Calgary Daily Digest — March 12, 2026

Heads up — a Calgary-area family says a truck they bought turned out to be stolen: Ashutosh Pathak and his brother bought a Ford F-150 from Summit Ram in Ponoka for nearly $40,000 in October 2025, and the RCMP seized it in November; the dealership says it didn’t know, AMVIC found no dealer wrongdoing, and the buyer’s insurance won’t cover it so the family is left out of pocket while charges against 49-year-old Tanya Michelle Murray proceed (next court date August 2026).

Tough questions after a man died in an ER wait — Acute Care Alberta made 16 recommendations after 44-year-old Prashant Shreekumar died waiting eight hours at Edmonton’s Grey Nuns emergency department in December; the report (dated Jan. 14) calls for more staff, better accountability and clear performance measures, but the family worries there are no firm deadlines or funding yet.

Good news for phone and internet shoppers — the CRTC has banned extra fees to activate, change or cancel internet and cellphone plans, saying this will let Canadians switch more easily; chair Vicky Eatrides said the change follows public consultation and will strengthen the Wireless and Internet Consumer Protection Codes.

Scary morning for a 12-year-old — Bentley St. John was hit in a marked crosswalk near Tarington Way and Taradale Drive N.E. around 7:10 a.m., suffering a leg broken in three places; the white sedan left the scene, police are asking for tips, and the family says the crash highlights a spike in pedestrian collisions and the need for better school-zone safety.

Canmore’s housing tax moves forward — the Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal in Ross v. Canmore, clearing the way for the Livability Tax Program which would add about 0.4% to assessed value on second homes; homeowners can avoid the higher rate by living in or renting their property at least 183 days a year (60 consecutive).

Carbon price math for oilsands — a Canadian Climate Institute analysis finds a $130-per-tonne industrial carbon price would cost oilsands producers about $0.50 per barrel on average (about a “Timbits” worth), up from about $0.09 now; costs vary widely across 29 facilities (Tucker Thermal could face ~US$4/barrel, while Peace River might net credits worth ~$2.23/barrel) as Ottawa and Alberta negotiate carbon details ahead of an April 1 deadline.

Mid-March snow disrupts Calgary — an overnight snowfall made commutes tricky on Thursday, with 12 crashes reported between midnight and 8 a.m. (three with injuries); city crews are plowing major routes and warn drivers to treat roads like winter conditions as more snow is expected into Friday.

Disturbing report on horses exported to Japan — Animal Justice and Japan’s LIA say their review of Sept. 2024–Sept. 2025 shipments (about 1,822 horses from Edmonton and Winnipeg) shows at least nine died and over 290 were sick or injured after transport; the CFIA’s public records show zero deaths, the agency says its authority ends once animals leave Canada, and advocates are urging a renewed ban on air exports (a related bill passed the House in May 2024 but stalled in the Senate).