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Weekly Calgary May 11 - May 17, 2026

Heat Waves & Hoots — Your Calgary Week in 2 Minutes

50 articles 1 week ago 19

🚗 Roads & Weather

Buckle up for a weather roller coaster! The May long weekend is approaching, and temperatures might swing from a winter wonderland to summer sun, leaving campers and sunbathers alike confused about their wardrobe choices.

📢 City Hall

Major energy shake-up in Alberta! PM Carney and Premier Smith's newly signed energy agreement could set the stage for pipeline construction starting in 2027. This pivotal deal is expected to impact Alberta’s economy and energy landscape significantly.

Hantavirus alert for cruise-goers! A B.C. national lab confirmed a hantavirus case tied to a passenger from a recent Canadian cruise. This highlights ongoing health vigilance as we navigate widespread travel during the warmer months.

Calgary mayor pushes for community court funding! Advocating for more resources from the provincial government, the mayor is raising awareness for crucial community programs that benefit the city's most vulnerable populations.

⚖️ Crime & Safety

Extortion scheme exposed in Calgary! Five men were charged in a violent extortion case targeting the South Asian community, emphasizing ongoing issues around safety and crime in our neighborhood.

A rally for Rylin! Hundreds gathered in Red Deer to support a 14-year-old girl recovering from a brutal attack, showcasing the community's commitment to standing against violence and supporting its young members.

Kidnapped and driven across cities? A shocking case in Edmonton revealed a kidnapping that tied back to a multi-city extortion scheme, further unsettling residents and raising questions about safety in our urban spaces.

🌿 Community

Go McWomahon! Our local stadium is now named McWomahon Stadium to support women’s health research through sport, highlighting how community initiatives can engage everyday citizens in meaningful ways.

🎉 Good News

Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village is back! After a devastating fire last year, this beloved site is reopening just in time for the May long weekend, inviting families to enjoy Alberta's rich history.

⚠️ Wildfire Woes

Evacuation alert in Sundre! A wildfire burning out of control has prompted an emergency alert, reminding us to stay vigilant and prepared as summer approaches.

Residents on standby! Clearwater County residents are on alert as a nearby wildfire raises concerns, demonstrating the unpredictable nature of Alberta weather and the continuous need for preparedness.

💼 Business

Auto insurance shake-up ahead! Big changes are on the horizon for Alberta drivers, with the province introducing a new adjustable rate cap alongside a ‘care-first’ no-fault insurance model, beginning next year.

⚖️ Voices in the Political Landscape

Alberta's summer sitting wraps up! A session characterized by separatism discussions leaves Alberta's lawmakers in a heated grip of political strife. Will peaceful resolutions come, or are tensions here to stay?

🎭 Entertainment

Calgary Stampede's food dream team! Prepare for outrageous delicacies with the unveiling of this year's food lineup featuring 70 quirky dishes for the annual Stampede. Come for the rides, stay for the culinary curiosities!

Source Articles (51)

Severe spring storm brings damaging winds, heavy rain to Alberta

Communities across Alberta are waking up to heavy rain and damaging winds Thursday as a powerful low pressure system brings a blast of nasty weather to the Prairies.

General May 14, 2026

Controversial Calgary academic calls out CBC for role in prank interviews of Kamloops residential school grave critics

The CBC was blasted on Tuesday for its role in a comedy series that uses fake names and identities to prank individuals who have drawn controversy over their views of residential schools.

General May 14, 2026

Alberta separation petition signature sheets remain locked up after court ruling

Alberta’s chief electoral officer says he accepts a court’s ruling overturning his decision to authorize a separatist group to gather signatures for a proposed independence referendum.

General May 15, 2026

For Danielle Smith and Alberta separatists, no clear path left for referendum after court loss

Pressure is mounting for premier to commit to the vote her UCP base wants, but First Nations have blocked.

General May 15, 2026

Red Deer indoor sports facility closed and evacuated after strong winds damage structure

Whipping winds in central Alberta damaged an indoor sports complex in Red Deer Thursday afternoon, forcing the facility to be evacuated.

General May 15, 2026

Evacuation orders begin to lift near Whitecourt, Alta., as wildfire risk subsides

Some residents forced from their homes this week due to a fast-moving wildfire northwest of Edmonton will be allowed to return home Thursday.

General May 15, 2026

Some Clearwater County residents told to prepare for possible evacuation as wildfire burns in central Alberta

A wildfire alert was issued for parts of Clearwater County and Mountain View County on Thursday.

General May 15, 2026

Red Deer school officials seek to 'dispel rumours' after student assault, bomb threat

Public school officials in Red Deer are reassuring parents that students are safe after an unfounded bomb threat was called into a local school and a violent assault of a student was captured on video.

General May 15, 2026

Carney says the 'best place for Alberta is in Canada,' amid fracas over a separation referendum

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday that the best place for Alberta is undoubtedly in Canada, and his government is working to patch up relations with the province after years of bad blood over stalled energy development.

General May 15, 2026

Alberta removes creeping bellflower from list of prohibited noxious weeds

Albertans no longer have to keep creeping bellflower — known for its bright purple flowers and stubborn root system — under control, after the province removed the invasive species from its list of regulated weeds in January.

General May 15, 2026

Crunchy mealworms, ramen doughnuts and deep-fried pizza on offer at Calgary Stampede

The Calgary Stampede unveiled this year's midway food lineup, complete with all the bizarre, deep-fried, drizzled and stuffed concoctions midway visitors have come to know and (sometimes) love.

General May 15, 2026

Calgary mayor calls for more funding from Alberta government for community court program

Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas sent a letter to Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery on Monday calling for the province to better fund aspects of community court that fall under its jurisdiction, after the city boosted the program's funding last fall.

General May 15, 2026
Red Deer teens face assault charges after attack caught on camera

Red Deer teens face assault charges after attack caught on camera

According to RCMP, the attack happened around 2:21 p.m. on Monday at a field in the Lancaster Meadows area along 30th Avenue.

Crime May 14, 2026
Adjustable rate cap part of ‘care-first’ auto insurance model coming to Alberta

Adjustable rate cap part of ‘care-first’ auto insurance model coming to Alberta

Drivers will see changes in how their auto insurance rates increase in 2027, as Alberta rolls out a new, adjustable rate cap alongside its planned 'care-first' system.

Consumer May 14, 2026
Alberta lawmakers wrap up spring sitting overshadowed by separatism movement

Alberta lawmakers wrap up spring sitting overshadowed by separatism movement

The sitting saw bills that'll affect everything from library books to medically assisted death — but Alberta separatism is what often drove the war of words in question period.

Politics May 14, 2026
Evacuation alert issued due to out of control Alberta wildfire near Sundre

Evacuation alert issued due to out of control Alberta wildfire near Sundre

An out of control wildfire that's burning about 30 kilometres northwest of Sundre, Alta., has prompted an evacuation alert to be issued for the area.

Fire May 14, 2026
Calgary police release photos of suspect vehicle in fatal shooting

Calgary police release photos of suspect vehicle in fatal shooting

Calgary police are asking for the public's help identifying a vehicle believed to be involved in the fatal shooting of a man connected to organized crime on Monday, May 11.

Crime May 14, 2026
Carney, Smith confirm energy announcement coming Friday

Carney, Smith confirm energy announcement coming Friday

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith have confirmed they'll be in Calgary on Friday to announce the next step in their landmark energy pact.

Politics May 14, 2026
What could a supercharged El Nino mean for Canada?

What could a supercharged El Nino mean for Canada?

There's growing evidence that a supercharged El Nino will develop over the next few months, spelling possible hot and dry conditions to come for large parts of Canada.

Weather May 14, 2026
Calgary Stampede unveils long list of ‘outrageous’ midway foods for 2026

Calgary Stampede unveils long list of ‘outrageous’ midway foods for 2026

Pickle Pizza, Cosmic Funnel Cake and Crunchy Critter Corn, those are among the close to 70 outrageous foods that will be available this year on the Calgary Stampede midway.

Entertainment May 14, 2026
Calgary police charge 5 men following ‘elaborate’ extortion scheme

Calgary police charge 5 men following ‘elaborate’ extortion scheme

Calgary police have charged four men and issued warrants for a fifth following an investigation in an 'elaborate' extortion scheme targeting members of the South Asian community.

Crime May 15, 2026
30 cm of snow to 30 C: Long weekend weather varies greatly across Canada

30 cm of snow to 30 C: Long weekend weather varies greatly across Canada

Multiple weather systems are bringing a mixed bag of weather across Canada for the long weekend, with snow and wind in the Prairies and above-seasonal temperatures across Ontario.

Weather May 15, 2026
Owner of Summerside dogs that killed boy tells court training was in the works

Owner of Summerside dogs that killed boy tells court training was in the works

Crystal MacDonald, who is on trial for criminal negligence causing death, said she was working on getting her intact Cane Corsos trained before they killed 11-year-old Kache Grist.

Crime May 15, 2026
Shots fired following early morning crash in Airdrie, RCMP investigating

Shots fired following early morning crash in Airdrie, RCMP investigating

Airdrie RCMP say four people were sent to hospital after shots were fired during an 'altercation' between several vehicles early Friday morning.

Crime May 15, 2026
Ottawa, Alberta agree on carbon pricing deal, pipeline construction timeline

Ottawa, Alberta agree on carbon pricing deal, pipeline construction timeline

In November, Carney and Smith signed a memorandum of understanding that aims to lay the groundwork for a new pipeline from Alberta to the B.C. coast.

Canada May 15, 2026

Court documents show new details on Elections Alberta probe into voter information breach

Documents filed in the Court of King’s Bench shed new light into Elections Alberta’s investigation into how a separatist group exposed the personal information of millions of Alberta voters online.

General May 15, 2026

Carney, Smith reach energy agreement that could see pipeline construction start in 2027

The federal and Alberta governments have advanced a climate and energy agreement that could see construction on an oil pipeline to the West Coast start as early as September 2027.

General May 15, 2026

Police say suspects kidnapped man in Edmonton, drove him to Calgary in 'elaborate' South Asian extortion case

Calgary police have charged four men they say kidnapped a man in what they call an "elaborate scheme" related to the ongoing extortion against members of the city's South Asian community. They are still looking for a fifth man, and believe others may have been involved.

General May 15, 2026

‘Words matter in court’: Court reporters 'devastated' as province pulls stenographer funding

Alberta Justice is eliminating funding for court reporter services — stenographers who record what is said in court — for criminal trials in the Court of King’s Bench this fiscal year.

General May 15, 2026

Wildfire in Alberta's west country rages on, campers evacuated from backcountry

A wildfire continues to rage through a vast expanse of Alberta’s foothills Friday and emergency officials are urging backcountry users to keep their distance from the front lines.

General May 16, 2026

B.C. energy minister says Carney making national pipeline deals without involving other provinces

B.C.'s energy minister says that the federal government is making nationally-significant energy deals without involving the entire country, on the same day that the federal and Alberta governments advanced a climate and energy agreement that could see construction on an oil pipeline to the West Coast start as early as September 2027.

General May 16, 2026
Hundreds rally in Red Deer to support teenage girl recovering from violent assault

Hundreds rally in Red Deer to support teenage girl recovering from violent assault

Rylin Brinston is battered and bruised from an assault earlier this week in Red Deer that left her with a concussion, internal bleeding and possible permanent eye damage.

Crime May 15, 2026
Eby says Ottawa is rewarding Alberta’s ‘bad behaviour’ with pipeline agreement

Eby says Ottawa is rewarding Alberta’s ‘bad behaviour’ with pipeline agreement

Eby said that it can't be the case that projects get prioritized in Canada because a premier threatens to leave the country, referring to the separation movement in Alberta. 

Politics May 15, 2026
Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village reopens after being damaged by fire in 2025

Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village reopens after being damaged by fire in 2025

More than a year after a grass fire destroyed the visitor's centre at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, the attraction east of Edmonton is re-opening to visitors.

Fire May 15, 2026
Golden Knights docked 2nd-round pick, coach fined $100K for breaking media rules

Golden Knights docked 2nd-round pick, coach fined $100K for breaking media rules

The punishments for the 'flagrant violations' of the NHL's media access rules came after previous warnings were issued to the Vegas Golden Knights, the league said on Friday.

Sports May 15, 2026

With a possible referendum looming, Carney and Smith find common ground on carbon pricing

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday's landmark agreement with Alberta is about "building trust in a Canada that works." Opinions will vary on his particular weighing of pragmatism and ambition, but he will presumably hope that he has something that can hold together.

General May 16, 2026

University of Lethbridge announces $13.5M sports dome

The University of Lethbridge has announced it will be building a multi-sport dome on campus. It says the project is a solution to rising demand for year-round sports facilities in Lethbridge and surrounding communities.

General May 16, 2026

Alberta’s acting chief justice won’t ask judges to chair new electoral boundaries panel

Alberta’s acting chief justice has declined an all-party legislative committee’s request for help finding retired and sitting judges to lead the latest effort to redraw Alberta’s electoral boundaries.

General May 16, 2026

‘Gold in a bag’: Shortage of vital product for newborn calves leaves some Alberta farmers scrambling

Sidney Haeberle, a farmer and farm supply store owner in east-central Alberta, says sourcing enough bovine colostrum has become a recent challenge, despite it never being an issue in the past.

General May 16, 2026

Separatist leader appealing court decision on Stay Free Alberta petition

An Alberta separatist leader is appealing a Court of King’s Bench judge’s decision to overturn the approval of his group’s petition, which seeks a referendum question on Alberta independence.

General May 16, 2026
Another man has died while waiting for care at hospital: Alberta Medical Association

Another man has died while waiting for care at hospital: Alberta Medical Association

The Alberta Medical Association says another patient has died while waiting for treatment at a major hospital, renewing concerns about health-care pressures.

Health May 16, 2026

Jones scores twice late in game to help Wild tie visiting Roses 2-2

Mya Jones came in off the bench late in the second half and scored twice, including a goal one minute into stoppage time, to lift the Calgary Wild to a 2-2 draw over the visiting Montreal Roses in Northern Super League action on Saturday in Calgary.

General May 17, 2026

Canada's lack of women's prisons makes rehabilitation harder, experts say. What's the answer?

Experts say the lack of women's prisons in Canada hurts rehabilitation chances for the women sent to prison across the country every year, posing a challenge for both the inmates and the broader society they'll eventually return to.

General May 17, 2026

Should all political parties get access to the full voters list in Alberta?

Alberta, like other provinces, allows all registered political parties access to the voters list containing the personal information of all electors — no matter how many candidates they run in an election.

General May 17, 2026

Q&A: Why treaty rights and First Nations consultation stand in the way of an Alberta separation referendum

Matthew Wildcat, director of Indigenous governance at the University of Alberta, spoke with CBC’s Edmonton AM on Friday. He explained how Indigenous treaty rights and the duty to consult First Nations could impact a potential Alberta separation referendum.

General May 17, 2026

U.S. Forest Service still prepared to support Canada with wildfire assistance, officials say

Despite budget cuts and extensive restructuring, the U.S. Forest Service says it is still ready to support Canada with any requests for wildfire assistance.

General May 17, 2026

McMahon becomes 'McWomahon Stadium' to support women’s health research through sport

McMahon Stadium is becoming "McWomahon Stadium" for the next six weeks through a campaign by the Alberta Women’s Health Foundation and Calgary Wild FC to raise awareness for women's health research.

General May 17, 2026

National lab confirms hantavirus case for Canadian cruise passenger isolating in B.C.

Canada's public health agency confirmed a positive case of hantavirus in a Canadian isolating in British Columbia after leaving the cruise ship affected by a deadly outbreak.

General May 17, 2026

PM Carney and Alberta's Smith have signed a pivotal energy agreement. What comes next?

Now that Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith have signed a pivotal energy agreement that could usher in a new oil pipeline, representatives from both governments and industry are sharing their expectations on what comes next.

General May 17, 2026
Edmonton councillor pitches ‘Forever Canadian’ street amid separatist push

Edmonton councillor pitches ‘Forever Canadian’ street amid separatist push

Michael Janz says he will be submitting an application to rename the portion of 99th Avenue that's adjacent to the Alberta legislature to Forever Canadian Avenue.

Canada May 17, 2026
Vehicle crashes into Toronto fireworks store, causes 4-alarm fire

Vehicle crashes into Toronto fireworks store, causes 4-alarm fire

Toronto firefighters put out a four-alarm blaze at a fireworks store overnight Monday after police say a vehicle crashed into it.

Canada May 18, 2026