Calgary Weekly Digest — Feb 16–22, 2026

Public consultations started on a proposed all‑seasons resort at Fortress Mountain (Kananaskis); plans include hotels, gondolas and real estate, next consultation Feb. 23 in Edmonton amid wildlife and park‑boundary concerns.

Federal travel advice now urges First Nations travellers to carry a passport in addition to a status card when crossing to the U.S.; U.S. acceptance of status cards is “at the discretion” of officials and the Jay Treaty remains unrecognized by Canada.

New details in the Tumbler Ridge school shooting: OpenAI says a ChatGPT account linked to the shooter was flagged and banned in June 2025; eight people were killed on Feb. 10 and survivors remain in hospital as RCMP investigates.

A Calgary man, Allistair Chapman (33), was denied bail on U.S. extradition warrants tied to accused drug kingpin Ryan Wedding; judges cited a strong U.S. case and public‑confidence concerns — Chapman faces life if convicted and returns Mar. 13.

Premier Danielle Smith announced a provincewide referendum for Oct. 19 with nine questions on immigration and constitutional change; the move is controversial as Alberta faces a projected $6.4‑billion deficit.

Calgary will impose water restrictions starting Mar. 9 for about four weeks while crews reinforce the Bearspaw South Feeder Main — the city asks households to save 25–30 litres per day indoors during the work.

Traffic safety crisis: two recent pedestrian deaths (a toddler in Haysboro and a 70‑year‑old in Panorama Hills) helped push Mayor Jeromy Farkas to ask the province to reconsider photo‑radar rules and the return of municipal fine revenue (he says it could free up ~$30M for safety projects).

7‑Eleven brings the viral Japanese tamago sando (egg salad sandwich) to Canada on Mar. 4 as part of a wider push to expand and refocus its food offerings.

Alberta startup Painworth launched an AI assistant called DAVID to help personal‑injury claimants; the Law Society allows oversight by human lawyers and the firm charges a flat 28% contingency fee.

Alberta wildfire risk: recent snow doesn’t erase drought worries — officials warn El Niño could mean a warmer, drier spring and noted 1,225 wildfires in Alberta last year.

Alberta ordered five new De Havilland DHC‑515 waterbombers in a $400M deal to boost firefighting capacity; first delivery expected by 2031 and a new plant is planned east of Calgary.

ASIRT is probing an RCMP shooting in Okotoks (Feb. 11) after a man on a roof with weapons was hit by a conducted energy weapon and later surrendered; the oversight team is investigating the use of force.

Canada Border Services is investigating 296 people flagged by B.C.’s anti‑extortion task force; 32 removal orders have been issued (10 people already removed) as authorities target organized extortion networks affecting South Asian communities.

Early‑morning blaze gutted the abandoned Jasper Place Hotel in Edmonton; crews battled freezing conditions, the building will be torn down and asbestos concerns remain.

ASIRT cleared Calgary officers in a 2024 shooting where a man wearing a live grenade was killed; the agency found the use of force to be reasonable after a lengthy standoff.

Rockslide closed Highway 93 north of Radium Hot Springs until at least noon the next day — no local detour; travelers advised to use Highway 1 via Golden to reach Alberta.

Winter returns to the Prairies with heavy snow and frigid temps: expect 10–35 cm in places, wind gusts up to 80 kph, tough driving and airline delays; Calgary temps plunged well below freezing.

Family Day in Calgary featured free events — Military Museums demos, free skating and pool swims, and waived admission at nine provincial historical sites (a good reminder of low‑cost family options in the city).

Olympic mornings: hundreds of fans packed bars early to watch Canada’s hockey semifinal (pre‑dawn puck drops), with some venues extending liquor licences for the morning gold‑medal match.

Recall update: a third recall petition against UCP MLA Nolan Dyck fell far short (about 1,000 signatures) and another petition against a different minister was withdrawn — 24 recall efforts were launched last year.