- The Alberta Council of Women's Shelters is urging residents to show support for shelters throughout February with its provincewide Love a Shelter campaign. The initiative aims to make residents of women's shelters feel "seen, valued, and not alone" by encouraging the public to send Valentine's Day cards and make donations.
- Edmonton resident Quinn Marcacinni, who has a spinal disability, was denied Dedicated Accessible Transit Service (DATS) last week because snow windrows outside his west Edmonton home prevented the bus ramp from deploying. Marcacinni filed complaints with the City of Edmonton over the denial. Edmonton Transit Service paratransit manager Paul Schmold said the service did not receive any reports from operators or clients about refusal of service due to conditions, but said in such cases "DATS staff are deployed to assess the safety of the location, and work with clients, caregivers or facility staff to address the safety hazard, so service can resume as quickly as possible."
- Alberta's 9,000 unionized provincial employees are planning a "brown bag protest" as they return to full-time office work this weekend. Bobby-Joe Borodey, vice-president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), said workers will place bags with "Hybrid work tastes better" notes on desks, symbolizing pushback against the government's October 2025 decision. AUPE argues the move stems from a desire to revitalize businesses, while the provincial government said the return to office work would strengthen collaboration and service delivery for Albertans.
- The Edmonton Police Service investigated a weapons complaint at West Edmonton Mall on Jan. 29, after reports that a man discharged what appeared to be a firearm at another person in the Bourbon Street area around 12:24pm. The mall was placed on a brief lockdown, which was lifted by 1:45pm, with no injuries reported. Police continue to investigate the incident.
- The Alberta government will introduce new rules on April 1 to curb predatory towing practices. These regulations require tow truck drivers to disclose all towing and storage costs and obtain consent before towing, with penalties up to $300,000 or two years in jail for violations. Additionally, drivers must use the most direct route and provide itemized invoices. The province said these rules aim to hold operators accountable and ensure fairness for Albertans.
- First Nations chiefs from Treaties 6, 7, and 8, during a meeting at the west Edmonton office of Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta on Jan. 29, rejected claims by separatist lawyer Jeffrey Rath that Indigenous people would be better off in an independent Alberta. During the meeting, several chiefs also spoke about how the effort to collect signatures to trigger a referendum on Alberta's separation is contributing to racial tensions in the province. Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, the Blackfoot Confederacy, and Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation have launched lawsuits against the petition and the province's Bill 14.
- The Edmonton Elks signed wide receiver Austin Mack to a two-year deal ahead of CFL Free Agency. Mack played a key role in the Montreal Alouettes' 2023 Grey Cup victory over Winnipeg, contributing 103 yards and a touchdown. He previously had stints with the New York Giants and other NFL teams. The Elks also announced they have extended defensive lineman Jared Brinkman through the 2027 season. Brinkman, entering his second season with the Elks, achieved career highs in 2025 with 16 games played, 23 defensive tackles, and two sacks. He previously played three seasons with the Toronto Argonauts, winning two Grey Cups in 2022 and 2024.
Headlines: Jan. 30, 2026
By Mariam Ibrahim