Edmonton Weekly Digest — Feb 16–22, 2026

A propane heater blaze behind a northeast Edmonton home near Clareview (138 Ave & 37 St) sent flames 40–50 ft high early Feb. 21 and forced about 20 people from nearby houses.

Fire crews battled a blaze at the abandoned Jasper Place Hotel (15326 Stony Plain Rd) on Feb. 19; cold temps and old wooden construction made firefighting tough and the building will be torn down.

Edmonton Police are asking the public for dashcam/doorbell video after a fatal shooting on the city’s north side near 109 St & 166 Ave on Feb. 16; the victim later died in hospital.

The Tumbler Ridge school shooting that killed eight people remains under investigation — OpenAI says a ChatGPT account tied to the shooter was flagged last June — survivors are recovering and temporary classrooms are being arranged.

Alberta’s ASIRT is investigating an RCMP shooting in Okotoks on Feb. 11 after officers confronted a man on a roof reportedly armed with knives; he was struck by a conducted energy weapon and later surrendered.

In a separate case, Alberta’s oversight agency cleared Calgary officers who fatally shot a man wearing a live grenade during a 29-hour standoff in March 2024, saying their force was reasonable.

Premier Danielle Smith is defending a planned Oct. 19 referendum with nine questions — many on immigration and constitutional change — prompting debate across the province and a livestreamed press conference in Calgary.

The referendum plan follows the Alberta Next consultations and comes as the province forecasts at least a $6.4 billion deficit for 2025/26, a key driver of the government’s message on immigration and services.

Anti‑extortion efforts continue: the CBSA says 296 people have been flagged for review after B.C.’s extortion task force referrals, and Calgary police charged a 37‑year‑old man in a separate extortion probe tied to incidents in 2024.

Alberta has signed a $400 million deal to buy five new DHC‑515 waterbombers to boost wildfire response; the first is expected by spring 2031 as the province expands its fleet.

Provincial wildfire officials warn recent snow doesn’t erase drought worries — Alberta had 1,225 wildfires last year and officials say early spring melt and an El Niño trend could raise fire risk.

Calgary will face water restrictions starting Mar. 9 for about four weeks while crews reinforce the Bearspaw South Feeder Main; outdoor water use will be banned during the shutdown.

A rockslide closed Highway 93 north of Radium Hot Springs (BC–Alberta border) with no local detour; DriveBC gave updates and suggested using Highway 1 via Golden.

Arctic winds brought heavy snow and bitter cold across the Prairies this week — Environment Canada warned of temps near -40 C and 25–35 cm of snow with 80 kph gusts in places.

Travel advisories and airline disruptions followed the winter storm; Calgary International reported multiple cancellations and officials urged drivers to avoid non‑essential travel.

A snowmobiler died after being caught in an avalanche near Morrissey, B.C.; the body was recovered Feb. 18 and RCMP said the area is high‑hazard.

A crash on the Anthony Henday near Wye Rd on Feb. 8 killed a Calgary father and left his 21‑year‑old daughter with life‑changing injuries, including double leg amputations.

A Porter flight from Edmonton slid off a taxiway while taxiing into Hamilton on Feb. 18; 78 people were aboard, no injuries were reported and the aircraft will be inspected.

Edmonton’s Connor McDavid set the Olympic NHL‑era single‑tournament points record with 13 points at Milan–Cortina, helping Canada reach the gold‑medal game.

Paul Coffey has returned to the Edmonton Oilers’ coaching staff to help shore up a defence that’s allowing 3.29 goals per game this season.

Former Edmonton Elks offensive linemen Gregor MacKellar and Martez Ivey signed with the CFL’s Ottawa Redblacks, moves that affect the local CFL talent pool.

Public consultations on turning Fortress Mountain (Kananaskis) into an all‑seasons resort continue — an Edmonton session is scheduled Feb. 23 amid environmental concerns about wildlife and visitor capacity.

Edmonton’s Central Social Hall brand was bought by franchisor Foodtastic, which plans to expand the Alberta chain across Canada.

7‑Eleven will bring the viral Japanese tamago (egg) sandwich to Canada on Mar. 4 as part of a broader push to expand fresh food offerings.

An Alberta startup, Painworth, launched an AI‑assisted personal‑injury service called DAVID that operates under Law Society conditions; the firm charges a flat 28% contingency fee and says humans oversee files.

Provinces are bracing for big deficits this budget season — B.C. announced a $13.3 billion shortfall and analysts point to trade pressure, slower growth and provincial revenue hits as causes.