🌦️ Weather & Roads
- City estimates thunderstorm cleanup will cost $20–$30 million. City manager Eddie Robar said the bill excludes recent Saturday and Monday storm damage and will be covered in part by the financial stabilization reserve; Calgary has sent 12 urban-forestry staff, 10 mobility crew members and supporting waste staff to help Edmonton clear downed trees and branches.
- Summer storms keep festival planners on edge as Big Valley Jamboree opens July 30–Aug. 2. BVJ digital manager Megan Benoit said headliners Old Dominion, Riley Green and Keith Urban are set to play in Camrose and that organizers use an on-site meteorologist 24/7 after past storm incidents, including a 2009 stage collapse and Urban’s canceled set in 2024.
🚨 Crime & Public Safety
- Edmonton’s overall crime rose 3.2% in 2025 while the Crime Severity Index fell 6.5%. EPS analytics Insp. Bryce Gibbon said non-violent crime severity dropped 11% from 2024, violent-crime severity rose 3.2% even as total violent incidents fell 2.5%, with noted increases in robberies and assaults against peace officers.
- CBSA intercepted 380 kg of suspected meth and cocaine at Coutts on July 2. Officers found 300 kg of suspected methamphetamine and 80 kg of suspected cocaine concealed in moving boxes in a truck declared as bath tissue; the driver was arrested and handed to RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region.
🏛️ Government & Politics
- Alberta and Ottawa signed an infrastructure deal unlocking $510M+ for water and wastewater. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Danielle Smith announced municipalities can access more than $510 million in federal funding over eight years, with Alberta to contribute at least one-third and up to $428 million toward eligible projects.
- Alberta adds two mussel-detection dogs, each costing about $150,000 to train. The new dogs, Jane and Winnie, trained in the U.S. to detect Zebra, Quagga and Golden mussels, join Hilo and will inspect boats at 12 provincial border stations; fines for failing inspections can be as high as $4,200.
- Cenovus expects July monthly production to top 1.0 million barrels per day. CEO Jon McKenzie said July average production will surpass one million barrels, with total upstream guidance raised to 970,000–1.01 million bpd and Christina Lake averaging about 400,000 bpd in July after the MEG purchase.
- Stollery ER reports five to six children daily with ‘skeeter syndrome’ amid record rainfall. Dr. Andrew Dixon said Edmonton has recorded 580 mm of rain this summer so far—surpassing the 1953 season total of 417 mm—and City scientist Mike Jenkins reported mosquito counts 15 times higher than this time last year.
📰 Also Today
- Body of child believed to be 11-year-old Parker found in north Calgary, police confirmed.
- Deal signed to accelerate Alberta housing via water projects, $510M+ federal funding announced.
- Two new invasive-mussel dogs added to Alberta K-9 team, $150,000 training each.
- Elks aim to sweep home-and-home versus Riders after 36-34 win, Edmonton improved to 6-1.
- Brent crude tops US$90/ barrel after renewed Middle East fighting, WTI above US$84.
- Study: 81% of U.S. toddler foods classified as ultra-processed, 2,783 products analyzed.
- Toronto man faces 68 charges in multi-country child-exploitation probe, 57-year-old Metin Ugur charged.
- Carney declines to say if energy will be trade bargaining chip, 50% U.S. tariffs take effect Aug. 19.
- Calgary closing in on Slurpee Capital crown held by Winnipeg, Winnipeg averages 188,833 Slurpees monthly.
- Federal-provincial infrastructure pact cites 600,000 population growth in Alberta, noted at Red Deer announcement.
- Homicide probe underway north of High River; one person in custody, Major Crimes Unit on scene.
- New Alberta-Canada agreement aims to accelerate housing development, federal funding program cited.
- FDA considering front-of-package label guidance in U.S., mentioned in toddler-food research coverage.
- Police expand search area for missing Calgary boy, new evidence reported.
- Pro-unity volunteers hand out signs to lift spirits, volunteers quoted in human-interest piece.
- Red Deer mayor calls for province-wide e-scooter rules, municipal concern reported.
- Profile: Alberta’s friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, local performer feature.
- Lewis Farms rec centre aiming for fall 2028 completion, construction timeline reported.
- Court argues over privileged records in Mentzelopoulos case, legal dispute continues.
- Edmonton called in Calgary forestry crews after back-to-back storms, inter-city assistance noted.
- 2nd-degree murder trial of Alberta day-home operator adjourned until November, court date moved.
- Calgary searchers found evidence matching missing boy’s clothing, public tip led to discovery.
- Taste of Edmonton had two nights of weather impacts, downtown event affected.
- City crews are scrambling to clear thousands of storm-related calls, crews prioritized trees and branches.
- Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree praised CBSA-RCMP cooperation, statement issued after seizure.
