Officer Charged, AI Data-Centre Town Hall & Oilers Hire Donskov — Edmonton Thursday

🏛️ Government & Politics

1. Premier Smith to join virtual town hall on AI data centres Thursday. Smith and Technology Minister Nate Glubish will hold the third of four town halls about attracting and regulating AI data centres after the province announced Meta’s proposed $13-billion campus north of Edmonton in July; Glubish has faced public criticism over water-use and environmental safeguards at the first two meetings. ↗

2. Edmonton confirms bike lane expansion will continue as planned. City council’s transportation plan announced that the bike lane program will proceed through 2026 with scheduled corridor upgrades on multiple arterial streets and funding allocated in the 2026 capital budget, the city said, keeping the multi-year active-transportation project on track. ↗

3. North Edmonton school to temporarily relocate students after flood damage. The district announced that students at the affected school will move to an alternate building for repairs following a flood on campus; the board set an initial timeline of several weeks for assessment and remediation and arranged transportation for displaced students. ↗

🚨 Crime & Public Safety

1. Edmonton police officer charged with two counts of sexual assault after ASIRT probe. Alberta’s Serious Incident Response Team completed an investigation that led to criminal charges against an Edmonton police officer; the officer is suspended with pay while the RCMP or local court processes the two-count charge, according to the ASIRT report. ↗

2. Driver who caused 2024 Boxing Day crash that killed a 9-year-old sentenced to 10 years. Duane Nepoose, 32, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and fleeing police after a stolen minivan crash on Dec. 26, 2024, that killed Victoria Desjardins; the Crown sought 9½–10½ years and the court imposed a 10-year sentence. ↗

💼 Economy & Business

1. Alberta flips a $9.4B deficit to a $2B surplus as oil prices climb. The provincial fiscal update credits higher West Texas Intermediate prices — averaging just above US$88 per barrel since April — for turning a projected $9.4-billion deficit into a $2-billion surplus; Finance Minister Jason Nixon warned the revenue boost is volatile and pledged not to use temporary revenues for permanent spending. ↗

2. Peter Pocklington’s former Saskatchewan Drive mansion lands on Edmonton’s tax-auction list. The City of Edmonton included 8638 Saskatchewan Drive, the historic former home of Oilers owner Peter Pocklington and site of a 1982 hostage event, on its unpaid-taxes auction roster for the fall; realtor Sally Munro described the property as an iconic river-valley house. ↗

🏈 Sports

1. Oilers hire Misha Donskov as coaching consultant. The Edmonton Oilers announced Donskov will join as a part-time consultant while remaining vice-president of hockey operations and men’s national team coach for Hockey Canada; Donskov was on coaching staffs that won the 2023 Stanley Cup (Vegas) and recent international medals for Canada. ↗

📰 Also Today

• Enbridge signs funding deal with KKR and Apollo for Westcoast pipeline expansion. ↗
• Province posts new Alberta job listings; apply now to multiple roles. ↗
• Oil price swings push Alberta’s fiscal picture in 2026, per finance update. ↗
• Calgary building radiopharmaceutical cyclotron to improve southern Alberta cancer treatment access. ↗
• Edmonton-area couple sentenced 4 years for neglect causing elderly woman’s death. ↗
• Analysis: How Canada chooses targets for counter-tariffs amid trade disputes. ↗
• Consumers report renewed preference for Canadian products, survey finds. ↗
• U.S. trade negotiator disputes Canadian claim about last-minute demands in talks. ↗
• Several Oilers, including Frederik Andersen, expected to miss training camp with injuries. ↗
• Alberta premier says threatening U.S. action ‘feels good’ but would have negative outcome. ↗
• Parole Board denies unescorted absences for man who killed 5-year-old Jessica Koopmans. ↗