- The provincial and federal governments announced a donation-matching program with the Canadian Red Cross to support Alberta wildfire relief and recovery efforts. Together, the governments will donate $2 for every $1 donated to the 2023 Alberta Fires Appeal. Donations can be made online or by calling 1-800-418-1111. In an update on May 11, the province said that about 200 Canadian Armed Forces troops have been deployed to Alberta to support firefighting efforts so far and that about $2 million in emergency funding has been provided to evacuees.
- The city is inviting Edmontonians to provide input on a new public spaces bylaw, which will determine how the city regulates behaviour in public areas such as parks, transit, and sidewalks. The new bylaw will replace the existing Public Places Bylaw, Parkland Bylaw, and Conduct of Transit Passengers Bylaw, which are currently under review. There are several ways to get involved, including an online survey that closes May 21.
- The city launched a new Affordable Housing Tax Grant, which covers the cost of municipal property taxes for affordable housing units run by non-profit organizations. Council approved a total of $27 million for the grant in the 2023-2026 city budget. The grant will offset $6 million in taxes in 2023 and will eventually increase to $7.5 million by 2026.
- The city is taking a phased approach to opening its 73 spray parks. Around a quarter of the spray parks are expected to be open by the end of the day on May 12, and most will be open before the May long weekend (May 19-22). In a release, the city said it "expedited the opening of these parks" because of above-average temperatures. A list of Edmonton's spray parks is available online.
- CBC has identified the suspect alleged to have been involved in the fatal stabbings of a mother and her child outside Crawford Plains School on May 5 as 33-year-old Muorater Arkangelo Mashar, citing unnamed sources. Mashar had a long history of committing violent attacks and reportedly lived less than 400 metres from the school. In an update, police said the suspect, who was shot by officers following the attack, has died in hospital. The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is investigating the incident.
- Edmonton Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse was suspended for one game for instigating a fight with Vegas Golden Knights defenceman Nicolas Hague during Game 4 of the playoff series on May 10. Head coach Jay Woodcroft was also fined $10,000 US. Nurse told the press he was "surprised" by his penalties, adding that Hague was challenging and provoking him. Knights defenceman Alex Pietrangelo was also suspended for one game for slashing Leon Draisaitl, which the Oiler called a "really, really dangerous slash."
Headlines: May 12, 2023
By Kevin Holowack