🏛️ Government & Politics
- Province orders Edmonton to reverse infill rules, calls current policy harmful. Premier Danielle Smith told reporters Thursday the city must revert to pre-2024 infill rules, saying multi-unit builds are lowering property values and creating parking problems; Mayor Andrew Knack and city leaders called the order “uninformed and insulting,” and Smith was joined by a protest group of a few hundred outside city hall.
- St. Albert council rejects bylaw changes that would boost infill. St. Albert city council voted down proposed bylaw amendments intended to encourage infill development, matching council’s decision reported Thursday and keeping existing zoning rules in place for now.
- Cold Lake First Nations seeks Federal Court judicial review of Pacific Link pipeline designation. The band filed for review after Ottawa and Alberta fast-tracked the Pacific Link pipeline under the Building Canada Act, with Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Danielle Smith announcing a one-year fast-track timeline to begin construction next September.
- U.S. lenders sue Alberta separatist Jeff Rath for $112.56 million, allege concealed firing. Delaware funders Diriba Investments and Western Springs sued Rath and RathPC Thursday, claiming false representations to keep financing two First Nations suits; a judge also denied Rath’s bid to release nearly $800,000 in frozen funds citing incomplete financial disclosure.
- Deloitte: Canadian oil producers’ operating profits surged 68% between Q1 and Q2, but capex rose only ~7%. The report released Thursday says second-quarter capital spending was about $11 billion and drilling activity rose 17% year-over-year, while Deloitte warned producers favour short-cycle plays like the Montney and Duvernay.
🏈 Sports
- Permanent daylight time means later NHL starts for Alberta teams; Oilers have seven 9 p.m. games. Alberta’s decision to stay on daylight saving time will push Edmonton Oilers game starts to 9 p.m. local time for seven matches this season, and the Flames face eight such 9 p.m. starts including home games on Dec. 26 and Jan. 16, players said this week.
- Edmonton Elks can clinch West top spot with win in Hamilton and help from Ottawa. The Elks (11-4) visit the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5-11) Friday; a win plus an Ottawa Redblacks victory over the B.C. Lions would give Edmonton first place in the West and a potential home playoff game, according to the CFL standings scenario.
📰 Also Today
- PM Mark Carney rebukes Elon Musk’s separatism comments, told reporters in Sherbrooke on Thursday.
- Explainer: buy vs rent decisions, housing question framed for readers.
- Column: funeral highlights Alberta’s complex social fabric, author reflects on provincial stereotypes.
- Feature: anti-COVID activism helped spur Alberta separatism, narrative traced in report.
- Indigenous leaders react to Carney’s pipeline plan, leaders flag water and toxic-waste concerns.
- Analysis: ‘glass cliff’ discussed after Christine Fréchette’s loss, expert cites gendered opportunity structures.
- Alberta premier calls separatists’ offers to Americans ‘ridiculous’, comment reported Thursday.
- Explainer: how effective Arc cards are for Edmonton transit riders, transit payment story.
- AMA president says new deal fell short for Alberta doctors, comments on the agreement.
- Hockey Alberta warns of tournament scam, governing body issued a warning.
- Liberal MP seeks stronger safeguards in bill to fast-track projects, MP called for amendments.
- Gas prices spike days after province cuts fuel tax, prices rose days after the tax change.
- Defence minister McGuinty touts $8 billion in federal funding during Alberta visit, funding figure highlighted.
