The Calgary Board of Education couldn't provide numbers of how many students took part in Wednesday's walkouts, only that they ranged from small groups to hundreds of students.

Singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman made a rare public appearance at the Grammys, performing her song Fast Car alongside country singer Luke Combs. Some eagle-eyed fans traced her guitar back to Judy Threet, a Calgary-based guitar maker, who spoke to CBC Calgary's The Homestretch.

The former owner of a construction company in Spruce Grove says he did not authorize a series of payments and transfers to one of his employees.

After extreme cold weather put Alberta on the brink of blackouts earlier this year, emergency grid alerts underlined the challenges of energy transition. So what would happen if all registered vehicles in Calgary suddenly became electric?

Police say the cards bore a name that the accused used as an alias, and small baggies with samples of suspected cocaine were attached.

Experts are watching closely as cases of invasive pneumococcal disease rise in Alberta. The potentially life-threatening illness is caused by bacteria known as Streptococcus pneumoniae, which often strike after viral illnesses.

An art teacher at Ecole Olds High School goes for glory on Canada’s flashiest ceramics competition show. Renu Mathew shares her experience, including encounters with celebrities, in a conversation with CBC’s Mark Connolly.

Sixteen-year-old Aspen Cervo says he began thinking about a student walkout over the Alberta government's planned policies around transgender youth right after Premier Danielle Smith announced them last week.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Wednesday he does not support trans kids taking puberty blockers — medicines that are used to pause puberty before a possible gender transition or other interventions, like hormone therapy.

Politicians in Alberta, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick have been using the term— but where does it come from?

For the natural gas industry in Western Canada, it’s a return to low commodity prices after a few years of increased profits.

The vast majority of child-care centres in Alberta will continue to offer subsidized fees to eligible parents, despite some operators protesting the federal and provincial funding model as unsustainable.

Local inventor Gillian Thomson has earned a United States utility patent for her Skipper shower cap and with it the exclusive selling rights in that country.

"Getting this patent is sort of a proof point that this is an innovative product, it's truly a new kind of shower cap," Thomson told Taproot.

The innovative part of Thomson's shower cap is its closure system. First, a flat band goes around the user's head and closes with Velcro; second, the user closes the open pouch in the back, which houses their hair, with a drawstring.

To get here has taken Thomson three years. She filed her patent application in 2020 and launched the Skipper cap in Canada near the end of 2021. She said she had to keep her invention under wraps until confident the patent office had her design.

"That was challenging, I guess a bit slower than what I'd want to launch the product," Thomson said.

Thomson had multiple debates with the office to prove her cap was new, useful, and not obvious. "It's sort of a back and forth and with every response from the patent office, it sounds like it's over, you have no chance, you can't have it because of these five reasons," she said.

The time and financial investment required came without a guarantee, which was a risk for a startup, Thomson added.

Now, with the patent in hand, Thomson said she has confidence and a "competitive edge" to enter the U.S. market. She can turn to new opportunities, such as larger business-to-business relationships, with a degree of protection.

"It's still up to me to kind of defend my territory, but having the patent gives me the confidence to go out to a broader audience to share my design without feeling as vulnerable, especially going to bigger beauty companies that might be looking for this kind of idea."

Since finding a Canadian manufacturer and then launching the cap in 2021, Thomson has sold Skipper direct-to-consumer in Canada and the U.S. through the company website, and has found a home in some local boutiques.

Thomson is now pursuing the Canadian equivalent of the utility patent as well, which could be less complicated as the U.S. office has already done the groundwork. Thomson's Skipper cap already has a Canadian design patent. A U.S. design patent is pending.

The new patent will open up Thomson's product to even more innovation. "I'm telling publicly how this design has come together, how the invention works, and in exchange I'm the only one who can sell it," she said. "And then the idea is that somebody might be able to see my invention and innovate on it further."

Thomson stressed that Skipper cap secured its patent using a low-tech approach to innovation, a method that can be overshadowed in our tech-centred world. "I think there's a lot of products that we use on a day-to-day basis that could use quite a lot of innovation in terms of materials, sustainability, and they don't need to be high-tech," she said.

Thomson may branch her product into fields like health care scrub caps and food service hair nets as well.

"Getting rid of the elastic around the band and finding this way to make a headpiece like this sit on your head, that's actually comfortable and stays in place," she said. "That kind of function, which is what this utility patent protects, is applicable to other headpieces."

Thomson will soon hold a "Patent Party" to celebrate the win.

On this day in 1975, the Chateau Lacombe was depicted in some creative photography.

The Chateau Lacombe Hotel was built overlooking the river valley on Bellamy Hill in 1966. The site had been unused for the previous half century. Before then, it was where the city's first foray into funiculars, the Edmonton Incline Railway, was located until it closed in 1911. When the hotel's construction began, the hill still bore scars from where tracks had been torn up.

The 1960s saw a wave of new development and a push for urban renewal in many Canadian cities but especially in Edmonton. The city's population was booming and its downtown was rapidly changing with new developments. The Chateau Lacombe was one of several massive projects on the hill: Edmonton House was also built in this period, as was Bellamy Hill Road.

When it opened its doors for an unofficial launch in December 1966, the round 24-storey building was already a striking landmark on the city's skyline. It boasted more than 300 rooms and was one of the first hotels in Canada to offer luxuries like air conditioning, which seemed in line with Edmonton's growing profile.

Unfortunately for early guests, the Chateau's soon-to-be well-known feature wasn't ready for its soft launch. Anyone wishing to visit the hotel's revolving rooftop restaurant had to wait for the official opening in Feb. 1967. When it did open, the revolving restaurant was the largest of its kind in the world, and its 90-minute revolution offered diners a view of the city and the river valley.

The hotel's sixth-floor grill also offered a quite memorable, though stranger, view: an 1880-era Maxim machine gun on display for guests at the entrance.

While the Chateau Lacombe has stayed on its spot on Bellamy Hill for nearly 60 years, the hotel has changed hands several times. The original owner was Canadian Pacific Hotels, which was a branch of the railway. In the '90s, the hotel was rebranded as a Holiday Inn and later as the Crowne Plaza, before being sold to another hotel chain in 2010. Most notoriously, it was bought in 2010 by real estate developer Keyvn Fredrick for nearly $48 million. But after Fredrick and his companies faced accusations of mortgage fraud and substandard construction, the hotel was bought again for nearly half that price in 2013.

The period of construction on Bellamy Hill that introduced the Chateau Lacombe might be long over, but it continues to make a mark on the city's core. Sometimes, that influence isn't a positive one: the city is rebuilding the intersection where Bellamy Hill Road meets Rossdale Road and 97 Street. It's currently a tangled knot of fast streets that have been deemed too dangerous.

This clipping was found on Vintage Edmonton, a daily look at Edmonton's history from armchair archivist @revRecluse of @VintageEdmonton.

"We're very communal society and your societal reputation is everything," said Hagir Sail, one of many women involved in a saving and credit practice that goes back generations. They say it's especially useful during uncertain times.

A perfect bowl on a chili day

Crowsnest Allied Arts held its annual Chili Bowl Festival this past Saturday at Crowsnest Pass Public Art Gallery.

 Volunteers Lesley Gurney and John Kinnear serve up tasty chili in top left photo, while Judy Cooke, front, and Sue Mitchell help folks find a favourite among the donated pottery bowls. At right, one-year-old Jordan Brown enjoys his first taste of chili.

Photos by Karen Taminga-Paton

The post Shootin’ the Breeze Pincher Creek – Feb. 7, 2024 appeared first on Shootin' the Breeze.

Pincher Creek a century and a quarter ago certainly was a different-looking settlement than what we have today.

True, there were historical roots, planted in the 1880s or 1890s, which still can be seen today in terms of how the community functions. But in the intervening five or six generations, there have been many changes.

What did Pincher Creek look like during those bygone days on the western Canadian frontier?

Early land surveys

After the success of the North West Mounted Police horse ranch, established here in 1878, Pincher Creek quickly became established as a commercial centre for the expanding ranching industry.

During the next 20 years, numerous pioneer businesses sprang up to serve local economic needs. The settlement’s “business centre” was located less than a mile to the west of the Mounties’ detachment, on what was to become Pincher Creek’s dusty Main Street.

The selection of where the commercial outlets were to develop was made by ex-Mountie Charles Kettles, who in 1883 was commissioned to survey the streets and the business and residential blocks for the portion of town south of the creek.

The area’s proximity to the creek, with shelter offered by the valley, obviously appealed to Kettles in terms of where businesses could be built. His massive two-storey ranch house, located near what is now the west end of town, dated to 1890 or 1892.

Pioneer Albert Morden (1844-1907), patriarch of the first non-NWMP family to settle here, surveyed the portion of the settlement north of the creek. Many of these streets he named after members of his family. He tragically drowned in the rushing spring waters of the creek.

A few early businesses of the 1880s and 1890s

The first local business was the Schofield and Hyde General Store, established in 1883 as a log structure near what is now the corner of Main Street and East Avenue. Three years later, the outlet was purchased by the Hudson’s Bay Co., with Henry Hyde remaining on as its manager.

Down the street was the old Arlington Hotel, also known as the Brick Hotel. Originally owned by the partnership of Mitchell and Geddes, William R. Dobbie purchased the latter’s portion of the business, and the hotel was greatly expanded during the 1890s.

Dobbie, who like Hyde later went on to become Pincher Creek’s mayor, also operated a livery stable next door to the east.

Farther to the west was Timothee Lebel’s Store, a series of log and frame buildings dating back to the mid 1880s. It was not until 1904 that his three-storey stone business block was constructed.

At the opposite corner was the old hardware store operated by William Berry and Sons. Established way back in 1886, this business flourished because of its connection with the local ranches.

On the south side of the street were several other early businesses. The old Union Bank, also housed in a majestic stone building dating from 1904, had been located almost directly across the street from Schofield and Hyde’s store since 1898. To its west was the Alberta Hotel, which dated back as early as 1885, and was closely connected with the ranching Connelly family.

Blacksmith businesses, such as the Allison family’s IXL Blacksmith Shop, and livery stables, such as the massive two-storey building owned by the Lynch brothers, were located farther east.

Local streets and long-distance travel

Pincher Creek streets during the 1890s were a far cry from what they are now. Pioneers often recalled that during wet weather they were little more than massive mud holes. During dry weather, they were at best simple trails, often very dusty when heavily trodden with horses or during frequent wind storms.

A few of the major thoroughfares, primarily adjacent to the businesses or in established residential areas, were adorned with wide wooden boardwalks. These state-of-the-art pedestrian walkways utilized local lumber harvested at the logging operation at Mountain Mill. Whenever the boards were replaced, children would scurry by, looking for loose change that had been accidentally dropped through the slats.

Regular travel to points beyond Pincher Creek was limited during those early days on the frontier. The railway did not arrive for a full generation after Pincher Creek’s establishment, and motorized vehicles were still a dream of the future.

Travel was on horseback or by stagecoach, and even a return trip to Fort Macleod, the closest centre to the east, was a major undertaking of several days’ duration. Such a trip was next to impossible during wet weather, when the local trail would become a massive mud hole. Winter travel was plagued by snow-clogged challenges.

The route left Pincher Creek east of the NWMP detachment, travelled along what is now Macleod Street, crossed the creek at Goforth’s Crossing and went northeasterly from there.

Similar cart trails headed west from town to the Pass, and south to Waterton Lakes. Travel was difficult at best.

Early bridges and fording the creek

Within town, the first bridge constructed across the creek was an old log one, located on what was to become Bridge Avenue, now Bev McLachlin Drive. It connected the frontier business core with the pioneer housing landscape on the north side of the watershed.

Before its construction just prior to 1898, there was little need for a traffic bridge. Most creek crossings within the settlement were handled through a series of fords, one located behind the Mounties’ detachment and a second set, according to local folklore, located farther upstream near Morden’s Grove. As far back as the 1890s, there was a log footbridge near the Morden property, an agricultural spread now occupied by the fire hall.

The old Bridge Avenue crossing was replaced circa 1906 by a sturdy metal structure, required when a much-too-heavy steam engine crashed through the wooden bridge to the creek below.

Some years later, shortly before the First World War, a second steel bridge was constructed at the far west end of town. This provided the ranches at Beauvais Lake, Mountain Mill and Beaver Mines with access to our pioneer business settlement.

The post A look back at Pincher Creek’s pioneer landscape appeared first on Shootin' the Breeze.

Alberta RCMP are actively involved in the ongoing reconciliation process, with a dedicated effort from detachment members Alberta-wide to strengthen trust and build collaborative relationships with all Indigenous community members.

Officers throughout the province are actively listening and taking affirmative steps to formalize working relationships with Indigenous partners while consulting with them on community policing initiatives.

Sgt. Vince Bacon, the newly appointed detachment commander of Piikani Nation RCMP, and his team are wholly committed to enhancing relationships between the Piikani First Nation community and the police officers serving them.

“Our history has left generational scars on the lives of many. I know that we are just at the beginning of a long journey, and to rekindle that trust and to strengthen relationships will take time,” Bacon says.

“At first glance, policing a rural community versus an urban centre would seem as different as the landscapes themselves, but no matter the size of the community, we have a responsibility to those we serve. Part of that is actively participating in the healing process.”

Over the past eight months, Bacon and his team have concentrated on addressing policing gaps and priorities while fostering transparency and trust within the community. They aim to break the cycle of discrimination, violence, and neglect within the criminal justice system.

With a renewed outlook and plan, the goal is to establish relationships based on mutual respect and trust, encouraging community members to feel comfortable seeking police assistance without fear.

“Ultimately, everyone here has the same common goal — keeping your communities safe and secure for all residents,” Bacon says.

“But we cannot do this alone. When establishing our policing priorities, consultation is key. There are no one-size-fits-all solutions. We cannot make decisions that affect you, without you.”

Understanding the significance of community involvement, detachment officers are encouraged to participate in traditional Indigenous events and ceremonies to enhance their cultural understanding.

“One of the best ways to build relationships is to meet face to face with Indigenous leaders, elders and community members as much as possible,” Bacon says.

“This allows us the opportunity to listen, to learn and to set priorities based on feedback from the community, as they teach us traditional Indigenous values that are unique to them.”

a wall mural on the Piikani Nation RCMP detachment building created with symbolic Blackfoot Winter Count imagery. Photo courtesy of Piikani Nation RCMP.

Bacon also wants officers to hear stories from elders and the community, even if those stories are sometimes difficult to hear.

“To benefit a community is to be part of the community,” he says. “Finding the time to acknowledge people in the communities that we police is important.”

He adds that all detachment vehicles have a Blackfoot Piikani decal as a sign of integration within the community.

With multiple collaborative projects underway, the detachment most recently finished a mural wall with symbolic Blackfoot Winter Count imagery. It serves as a pictorial calendar representing significant community events chosen by community leadership and elders.

After an impactful year of engagement, detachment employees have gained a deeper understanding of the backgrounds, cultures and experiences within Piikani First Nation.

The community has recognized and honoured the detachment’s commitment by awarding them a golden community medallion, gifted by the elders as a token of appreciation for their dedication to learning about the community’s culture and history.

“We must be open to listening,” says Bacon. “It is the little things that can make a significant impact.”

The post Piikani Nation RCMP focus on reconciliation and community engagement appeared first on Shootin' the Breeze.

Chandler Stephenson scored the go-ahead goal, Adin Hill stopped 30 shots and the Vegas Golden Knights brought an end to the Edmonton Oilers' 16-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory on Tuesday night.

A disciplinary hearing for Jonathan Denis heard testimony from two witnesses who alleged the former Alberta justice minister is guilty of professional misconduct. 

The Calgary Stampede has agreed to pay $9.5 million in damages to complainants in a class-action lawsuit that alleged the organization allowed a performance school staffer to sexually abuse young boys.

The province has met with LGBTQ stakeholders in Edmonton Tuesday for the first time since Premier Danielle Smith announced a slate of policies and guidelines around gender identity, gender affirmation surgeries and transgender women in sport.

Several major building projects totalling over $1 billion will either be completed or kicked off by the end of this year, said the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation in discussing its 2024 outlook.

Two of the four men accused of conspiring to murder RCMP officers during the border blockade and protests at Coutts, Alta., will be released from custody today after pleading guilty to lesser charges.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre defended Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and her approach to transgender issues Tuesday, saying the Liberal government and the media have unfairly demonized her for policies that would give parents more say over their kids.

A train derailed on Monday afternoon in southern Alberta, with multiple cars coming off the track.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says the fine concerning Suncor's Commerce City refinery is for violations from July 2019 through June 2021.

Emotions ran high at a Leduc city council meeting Monday night as residents called for the closure of the city’s only homeless shelter while others called on councillors to protect shelter services.

It was a historic milestone as the Black Impact Alliance Foundation of Beaumont celebrated Black History Month for the first time over the weekend. For community members, it was a triumphant show of culture, history and solidarity.

After Canada’s worst wildfire season on record, Albertans in and around the town of Edson are gearing up for what this spring could hold.

Edmonton culinary institution Chicken for Lunch is closing after 32 years of business. The kiosk, located in the food court in Rice Howard Place (formerly Scotia Place), is known for its long line-ups and Amy Quon, its gregarious proprietor. Its last day of business will be Feb. 29.

Quon, whose family also owns and operates The Lingnan (which just celebrated its 75th anniversary in November), decided not to renew the lease ahead of the food court's planned six-month closure for renovations. Quon also shared that she turned 65 this year and challenges with her knees and hands have slowed her down. By closing Chicken for Lunch, Quon can now work exclusively at The Lingnan.

"Right now I get up at 5am and pick up my staff," said Quon. "I'm at Chicken for Lunch at seven and I work there until 2:30, and then work at The Lingnan until 10:30. Now, I can come at two. So Amy not retiring, only Chicken for Lunch retiring."

Quon opened Chicken for Lunch in 1992 when her youngest son was six (her husband, Kinman, was a partner in The Lingnan at the time, but their family did not yet own it outright). "Chicken for Lunch was my first restaurant," Quon said. "My kids were still young. I wanted a job from Monday to Friday, so after 2pm I can go home and be with my kids. That's why I chose an office building with short hours."

From the beginning, Quon focused on chicken because she observed that many people didn't eat pork and beef. But the menu evolved. "When I first started, I only had chicken burgers, chicken fingers, chicken cutlets, and clubhouse (sandwiches)," Quon said. "But I see people eat more spicy, and went the direction of ginger chicken, Korean chicken, Thai chicken, because I can see the crowd like it. I am not a (trained) cook, but what I do is go to the restaurant to eat, and go home and do experiments. It takes a long time to develop a recipe."

Quon's famous dry spicy chicken was adapted from a more traditional dish. "My husband and me know Canadians like crispy (things)," Quon said. "How can we make it crispy and spicy? Chinese have dry spicy tofu. Why don't we do some similar chicken?"

People so demand the dry spicy chicken that it's on the menu at The Lingnan, too, and also sold frozen for home preparation at The Lingnan and at Confetti Sweets in Sherwood Park.

Quon said they had to stop making the chicken from scratch after the pandemic due to the labour involved and difficulties retaining staff. "My son Miles asked me, 'Do you want to die with your chicken?' I said no. But we still have to wok it (ourselves) and make it spicy," Quon said.

Quon is emotional as she speaks about her customers. "My chicken boys and girls are so loyal," she said. "They are very good to me. Some have been coming for 32 years."

Quon made it a point to remember regular clients and their orders by bestowing them nicknames. "I don't know computers or emails, but I put my energy into my customers," Quon said. "The most funny thing is I give people names and they like it. If I give them a name I remember their order. Noodle Boy, they eat noodle. Steam Rice Friend, they eat rice. Hungry Boy, they eat everything."

Regular customers also appreciated Quon's generosity. Quon often tops orders up with additional food. "You give them gift to show them your love," she said. "The only gift I have is chicken I want to give them extra. That's why people come back."

She said she has even become a mother figure to some of her customers. "They won't listen to their real mom, but they listen to me. 'No vegetables? Bad boy!' I say. But they eat it! If I told my son Marty to eat vegetables, he doesn't eat it."

Quon's regulars have asked if frozen versions of her other types of chicken will be made available, or whether she might consider hosting Chicken for Lunch pop-ups at The Lingnan. Quon hasn't made any final decisions but knows it wouldn't be the same. In the meantime, she encourages customers to come see her at The Lingnan to reminisce.

"I want my customers to remember how much fun they had at Chicken for Lunch," she said. "The relationships you build with customers are more important than the business. I'm rich in my heart. And I really want them to know how much I love them."

The Quon family is soliciting video messages from customers who want to share their well-wishes with Amy. The deadline to upload a message is Feb. 10.

So sweeping are Premier Danielle Smith's recently proposed changes to gender-affirming care, treatments, and therapies that municipal politics will be fundamentally shaped by the discussions that follow — including, as discussed on Episode 249 of Speaking Municipally, the 2025 election.

Co-host Troy Pavlek described the sense-making that followed Smith's announcement, where municipal politicians and organizations have voiced their opposition, as the "speaking out phase." He pointed to Coun. Andrew Knack's message to the LGBTQIA2S+ community — "You do matter. You are loved. And we will be with you every step of the way." — as drawing a rhetorical line that many Edmonton voters will expect from city representatives.

"I suspect, given the politics of Edmonton, this is going to become a mandatory statement to make," Pavlek said. "People are going to be looking to their city councillors to speak out both against this and in support of the people who (the proposed changes) would inevitably harm."

Pavlek and co-host Mack Male discussed the oft-unspoken politics that the potential changes could force out into the open at Edmonton's city council.

Councillors Tim Cartmell and Sarah Hamilton, who Male and Pavlek described as UCP-aligned members of Edmonton's council, may now have to concretely say where they stand while considering what any stance might mean if the UCP's push to bring political parties into municipal elections also becomes a reality.

"It will be very interesting to see how we have our more conservative councillors interact with this policy and either stand up or don't stand up for their constituents," Pavlek said. "Because should there be provincial parties in the next municipal election, speaking out against the UCP government may well cost you your seat in a conservative-aligned ward."

Hear more about those issues as well as EPCOR's water trouble and efforts to reopen city hall on the Feb. 2 episode of Taproot's civic affairs podcast. You'll also hear reporter Stephanie Swensrude on proposals to meet council's budget reallocation goals and managing editor Tim Querengesser on the sad state of the Valley Line's shelters.

Photo: Coun. Sarah Hamilton at the October 2021 swearing in ceremony for Edmonton's current city council. (Mack Male/Flickr)

Inside his lakeside home in Chestermere, Jeff Colvin is trying to explain why he should get his job back. The former mayor will again ask a Court of King's Bench judge today for an injunction that would reverse the Alberta government's decision to fire him and three other members of Chestermere city council.

Alberta NDP's leadership race will be all about defeating Premier Danielle Smith, and Nenshi can at least rival her profile. But does the party want him, and does he want the party?

The Edmonton Oilers are on a 16-game winning streak, one away from the NHL record set by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1993. Several die-hard Oilers fans are heading to Las Vegas hoping to see the team tie the record live. The CBC’s Travis McEwan caught up with some fans before they depart for Sin City.

The Edmonton Oilers are getting ready to take on the Vegas Golden Knights Tuesday when they could tie an NHL record. Nancy Carlson spoke with Tom Gazzola from Edmonton Sports Talk about what the team needs to focus on, and if he thinks they will do it.

The first rule of being on a winning streak? You don't talk about being on a winning streak. At least, that's the mantra inside the Edmonton Oilers dressing room.

Alberta and two prominent business groups have released formal responses to a proposed federal emissions cap as the province's environment minister was slated to meet with her federal counterpart.

The lawyer for a woman accused of trying to kill her husband called the situation "tragic," telling a Calgary judge there are "significant" concerns his client is suffering from dementia. 

Premier Danielle Smith confirms suspension will lift on Feb. 29 after nearly seven months.

Amid calls for increased safety measures from residents and a recent pedestrian accident, the City of Edmonton will install a new pedestrian signal in spring at the high-traffic intersection of 122nd Street and Jasper Avenue.

A Calgarian man has filed a notice of recall petition against Mayor Jyoti Gondek. A minimum of 514,284 hand-penned, non-digital signatures would be needed for it to have a chance of being successful.

In honour of Black History month, the Africa Centre hosted an event today to foster that special connection. Seniors and youth teamed up in the kitchen to whip up various traditional recipes.

Former Alberta justice minister and three-term Calgary MLA Kathleen Ganley officially launched a bid to become the next leader of Alberta's New Democrats on Monday, becoming first in the race to replace departing leader Rachel Notley.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith will speak to the media about the province's new office in Ottawa.

The Swan Hills Treatment Centre is an important local economic driver with a poor environmental track record. Its planned closure in 2026 means different things to different groups.

Council is back to meeting but will do so virtually. This shift follows a week when the city cancelled all public meetings in the wake of the Jan. 23 attack on city hall. The building will be closed to the public indefinitely.

There is a community and public services committee meeting scheduled for Feb. 5, an urban planning committee meeting scheduled for Feb. 6, and an executive committee meeting scheduled for Feb. 7.

Here are key items on the agenda:

• Councillors have the opportunity to move the Oliver neighbourhood's proposed new name, Wîhkwêntôwin ᐄᐧᐦᑫᐧᐣᑑᐃᐧᐣ, closer to being official at an executive committee meeting scheduled for Feb. 7. Wîhkwêntôwin, pronounced we-kwen-to-win, means "circle of friends" in nêhiyawêwin, or Cree. The city introduced a new policy in 2021 that allows communities to request to rename if the namesake's views do not reflect equity and inclusion. If a community wants to rename a neighbourhood or a significant asset, the new name must be approved by the naming committee, which is made up of citizen volunteers. If executive committee approves the Wîhkwêntôwin name on Feb. 7, it will move on to city council for final approval.
• Game Con Canada has chosen the Edmonton Expo Centre as its venue from 2024 to 2026. A city report suggests the event could see up to 34,000 attendees who are passionate about video games and esports. The report, to be examined at the Feb. 7 executive committee meeting, outlines several ways Edmonton could advance the Alberta Esports Strategy, and attract major gaming events and investments, with one being to create a city-wide esports working group. Stakeholders said a more formalized structure to support esports is needed.
• The Edmonton International Airport and the Edmonton Downtown Business Association support creating a direct bus link between the region's international airport and downtown Edmonton, according to a report due at a Feb. 6 urban planning committee meeting. Edmonton's council requested administration to explore cost-sharing options, as it declined to fund the service during its budget deliberations in December 2022. No organizations have formally committed to a cost-sharing model. The report said the proposed service would cost between $2.5 million and $3.5 million, depending on frequency, with an upfront capital cost of between $10 million and $30 million. The city said council would need to approve funding for the route as there is no money for it in the budget. Route 747 currently runs between Century Park Transit Centre and YEG. The proposed new service would supplement the 747 route, the city said. The new route could attract more conference goers and boost the economic potential of the airport and downtown. A route could also support those who live and work near the airport, as the majority of 747 bus passengers are "regular riders" who likely work at YEG or the Premium Outlet Collection Edmonton International Airport, the city said.

Here are some other agenda items:

• Explore Edmonton owes about $1.35 million in unpaid taxes on a property it rented in the Edmonton Research and Development Park. Though the province owns the research park and is therefore exempt from taxes, other parties that lease buildings become responsible for paying taxes. According to a report, Explore Edmonton did not pay taxes on the building in 2021 and 2022 because it assumed it was tax-exempt. Non-profits must apply for tax-exempt status, but the city said the property was being subleased to for-profit businesses and therefore likely would not have been eligible for tax exemption. Administration said Explore Edmonton does not qualify for the city's retroactive municipal tax relief, but that council can choose to cancel or refund municipal taxes in this case.
• Community and public services committee is circling back to discuss turf and horticulture service levels. Councillors first received a report on Jan. 15 that outlined how the city is unable to mow grass and pull weeds to service-level targets due to a reduced budget. At that meeting, Coun. Jennifer Rice introduced a motion on behalf of Mayor Amarjeet Sohi that would have administration prepare a funded service package for the spring operating budget adjustment to return service levels to what they were in 2019, as well as an unfunded service package for consideration at the fall operating budget adjustment. The motion was not put to a vote, but discussion is scheduled to resume at a committee meeting on Feb. 5.
• Councillors are set to revisit a report on closed and shared streets downtown at the urban planning committee meeting on Feb. 6. This discussion was postponed in both December and January. The city said it is working to create the conditions for car-free spaces and is looking for more opportunities for temporary city-supported closures in priority areas like Rice Howard Way and 104 Street. Postponed from the same two meetings is a report on how on-demand transit could be co-mingled with Dedicated Accessible Transit Service for efficiency.

Meetings stream live on YouTube on the Chamber channel and River Valley Room channel.

About a month-and-a-half after the Beiseker Level-Land Seventh-day Adventist Church was destroyed in a fire that RCMP says was arson, community members have been forced to adapt as they continue discussions about rebuilding.

Season passes have long been part of the ski industry, but resorts are increasingly leaning on them as a source of revenue to get money locked in before the season starts.

With record-low water levels throughout much of the province, including our region, the Alberta government has announced a $3.5-million investment in what it hopes will be the continuation of making the province more naturally drought resilient — helping to prevent floods and improve water quality.

On Jan. 16, it announced the awarding of eight grants, including one for $416,784 to the Oldman Watershed Council.

The council, which monitors the Oldman River Basin, is receiving the money for a project called Recovering Natural and Community Assets in the Oldman Watershed.

“The project will focus on natural infrastructure education and restoration to support communities impacted by drought,” said a government release.

It’s welcome news for the Oldman Watershed Council’s executive director.

“This vital grant will boost community resilience across the Oldman watershed at a critical time when southwest Alberta is facing extreme drought conditions,” said Shannon Frank.

“It will allow us to restore the essential natural infrastructure that reduces drought impacts for those being affected the most — agricultural producers, First Nations and municipalities.”

Provincial Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz feels it’s never been more important. Her government has already put up $46.5 million to address the crisis.

“By working with local communities and partners, we are helping mitigate the impact of future floods and droughts in communities across the province while creating healthier water bodies for future generations,” she said.

The minister is encouraging environmental groups and local governments to apply for funding under the province’s Watershed Resiliency and Restoration umbrella.

The next application deadline is Sept. 15.

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