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Daily Calgary Sep 23 - Sep 23, 2026

Green Line Downtown Route, 610K Mail‑ins & Foreign Watchdog — Calgary Wednesday

19 articles 2 hours ago 12
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🏛️ Government & Politics

  1. Council finalizes Green Line surface route down 10 Avenue S.W., 12-2 vote. City council voted 12–2 to route the Green Line at street level on 10 Avenue S.W., terminating between 1 and 2 Street S.W.; the alignment is estimated at 41,000 daily riders and carries an $850-million price tag, the only option within the current project budget, Mayor Jeromy Farkas said.

  2. Mail-in ballot requests for the Oct. 19 Alberta referendum top 610,000. Elections Alberta reports more than 610,000 special mail-in ballot applications, up about 90,000 since last Friday; applicants must return ballots by Oct. 16 at 5 p.m., and Elections Alberta says it has hired over 28,000 staff and received almost 52,000 applications for other roles.

  3. Fact check: Elections Alberta says mail-in applications are checked and ID is required. Elections Alberta tells reporters it verifies special-ballot applications against its voter-registration system and requires proof of identification to cast a referendum ballot, responding to viral social-media claims that non-Albertans can apply without verification.

  4. Foreign Influence commissioner flags concerns about outside interference ahead of Oct. 19 referendum. Commissioner Anton Boegman says his office is "aware of concerns" and has proactively contacted people and organisations; the Foreign Influence registry currently lists two names, and registration deadlines are Oct. 3 for longstanding relationships and within two weeks for arrangements begun after Aug. 4, 2026.

  5. Northwest Territories moves to permanent year-round time, now aligned with Alberta. The N.W.T. government will keep "Northwest Territories time" year-round so clocks won’t fall back on Nov. 1, and the territory will now share a common time with Alberta and Saskatchewan, following a 2022 survey in which more than 3,500 residents participated and 87% supported ending seasonal clock changes.

🎨 Community & Culture

  1. B.C. Lions visit Riders in pivotal West Division CFL game Friday; B.C. is 7-6. The Lions (7–6) have won six of seven recently and will host Saskatchewan (8–5) for second place in the West Division; B.C. leads the CFL in net yards (427.7 per game) and rushing (121.3 per game), while Nathan Rourke ranks fifth in passing yards with 3,476 yards this season.

  2. Alberta Book Publishing Awards name winners including Sharon Butala and Tim Bowling. The 2026 Alberta Book Publishing Awards honoured authors Sharon Butala, Tim Bowling and Elaine M. Will among the winners, according to the awards announcement.

💼 Economy & Business

  1. U.S. discussion of a temporary diesel export ban could raise global prices, experts warn. Reports say the U.S. is considering a possible 90-day diesel export ban; AAA data cited a U.S. record diesel price of US$6.5107 per gallon, and the story notes Canadian diesel prices above CA$2 per litre as of publication.

  2. B.C. Lions’ offensive stats underline CFL title race impact on travel and ticket demand. B.C.’s offence leads the league in time of possession (31:44 per game) and ranks second in passing (322.5 yards per game), details that frame the Friday game against Saskatchewan as consequential for second-place standing and the season series tiebreaker.

📰 Also Today

  • Calgary firefighters union raises alarm over a spike in overdose calls.
  • Stampede will honour a $125,000 50/50 ticket after initially refusing.
  • Flags have become symbols of voting intention ahead of Alberta separatism referendum.
  • Grande Prairie opens combined police and fire dispatch facility.
  • Powwow attendees express concerns and questions around Alberta independence movement.
  • Calgary city council approves a national unity statement ahead of the referendum.
  • Town of Golden reverses decision; will match Alberta time instead of B.C.
  • Plane lands on Highway 1 in Banff National Park; emergency response underway.
  • Council reconfirms Green Line path into downtown after years of delay.
  • Federal government offers Trans Mountain equity stake to Indigenous groups on pipeline route.
  • Danielle Smith suggests charging temporary residents $1,900 for public health care access.
Sep 21

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Source Articles (19)

Danielle Smith floats idea of charging temporary residents $1,900 to access public health care

The figure comes as Albertans will vote in the Oct. 19 referendum on charging certain non-permanent residents a "reasonable fee or premium" for access to Alberta's health care and education systems.

General Sep 23, 2026

Feds open up Trans Mountain equity stake to Indigenous groups on pipeline’s path

The federal government has offered Indigenous groups a collective 15 per cent ownership stake in the Trans Mountain pipeline, advancing a long-promised plan to give First Nations equity in the federally owned infrastructure connecting Alberta crude to a Vancouver-area export terminal.

General Sep 23, 2026

After years of delay, Calgary council confirms Green Line's path into downtown

Calgary council voted to approve a surface-level alignment for the long-discussed Green Line LRT project, that would bring it from southeast Calgary up to the downtown core. But how that line will further travel across the Bow River and into north Calgary is still unclear.

General Sep 23, 2026

Plane lands on Highway 1 in Banff National Park

A plane landed on the highway between the Town of Banff and Lake Louise. No injuries have been reported.

General Sep 23, 2026

Sharon Butala, Tim Bowling and Elaine M. Will among winners of the 2026 Alberta Book Publishing Awards

Sharon Butala, Tim Bowling and Elaine M. Will among winners of the 2026 Alberta Book Publishing Awards

General Sep 23, 2026

Town of Golden reverses decision to align clocks with B.C., will match Alberta instead

Golden was set to be the sole community in the East Kootenay synced with B.C. after the Regional District of the East Kootenay voted for permanent mountain daylight time, in alignment with Alberta.

General Sep 23, 2026

Calgary city council approves national unity statement ahead of Alberta referendum

After city councillors were divided about whether it was the city's place to wade into a debate on Alberta separation, a motion from the mayor affirming Calgary's place as a vital part of the province and the country passed 14-1.

General Sep 23, 2026

'What's going to happen to us?' At this powwow, a sense of threat shapes views of Alberta independence

CBC News spent the day at a powwow in Lethbridge, Alta., and spoke with at least a dozen people. All but two were against separation — pointing to the treaties, their love of their culture and a feeling that this is threatened by the current debate.

General Sep 23, 2026

Police, fire dispatch under one roof in new facility in Grande Prairie

The Grande Prairie Police Service will be sharing a dispatch space with the fire department following their transition taking over from the RCMP later this year. The new integrated Public Safety Communications Centre is expected to save the city money while helping modernize some of the technology used.

General Sep 23, 2026

As Alberta separatism referendum looms, flags become symbol of voting intention — and tension

Albertans will cast a ballot Oct. 19 on whether the province should stay in Canada or whether there should be an eventual vote on separating from the country.

General Sep 23, 2026

'The right outcome': Calgary Stampede will honour $125K 50/50 ticket after initially refusing to

The Calgary Stampede will now be giving 50/50 lottery winner Curtis Geiger his $125,150 reward — winnings which had initially been denied since the claim deadline had passed.

General Sep 23, 2026

Calgary firefighters union raises alarm over ‘shocking’ spike in overdose calls

The Calgary Firefighters Association says it's seen a 143-per-cent increase in overdose calls in the first seven months of 2026, compared to the same period last year. As the CBC's Terri Trembath reports, the union head describes the increase as 'shocking' and is calling on the city and the province to prioritize finding a solution.

General Sep 23, 2026
As Trump mulls diesel export ban, what would it mean for Canada?

As Trump mulls diesel export ban, what would it mean for Canada?

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he backed the idea of a U.S. diesel export ban as a way to lower prices for Americans, which experts say may backfire.

Economy Sep 23, 2026
Foreign influence watchdog ‘aware of concerns’ about Alberta referendum

Foreign influence watchdog ‘aware of concerns’ about Alberta referendum

Canadians acting on behalf of foreign nations to influence Alberta referendum question must register with new foreign influence commissioner or face penalties.

Canada Sep 23, 2026
Green Line LRT surface route through downtown Calgary finalized by city council

Green Line LRT surface route through downtown Calgary finalized by city council

The Green Line LRT alignment would make way for trains to travel at street level down 10 Avenue S.W. with the line ending at a station between 1 and 2 Street S.W. in downtown.

Politics Sep 23, 2026
Fact check: Can non-Albertans mail in referendum votes?

Fact check: Can non-Albertans mail in referendum votes?

Elections Alberta says it checks all special ballot applications against its voter registration system to exclude any fake ones, and proof of ID is also required to cast a vote.

Politics Sep 23, 2026
Northwest Territories latest to stay on daylight time year-round

Northwest Territories latest to stay on daylight time year-round

Clocks will not have to go back an hour on Nov. 1, the government says, when time change would occur in the Northwest Territories. 

Canada Sep 23, 2026
Lions host Riders in important West Division clash

Lions host Riders in important West Division clash

It's been a long way back for Nathan Rourke and the B.C. Lions.

Sports Sep 23, 2026
Referendum mail-in ballot requests surpass 610K, Elections Alberta says

Referendum mail-in ballot requests surpass 610K, Elections Alberta says

Albertans have until Friday at midnight to apply to Elections Alberta for a special mail-in ballot, which must be returned by Oct. 16 at 5 p.m. in order to be counted.

Politics Sep 23, 2026
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