Theyve been a presence on the Canadian prairies for generations, communities steeped in religion, farming and a culture harkening back centuries to their European roots. But after years of hard-won growth and undying efforts to keep the temptations of the secular world at bay many Hutterite colonies now find themselves at a crossroads.

Taking a micro-quantity of psilocybin as a mood boosteris becoming a daily routine for more and more Canadians. Psilocybin,the psychoactive substance in magic mushrooms, is illegal, but the online market for it is growing.

More than 80 per cent of the metallurgical coal exported by Canada comes from the Elk Valley near Sparwood, B.C. The mines are vital to the local economy but technology and environmental pressure could sound the death knell of the industry.