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Back-to-school season is officially here, and today's edition has a couple of stories worth a look before the first bell rings. Calgary has wrapped up safety upgrades at 50 schools this year, from new crosswalks to traffic-calming measures meant to keep kids safer on their commute.

Over at Southcentre Mall, a new partnership with Kids Help Phone is putting a spotlight on mental health support for young people navigating the stress that can come with a new school year. Here's hoping it's a smooth start for everyone heading back.

👀 In today's edition:

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The City of Calgary has wrapped up safety improvements at 50 schools across the city this year, aimed at making the walk, bike, or drive to school a little safer for students and families. The upgrades include new pedestrian crossings, curb extensions, and traffic-calming measures like speed cushions, all designed to slow drivers down and improve visibility around schools.

"These improvements are about creating safer, more comfortable routes for students and their families," said Traffic Engineer Surendra Mishra. "Whether children are walking to school, riding a bike or arriving with their parents, every improvement helps reduce risk and increases awareness for everyone using the road."

Some of the changes lean on measures with a track record: curb extensions shorten how far pedestrians need to cross and make them more visible to drivers, cutting collisions by an estimated 30 to 45 per cent, while Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons improve how often drivers yield to pedestrians, reducing collisions by another 30 to 40 per cent. Used together, the city says these treatments can cut collisions by as much as 70 to 80 per cent at a given intersection. Separately, 17 schools got new speed cushions or speed humps this year, which the city says slow traffic by an average of 7 km/h on roads with a 50 km/h limit.

Calgary Police Service Insp. Robbie Patterson said the change in season brings added risk for young pedestrians and cyclists. "Drivers need to be especially vigilant around schools and playground zones," he said. "Not only does that mean slowing down, but it also means paying attention to the task at hand and avoiding all distractions including phones or anything else that could take your eyes of the road."

Parking behaviour near schools is also part of the equation. Through the School Patrol Program, city parking officers work to keep drop-off and pick-up areas safe by educating drivers and addressing unsafe parking that can block visibility. "Playground zones are busiest when families are under pressure and that is when safe parking choices matter most," said Todd Sullivan, the city's Coordinator of Parking Safety and Compliance.

As students head back to class, the city is asking drivers to slow down, stay alert, and watch for kids near schools and residential streets, while encouraging parents to review safe routes with their children and build extra time into their mornings. "Kids deserve to get to and from school safely, and their lives are in your hands," said Jacquelyn Oriold, the city's Safety Education Programs Manager.

🇺🇸 Premier Danielle Smith is calling for a return to trade talks after negotiations with the U.S. collapsed, triggering a 50 per cent tariff on Canadian exports. Ottawa plans dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs starting September 8.

📦 Some Alberta businesses, including a Calgary-based toy and home-school supplier, have paused shipping to the U.S. entirely after new tariffs took effect, with owners citing costs that have become unsustainable heading into the busy holiday season.

🍷 Some Albertans are reconsidering U.S. alcohol purchases and travel plans as trade tensions escalate, with retaliatory tariffs from Canada set to take effect after Labour Day.

💰 The City of Calgary has paid over $120,000 in traffic fines for on-duty employees driving city vehicles since a 2023 policy change. Officials say the shift aligned Calgary with other municipalities, though it's drawn criticism from at least one councillor.

🏳️‍🌈 Calgary Pride says this year's events could be its last without a $250,000 donation boost, citing shrinking corporate sponsorships and rising event costs. Organizers say the funding gap reflects a broader pullback affecting Pride organizations across the country.

🎒 Calgary's Pack Hope campaign filled 2,000 backpacks and raised $100,000 for public school students, with corporate sponsors and volunteers racing to assemble supplies ahead of the new school year.

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The start of a new school year can bring a mix of excitement and nerves, and Southcentre Mall is using that moment to point young people toward help if they need it. The mall is partnering with Kids Help Phone this back-to-school season to raise awareness of the organization's free, confidential support line — timed to a period when demand for the service tends to climb as kids adjust to new schedules, coursework, and friend groups.

As part of the partnership, Southcentre is hosting "The First Day Starts Here" in the mall's Centre Court, an activation where visitors can write a note to their future selves or a loved one. Those notes will be held onto and mailed back to their writers in June 2027, giving them a chance to look back on the year that shaped them.

The need behind the campaign is backed by real numbers: Kids Help Phone says overnight requests for support in Alberta jumped 29 per cent in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year, a trend showing up across the country. Text-based support requests overnight, between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. ET, are up 183 per cent compared to daytime requests.

"Many young people are reaching out to us during the darkest hours of the night, when support can feel hardest to find," said Ava Waugh, Senior Development Officer with the Kids Help Phone Foundation. She said partnerships like this one help more young people learn that support is available whenever they need it, especially during high-stress periods like back-to-school season.

The mall has previously built out other youth-focused initiatives, including a free sensory backpack program for kids with sensory processing disabilities, along with 24/7 security and on-request vehicle escorts.

"Southcentre is a place where Calgary connects, and we believe that means creating space for conversations that matter to our community," said Alexandra Velosa, Marketing Manager at Southcentre Mall.

Southcentre will also host its annual back-to-school drive-in movie night on September 12, with proceeds going to Kids Help Phone.

🍴 Flavours Cuisine & Catering: Calgary's original African restaurant, open since 2013, serves a mix of dine-in and take-out dishes alongside cakes and meat pies, with gluten-free options available. It's been named the city's best African restaurant more than once, backed by a loyal following and strong reviews.

🍴 Silver Dragon Restaurant: A Chinatown fixture since 1966, this family-run spot has served Cantonese and Szechuan dishes for generations, with a menu of more than 200 items and a daily dim sum trolley. Private dining and catering are available, and a second location in Banff offers mountain views alongside the meal.

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

🎟️ Alberta Day at Heritage Park: Heritage Park hosts a full day of Alberta pride on August 30, with live music across three stages, multicultural performances, midway rides, and a Made-in-Alberta marketplace. Free to attend, though pre-registration is recommended.

🎟️ Calgary ReggaeFest: Reggae and Caribbean culture take over St. Patrick's Island August 28 and 29, with a lineup spanning local acts and international names like Jamaica's Louie Culture and Leroy Sibbles. Day passes start at $45, with kids 12 and under free with a paying adult.

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!