The Bank of Canada held its benchmark interest rate steady at 2.75 per cent today as policymakers wait for more clarity on how tariffs will impact the economy.The central bank says there was consensus among its governing council for a second consecutive rate pause after inflation data showed ``unexpected firmness'' in ...

The Southeast Alberta Chamber of Commerce (SEACC) has announced it has been named the 2024 Chamber of the Year by the Alberta Chambers of Commerce, recognizing outstanding achievement among chambers with more than 500 members. Chamber officials note this prestigious honour reflects a year of transformative growth, regi...

Business owners in Cypress County will be polled in the coming weeks to collect data the municipality will use to develop an investment attraction strategy and help guide economic development.Economic development officer Beth Cash said Tuesday the surveys, done at random through phone and email, should bring some clari...

A new report is warning the annual levy charged to Alberta oil companies to fund the cleanup of orphaned oil and gas wells remains too low to keep up with the rate of surrendering.The report, written by former University of Calgary Public Interest Law Clinic lawyer Drew Yewchuk, says this year's levy rate combined with...

An initiative between Travel Alberta and AGLC is encouraging Albertans to support their local brewers, distillers, and winemakers in the province - including Medicine Hat.The Raise A Glass to Alberta campaign runs across Medicine Hat and seven other markets until mid-June.There are nearly 250 liquor manufacturers throu...

Travel Alberta and Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) have partnered to launch "Raise a Glass to Alberta". It's described as a spirited campaign running from May 5 to June 15 that invites Albertans to toast the province's vibrant craft beverage scene while supporting local producers and exploring the ...

Hudson's Bay's is getting a second life with a new owner Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. Canadian Tire says it will pay $30 million to the beleaguered retailer that's Canada's oldest company says it plans to sell its intellectual property to retailer. The sale includes the overarching Hudson's Bay brand, its iconic, multi-col...

Gains in the energy and information technology sectors pushed Canada's main stock index higher in late-morning trading, while U.S. stock markets were also up. The S&P/TSX composite index was up 104.97 points at 24,946.65. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 400.96 points at 41,070.32. The S&P 5...

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said U.S. President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order Tuesday to provide some relief to an automotive industry besieged by multiple tariffs. Leavitt did not provide details about the action but Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Trump is committed to bringing...

The industry group representing Canada's oil and gas service contractors has laid out its top priorities for the Liberal government in Ottawa, which held onto power in Monday's federal election. The Canadian Association of Energy Contractors says both the Liberals and the Conservatives recognized the need to grow oil a...

A hardware store on Maple Avenue formerly known as Maple Ave Ace Hardware will now operate under a new banner after a transition to Medicine Hat Home Hardware.The owners said this marks a new chapter not just for the store, but for the wider community as well.Ace Hardware exited the Canadian market at the end of 2024.C...

If passed, Budget 2025 will create a new grant program designed to empower unions to offer additional apprenticeship training in high demand programs. There is $15 million allocated for the program, to be distributed equally over three years. The government says this is the first partnership of its kind between it and ...

Medicine Hat is getting a new dollar store. Dollarama is opening a location at 97 Eighth Street N.W. "by early 2026," a company spokesperson confirmed to CHAT News on Wednesday. It's the first such shop in the north-end Crescent Heights. The other three Dollarama sites are in the city's south end, all within ...

The Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade, Matt Jones, is travelling south to promote Alberta's potential for trade, energy and investment. Jones will travel to Michigan, Ohio and Illinois from Apr. 21-24 to strengthen economic relationships and tout Alberta's competitive advantage. He will meet with U.S. officials and b...

The Alberta government is turning to industry leaders, business owners and other provinces to help bring down any of its barriers to free trade across provincial borders, trade minister Matt Jones says. The province will launch a new portal next week where experts and his counterparts across Canada can identify anythin...

Automobile companies that continue to manufacture vehicles in Canada will receive an exemption from Ottawa's retaliatory tariffs as U.S. President Donald Trump attempts to upend the North American industry through steep import duties. Federal Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced Tuesday that au...

Broad-based strength helped Canada's main stock index gain more than 200 points in late-morning trading, while U.S. markets also rallied. The S&P/TSX composite index was up 222.85 points at 23,810.65. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 291.83 points at 40,504.54. The S&P 500 index was up 52.63...

A key Medicine Hat advocate says he expects year-over-year tourism to the region to continue growing without any significant impact from an ongoing trade war between Canada and the United States.Tourism industry revenues in Alberta have grown 10 per cent year-over-year, the province reported this week. That puts it on ...

A Medicine Hat employment centre says local unemployment isn't rising along with Alberta's growth in rate, which was rated the highest in Canada for March.Krista Varner, manager at the YMCA of Southeastern Alberta's employment centre, said employers are unsure of what business will look like in a few months.---She said...

Lisa Dressler, executive director of the Southeast Alberta Chamber of Commerce, joined anchor Dan Reynish on CHAT News at Noon on Monday.

March saw the Canadian economy post its biggest job loss since January 2022 as the uncertainty caused by U.S. tariffs started to take a toll. Statistics Canada said Friday the economy shed 33,000 jobs in March, while the unemployment rate ticked up to 6.7 per cent compared with 6.6 per cent in February. RSM Canada econ...

One of Alberta's biggest food plants will receive a new access road built with $1.8 million in provincial funding part of a broader strategy to support the agrifood sector.---The planned route connecting JBS Foods Plant and Highway 873 will cut down commuting time and provide a safer option for thousands of JBS employe...

As April 1 dawns, Alberta's new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program will come into effect, shifting the onus of recycling single-use products from municipalities to producers. By making producers responsible for the products they create, EPR encourages them to find ways to redesign packaging to reduce waste....

In an effort to strengthen partnerships and advocate for fair trade practices, Todd Loewen, Minister of Forestry and Parks, is taking a delegation of forestry industry leaders to Texas from March 31 to April 3. The government says Texas is Alberta's largest U.S. market for lumber and this trade mission aims to highligh...

The window of opportunity for southeast Alberta's aerospace industry is wide open for a growth spurt amid the U.S. trade war and calls for increased military spending, industry experts and advocates say.-Spencer Fraser, founder and CEO of local drone company Landing Zones Canada, said the potential is there but the mai...

The Government of Alberta is endeavouring to make it easier for investors to find the best place for their business by upgrading its Site Selector Tool, a free online service that connects businesses and investors to available locations in the province. Government officials note, choosing the right location can make or...

Alberta's Matt Jones, Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade, is travelling to Germany in an effort to support market diversification and promote Alberta as a desirable investment destination to strengthen trade partnerships. During this trade mission, the minister will meet with European companies, potential investors an...

In response to calls from the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) and Alberta Municipalities (ABmunis) for action, the Government of Alberta is establishing a working group with municipal partners to develop an accountability strategy for unpaid oil and gas property taxes.Earlier this month, the RMA released the resu...