Nearly 175K referendum votes cast on first day of advance polling: Elections Alberta
The first day of advance voting is in the books in Alberta’s separation referendum — and the numbers suggest voter interest remains very high.
Elections Alberta says close to 175,000 voters trekked to the polls on the first day of advance voting on Tuesday, with the official polling day set for Monday.
A spokesperson for the agency says that's higher than the daily average of nearly 152,000 people seen during the advance voting period in the 2023 provincial election.
Michelle Gurney says a few polling stations stayed open late to accommodate the people in line, including one that was open until 11 p.m., three hours after it was supposed to close.
Elections Alberta has said it's expecting record voter turnout for Premier Danielle Smith's 10-question referendum, which includes one on whether the province should hold a second, binding vote on separating from Canada.
The province saw unprecedented interest in mail-in ballot requests last month, and the agency says two-thirds of the roughly 658,000 special ballots requested have now been returned.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14, 2026.
By Jack Farrell | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Canada Child Benefit payments in October are giving parents up to $679 per child
Eligible parents and caregivers can expect money as a direct deposit or cheque.
Payments of the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) in October will be deposited into bank accounts and delivered to mailboxes soon.
Some Canadians can receive up to $573 or $679 per child from this federal benefit, depending on the child's age.
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) issues this government payment monthly to eligible parents and caregivers.
Whether you're expecting the first payment this month or receiving another installment of the benefit, here's what you need to know about the CCB in October, including the payment date and amounts.
What is the Canada Child Benefit?
The CCB is a tax-free monthly payment to help eligible families with the cost of raising children who are under 18 years old.
It can also include amounts for the child disability benefit and related provincial and territorial programs.
Who is eligible for the Canada Child Benefit?
You may be eligible for the CCB if you live with and care for a child who is under 18 years of age.
Also, you must be a resident of Canada for tax purposes, and you or your spouse/common-law partner must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, protected person, temporary resident, or an individual who is registered or entitled to be registered under the Indian Act.
You can't get the CCB for a foster child in your care who already receives the Children's Special Allowance.
Eligible parents and caregivers aren't automatically enrolled in this program.
You should apply for the CCB as soon as you or your spouse/common-law partner meet the eligibility criteria, and any of the following happens:
- your child is born
- a child starts to live with you, or returns to live with you after a temporary period with someone else
- you begin, end, or change a shared custody arrangement
- you get custody of a child
You can apply through a birth registration or through your online CRA My Account.
How much money can you get from the Canada Child Benefit?
If you're eligible for the CCB, the amount of money you receive is based on how many children you have, the age of the eligible children in your care, and your adjusted family net income.
With the October payment, you can get up to:
- $679.75 for each child under six years of age
- $573.58 for each child six to 17 years of age
CCB payments are issued at the maximum amounts if your 2025 adjusted family net income is less than $38,237.
If your income is more than $38,237 and up to $82,847, the amount is reduced by a percentage of your income greater than $38,237. That percentage changes depending on the number of eligible children in your care.
If your income is over $82,847, the benefit is reduced by a fixed amount and an additional percentage of your income over $82,847. The fixed amount and percentage are based on how many eligible children you have.
In shared custody situations, each parent receives 50% of what they would have received if they had full custody of the child. The payment amount is calculated based on the parent's own adjusted family net income.
When is the next Canada Child Benefit payment date?
The next CCB payment date is Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
How do you get Canada Child Benefit payments?
CCB payments are issued via direct deposit or cheque, depending on your preferred payment method.
If you have direct deposit set up with the CRA, you'll receive the CCB payment as a direct deposit into your bank account.
If you haven't signed up for direct deposit, you'll get the payment as a cheque delivered to your mailbox.
Major projects CEO faces B.C. First Nations frustrated over lack of consultation
Major Projects CEO Dawn Farrell told First Nations in B.C. today that the frustrations expressed over a lack of consultation made her feel like Canada is "never going to work," but her office is determined to try.
Farrell was addressing the B.C. Assembly of First Nations at its annual general meeting.
Media were asked to leave the room before Farrell's appearance, but the meeting continued to be publicly streamed on the B.C. Assembly of First Nations YouTube channel.
First Nations in B.C. are calling on Ottawa to set national standards for Indigenous consultations on major projects.
Chiefs say they were given just 11 working days to review and engage on whether the proposed Pacific Link pipeline should be designated as a project of national interest.
Farrell said she agrees with the concept of national consultation standards but she wonders how such standards would work alongside the government's accelerated timelines for project approvals.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14, 2026.
By Nick Murray and Alessia Passafiume | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.