad rights to exploit it."
In response to a question about how the terms apply in Canada, a Meta spokesperson said "the crawling terms we consolidated only applied to our ads and business products, and we've clarified that in the terms themselves.
"It does not change how Meta uses web crawlers. As always, content owners can use robots.txt to signal their preferences. This is not about scraping news sites, and these updates don't give us new rights that supersede those preferences.”
Various Canadian news publishers already use robots.txt to block bots from AI companies like OpenAI.
A number of Canadian news outlets, including The Canadian Press, have launched lawsuits against OpenAI and Anthropic over the use of copyrighted content for training AI systems.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2026.
By Anja Karadeglija | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.