The City of Calgary says preliminary field work is set to begin this month as part of planning for a potential northward extension of the Blue Line LRT toward the airport. According to a city notice, crews will conduct on-site investigations along the proposed corridor to 88th Avenue N.E., including assessments of ground conditions, groundwater levels and site-specific details needed for early-stage design. The work is part of the city’s long-term transit planning and would inform future decisions by council on whether to advance the project, including funding, design and timelines. The airp

An Alberta court has ordered a temporary halt to key steps in a citizen-led petition campaign seeking to advance a referendum on the province separating from Canada. In a written decision released Friday, Justice Shaina Leonard said petition organizers may continue collecting signatures. However, Elections Alberta is barred from verifying those signatures or forwarding the matter to Premier Danielle Smith’s government while the case is under review. According to the court decision, the pause follows a legal challenge filed by several First Nations. Their lawyers argue that Alberta’s citize

The Calgary Stampede’s annual chuckwagon tarp auction generated a record $6.1 million in sponsorship bids, according to event organizers, marking a significant increase of about $2 million from the previous year. The funds secure advertising partnerships for 27 drivers competing in the Rangeland Derby, one of the festival’s signature events. This year’s Calgary Stampede is scheduled to begin July 3. The highest bid reached $550,000, placed by Bar L5 Ranch for driver Rae Croteau Jr., organizers said following the Thursday evening auction. The annual auction allows corporate sponsors, many

The president of the United Nurses of Alberta says weapons screening systems and more protective services officers are urgently needed in Alberta hospitals, citing what she describes as near-daily threats of violence against frontline staff. Heather Smith made the call following a stabbing last week in the emergency department at Edmonton’s Royal Alexandra Hospital. According to hospital officials, a 42-year-old man was treated for life-threatening injuries after the incident. In a statement after the attack, Hospital and Surgical Health Services Minister Matt Jones said the province is work

Police in Edmonton say a 47-year-old man is facing multiple human trafficking-related charges following an investigation involving five women. According to a release from ALERT Edmonton’s Human Trafficking unit, Jonathan Allard was arrested March 26 and is charged with 26 Criminal Code offences, including trafficking in persons, forcible confinement and assault. Investigators say the case began in June after one of the alleged victims contacted police seeking help. She told officers she had been recruited through social media to move to Edmonton, where she was allegedly forced into the sex t

A group representing criminal defence lawyers in Alberta is calling for an independent investigation into Warren Driechel and the Edmonton Police Service’s top lawyer, Megan Hankowich, over public comments tied to a recent manslaughter case. The Criminal Trial Lawyers' Association says the statements may warrant a third-party review to determine whether any criminal conduct occurred. The group is asking Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery to direct the province’s Police Review Commission to assess whether there are grounds for charges, including intimidation or obstruction of justice. Ac

The chief of a First Nation seeking a court injunction against a citizen-led petition on Alberta’s potential separation from Canada says legal action was necessary to defend treaty rights. Chief Sheldon Sunshine of Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation said the constitutional challenge targets the province’s citizen-initiated referendum process, which he argues could affect First Nations without proper consultation. According to statements made at the start of the hearing, Sunshine said the case is about ensuring treaty obligations are upheld. A court hearing began Tuesday and is expected to include a

Environment Canada says a late-season Alberta clipper is expected to bring snowfall to parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba through Tuesday and into Wednesday. According to an Environment Canada weather statement, heavy snow is forecast in Alberta from Peace River toward Cold Lake, as well as between Banff and Jasper, beginning overnight and continuing into Wednesday morning. In Saskatchewan, the agency says snowfall is expected to develop across central regions of the province on Tuesday and persist into Wednesday. Manitoba is expected to see some of the highest accumulations, with 15

An Alberta First Nation is in court Tuesday seeking an injunction to stop a citizen-led petition campaign advocating for the province to leave Canada. The Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation has filed an application in the Court of King’s Bench in Edmonton, asking a judge to suspend the campaign while legal questions over treaty rights are addressed. According to the court filing, the First Nation argues that any move toward Alberta’s separation from Canada would require the consent of First Nations under existing treaties. The application alleges that the governments of Alberta and Canada, along wi