🚨 Crime & Public Safety
- Semi driver gets 2½-year sentence after deadly head-on crash that killed two riders. Michael Maurice Koochin, 40, was sentenced in High Prairie for the August 2024 crash that killed Laurent Isador, 38, and Tyler Duboski, 33, and injured six others; victims’ families had pressed for a longer term during Tuesday’s hearing.
- Officer-involved shooting in southeast Calgary leaves one woman dead; ASIRT investigating. Calgary police say officers responded to a welfare check on Legacy Circle, a woman exited a home around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday with a weapon and was shot; the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has taken over the investigation.
🏛️ Government & Politics
- Alberta premier rejects taxing oil exports, urges diplomacy with U.S. over tariffs. Premier Danielle Smith warned a 50% tariff on four million barrels per day exported to the U.S. would prompt 50–100% U.S. retaliation and cost “about half a million jobs at a minimum,” mostly in Alberta; she called for federal-led talks instead of export taxes.
- Saskatchewan to levy 50% tax on U.S. alcohol but rules out potash and oil tariffs. Premier Scott Moe announced a 50% levy on U.S. booze in Prince Albert and said his province will not support export tariffs on potash or oil, citing immediate Canadian job losses and supply-chain risks.
- Experts warn against repeating 1970s oil-export restrictions as trade tensions rise. Analysts point to the 1973–80s export taxes and the National Energy Program’s long political fallout, arguing historical precedent shows energy export controls can fuel western alienation.
💼 Economy & Business
- City recommends redesigns for remaining bike routes after 1,000+ public inquiries. Edmonton administration tells council the active-transport program has delivered ~35 km of routes in 2024–25, expects 24 km in 2026, and cites more than 1,000 inquiries since 2023 while proposing to re-evaluate complex projects.
🎨 Community & Culture
- Killarney School students to relocate after July storm ripped roof and flooded parts of building. Edmonton Public Schools says all Grade 8 students will temporarily move to Hardisty School beginning Sept. 1, with bus transport provided at no cost and the move lasting until repairs finish.
🏈 Sports
- Newly signed goalie Frederik Andersen to miss Oilers camp with offseason injury. Andersen, signed July 1 to a one-year, US$2.8-million deal after helping Carolina win the Stanley Cup, is among four Oilers expected to miss training camp; Edmonton still has Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi available.
- Montreal Alouettes (9-1) ride seven-game win streak into Winnipeg; Elks beat them earlier. Leagued-leading Montreal (9-1) visits Winnipeg Friday after a seven-game streak; their lone loss was a 32-29 game versus the Edmonton Elks on June 20.
🌦️ Weather & Roads
- July 15 thunderstorm ripped sections of Killarney School roof and left debris around 132 Avenue. Edmonton Fire Rescue, custodial and security crews responded to the storm at 132 Avenue near 91 Street; the two-storey section remains unusable for September classes.
📰 Also Today
- Special mail-in ballot requests surge above 175,000 ahead of Alberta referendum.
- Fact-check on Canada’s natural gas leverage vs. U.S.
- Nenshi urges Alberta premier to cancel separation vote amid trade war.
- Does Edmonton have enough public washrooms?
- Northern Alberta campus reopens with new education provider, grand opening held.
- U of A to move pipe organ to a southern Alberta church.
- Alberta premier to provide update on tariffs, Canada–U.S. trade war.
- Alberta premier wants Ottawa to resume U.S. trade talks before counter-tariffs start.
- Report: food and shelter drove Canada’s affordability crisis; health care rising.
- How U.S. tariffs have been woven into Alberta separatism debate.
- Analysis: retaliatory tariffs could raise costs for Canadian businesses.
- RCMP investigate threat to shoot students on first day of school in northern Alberta town.
- City council approves rezoning for Hope Mission shelter in south Edmonton.
- Edmonton police charge man with sexual assault of a minor, sexual interference.
- Edmonton Pride Festival worked with EPS after receiving bomb threat.
- Loblaw reverses plan to drop country-of-origin produce labels after backlash.
- Man dead after police-involved shooting in west Edmonton; ASIRT investigating.
