CBC Calgary
Councillors considering charging Calgarians less in monthly waste and recycling
The province is introducing an Extended Producer Responsibility program in April that puts the onus on companies to pay for recycling their products, and as a result, councillors are looking to reduce ...More ...
The province is introducing an Extended Producer Responsibility program in April that puts the onus on companies to pay for recycling their products, and as a result, councillors are looking to reduce its monthly Blue Cart Program charge.
5 Feb 2025 13:07:30
CBC Calgary
U.S. tariff threat shows need for Alberta to find more trade opportunities, industry leaders say
Now that Albertans have a brief reprieve from the threat of incoming U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, politicians, industry leaders and consultants say now’s the time to find more buyers for Alberta ...More ...
Now that Albertans have a brief reprieve from the threat of incoming U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, politicians, industry leaders and consultants say now’s the time to find more buyers for Alberta goods.
5 Feb 2025 13:00:00
Taproot Edmonton
Edmonton Design Committee could review more developments in future
The group that reviews development designs in specific locations across Edmonton is refining the principles it follows and could expand its oversight to include corridors like Alberta Avenue, Stony Pl ...More ...
The group that reviews development designs in specific locations across Edmonton is refining the principles it follows and could expand its oversight to include corridors like Alberta Avenue, Stony Plain Road, and major freeways.
The Edmonton Design Committee evaluates the architectural and urban design of new developments along Calgary Trail and Gateway Boulevard, the main corridors in and out of the city's south, as well as along parts of 99 Street NW, 109 Street NW, and Whyte Avenue NW. The committee also reviews developments in core neighbourhoods like Riverdale, Rossdale, and Wîhkwêntôwin, and on sites that cover more than one hectare and are located within 400 metres of a transit station.
Similar committees exist in other cities like Calgary and Vancouver. Edmonton's was established in 2005 shortly after former mayor Stephen Mandel declared that Edmonton should no longer build "crap."
"That was Mayor Mandel's rallying cry — 'No more crap needs to be built' — because we're a big city, and we should not pretend we're a frontier shack on the railroad anymore," said Shafraaz Kaba, a senior sustainability consultant with Stok Canada and a founding member of the committee. Kaba served on its board for more than a decade, under its official mandate to "improve the quality of urban design" in Edmonton.
"The design committee was originally created to make sure it focused on major corridors visitors would (use) coming into our city, and the centre of our city and, frankly, important neighbourhoods or streets like Whyte Avenue or Jasper Avenue," Kaba said. "(It was to) really emphasize we cannot get it wrong where the majority of people are going to get their first impression of our city and where most of the activity or energy is happening."
For the past year, the committee has engaged with the design, building, and development industries to review where it evaluates developments and the urban design principles it uses in those reviews.
The committee is considering realigning its boundaries with the nodes and corridors system that was introduced in the City Plan and formed the bones of the district planning policy. This would add Stony Plain Road NW, 97 Street NW, 118 Avenue NW, and 137 Avenue NW to the committee's oversight area. Another option is to add priority growth areas to the committee's scope, as these areas are currently targeted for increased density. Either option would only slightly increase the committee's workload, according to a report detailing the proposed changes.
The committee may also start to review projects adjacent to large transportation corridors like Anthony Henday Drive, Whitemud Drive, and Yellowhead Trail, as they are highly visible both to residents and visitors travelling through Edmonton. While large sites are currently only reviewed if they are within 400 metres of a transit station, the scope changes may mean the committee would review all large sites, regardless of their proximity to transit.
The Edmonton Design Committee reviews renderings of proposed developments, like this six-plex in the Strathcona neighbourhood. (Dualita Architecture)
The broader scope for the design committee could mean even more developments in core areas would require an extra layer of approval. These areas are where the city is trying to incentivize as much new housing to be built as possible to accommodate Edmonton's ballooning population.
The committee could be seen as a layer of red tape that limits efforts to increase housing supply. But Kaba said the committee is there to ensure the current housing boom results in buildings and neighbourhoods that are sustainable and well-designed. Edmonton saw nearly 18,400 housing starts in 2024, so it's important that those homes follow good urban design, he said.
"A lot of those things get forgotten by the design team and frankly, the proponent who is pushing for the cheapest possible solution. There's a lot of things that are not written in the city's own development bylaws that the design committee can reinforce through its design principles," Kaba said.
He added that these design guidelines, particularly those focused on active transportation and pedestrian-friendly developments, could be embedded into the city's zoning bylaw and used across Edmonton.
The committee works collaboratively with certain applicants to make sure their projects align with the city's urban design principles. The current principles generally call for developments to contribute to a compact and pedestrian-friendly city, and to help build mixed-use neighbourhoods where people can meet their needs within walking distance. They call for applicants to consider day and night and all four seasons in the project's design, to create developments with social, economic, and environmental sustainability in mind, and to use durable materials.
The committee has created a draft submission guide that would consolidate its principles of urban design. The committee's current principles, which number in the dozens, would be replaced by six themes: Authentic and meaningful; healthy and inclusive; attractive and human-scaled; connected and walkable; resilient and sustainable; and vibrant and thriving.
The committee reviewed 22 development submissions in 2022-2023 and supported 18. The committee's reasons for not supporting developments varied. For example, for an apartment building on Whyte Avenue, the committee recommended the applicant add barrier-free design to the main entry, provide individual balconies instead of a shared amenity space on the rooftop, and consider simplifying the building's colour palette.
The Edmonton Design Committee gave recommendations about this building on Whyte Avenue at a meeting in August 2024. (Dualita Architecture)
But the problem with the committee's recommendations is that they aren't typically enforced, Kaba said.
"Near the end of my tenure on the EDC, we actually did a bus tour of about 20 projects that we gave recommendations to, and a good number of them did not follow through on the landscaping requirements, or on the (pedestrian) connections, or on the (building) materials, because the development officers who granted development permits and building permits don't have people to go back and say, 'Let's go check to see if these are actually built as they were drawn,'" Kaba said.
The onus is on the municipal development officer to write the committee's recommendations into the requirements for obtaining a development permit, Kaba said.
Kaba said the proposed revisions won't likely change the enforcement challenge, as there isn't a plan to add more development officers. However, the changes will set the bar high for urban design and architecture, which will help the city grow more sustainably, he said.
"We can't continue to build things that only last a couple of decades and they're torn down, like strip malls and big box stores that go bankrupt," Kaba said. "We need to build for the long term, and I think the guidelines and the design principles are there to give us a good idea how to make that happen."
5 Feb 2025 13:00:00
CBC Calgary
What's driving up the price of specialty coffee in Calgary? The weak loonie is one factor
Adjust your budgets, Calgarians — local coffee roasters are cautioning that the price of your favourite bag or cup of coffee could increase in the coming months, for reasons beyond their control. ...More ...

Adjust your budgets, Calgarians — local coffee roasters are cautioning that the price of your favourite bag or cup of coffee could increase in the coming months, for reasons beyond their control.
5 Feb 2025 11:00:00
CBC Calgary
How Jasper's chief planner is re-imagining housing in the rocky mountain town
Just how to rebuild Jasper — whether it through density or expanding town boundaries — has been a core debate between the municipality, province and Ottawa in the rehabilitation process. ...More ...

Just how to rebuild Jasper — whether it through density or expanding town boundaries — has been a core debate between the municipality, province and Ottawa in the rehabilitation process.
5 Feb 2025 09:00:00
The Orchard
Take Back Alberta fined $120K for election financing violations
Take Back Alberta executive director David Parker personally received $7,500 in fines from Elections Alberta on Feb. 4. (Facebook/David Parker)A year after Take Back Alberta (TBA) executive director D ...More ...

A year after Take Back Alberta (TBA) executive director David Parker revealed to supporters that he was under investigation for violating election financing laws, Elections Alberta has levied six figures in fines against him and his organization.
On Feb. 4, Elections Alberta posted its first financial penalties of 2025, consisting of 11 violations totalling $120,500 in sanctions against TBA, Parker himself and CFO Jonathan Heidebrecht.
Registered as a third-party advertiser for the 2023 provincial election, TBA curiously reported zero expenses or contributions during the election period.
In news that was first reported by yours truly, Parker hosted a Jan. 18, 2024 “emergency meeting” on Zoom to let TBA supporters know that Elections Alberta was investigating his outfit, but that he was refusing to cooperate with what he regards as an effort to silence him.
After the fines were unveiled, the Orchard reached out to Parker via text for comment. “I am weighing my many options to respond to this lawfare,” he wrote.
The largest single penalty was $27,000 against the organization for failing to deposit funds intended for advertising into an advertising account. Other fines include $22,500 for circumventing elections advertising spending limits, $18,000 for failing to retain financial records for three years after they were filed and $13,500 for accepting donations from people living outside Alberta and Canada.
Parker, whose signatures are on TBA’s financial disclosure forms, individually received a total penalty of $7,500 for knowingly making false statements on election finance reports and exceeding the $30,000 contribution limit for third-party advertisers.
Heidebrecht, a Red Deer accountant who played kicker on the football team at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S., was dinged just $500 for knowingly making false statements in financial reports.
In addition to these fines, TBA was penalized $5,000 plus legal costs last year after Parker failed to hand over his bank account records and list of donors by a court-imposed deadline.
Elections Alberta is notoriously tight-lipped about its investigations. Parker, not so much.
He told supporters at last year’s emergency meeting that Elections Alberta was looking into 24 “very minor complaints” from members of the public, who alleged that TBA engaged in illegal off-the-books election advertising through its series of town halls encouraging people to vote UCP.
This might have also included a talk in Red Deer from right-wing culture war icon Jordan Peterson that TBA sponsored a week before the 2023 election, with tickets ranging from $89 to $556.
After the Feb. 4 fines were levied, Parker told the CBC that TBA donors were “under the assumption they were donating to operations,” not political advertising.
Parker and TBA came to prominence for agitating against the premiership of Jason Kenney, whom Parker used to work for, in 2022, succeeding in its goal of turfing him as leader.
The organization has since exerted major influence on the UCP’s party machinery, taking over riding associations and electing a majority to the party’s board of directors.
Parker was once quite close with Premier Danielle Smith, who attended his 2023 wedding to a right-wing vlogger.
But they had a falling out after Smith told him to apologize for a tweet insinuating that federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre was having an affair with one of his top advisors.
Due to his personal grievance against the premier, Parker agitated for her ouster at the 2024 UCP AGM.
Smith received 91.5% support in her leadership review.
5 Feb 2025 00:44:26
CBC Edmonton
Activist group Take Back Alberta and founder fined $120K by elections agency
Influential pro-UCP group found to have violated multiple political finance rules. But leader David Parker insists its activities shouldn't count as political advertising. ...More ...

Influential pro-UCP group found to have violated multiple political finance rules. But leader David Parker insists its activities shouldn't count as political advertising.
4 Feb 2025 23:55:59
CBC Edmonton
Trump economic adviser singles out Edmonton as example of Canada drug crisis 'spilling into the U.S.'
National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett said during an appearance on CNBC that Canada "misunderstood" Trump's executive order on tariffs, and "this is not a trade war, this is a drug war." ...More ...

National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett said during an appearance on CNBC that Canada "misunderstood" Trump's executive order on tariffs, and "this is not a trade war, this is a drug war."
4 Feb 2025 22:25:58
Shootin’ The Breeze
Huskies notch a win in U13 hockey action
Pincher Creek’s U13 Tier 2 Huskies have had a tough time finding the win column so far this hockey season. This team has never been blown out — always short just a goal or two in every one of eigh ...More ...
Pincher Creek’s U13 Tier 2 Huskies have had a tough time finding the win column so far this hockey season. This team has never been blown out — always short just a goal or two in every one of eight past contests.
Well, that drought finally ended on Saturday against the Medicine Hat Hockey Hounds.
The Huskies jumped out to a two-goal lead midway through the first period, the Hounds responding with a pair in the final four minutes of the frame to deadlock the teams at two apiece.
The Huskies scored a pair of goals in the second, taking a 4-2 lead heading into the final 20 minutes of the period. A possible win was in the making, but at 7:52 the Hounds scored, making it a one-goal game.
Medicine Hat was not done yet, scoring the equalizer less than three minutes later.
A penalty to Pincher Creek with under three minutes left on the clock seemed to spell disaster, but a short-handed goal by Colter Whitford proved to be the winner for the Huskies; he added the insurance marker with 29 seconds remaining in the game.
The Huskies were led by Whitford with four goals, and singles by Ronin Novlesky and Sam Stensrud.
Nash Lunn tallied up three assists; lone assists came from River Koster, Cooper Plain Eagle, Sam Stensrud, Easton Szaroz, Ethan Maier and Mikhail Kuftinoff.
Final shot count: Huskies 43, Hounds 22.
The post Huskies notch a win in U13 hockey action appeared first on Shootin' the Breeze.
4 Feb 2025 22:02:08
CBC Edmonton
Aga Khan dead at 88
Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, the spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims around the world, has died at 88. ...More ...

Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, the spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims around the world, has died at 88.
4 Feb 2025 21:42:15
Shootin’ The Breeze
Black Hawk helicopter patrols have started in Alberta
An RCMP Black Hawk helicopter began patrolling the Alberta border with the United States on Jan. 28. The helicopter will traverse the Prairie border to search for, and target, all illegal activity alo ...More ...
An RCMP Black Hawk helicopter began patrolling the Alberta border with the United States on Jan. 28.
The helicopter will traverse the Prairie border to search for, and target, all illegal activity along the border region. This includes searching for individuals who illegally enter Canada between official ports of entries and for the human smugglers who facilitate their travel.
It will also be used to detect and stop illegal smuggling and trafficking of contraband such as illicit drugs into, and out of, Canada.
The helicopter will have police officers on board who can quickly respond to any location near the border where illegal activity may be taking place. In addition, the Black Hawk can help direct Integrated Border Enforcement Team officers, who patrol the Alberta border in vehicles, to any suspicious activity.
Residents along the Alberta border with the United States may hear and see the helicopter on a regular basis. These are part of normal police operations and there is no cause for any public safety concern.
“The range and speed of the Black Hawk allows it to be deployed very quickly to any location along the Alberta border, providing the RCMP with an enhanced rapid-response capability within the province,” said RCMP assistant commissioner Lisa Moreland, northwest regional commander, federal policing.
“The Black Hawk is without a doubt an additional and very important air asset that has been brought in to help keep our border with the United States secure.”
The post Black Hawk helicopter patrols have started in Alberta appeared first on Shootin' the Breeze.
4 Feb 2025 21:33:50
CBC Calgary
With Kananaskis set to lock down for the G7, officials map out security zone
With the 51st G7 leaders' summit this June in Kananaskis, just west of Calgary, officials are outlining the first details of what will be a massive security effort. ...More ...

With the 51st G7 leaders' summit this June in Kananaskis, just west of Calgary, officials are outlining the first details of what will be a massive security effort.
4 Feb 2025 21:29:24
CBC Edmonton
Edmonton bans sale of knives in convenience stores after council passes bylaw
Edmonton city council has passed a bylaw to restrict the sale of knives in convenience stores after residents and local business expressed concerns over how readily knives are available to buy. ...More ...

Edmonton city council has passed a bylaw to restrict the sale of knives in convenience stores after residents and local business expressed concerns over how readily knives are available to buy.
4 Feb 2025 20:32:02
CBC Calgary
Alberta introduces benefit plan to allow people with disabilities to work
The new Alberta Disability Assistance Program will start in July 2026. It will co-exist with the current Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped, which will still be available for people who canno ...More ...

The new Alberta Disability Assistance Program will start in July 2026. It will co-exist with the current Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped, which will still be available for people who cannot work due to their disability.
4 Feb 2025 20:04:01
CBC Edmonton
Canada's Davies ends transfer speculation, re-signs with Bayern Munich through 2030
Alphonso Davies has re-signed with Bayern Munich, ending a lengthy romance with other big-name clubs reportedly interested in the Canada captain. ...More ...

Alphonso Davies has re-signed with Bayern Munich, ending a lengthy romance with other big-name clubs reportedly interested in the Canada captain.
4 Feb 2025 19:14:04
CBC Edmonton
Pipeline construction company fined $350,000 in death of Alberta worker
An Alberta pipeline construction company has been fined $350,000 in the death of a man who was fatally injured at a work site in west-central Alberta nearly three years ago. ...More ...

An Alberta pipeline construction company has been fined $350,000 in the death of a man who was fatally injured at a work site in west-central Alberta nearly three years ago.
4 Feb 2025 16:25:12
The Orchard
Tariff Talk
U.S. president Donald Trump might not be imposing his promised 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico quite yet, having pushed its implementation date to March, but the threat remains very real. Sarah Rieger ...More ...
U.S. president Donald Trump might not be imposing his promised 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico quite yet, having pushed its implementation date to March, but the threat remains very real.
Sarah Rieger, whose work has appeared in Wealthsimple Magazine, CBC News and the Huffington Post, joins the Orchardcast to discuss the looming trade war.
Related Links
4 Feb 2025 14:02:51
CBC Edmonton
Building community in northwestern Alberta, 22,000 glossy magazines at a time
After more than a dozen years in the publishing business, the editors of Move Up magazine say the future is bright for the regional publication distributed four times a year to mailboxes across eight ...More ...

After more than a dozen years in the publishing business, the editors of Move Up magazine say the future is bright for the regional publication distributed four times a year to mailboxes across eight municipal districts and counties.
4 Feb 2025 14:00:00
CBC Edmonton
Strathcona rezoning application passes despite opposition from residents
St. Anthony — on the corner of 84th Avenue and 104th Street in Old Strathcona — was first built in 1906 and was the first Catholic school on Edmonton's south side. ...More ...
St. Anthony — on the corner of 84th Avenue and 104th Street in Old Strathcona — was first built in 1906 and was the first Catholic school on Edmonton's south side.
4 Feb 2025 13:00:00
Taproot Edmonton
Specialty food chains chart ambitious growth across region
Specialty food retailers are expanding in the Edmonton region with boutique-type experiences that, in at least two cases, are backed by established companies with cash and big ambition. L'OCA Quality ...More ...
Specialty food retailers are expanding in the Edmonton region with boutique-type experiences that, in at least two cases, are backed by established companies with cash and big ambition.
L'OCA Quality Market opened its second location in less than a year on Jan. 31 after its flagship shop on Baseline Road in Sherwood Park went live last May. The new outpost is within the former home of Andy's Valleyview IGA in the Parkview neighbourhood.
"(Between) opening the two stores in 266 days and and trying to organize the supply chain and rally a couple hundred staff and start up restaurants and grocery stores, L'OCA consumes a fair bit of my time," Ben Cochrane, a partner in L'OCA, told Taproot. "I don't sleep a lot."
Cochrane is also a senior vice-president at Go Auto, a car dealership business founded and headquartered in Edmonton that now has more than 60 locations in Canada and the United States. Some of his colleagues at Go Auto are personal investors in L'OCA, including the Priestner family, whose Mike Priestner founded the Mike Priestner Auto Group in 1996, which became Go Auto in 2008. The family has generational business expertise in the auto industry and supports local charities, including $1 million for Boyle Street Community Services in 2022.
From day one, the investors in L'OCA have aimed to scale. "We didn't want to dip our toes into the market, build that very large store out in Sherwood Park and then stop there," Cochrane said. "We wanted to do food differently, and with that, do it everywhere."
L'OCA, which is Italian for "the goose," is built on the "old world tradition" of European markets, Cochrane said. The concept was also influenced by farmers' markets and the viral Erewhon, an uber-pricey grocer from Los Angeles — all done with "an Albertan touch." Both locations have restaurant concepts, though the new one is based more around a service counter than the location in Sherwood Park. Another difference between the two is that Parkview, which also serves the neighbourhood of Crestwood, has filled the void left by the IGA, which was beloved by Edmonton's Jewish community for its robust selection of kosher foods and sponsorship of events. L'OCA has retained most of Andy's staff and all of its kosher inventory, and even added to it.
"We've actually expanded on what they they were offering," Cochrane said. "We have the full selection of everything they had before and now (even) more shelf space. We've worked very closely with the community there. We've been listening to what they want to see and brought a lot of stuff in."
Similar to the 22,000-square-foot Parkview store, the 48,000-square-foot L'OCA in Sherwood Park replaced a former store (in that case a Rona). Cochrane said Sherwood Park offered some "breathing room" as a first outpost compared to Edmonton's more saturated grocery market — even if he announced the Parkview plans the same month that L'OCA 1.0 opened.
L'OCA isn't alone as a specialty food retailer that's charting ambitious growth in the Edmonton region. In 2023, the first Ribeye Butcher Shop, which is one of several new-ish butcher shops in Edmonton, opened in St. Albert, and by last year the company launched its seventh location in Calgary. In between these bookends, Ribeye has opened four shops offering specialty meat and prepared foods in the Edmonton region, with locations in Manning, Windermere, Terra Losa, and Sherwood Park. It has a further store in Airdrie.
Like L'OCA, none of Ribeye's shops are currently located in Edmonton's core, but that may change, co-owner Sam Gundy told Taproot.
"We have chosen the sites we have because we have great relationships with the landlord already through associated businesses," Gundy said. "That being said, we are looking at the core in Edmonton and Calgary … I think that there is a tremendous opportunity in downtown Edmonton or downtown Calgary. It doesn't have to be 18(,000) or 20,000 square feet, which is what the Mahogany (in Calgary) store is. We can do a little micro store for 900 square feet, and still pack it with all the great products that we serve at all the other stores."
L'OCA Quality Market recently opened a store in Parkview, its second location in less than a year. Ribeye Butcher Shop has grown from one shop to seven in roughly 16 months, with five of those locations in the Edmonton region. (LinkedIn)
Gundy's associated businesses include The Canadian Brewhouse and its portfolio of companies, such as The Banquet, PlantLife Cannabis, and Tesoro, a grocery venture made with the Italian Bakery. Gundy said the group has expertise in scaling businesses and takes care of human resources, marketing, financial reporting, and more. This allowed Gundy, who calls himself a "meat geek," to focus on the quality of products and customer experience as the Ribeye chain expanded.
"I believe we opened seven shops in 16 months," Gundy said. "I was working seven days a week with the general managers and managers and all the staff at the stores and getting them open one by one. It was busy, but it was fun."
All Ribeye locations offer a uniform selection of almost entirely Canadian products so that customers know what to expect no matter where they shop. Still, Gundy said each shop has a personal touch because staff build relationships with customers. What's different about them is that stock levels of each product vary based on what sells where, he said. In Manning Town Centre, for example, people love cuts used for smoking. In Windermere, lamb is more popular than at any other store. In Terra Losa, customers flock to grab-and-go prepared options.
Gundy said he doesn't think of Ribeye as a "premium" option because, while a steak may cost more there than at a national grocer, it's still not priced as a luxury item, and the extra expense is worth it because many products are from Alberta.
Price is something Cochrane thinks of as well. L'OCA has the departments one expects from a grocer, though products on the shelves run from meat raised outside Whitecourt to rare imports. Cochrane said it's delicate to offer high-end goods. "Groceries are interesting. Strictly speaking (from a) business perspective, there's a massive price sensitivity for a lot of people," he said.
Looking ahead, both L'OCA and Ribeye plan to continue expanding, perhaps nationally, though neither has settled on its next location. Even though both companies are structured as chains that plan to expand, both owners rely on the support local ideal — which is gaining momentum now that U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed, then paused, a 25% tariff on Canadian goods.
"It's becoming more important to support local, to support your neighbour, to support your community, your city, your province, and your country," Gundy said. "I don't think we're going to get affected by the tariffs (much), because everything we buy is Canadian. Packaging could get interesting, because we do import some of that."
4 Feb 2025 13:00:00
CBC Edmonton
How Trump's tariffs might land in Alberta, if the clock runs out on Canada's 30-day reprieve
Given the temporary nature of Donald Trump's tariff reprieve, everyday Albertans are still bracing for impact, and analysts caution about a challenging road ahead. ...More ...

Given the temporary nature of Donald Trump's tariff reprieve, everyday Albertans are still bracing for impact, and analysts caution about a challenging road ahead.
4 Feb 2025 12:00:32
CBC Calgary
Piikani Nation hunters harvest first bison in Banff in over 145 years
It's been nearly four months since Joshua Crow Shoe, Rylan Weasel Bear, Owen Stump and Kieven Weasel Bear hiked through a remote area of Banff National Park to look for bison, but what they felt on th ...More ...
It's been nearly four months since Joshua Crow Shoe, Rylan Weasel Bear, Owen Stump and Kieven Weasel Bear hiked through a remote area of Banff National Park to look for bison, but what they felt on the day of their ultimate success still feels close.
4 Feb 2025 12:00:00
CBC Calgary
'I can't stop crying': Jurors hear tearful 911 call from 90-year-old rape victim
A jarring 911 call was played in a Calgary courtroom Monday as jurors heard the voice of a distraught 90-year-old woman who had just been raped in her assisted living apartment. ...More ...
A jarring 911 call was played in a Calgary courtroom Monday as jurors heard the voice of a distraught 90-year-old woman who had just been raped in her assisted living apartment.
4 Feb 2025 00:33:38
CBC Edmonton
Alberta premier says diplomacy wins after Trump grants tariff reprieve
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says U.S. President Donald Trump's decision grant a 30-day reprieve on his threat to tariff imports from Canada shows that diplomacy works. ...More ...

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says U.S. President Donald Trump's decision grant a 30-day reprieve on his threat to tariff imports from Canada shows that diplomacy works.
3 Feb 2025 23:49:32
CBC Calgary
Calgary home sales down 12% in January, says CREB
The Calgary Real Estate Board says January home sales dropped 12 per cent from last year but remained nearly 30 per cent higher than levels typically recorded for the month. ...More ...

The Calgary Real Estate Board says January home sales dropped 12 per cent from last year but remained nearly 30 per cent higher than levels typically recorded for the month.
3 Feb 2025 20:52:23
CBC Edmonton
Frigid temperatures blanket Alberta, triggering extreme cold warnings
After a decidedly icy weekend, Albertans are waking up to another frigid morning with extreme cold warnings in place across much of Alberta. ...More ...

After a decidedly icy weekend, Albertans are waking up to another frigid morning with extreme cold warnings in place across much of Alberta.
3 Feb 2025 15:58:18
CBC Edmonton
Former Alberta justice minister to face sanction hearing for call to police chief over traffic ticket
Alberta's law society is to hold a hearing to sanction former provincial justice minister Kaycee Madu. ...More ...

Alberta's law society is to hold a hearing to sanction former provincial justice minister Kaycee Madu.
3 Feb 2025 14:29:10
The Orchard
ICYMI: Jan. 27 - Feb. 2
In my Toronto Star debut, I wrote about how Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland embody precisely the type of global economic elite that Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre disingenuously rails against. ...More ...
In my Toronto Star debut, I wrote about how Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland embody precisely the type of global economic elite that Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre disingenuously rails against.
I went on ’s new podcast, It’s Getting Pretty Late, to talk about the Liberal leadership race, tariffs, Doug Ford and more.
At Alberta Native News, I wrote about a new report that asked Indigenous youth leaders in Canada about their visions for Indigenous sovereignty, which was picked up by the Hamilton Spectator.
I also spoke to Chief Vernon Watchmaker of Kehewin Cree Nation about his presentation to an international seminar about Indigenous Treaty rights in Maskwacis, with UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Albert Barume in attendance.
What I’ve Been Reading
Story of the Week
3 Feb 2025 14:03:50
CBC Edmonton
Drivers frustrated by pay parking in Edmonton since app change
Nine months after the City of Edmonton rolled out a new payment platform for public parking spots, some drivers say they prefer the old system. ...More ...
Nine months after the City of Edmonton rolled out a new payment platform for public parking spots, some drivers say they prefer the old system.
3 Feb 2025 13:00:00
Taproot Edmonton
Council unlikely to pass latest public spaces bylaw, podcasters say
The latest draft of Edmonton's much-discussed public spaces bylaw will be hard for city council to pass, the co-hosts of Episode 293 of Speaking Municipally said. City administration began to review t ...More ...
The latest draft of Edmonton's much-discussed public spaces bylaw will be hard for city council to pass, the co-hosts of Episode 293 of Speaking Municipally said.
City administration began to review the bylaw in 2022, based on public input about safety and inclusivity, with plans to consolidate bylaws that regulated the conduct of transit passengers, parkland users, and those in public places, all while absorbing provisions from several other bylaws. In February 2024, council sent the resulting draft bylaw back to administration with instructions to examine alternatives to ticketing those who break the rules. It also asked administration to analyze data, and research anti-racism and the criminalization of poverty. At that time, the hosts of Speaking Municipally questioned elements of the draft, including why it sought to ban cycling on grass. Meanwhile, Taproot's managing editor, Tim Querengesser, told CBC's Alberta at Noon about the connections between the draft bylaw and the province's role in creating the Edmonton Public Safety and Community Response Task Force.
The latest draft bylaw, set to be discussed at a public hearing during the Community and Public Services Committee meeting on Feb. 10, is not likely to change city council's mind, said co-host Troy Pavlek.
"There are improvements here," Pavlek said. "But I think, broadly, administration fell really, really short, and council is going to have a hard time approving this."
Both Pavlek and co-host Mack Male said administration has made more changes than council asked for. "Some of these (changes), I think, are probably not too controversial," Male said. "Others may be a little more questionable."
Male said he was puzzled by elements in the draft that are adapted from the traffic bylaw. Male also pointed out the bylaw would mean people aged 14 and under would be able to bike on the sidewalk, regardless of wheel size, but that it makes no mention of drivers parking in bike lanes. (In fact, the only rule in the draft that would regulate how drivers use motor vehicles is where they can park and drive in city parks.) Elsewhere, Male said reducing fines for open drug use, in most cases, from $250 to $25, was a strange response to "public pushback" on the prior draft. He said the dollar amount is moot because he predicts it will not be enforced.
"It is a bit about, like, we're just writing down expected behaviours, and if that's the case, then does it matter if the fine is $250 or $25? We don't have people walking around ready to hand out $250 fines anyway."
The hosts noted that councillors will either send the draft bylaw back to administration yet again or move for it to go to a full council vote and then onto another public hearing.
Many have already shared their thoughts on social media. Edmonton Downtown Business Association executive director, Puneeta McBryan, said she spoke in favour of the prior draft and encourages citizens to share their views about the new draft at the coming hearing. Coun. Ashley Salvador, meanwhile, provided context on the bylaw, particularly about its ability to regulate street preaching, for Reddit users during a lively Ask Me Anything session.
The Jan. 31 episode of Taproot's civic affairs podcast includes discussion of surplus school sites and new mentions of artificial intelligence in city documents. It also features another segment with the creators of Edmonton Food Faves We Crave. Plus, Taproot's managing editor, Tim Querengesser, provides an update from the Taproot newsroom. Speaking Municipally comes out on Fridays. Listening and subscription options are all right here.
3 Feb 2025 13:00:00
Taproot Edmonton
On the agenda: Landscaping deposits, Blatchford rezoning, Henday ramps
This week, council is scheduled to vote on changes to the zoning bylaw meant to improve developer compliance on landscaping, a rezoning application in Blatchford, and whether to borrow money to build ...More ...
This week, council is scheduled to vote on changes to the zoning bylaw meant to improve developer compliance on landscaping, a rezoning application in Blatchford, and whether to borrow money to build new ramps on Anthony Henday Drive.
There is a public hearing scheduled on Feb. 3 and a city council meeting scheduled on Feb. 4 and 5.
Here are key items on this week's agenda:
- Council is scheduled to vote on changes to the zoning bylaw in an attempt to improve landscaping for new developments at a public hearing on Feb. 3. The city collects securities from developers to ensure they meet landscaping requirements. In the past, administration collected the full deposit amount before construction began, and developers were 100% compliant with providing securities. In 2017, the city started to collect a smaller security amount after construction was complete to remove a development barrier. Since that change, compliance has fallen to less than 20%, and two-thirds of sites inspected did not comply with landscaping regulations. The proposed bylaw changes would revert regulations to a model that is similar to the one used before 2017.
- Land in Blatchford located between the community's two LRT stops could be opened for development, should council approve a rezoning application at a public hearing on Feb. 3. Administration has proposed rezoning the parcel to allow for buildings of between six and 14 storeys. If council approves the application, crews would begin construction of infrastructure like streets, landscaping, and utilities.
- Council will be asked to approve borrowing $6.55 million to finance the addition of ramps at 137 Avenue NW and Anthony Henday Drive.
- Council is scheduled to vote on the rezoning application pertaining to Beljan Development's project to redevelop St. Anthony School at 10425 84 Avenue NW. The vote was rescheduled from the Jan. 24 public hearing. While the lot's current zoning allows for a building of up to five storeys, the rezoning would allow for a building of up to nine storeys. Some residents oppose the application, saying that redeveloping the parking lot will affect the theatres, businesses, and special events in the area and the new development will congest traffic. Those in support said adding housing will make the neighbourhood more vibrant, and add customers and audiences for the businesses and theatres nearby.
- At a meeting on Feb. 4, council is scheduled to review reports that were presented to various committees in January, like an environmental impact assessment, a grant funding program for affordable housing, and a new bylaw banning the sale of knives at convenience stores.
- Council will meet in private to discuss collective bargaining, an intergovernmental matter, and naming rights for the Edmonton Elks partner field.
Meetings stream live on YouTube on the Chamber channel and River Valley Room channel.
3 Feb 2025 13:00:00
CBC Calgary
Who gets water in Alberta as demand grows? Debate heats up as government consults
As droughts become more common, industries expand and populations grow, the Alberta government is studying how water is managed in the province and whether any rules need to change. ...More ...

As droughts become more common, industries expand and populations grow, the Alberta government is studying how water is managed in the province and whether any rules need to change.
3 Feb 2025 12:00:00
CBC Calgary
After years of delays, Calgary fire chief wants new fire station in Inglewood
The plan is to build new stations in Inglewood and Bridgeland to replace the aging No. 1 fire station downtown, which is nearing the end of its life cycle. ...More ...

The plan is to build new stations in Inglewood and Bridgeland to replace the aging No. 1 fire station downtown, which is nearing the end of its life cycle.
3 Feb 2025 12:00:00
CBC Edmonton
Should Alberta join other provinces in banning American liquor?
Word on the street: Alberta should ban American liquor along with other provinces ...More ...

Word on the street: Alberta should ban American liquor along with other provinces
3 Feb 2025 04:50:59
The Sprawl Calgary
Building local connections in chaotic times
...More ...
At The Sprawl’s first Conversation Cafe on Monday, we thought together about how to deliberately engage with our local "village" rather than retreating into what Fyodor Dostoevsky once described as “terrible solitariness."
About 40 Sprawl members gathered at Sought x Found Coffee for a conversation on local connection in Calgary. To kick things off, I drew from the recent cover story inThe Atlantic (The Anti-Social Century) about isolation and how we are becoming a home-based, phone-based culture: “All of this time alone, at home, on the phone, is not just affecting us as individuals. It’s making society weaker, meaner, and more delusional.”
The technological aspect of this is new but the human one is not. Dostoevsky wrote about it in The Brothers Karamazov, describing an era when people were retreating into their individual burrows, hoping to experience life’s completeness alone, but experiencing instead a kind of inner death, or what he called “a complete suicide.”
“For he has become accustomed to relying upon himself alone and has isolated himself from the whole as an individual, has trained his soul not to trust in help from others, in human beings and mankind, and is fearful only of losing his money and the privileges he has acquired,” writes Dostoevsky.
“In every place today the human mind is mockingly starting to lose its awareness of the fact that a person’s true security consists not in his own personal, solitary effort, but in the common integrity of human kind. But it will certainly be the case that this terrible solitariness will come to an end, and all will comprehend at once how unnaturally they have divided themselves one from the other.”
Perhaps, in our fragile times, we are painfully undergoing this comprehension.
We are living in what some have described as a “great regression.” The world as we have known it is being upended. Meanwhile, in our fragmented information environment, we are encouraged to form our own individual realities according to our own political preferences and passions.
Amidst all of this chaos and uncertainty, maybe we need to retrain our souls, as Dostoevsky put it, to trust each other a little more. To reach beyond our narrow worlds of self-interest. To deliberately seek out encounter with those who are different from us.
We are living in what some have described as a ‘great regression.’ The world as we have known it is being upended.
It takes some doing. The Atlantic essay notes that “home-based, phone-based culture has arguably solidified our closest and most distant connections." Parents spend more time with their kids than generations past; people with shared affinities and ideological alignment feel kinship. "But it’s wreaking havoc on the middle ring of 'familiar but not intimate' relationships with the people who live around us."
This is the village. The city around us. Or, as I like to think of it, the people we are stuck with, a.k.a. the people I curse at and call unprintable names when driving Deerfoot Trail.
Joking aside, are we just atomized individuals in a one-click consumer society—or are we part of something larger? What do we as citizens hold in common? Is it possible, across our various differences, to hold some sense of shared purpose and identity?
These questions are newly important nationally, at the moment, but they are important locally too.
At our conversation on Monday, people described some of the ways they have found local connection in the "village" in Calgary.
One spoke of being involved with the Rotary Club and finding purpose there. A postie described getting to know people on her mail route, becoming part of their daily routine. Several spoke of the significance of rec facilities in Calgary, especially for seniors and others who are more isolated, where people can find human contact.
Is it possible, across our various differences, to hold some sense of shared purpose and identity?
All of these local connections are threatened in various ways. Participation in civic organizations has declined, as has volunteerism in Canada. Community mailboxes (ironically named, when you think about it!) replace a friendly postie with a faceless metal box. And there is a need for more community gathering places where people can encounter others who are different from them.
If there is one good thing to be taken from all of this, it's that people are clearly hungry for something more than doomscrolling and Dostoevsky's "terrible solitariness"—which, I should point out, is very different than solitude. Solitude is nourishing, reconnecting us to ourselves and our place in the world. Phone-based solitariness does the opposite.
I often wonder what would be different in Calgary if we had bid on the 2026 Olympics. The Green Line might actually be built, for one thing! I wasn't here in the 1980s, but people describe a strong sense of volunteerism and shared purpose.
Nostalgia won't get us out of our current predicaments (quite the opposite!), and the Olympics have many issues, but there is something to be said for a shared civic project that brings people together.
For Calgarians 40 years ago, it was the Olympics. I wonder what it might be for us.
That's a big question. I will leave you with a smaller one: What is one thing you can do, this week, to deliberately engage with "the village" around you?
We've been hard at work on the next Sprawlcast. I love a good local deep dive, and this is a good one. It'll be ready soon.
And speaking of coffeeshop gatherings... The Sprawl is doing a pop-up abroad later in February. How far abroad, you ask? Edmonton!
Fun fact: A surprising number of Edmontonians support The Sprawl. It is delightfully baffling. Are they confused? Geographically challenged? Has my lifelong Oilers fandom paid off in unexpected ways? Not sure, but whatever the case may be, I'm visiting my folks later this month and will be bringing The Sprawl's pop-up printing press to the far north.
Join us at Anvil Coffee House in Ottewell for a family-friendly printing pop-up! My sister owns and runs Anvil and we've talked for a long time about doing this. Now's the time!
Anvil is at 6148 90 Ave NW. This makes no sense to me, since it's south and east of downtown. In Calgary we call that SE. How in the world do you get NW?!
Edmonton proves confounding yet again. Maybe I can find out when I'm there and report back.
Anyway, here are the details:
The Sprawl's Far-North Pop-Up
Anvil Coffee House (6148 90 Ave NW, Edmonton)
Saturday, February 15
1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
If you're around, I'd love to see you there. Thanks as always for reading—and for your support!
Jeremy Klaszus is founder and editor of The Sprawl.
Support independent Calgary journalism!
Sign Me Up!The Sprawl connects Calgarians with their city through in-depth, curiosity-driven journalism. If you value independent local news, support our work so we can keep digging into municipal issues in the run-up to the 2025 civic election—and beyond!
3 Feb 2025 02:20:00
CBC Calgary
Man ejected from vehicle in collision on Deerfoot Trail dies
Officers say it happened just after 7:30 a.m. as a woman in her 30s drove a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado south on Deerfoot Trail S.E. approaching the interchange with Anderson Road S.E. ...More ...
Officers say it happened just after 7:30 a.m. as a woman in her 30s drove a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado south on Deerfoot Trail S.E. approaching the interchange with Anderson Road S.E.
3 Feb 2025 00:19:54
CBC Calgary
Trend of booing U.S. national anthem at pro sporting events continues as trade war heats up
Fans at Scotiabank Arena loudly booed during the American national anthem before the Toronto Raptors hosted the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. ...More ...
Fans at Scotiabank Arena loudly booed during the American national anthem before the Toronto Raptors hosted the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
2 Feb 2025 21:44:52
CBC Edmonton
Canada is in a trade war with the U.S. and things could get rough. Here's what to expect
Some Canadian industries have been quick to react to the trade war that began when U.S. President Donald Trump took aim at imports from key trading partners. Here's how the U.S. tariffs that go into ...More ...
Some Canadian industries have been quick to react to the trade war that began when U.S. President Donald Trump took aim at imports from key trading partners. Here's how the U.S. tariffs that go into effect on Tuesday — and Canadian measures announced in response — may have an impact.
2 Feb 2025 20:16:47
CBC Edmonton
U.S. tariffs a 'devastating' blow to Alberta farmers and ranchers
The province's beef and canola producers rely on predictable trade with their largest export market, the U.S., but new tariffs jeopardize business-as-usual. ...More ...

The province's beef and canola producers rely on predictable trade with their largest export market, the U.S., but new tariffs jeopardize business-as-usual.
2 Feb 2025 16:43:54
CBC Edmonton
Flood threatens to derail sale of condemned Edmonton condo building
Owners of condos in Castledowns Pointe, which was condemned months after a fire in 2023, are now contending with a flood that threatens to derail efforts to sell the structurally-flawed building. ...More ...

Owners of condos in Castledowns Pointe, which was condemned months after a fire in 2023, are now contending with a flood that threatens to derail efforts to sell the structurally-flawed building.
2 Feb 2025 11:00:00
CBC Edmonton
EV rebates are disappearing in Canada. What does that mean for the market?
With the federal government’s electric vehicle rebate over, expect to see a slowdown in EV purchases. But based on global trends, experts suggest the market, and vehicle manufacturers, will adjust. ...More ...

With the federal government’s electric vehicle rebate over, expect to see a slowdown in EV purchases. But based on global trends, experts suggest the market, and vehicle manufacturers, will adjust.
2 Feb 2025 09:00:00
CBC Edmonton
Health misinformation on the rise, Canadian Medical Association survey finds
A new survey from the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) shows that health misinformation is on the rise, as more Canadians turn to social media for their news over traditional media organizations. ...More ...

A new survey from the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) shows that health misinformation is on the rise, as more Canadians turn to social media for their news over traditional media organizations.
2 Feb 2025 09:00:00
CBC Edmonton
I am a proud African. Moving to Canada and being seen as Black was a culture shock
Vuyo Ginindza has always felt pride in being Swati and from Africa. So when he moved to Canada and first heard himself described as Black or a person of colour, there was a disconnect. ...More ...

Vuyo Ginindza has always felt pride in being Swati and from Africa. So when he moved to Canada and first heard himself described as Black or a person of colour, there was a disconnect.
2 Feb 2025 09:00:00
CBC Edmonton
U.S. tariffs fuel anxiety for Canadians
Between Saturday's tariff announcement and a weakening loonie, many Canadians are feeling anxious about the future. The CBC’s Sam Brooks has more on what you can do about it. ...More ...

Between Saturday's tariff announcement and a weakening loonie, many Canadians are feeling anxious about the future. The CBC’s Sam Brooks has more on what you can do about it.
2 Feb 2025 04:54:01
CBC Edmonton
Alberta energy sector concerned about new U.S. tariffs
Alberta's energy producers are concerned about 10 percent U.S. tariff and Canada's retaliatory response. ...More ...

Alberta's energy producers are concerned about 10 percent U.S. tariff and Canada's retaliatory response.
2 Feb 2025 04:51:13
CBC Calgary
'No economic justification': Alberta premier responds to 10% tariff on Canadian oil
"Alberta will do everything in its power to convince the U.S. president and Congress, as well as the American people, to reverse this mutually destructive policy," Premier Danielle Smith said. ...More ...

"Alberta will do everything in its power to convince the U.S. president and Congress, as well as the American people, to reverse this mutually destructive policy," Premier Danielle Smith said.
2 Feb 2025 00:37:46
CBC Calgary
CCSD byelection results: Maria-Teresa Vecchio-Romano, Chantelle Dur elected
The new trustees will serve the remainder of the current term, ending this year. ...More ...

The new trustees will serve the remainder of the current term, ending this year.
1 Feb 2025 22:11:08
CBC Edmonton
Incentives and ambassadors aim to entice doctors to move to city in northwestern Alberta
Grande Prairie, Alta., has implemented new initiatives to help deal with the region's shortage of family doctors, by specifically tailoring its approach to meet the needs of individuals and their fami ...More ...

Grande Prairie, Alta., has implemented new initiatives to help deal with the region's shortage of family doctors, by specifically tailoring its approach to meet the needs of individuals and their families.
1 Feb 2025 13:00:00
CBC Calgary
More women are choosing a career in agriculture — and changing the industry from the inside
As women have gradually begun to take on more official roles in farming over the last decades, experts say their presence is not only being reflected in the numbers of agricultural operators, but that ...More ...

As women have gradually begun to take on more official roles in farming over the last decades, experts say their presence is not only being reflected in the numbers of agricultural operators, but that they're changing the nature of the industry itself.
1 Feb 2025 12:00:00
CBC Calgary
New to investing? UCalgary professor warns about trading apps designed like games
Confetti, achievement badges, congratulatory messages — those are some of the “gambling-like incentives” in many trendy trading apps, but a finance expert is warning young or inexperienced inves ...More ...

Confetti, achievement badges, congratulatory messages — those are some of the “gambling-like incentives” in many trendy trading apps, but a finance expert is warning young or inexperienced investors to be cautious.
1 Feb 2025 12:00:00