EDMONTON — A new pet supply store held a fundraiser on Saturday to support an organization that cares for rescue animals.

Priscilla’s Pet Emporium & Parlour and Help a Buddy Fund came together to raise money and collect pet supplies for Berkeley’s Place.

Priscilla’s, founded on July 1, is encouraging Edmontonians to donate anything from cash, pet food or pee pads.

“The need is dire. Berkeley’s Place’s shelves are basically bare so anything would help,” Priscilla’s owner Morgan Wolf told CTV News Edmonton at the pet drive.

“We do a lot of outreach programs, going up to the reservations in Alberta. Lots of animals don’t have food up there so we supply for them. Also, a lot of the pet rescues here in Edmonton, if they don’t have funds, they have no way to get food, so Berkeley Place is a fantastic option for anyone who’s helping in rescuing animals to get those animals fed and cared for.”

Wolf said she’s seen a fantastic response from the community and encourages them to continue to donate after the pet drive.

To support Berkeley’s Place, click here.

EDMONTON — Twenty-year-old Zack Bushell was diagnosed with a deadly disorder, just hours after being born.

“That’s where our journey with cystic fibrosis began,” said Chris Bushell, Zack’s father.

For Zack, being diagnosed with cystic fibrosis meant two decades of respiratory infections, hospital visits, and at one point, a lung capacity of 40 per cent. That was until the family discovered Trikafta.

“Zach was born in the U.S. and this new miracle drug has been available in the U.S. for nearly two years,” Chris told CTV News Edmonton. “We were able to get it for him, and within three weeks (of use) his lung function improved by 70 per cent.”

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that affects protein development in human cells. It can affect the respiratory system, digestive and reproductive tract. Ultimately, it can make an impact on life expectancy and overall quality of life.

Trikafta is being described as one of the biggest innovations in the field of cystic fibrosis that could improve the lives of more than 4,000 Canadians.

The only problem is its price tag of approximately $390,000 a year. Despite Health Canada approving the miracle-working drug, Alberta has not agreed to fund it.

In the Bushell family, Zach is not the only one with cystic fibrosis. His 16-year-old brother, Brett, was also born with the disorder.

“But he was born in Canada and does not have access to the new drug yet,” Chris said.

“It’s frustrating,” Brett added. “You could go for a 12-hour drive and get Trikafta.”

Last week, the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health issued a draft recommendation saying Trikafta should be approved, but only for patients with diminished lung capacity.

“I think it’s kind of foolish,” Brett said. “It’s like we are saying, ‘You’re not morbidly sick, so we aren’t going to put you in hospital.’”

Dr. Martha McKinney, pediatric cystic fibrosis physician at the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton, said the longer one waits to use a drug like Trikafta, the more lung damage can occur – damage that could be prevented with Trikafta.

“The longer we wait, the more lung damage occurs, and effect on growth and other organ systems that are involved,” McKinney said.

According to McKinney, the median age of death for people with cystic fibrosis in Canada is in their mid-30s.

The doctor described Trikafta as a combination of three medications in one pill that helps bind to the proteins in human cells that are not working well to improve their functionality.

“It doesn’t work perfectly. But it works better enough in most people,” McKinney described, “in order to really decrease the symptoms because it increases the function of that protein just enough.

“It’s really been revolutionary for a lot of people with cystic fibrosis,” she added.

In other countries, McKinney says many people who have used the drug have seen fewer hospitalizations, improved organ functionality, and overall better quality of life. She added that some who have been on organ transplant lists have been able to come off, simply because the drug is able to help.

“They’re able to do more things and reclaim part of their life that they lost to the disease,” McKinney said. “Until we find a cure (for cystic fibrosis), this really has the potential to increase the quality of life, increase the life span, and decrease illness in people with cystic fibrosis.”

Without the drug, Chris said his son will not be able to achieve his dreams to their fullest.

“The only endpoint is constant hospitalization, multi-organ transplants, and death,” Chris said.

Karin Campbell, a spokesperson for Alberta Health, said in a statement to CTV News Edmonton, they are waiting for a final decision about Trikafta.

“Having access to this medication is important to Albertans with cystic fibrosis and we look forward to providing this medication to all eligible patients,” Alberta Health said.

Failing to find funding for the potentially life-changing drug in Alberta would mean a move for the Bushell family.

“It’s either stay here, and watch my son get sicker and sicker, or move to one of the 35 countries this drug is available in.”

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Chelan Skulski

EDMONTON — Edmonton’s air quality reached a week-high of 10 Saturday afternoon.

Environment Canada’s Air Quality Health Index considers 7-10 to be “high risk” and encourages people to reschedule outdoor activities.

The weather agency issued a special air quality statement Saturday morning for Edmonton, St. Albert and Sherwood Park as wildfire smoke from British Columbia and the United States causes poor air quality and reduces visibility in the region.

Edmonton’s air quality climbed to a 10 at 4 p.m.

“If you or those in your care are exposed to wildfire smoke, consider taking extra precautions to reduce your exposure,” Environment Canada said in its statement. “Wildfire smoke is a constantly-changing mixture of particles and gasses which includes many chemicals that can harm your health.”

Edmonton’s air quality peaked at 8 on Thursday, forcing the City of Edmonton to close its pools and green shacks, and move summer camps indoors.

CALGARY — Jagmeet Singh will become the latest federal political leader to flip a few pancakes when he visits Calgary Saturday.

Singh follows in the footsteps of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative leader Erin O’Toole, both of whom visited Calgary last week.

The NDP leader will attend a pancake brunch and beer garden at the East Village Experience Centre at 1:30 p.m., where he will talk about “solutions the NDP is putting forward to help working families,” according to a release.

Following that, Singh will hold a private meeting with the Calgary and District Labour Council.

The Calgary visit is part of a three day Alberta visit for Singh.

EDMONTON — Albertans will notice an extra charge on their natural gas and electricity bills this fall.

The fee is being charged because of electricity and gas bill payments that were deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic through the Utility Payment Deferral Program.

The program allowed customers who used less than 250,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year to defer their bills during the COVID-19 pandemic. Residential, farm, and small commercial customers who utilized the program had until June 18, 2021 to pay utility providers what they owed.

In a media release sent Friday, Associate Minister of Natural Gas and Electricity Dale Nally revealed that while most customers settled their outstanding balances some have not.

Due to legislation passed in May 2020, all Albertans are on the hook.

“The initial economic shock of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many Albertans being unable to pay their electricity bills and natural gas bills,” Nally said.

According to the associate minister, the Utility Payment Deferral Program “supported hundreds of thousands of Albertans.”

“While retailers worked flexibly and compassionately with customers who had outstanding deferral balances, a small portion of those debts were never settled.

“This fall, Alberta utility rate payers will see a small and temporary ‘Utility Deferral Adjustment’ rate rider on their electricity and natural gas bills,” Nally added.

The province expects the average household to pay less than a dollar extra each month. How many months the fee will be charged is not known at this time, Nally said.

“This small, temporary rate rider ensures that the debt will be repaid in the most transparent and straightforward manner,” he added.

NDP energy critic Kathleen Ganley said in a statement that what started as a program to help Albertans affected by the pandemic is now “downloading” further costs onto utility payers and will hurt the province’s recovery.

“The UCP government reverted to a system that saw wild price spikes and failed to present Albertans with a solid plan to keep costs under control,” Ganley said. “As a result of these decisions, Albertans are faced with cost increases.

“Albertans deserve stable and affordable electricity, not unpredictable punishing spikes,” Ganley added. “The UCP needs to cover the costs of the utility deferral program and bring back the price cap introduced by our government.”