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Looking to fill your weekend plans? Australian singer-songwriter Pete Murray plays an intimate acoustic set at Festival Hall Aug 16 — and we're giving away a pair of tickets. Answer today’s reader poll to be entered to win! The deadline to respond is today, Thursday, Aug 13 at 5 p.m. MST, and we'll reach out to the winner by midday Friday.

👀 In today's edition:

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🌧️ Today: High 13C, Low 8C. 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.

The City of Calgary, Rocky View County, and the Canada Infrastructure Bank have signed a new agreement to speed up work on the Prairie Economic Gateway, a proposed rail-anchored trade and logistics hub planned east of Calgary in Rocky View County. The agreement builds on an earlier 2025 deal exploring the bank's involvement, and moves the project into a more detailed phase focused on infrastructure, financing, and delivery — the groundwork needed before any construction decisions are made.

Gateway is envisioned as an inland port sitting along CPKC's mainline, within what's known as Canada's Prairie Core Trade Corridor. The goal is to expand trade and logistics capacity in the region, ease transportation bottlenecks, and strengthen supply chains that businesses and residents rely on, while supporting new industrial growth in the area.

"This agreement with the Canada Infrastructure Bank is an important step toward finalizing the infrastructure investments needed to unlock new trade, logistics and industrial development, create jobs and strengthen Calgary's competitiveness," said Mayor Jeromy Farkas.

Rocky View County Reeve Sunny Samra called the project a "generational opportunity" for the region, pointing to the partnership with Calgary and the added expertise the Canada Infrastructure Bank brings to assessing the project's infrastructure and financing needs.

No construction timeline has been set. The current agreement is focused on further feasibility work before the project can move ahead.

🚒 Calgary Fire Department overdose calls are up 170 per cent this year, part of an overall surge in medical calls pushing the department toward a record year. Officials point to a more dangerous drug supply as a key factor.

🚨 Calgary police say an 11-month investigation dismantled an organized crime network, resulting in eight charges and the seizure of 18 guns, drugs, and stolen vehicles. One suspect remains at large.

🗑️ Residents in northeast Calgary are calling for stronger enforcement after ongoing illegal dumping, with old furniture and construction waste showing up in ditches and vacant lots. The City says reporting through 311 is key to building enforcement cases.

👵 An 86-year-old Calgary woman is losing access to city-provided yard and snow services after provincial eligibility changes to a seniors' support program. She worries she won't be able to afford snow removal this winter.

🏊 A 9-year-old Calgary boy is recovering in a Vancouver hospital with serious lung damage after nearly drowning in a B.C. river, having possibly been underwater for up to 10 minutes.

⚖️ A preliminary inquiry has begun for a Calgary police officer charged with second-degree murder in a 2023 shooting that killed two men following a police chase.

🏡 Adult children of seniors are helping their parents decide whether to age in place. This free guide helps everyone figure it out together.

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First Nations youth across Treaty 7 territory are getting a boost toward steady careers, thanks to a new federal investment of just over $3.2 million. The money flows through Employment and Social Development Canada's Youth Employment and Skills Strategy and lands with Community Futures Treaty Seven, which will use it to run its Regional Skills Link Project — a program designed to reach 165 young people with practical skills, hands-on experience, and a stronger sense of confidence heading into the job market.

Minister of Jobs and Families Patty Hajdu framed the funding as a way to open doors while letting young people stay rooted in their home communities. Minister of Indigenous Services Mandy Gull-Masty added that groups like Community Futures Treaty Seven are key to giving youth the tools to land real career opportunities, and said this round of funding will let the organization grow programs that are already working.

Community Futures Treaty Seven has run youth employment programming with the federal government since 2016, and its efforts have generated roughly 30 new job opportunities for Treaty 7 youth every year on average.

Nationally, the skills strategy behind this funding is a sizable one — more than $632 million earmarked between 2024 and 2028 to help at least 20,000 young Canadians break through employment barriers. Government data shows the approach works: three-quarters of past participants were still employed a year after finishing the program, and their wages had climbed by close to $9,400 on average within two years.

Community Futures Treaty Seven also draws on a separate, decade-long federal commitment worth more than $89 million through the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program. Since 2019, that funding has helped the organization work with more than 7,500 First Nations participants, with over 3,500 landing jobs and nearly 2,800 heading back to school.

🍴 Luca: This upscale Italian spot pairs handmade pasta with big, shareable plates like bison osso buco, plus an extensive wine list. Go all out with the seafood platter, loaded with oysters, prawns, and lobster, for a proper special-occasion night out.

🍴 Thai Sa-On: A Calgary institution for 35 years, this Thai restaurant helped introduce the city to the cuisine long before it was mainstream here. Standouts include pandan chicken and a crab and shrimp omelette, best paired with a bottle from the owner's carefully curated wine list.

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

🎟️ Chinatown Street Festival: Calgary's Chinatown Business Improvement Association hosts a full day of culture, food, and performances on August 15, with cultural booths, family activities, and Chinatown's shops and restaurants open to all visitors. Runs noon to 8 p.m. and is free to attend.

🎟️ YYC Ice Cream Fest: There are only a few days left to catch this citywide scoop competition, wrapping up August 16. Cafés and creameries across Calgary are still battling it out for Best Scoop, and a portion of every purchase goes to Calgary Meals on Wheels.

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

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