Welcome to Cross Border Interviews. Our goal is to create meaningful municipal conversations that inform, connect, educate and strengthen communities from coast to coast to coast in Canada. For this edition of Cross Border Interviews, we are honoured to welcome to the show from the City of Portage la Prairie Manitoba Councillor Terrie Porter. Portage la Prairie offers an educated workforce, with over half the population having received post-secondary education. With 40% recei

For years, Alberta has built its reputation on a simple promise: low taxes, strong communities, and a government that lives within its means. But across this province, a growing number of local leaders are asking a difficult question: low taxes for whom—and at what cost? Lastweek, the release of Budget 2026 by the Government of Alberta has sparked an immediate and emotional reaction from mayors across Alberta. From small villages on the prairie, to fast-growing towns in the f

It’s been a week since the Alberta government tabled Budget 2026, and across the province, mayors and municipal leaders have been digging into the details. For local governments, the provincial budget isn’t just a headline number — it shapes the financial reality communities will be working with for the year ahead. This year, Alberta is projecting $74.6 billion in revenue, alongside a forecast deficit of $9.4 billion. At the same time, the province has laid out a $28.3 billio

On May 30th, 2026, members of the Conservative Party of British Columbia will choose a new party leader. Leadership contests are not only about party politics—they are also about ideas, priorities, and competing visions for the future of the province. In the weeks leading up to the vote, candidates are outlining their plans for British Columbia, including how they see the role of municipalities and regional districts across the province. Local governments play a central role

Welcome to Cross Border Interviews. Our goal is to create meaningful municipal conversations that inform, connect, educate and strengthen communities from coast to coast to coast in Canada. For this edition of Cross Border Interviews, we are honoured to welcome to the show, Village of Berwyn Alberta, Mayor Nicole Johnson. The Village of Berwyn, the little town with the tower. Berwyn was one of the last communities in Alberta with a wooden water tower. The tower was a local la

For decades, communities along Highway 3 have made the case for change. Stretching from Medicine Hat through Lethbridge and onward to the mountain corridors of the Crowsnest Pass, the route has served as a critical east-west link for agriculture, industry, and rural communities. But much of it remains a narrow, two-lane highway — where motorists contend with powerful prairie crosswinds, heavy truck traffic, farm equipment, and limited passing opportunities. Now, the Alberta g