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- Calgary Citizen newsletter Tuesday Jan. 14
Calgary Citizen newsletter Tuesday Jan. 14
Krista Sylvester
January 14, 2025
Good morning !
The 39th High Performance Rodeo is kicking off again and there's no shortage of entertainment to enjoy over the next two weeks. Once a punk rebel upstart troupe of ‘creatives’—actors, writers, poets, jugglers, musicians and a dancer—One Yellow Rabbit Performance Theatre has shape-shifted into a cultural treasure bringing more than 85 productions including international tours and collaborations, pop-up and cabaret performances to the city every January. Check out the schedule and plan your rodeo experience!
👀 In today's edition:
2024 shatters weather-related losses record
Homeowner baffled at 60% property tax increase
Family surprised by BB gun shots at home
10 events to enjoy during Chinook Blast
Get your story told! Promote your business, event, or restaurant in front of 34,000+ engaged locals! Contact our team today.
WORTH KNOWING
⛅️ Today: High 6C, Low 3C. See the 7-day forecast.
🚗 Driving today? Check the current traffic situation, and find the city’s traffic report and road closures.
QUICK POLL
Which actor said the following about Calgary's chinooks? “We would see eight feet of snow, and then all of a sudden a warm gust of wind would come.” |
2024 stood out as the most destructive season in Canadian history for insured losses at $8.5 billion
The single most-destructive weather event in 2024 was the August hailstorm in Calgary, that caused $3 billion in insured losses in just over an hour. // Shutterstock
The summer of 2024 has been marked by catastrophic weather events, resulting in the highest insured losses in Canadian history. Wildfires, floods, and hailstorms wreaked havoc across the country, causing more than $8.5 billion in insured losses, according to the Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc.
The shocking tally shattered the previous record of $6 billion from 2016, following the Fort McMurray wildfires. The 2024 total is nearly triple the total insured losses recorded in 2023 and 12 times the annual average of $701 million in the decade between 2001 and 2010. The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) says it’s time for the government to step up and protect Canadians from future weather disasters.
“Sadly, beyond the staggering financial losses are hundreds of thousands of Canadians whose lives and livelihoods have been upended,” IBC president and CEO Celyeste Power said in a press release. “Canada’s property and casualty insurers have been there every step of the way, and continue to be on the ground, helping their customers rebuild and recover. The industry is doing its part, but it’s time for governments to take decisive action to protect Canadians from these escalating and dangerous events.”
The summer of 2024 stands out as the most destructive season in Canadian history for insured losses due to wildfires, floods and hailstorms. In just two months, July and August, four catastrophic weather events resulted in over $7 billion in insured losses and more than a quarter of a million insurance claims. Among the most notable weather events in 2024 were the Calgary hailstorm, the Jasper Wildfire in August, a deep freeze in Western Canada, and severe storms in southern British Columbia.
As Canada experiences more frequent and severe weather events, the demand for government action to protect homes, businesses, and communities is growing louder. “This has been a historically devastating year for Canadians,” Power added
Related Story
Need to know
💸 “There’s no way”: A Calgary homeowner is “baffled” after the city property assessment of his home jumped 60%.
🔫 It was a frightening evening for a local family after someone shot up their home with a BB gun — and it was all caught on camera.
🧑🚒 Crews have started doing preparation work in the rockies west of Calgary as wildfire season draws closer.
👮 Police say they are upping patrols around the Jimmie Condon Arena after several concerning incidents created an unsettling experience for facility users.
🥶 Prepare for some temperature whiplash this week in southern Alberta as it goes from warm to very cold.
🪧 Calgary Ward 12 councillor Evan Spencer is not seeking re-election.
✈️ WestJet adds direct flights from Calgary to Mexico City in what they say is a “huge gateway for possibility.”
🧑🏫 January is Mentoring Month! The time is now to become a volunteer mentor. Apply today and make an impact in your community.*
*Sponsored Listing
10 fun ways to enjoy the best of Chinook Blast
Chinook Blast, which includes High Performance Rodeo, Block Heater, and Stephen Avenue’s Looking Glass art installation, pictured here, takes over the city until mid-February. // Chinook Blast Instagram
It’s that time of year again when Chinook Blast takes over the city and it’s the winter festival that has something for everyone. With no shortage of art, culture, sports, recreation, and theatre to enjoy, here are 10 food, music, culture, and sport events to check out over the next month.
Catch a dynamic and diverse show at High Performance Rodeo.
Enjoy an unforgettable culinary adventure with Le Petit Chef & Friends at The Dorian Hotel.
Check out the free art installations including in East Village and along Stephen Avenue.
Catch one of dozens of musical acts during Block Heater.
Enjoy some nordic skiing in East Village with the East Village Nordic Loop.
Watch the ISU World Speed Skating Championships.
Enjoy the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations.
Enjoy the Ethnik Festival of Arts and Culture.
Peruse some art at the Under $200 art show mini showcase.
Visit the Hygge Hut and warm up by the crackling firepits.
Where to eat and drink
🍴 Cobs Bread: Jan. 15 is National Bagel Day and to celebrate, COBS Bread is feeding into the bagel pronunciation debate by giving the first 25 customers to share which team they’re on –"baygul" or "baggle"— a free bagel at any location.
🍴 Milpa: Affectionately known as “La Casita Azul” for its warm, inviting atmosphere and signature blue façade, Milpa offers a culinary experience rooted in family traditions and bold, authentic flavours.
Have a food or drink suggestion? Message us and we might share it!
Things to do
🎟️ Calgary Opera's Don Pasquale: Performed in the style of Hollywood cinematic classics like La Dolce Vita and Roman Holiday, get whisked away to the golden age of Italian cinema at the end of the silent film era with Calgary Opera’s Don Pasquale, Feb. 1, 5, and 7.
🎟️ Origins: Courage: The second presentation in the TD Amplify series this season, Origins: Courage digs into the question, “What happens when six artists of wildly diverse practices collide to create something completely new?” On Jan. 31 at the Engineered Air Theatre at Arts Commons.
Have an event suggestion? Message us and we might share it!
That’s it!
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And before you go, we’d love to know…
What did you think of today's newsletter? |
We’ll see you back here on Thursday, same time, same place!
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