Stormwater Strain, Downtown Restaurant Closures & Prison Heat Order — Edmonton Tuesday

🚨 Crime & Public Safety

1. RCMP say Leduc CFL player was on wrong side of highway with alcohol and cannabis when crash killed two. RCMP reported Jayden Dalke, 30, of Leduc was driving on the wrong side of Highway 11 near Lumsden when his SUV struck another vehicle on Saturday, killing Dalke and 22-year-old Bhishma Rajyaguru; autopsies and toxicology tests have been ordered.
2. First responders have testified at the murder trial of an Alberta day-home operator accused in an infant’s death. Court heard testimony this week in the case against the operator charged after an infant died while in care; prosecutors and defence presented testimony from paramedics and emergency-room staff during preliminary proceedings.

🌦️ Weather & Roads

1. Edmonton’s stormwater system is strained after nearly two months of heavy rain, EPCOR says. EPCOR’s Craig Bonneville said saturated ground and back-to-back events — including a multi-day June rainfall and recent thunderstorms — have left drains and stormwater facilities unable to recover, contributing to flooded underpasses on Yellowhead Trail and Whitemud Drive and multiple sinkholes.
2. Alberta now has 13 active wildfires but air quality remains poor in parts of the province. Alberta Wildfire reported 12 fires under control and one being held on Tuesday; Fort Chipewyan and Grande Prairie measured AQI 10+ with forecasts for most areas to return to low risk (3) by Wednesday night.
3. Northern Tornadoes Project records 26 Alberta tornadoes so far this year, a more than 50% increase. Director Dr. David Sills said the project has documented 26 tornadoes as of July 21 and deploys teams nationally to verify and assess suspected twisters, contributing to a higher-than-average documented total this season.

💼 Economy & Business

1. At least six downtown Edmonton restaurants have closed since June, owners cite construction and access issues. Closures include Khazana (107 Street), Greta bar (109 Street), kb&co, Kommune, Bündok and PlayWright; former Khazana manager Maheik Bhasin said 28-year-old restaurant lost vehicle access amid O-day’min Park and Valley Line West LRT construction.
2. Poll finds four in five Albertans worried AI data centres will raise household electricity bills and harm the environment. Leger polling showed 81% of respondents concerned about electricity costs and 79% about environmental impacts; the survey comes as Meta announced a major centre in Sturgeon County north of Edmonton.

🏛️ Government & Politics

1. Federal court ordered Edmonton’s women’s prison to address a history of extreme heat complaints. A federal judge directed the institution to take remedial steps after documented complaints about extreme heat conditions, with the ruling requiring specific measures to be put in place for inmate safety.
2. Nine premiers agreed to lift barriers to interprovincial direct-to-consumer alcohol sales, effective immediately. The agreement allows brewers and distillers to ship beer, wine and spirits across provincial lines; Quebec, Yukon, N.W.T. and Nunavut did not sign, while British Columbia has until February 2027 to finalize regulations.

📰 Also Today

• Family thanks Calgarians as search continues for missing 11-year-old Parker, over 400 officers involved.
• Calgary mother starts petition for ‘indigo alerts’ for missing neurodivergent children, Alberta to review alert system.
• Alberta woman misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder actually had rare autoimmune disease, personal medical investigation.
• Analysis: Which Canadian goods Trump targets with new tariffs, specific product list discussed.
• Alberta minister avoids separation-vote questions, calls topic important, minister declined specifics.
• Illegal goldfish dumping is putting Alberta aquatic ecosystems at risk, conservation officials warn.
• CBC requests personal stories for Alberta separation referendum votes, public submissions invited.
• Trump’s tariffs increase pressure on premiers over U.S. booze bans at P.E.I. meeting, trade tension noted.
• Inquiry heard avalanche danger was moderate on day of fatal Alberta snow slide, expert testimony given.
• Report: Trump to hit Canada with new 50% tariff, tariff magnitude reported.
• Shawn Lemon and DeWayne Hendrix re-sign with Toronto Argonauts, Lemon reinstated July 16, 2025.
• New Ivor Strong Bridge on Calgary’s Deerfoot Trail to open July 27, part of $700-million project.
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