- Between September 2011 and December 2021, 2,068 people were criminally charged by Edmonton police school resource officers, the Edmonton SRO Research Project has found. Researchers Bashir Mohamed and Alexandre Da Costa analyzed data about the SRO program that they obtained through a freedom of information request. "The fact this program has existed since 1979 and we're only now getting enforcement data should be a scandal," Mohamed told Postmedia. They said the data provides "validation of the experiences of students that have been overpoliced." The EPS is reviewing the research, and both the Edmonton Public School Board and the Edmonton Catholic School District have engaged external researchers to review their SRO programs.
- As part of phase two of the Nature's Wild Backyard project, the Edmonton Valley Zoo will "bring the zoo up to current industry standards, give the public more chances to see animals," and improve homes for meerkats, gibbons, tamarin, wallabies, emus, lemurs, and exotic birds, Postmedia reports. City council approved borrowing of $44.9 million for the project last week, with another $5.4 million coming from the Valley Zoo Development Society.
- Sifarish is a new non-profit organization aimed at supporting the South Asian business and professional community in Edmonton. "It's a community builder, but obviously it starts with what we know, where we're from, and where our connections lie," co-founder Sunny Kakar told Postmedia. The organization will provide networking, mentorship, and other career development opportunities.
- The Alberta Aviation Museum has received a $20,000 donation from the 700 Wing Royal Canadian Air Force Association, to help renovate the building's washrooms. The museum still needs to raise $75,000 to complete the project.
- According to a new report from the Canada West Foundation, more young Albertans are choosing to leave the province and youth from elsewhere aren't keen to come, in part because of a perceived lack of diversity in the economy. "They see that the oil and gas sector is still the biggest employment sector as far as they see, and it is perception to them," Janet Lane, who co-authored the report, told CBC News. "Youth aren't as attracted to coming to Alberta as they used to be."
- Edmonton will host all games for the rescheduled 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, which will take place from Aug. 9-20.
