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With Easter just around the corner, we've got two more ways to celebrate this weekend — including one your dog can join. Temperatures are creeping up, but you may still want to layer up for the egg hunt.

👀 In today's edition:

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AIMCo, the Crown corporation that manages investments on behalf of Alberta's pension, endowment, insurance, and government funds, wrapped up 2025 with a net return of 7.6% — translating to $13.1 billion — for its Balanced Fund.

The strong headline number was driven largely by public equities, which gained 19.4% on the year, buoyed by investor enthusiasm around artificial intelligence and rising earnings expectations. Fixed income portfolios also held steady, while private markets had a rougher go — real estate was the only asset class to finish in the red, down 2.2%.

That weakness in private markets contributed to the fund underperforming its benchmark by 2.7%, a gap AIMCo attributed to the difficulty of the private market environment and the use of public market-linked benchmarks for private asset classes.

Zooming out, the picture looks solid. AIMCo posted annualized returns of 5.7% over four years and 7.2% over ten years, with total client assets under management reaching $194.7 billion at year-end — up from $179.6 billion in 2024.

CEO Ray Gilmour pointed to geopolitical uncertainty and market volatility as the backdrop for the year, calling the result a reflection of the team's discipline. Detailed performance figures will be available when AIMCo releases its full 2025 Annual Report in June.

🏛️ Alberta's education minister has tabled Bill 25, which would require teachers to stay "neutral and impartial" on political topics, limit school flags to Canadian and Alberta flags, and give the minister more oversight over school board decisions.

🍽️ A new Calgary Food Bank report found seniors are one of the fastest-growing groups seeking its services — with average CPP payments at $845 a month and average Calgary rent at $2,051 in 2025, many simply can't keep up.

🏙️ Calgary city council approved $1 million to launch a zero-based review pilot across three city business units, with KPMG leading an efficiency-focused review. Two councillors voted against it.

🤧 A Calgary mother is urging Albertans to get their flu shot this fall after her four-year-old son, who is undergoing leukemia treatment, contracted influenza B and landed in the ER twice. Alberta has recorded 263 flu-related deaths this season.

🚨 Lethbridge Police have charged three men with first-degree murder in the death of a 27-year-old man found unresponsive in an apartment last Friday. Police say the incident was targeted.

💔 A pedestrian was killed on Stoney Trail NE late Tuesday night, the fourth pedestrian fatality on Calgary roads in 2026. Last year, 15 pedestrians died on Calgary roads — an 11-year high.

🧑‍🍳 Easy & Healthy Mediterranean Cooking (Everyday Meals) April 22  Improve nutrition for heart health, brain health or general well-being. (Free ONLINE class from Dietitians).*

🍽️ Tasty, Low Salt Cooking (Meal Ideas) April 16 - Learn how to cook delicious meals with less salt (Free IN-PERSON class from Registered Dietitians).*

🏡 Talking about downsizing can be difficult. “Before It Becomes Urgent” is a free guide to help adult children start these conversations early with senior parents.*

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If you've ever wondered what's actually happening at the bottom of the world, Dr. Heather Lynch has spent more than a decade finding out. A quantitative ecologist at Stony Brook University, Lynch studies Antarctic penguin populations — and increasingly, she's doing it from space, using high-resolution satellite imagery to track where penguins live and how their numbers are changing.

Her work sits at the intersection of climate change, fishing, tourism, and wildlife — untangling how each factor is reshaping life on the frozen continent. And while Antarctica might feel impossibly remote, Lynch makes the case that what happens there is very much connected to the rest of the world.

Lynch comes to Calgary as part of Werklund Centre's National Geographic Live series, now in its 14th season. She'll present twice: Sunday, April 19 at 2:00 p.m. and Monday, April 20 at 7:00 p.m., both at the Jack Singer Concert Hall.

🍴 Lina's Market Trattoria: Lina's has been a Calgary institution for 30 years, and the trattoria side of the business carries that same family-first spirit into a sit-down dining experience. The menu leans into cucina povera — the rustic Italian tradition of making simple, seasonal ingredients sing — with recipes rooted in the kind of cooking passed down through generations.

🍴Redheads Japa Cafe: Tucked into the Calgary Design District at 11th Avenue and 6th Street, Redheads has been serving up Japanese comfort food since 2010. The menu covers a wide range of Japanese staples, making it a reliable neighbourhood spot whether you're after something hearty or light.

Have a food or drink suggestion? Message us and we might share it!

🎟️ National Service Dogs Easter Egg Hunt: National Service Dogs is bringing its annual Easter Egg Hunt to Calaway Park on Good Friday, April 3 (check-in at 10:00 a.m., hunt starts at 11:00 a.m.). Dogs and their humans hunt for colourful eggs filled with treats and prize tokens, with day-of registration at $30 per family. Proceeds support service dog programs for children with autism and veterans and first responders living with PTSD.

🎟️ Easter Eggstravaganza at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo: The zoo is celebrating Easter from Friday, April 3 through Monday, April 6 with treat stations, Easter-themed animal enrichments, lawn games, and photo ops throughout the grounds. The event is included with regular admission or membership.

Have an event suggestion? Message us and we might share it!

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We’ll see you back here on Tuesdays and Thursdays, same time, same place!