Banff 
Alberta’s “groundhog”, Balzac Billy predicted for six more weeks of winter on Groundhog day.
Legend has it that, on February 2nd, if the groundhog emerges from its burrow, sees its shadow, winter will last for another six weeks. If it doesn’t see its shadow, winter will be shorter.
Balzac Billy is not a real groundhog and is a mascot from the town of Balzac, 24km north of Calgary.
The origins of Balzac Billy can be traced to the 1970s, when Balzac’s then-mayor, Merle Osborne befriended a Richardson Ground Squirrel. During the next few decades, Balzac Billy disappeared from public life following a number of inaccurate predictions.
However, he has made a return in recent years as a mascot for the town, drawing in large crowds every February 2nd when he pops out from his burrow in front of Blue Grass Nursery & Garden Centre to share his prediction on how long winter in Alberta will last.
Credit: Blue Grass Garden Centre
This year, due to the pandemic, the event was held virtually.
The Balzac Business Community Association and Blue Grass staff shared Groundhog Day with the community for the 19th year via Facebook Live.
Emerging from his home in the ground, Balzac Billy picked up a shovel (see video below) indicating that spring will not be making its way to the province any time soon and that winter will last for six more weeks.
Canada’s well-known weather-predicting groundhogs differed in their opinions on how long the winter will last as they delivered their annual forecasts over video due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Its 6 decades – you are both wrong. 70s, 80s, 90,s 2000s, 2010s, 2020s
Who taught the writer of this article math? From the early 70’s to now is 5 decades, not 7.