🏛️ Government & Politics
- Calgary will get its first medical cyclotron, expected operational by 2029. Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said the cyclotron is part of a $71-million radiopharmaceutical centre at Foothills Medical Centre with $64 million in provincial funding over three years; the facility aims to cut travel time for short‑lived isotopes now driven three hours from Edmonton. The province expects radiopharmaceutical testing to triple in Alberta over the next 15 years.
- Alberta extended the $100 energy rebate application deadline to Oct. 31. Finance Minister Jason Nixon said nearly 3.4 million adult Albertans are eligible while about 1.5 million have applied so far; the province also paused its 13‑cent‑per‑litre fuel tax for three months starting Thursday. Premier Danielle Smith announced the shift back to a fuel tax cut after public dissatisfaction with the rebate program.
- Alberta will introduce tougher penalties for illegal dumping, including fines up to $100,000 for individuals. Premier Danielle Smith said proposed legislation would raise corporate fines to $1 million and allow courts to impose up to six months' jail in extreme cases; she cited 30,000 Calgary municipal complaints about illegal dumping last year versus just 165 tickets issued. Smith said cleanup costs can run into “hundreds of thousands” for municipalities.
- Preliminary numbers show Calgary could face a 15% property tax increase next year. City staff released early projections indicating a potential 15 per cent hike in municipal property taxes for 2027, a figure presented in the city’s preliminary budget materials; councillors will review options in upcoming budget meetings to narrow the final rate.
🎨 Community & Culture
- Calgary-area events marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30. Coverage listed local commemorations around Calgary that included orange‑shirt observances and cultural gatherings on the sixth annual statutory holiday; the national day commemorates roughly 150,000 Indigenous children who attended residential schools. Officials and community groups held ceremonies and resource events across the city on the autumn morning.
- Calgary city staff are preparing steps to memorialize a former residential school site. The city announced plans to move forward with measures to memorialize the former Calgary residential school, with staff outlining next steps in consultation and planning; details on timelines and specific memorial designs were to be developed through the city process.
🏈 Sports
- Calgary Stampeders face the Saskatchewan Roughriders Friday in a West Division showdown. The Riders (8–6) host the Stampeders (7–8) on Friday; a Calgary win by four-plus points would give the Stampeders the season series tiebreaker and a standings tie with Saskatchewan. Vernon Adams Jr. threw for 422 yards and three TDs in Calgary’s most recent 45–31 win over Ottawa.
- Nathan Rourke, Adarius Pickett and Tyrice Beverette were named the CFL’s top players of September. Rourke threw for 1,067 yards and seven TDs with one interception in three September games; Pickett recorded 35 tackles and two sacks while Beverette had 20 tackles, one interception and two sacks for the month.
📰 Also Today
- Fort Edmonton Park held a Truth and Reconciliation ceremony, marking the sixth annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney called for action on reconciliation, noting only 14 of 94 TRC calls to action are complete.
- (duplicate) Alberta to raise illegal dumping fines, with $100,000 max for individuals and $1 million for corporations.
- Statistics Canada: 25% of Canadians aged 25–44 are 'not at all hopeful' about democracy's future.
- Canada‑wide warrant issued Sept. 23 for Scot MacDermid, 42, in alleged abduction of two children.
- Tsawwassen First Nation ended a B.C. Truth and Reconciliation event early after a 'critical incident'.
- Feature on preserving untranslatable Indigenous language, story published in the series.
- Alberta gave residents another month to apply for the $100 energy rebate, deadline now Oct. 31.
- Canada‑wide warrants issued for Edmonton father in alleged abduction, followup reporting.
- Analysis piece: what to do about reconciliation now you know the truth.
- (duplicate) City preparing to memorialize former Calgary residential school, steps to be taken.
- Pierre Poilievre campaigned in Edmonton urging Albertans to vote to stay in Canada, speech ahead of Oct. 19 referendum.
- Profile: Alberta independence campaigners are using a softer public approach despite hard exit goals.
- Fort McMurray preparing for an economic upswing after a tough decade.
- Explainer: Alberta’s Oct. 19 referendum and what voters need to know.
- (duplicate) Calgary’s first cyclotron announced to speed up medical tests and treatments.
