A citizen-led petition calling on the Alberta government to end public funding for accredited private schools has fallen short of the number of signatures required to trigger further legislative consideration. In a statement released Tuesday, Chief Electoral Officer Gordon McClure confirmed that just over 124,000 Albertans signed the initiative petition. Under provincial rules, organizers needed approximately 177,000 valid signatures to meet the threshold set out in Alberta’s citizen initiative legislation. The petition was launched by Calgary teacher Alicia Taylor. It asked voters whether t

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she will address Albertans in a televised speech on Thursday, one week before the province’s 2026 budget is tabled in the legislature. Smith made the announcement during an unrelated news conference in Calgary but did not provide details on what topics she intends to cover. A spokesperson for the Premier’s Office said further information about the address would be released at a later time. The speech comes ahead of Finance Minister Nate Horner’s scheduled budget presentation on Feb. 26. The government has already signalled that the fiscal plan will ref

The Alberta government says it will spend 400 million dollars to strengthen its aging fleet of water bombers, part of a long term strategy to address increasingly severe wildfire seasons across the province. Premier Danielle Smith announced the agreement with De Havilland Aircraft of Canada, which is expected to deliver the first of five new aircraft in 2031. The remaining planes will be phased in over subsequent years. Smith said the investment is separate from the roughly 160 million dollars Alberta allocates annually for wildfire response operations. The province has faced longer and more d

A young child has died following a collision at a Calgary intersection over the weekend, according to the Calgary Police Service. Police say the toddler was in a stroller being pushed by two adults in a marked crosswalk on Sunday when a Jeep SUV turned into the intersection and hit the stroller. Emergency crews transported the child to hospital, where the toddler was later pronounced dead. The adults pushing the stroller were not physically injured in the incident. Investigators say the driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with authorities. Police have indicated that neither speed n

Alberta RCMP say they have responded to an increased number of reports involving weapons in the days following last week’s deadly school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., which left nine people dead and has shaken communities across Western Canada. RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Troy Savinkoff said officers have received four separate calls in the past week reporting individuals with weapons in High River, Fort McMurray, Edson and Sherwood Park. While police cannot confirm a direct link between the recent spike in calls and the tragedy in British Columbia, Savinkoff said it is unusual and officers be

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she has not signed any citizen petitions currently circulating in the province, including one calling for a referendum on Alberta separating from Canada. Speaking alongside Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides, Smith said the citizen initiative process is designed for members of the public and not elected officials. She added that her government is monitoring several petition efforts underway but is not directly participating in them. A group advocating for Alberta to become an independent country is working to gather the required signatures to trigger a

Calgary police are investigating what they describe as an organized crime related shooting that took place outside a restaurant in the city’s southeast late Wednesday night. Officers were called to a Cactus Club location along Macleod Trail Southeast after reports that a man had been shot while sitting inside his vehicle in the parking area. Emergency crews transported the victim to hospital in critical condition. Police later confirmed his condition had improved and he is now listed as stable. Investigators believe the shooting was targeted and say the victim was likely followed or approach

An Alberta provincial court judge has sentenced a 13 year old boy to three years in an intensive rehabilitation program after he pleaded guilty to attempting to kill his younger brother in a violent attack last summer. Court heard the boy was 12 years old when he repeatedly stabbed his seven year old brother inside the family’s Lethbridge home in August. Police initially responded to reports that an unknown man had entered the residence and assaulted the child before fleeing. Investigators later determined the suspect was the older sibling. The youth admitted to attempted murder in earlier p

An Edmonton church deacon is facing criminal charges in connection with an alleged sexual offence reported to have taken place late last year. Edmonton Police Service say the investigation relates to an incident that occurred in November. A 48-year-old man has been charged with sexual assault and sexual interference. Police have not released additional details about the complainant in order to protect privacy. Investigators say they believe there may be other potential victims and are urging anyone with information or similar experiences to contact police. Authorities have not indicated whethe