Alberta invests in hospital expansions across Calgary

Advertise | Sign Up

Good morning !

On Tuesday, we asked whether you use the Calgary Public Library after it reported record circulation in 2025. More than half of you said you visit regularly, with one reader sharing they've had a library card since 1965 and consider it "one of the most important things in our city." Others noted they primarily use the library for e-books now, while some said they still prefer the experience of browsing physical books in person.

👀 In today's edition:

• A stolen truck returns in rough shape

• A recall petition falls short of signatures

• Human trafficking charges laid in Brooks

Get your story told! Promote your business, event, or restaurant in front of 30,000+ engaged locals! Contact our team today.

WORTH KNOWING

❄️ Today: High -12C, Low -19C. See the 7-day forecast.

🚗 Driving today? Check the current traffic situation, and find the city’s traffic report and road closures.

⚠️ Here’s the current smoke forecast / check Calgary wildfire and fire restrictions and the Alberta Wildfire Dashboard.

QUICK POLL

Alberta invests in hospital expansions across Calgary

The provincial government has completed a major expansion at one Calgary hospital and announced funding to plan another as the city's population continues to climb.

Alberta is putting $2 million toward planning an expanded inpatient tower at the Alberta Children's Hospital, with the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation contributing another $2 million to plan a new research and innovation centre. The tower expansion would add 40 acute care beds and 10 mental health beds—boosting the hospital's capacity by 32 per cent. The hospital currently has 141 acute care beds and 12 mental health beds, and sees more than 100,000 children each year.

At the Peter Lougheed Centre, a $151 million expansion wrapped up in December. The finished construction creates space for 97 more patient beds, including 28 additional spots in the emergency department. Workers are now filling those spaces with furniture and equipment, and Alberta Health Services will start opening them to patients over the next few months. The centre handles over 150,000 patients annually and serves as southern Alberta's main hub for respiratory care, vascular surgery, and mental health services.

With Calgary's population expected to grow by more than 500,000 people by 2038, the province says these projects will help ease emergency department crowding and give healthcare workers more room to do their jobs.

Need to know

🗳️ The first recall petition targeting an Alberta legislature member fell short, with organizers collecting about 6,500 signatures against Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides—well below the 16,006 required to force a constituency vote.

👨‍👦 A Calgary father faces parental abduction charges after police arrested him in Mauritius with his son, more than two years after he allegedly took the then-five-year-old and disappeared overseas, according to authorities.

⚖️ Alberta's Court of Appeal overturned a Calgary man's double murder conviction, ruling that the trial judge relied too heavily on circumstantial DNA and video evidence that wasn't sufficient to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

🚗 A Calgary man finally recovered his stolen truck four years after it vanished, only to find it in unusable condition with a blown motor and transmission after police mistakenly released it to someone else at an impound lot.

🚨 Brooks RCMP charged a 46-year-old man with human trafficking and sexual assault after a woman reported he forced her into encounters with strangers for money over five years, with police believing additional victims may exist.

🍺 The owner of Calgary's Ship and Anchor pub worries a proposed development adding residential units above the venue could threaten the longtime live music establishment, despite the developer's assurances operations will continue during construction.

💰 Canmore taxpayers will shoulder millions more in infrastructure costs after council approved a new development charge bylaw following a legal dispute, shifting the financial burden from developers to residents for projects like wastewater treatment upgrades.

SPONSORED BY WEWORK

Your Business Deserves Better Than Basic Office Space

Flexible workspaces that work harder for your business. WeWork helps companies of all sizes reduce overhead while creating environments where employees love to work. Better spaces, better results, better bottom line. Connect with a WeWork expert today.

A$AP Rocky headlining Calgary Stampede concert series

The Calgary Stampede has announced that hip-hop artist A$AP Rocky will perform at the Scotiabank Saddledome on July 4 as part of the 2026 Stampede Concert Series presented by Uber Eats.

The rapper, who emerged on the music scene in 2011, has accumulated more than 25 billion global streams and nearly 9 billion YouTube views throughout his career. He has two albums that hit number one on the Billboard 200, and his third studio album has surpassed one billion streams worldwide. Popular tracks include Praise the Lord (Da Shine), Babushka Boi, and more recent releases like Highjack and Ruby Rosary featuring J. Cole.

Beyond music, Rocky has built a reputation in fashion and film. Last year, he co-chaired the Met Gala with its Superfine: Tailoring Black Style theme, appeared in two A24 films, and continues working as Creative Director for Ray-Ban and PUMA through his creative agency AWGE.

Tickets go on sale to the public on January 27 at 10 a.m. MT through Ticketmaster, with a presale for Calgary Stampede Insiders starting January 26. All concert tickets include admission to the Stampede grounds on the day of the show. The Calgary Stampede runs from July 3 to 12.

Where to eat and drink

🍴 Deane House: Set in a heritage home along the Bow River, this restaurant offers lunch, dinner, weekend brunch, and afternoon tea with seasonal cuisine, a chef's tasting menu, and events in an award-winning riverside garden.

🍴 Winebar Kensington: This neighbourhood wine bar specializes in artisan cheese and charcuterie boards, craft beer and cocktails, and sharing-style seasonal small plates in a casual atmosphere, open Tuesday through Sunday evenings.

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

Things to do

🎟️ It Takes Two: A Symphonic Collaboration: The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra performs a wide-ranging program featuring Argentine dances, Gershwin's An American in Paris, and a side-by-side performance with the Calgary Youth Orchestra, with Canadian cellist Luka Coetzee as soloist in Prokofiev's Sinfonia concertante, January 23-24 at 7:30 PM at Jack Singer Concert Hall, tickets $35-$100.

🎟️ The Barn Artisan Market: This monthly showcase features 30+ local Alberta vendors selling handcrafted and locally made products across two floors, January 25 from 11 AM to 4 PM with free admission and parking.

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

That’s it!

Thanks for reading today. If you found something interesting, please forward this email to another Calgarian and tell them to sign up!

And before you go, we’d love to know…

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