Headlines: June 29, 2026
By Karen Unland
- Edmonton has broken its June rainfall record with 255 millimetres as of noon on June 28, surpassing the previous mark of 216.5 mm set in 1914. Given further rains on June 28 and more in the forecast, the city is within reach of breaking the all-time single-month record of 282 mm, set in July 1901. Edmonton, St. Albert, and Sherwood Park remained under an orange weather alert for rainfall, with extensive flooding in two mobile home parks in Strathcona County, several road washouts in and around the city, and trail closures in Edmonton's river valley.
- Edmonton police shot and killed a 59-year-old man following a series of alleged assaults and hit-and-runs. Police allege the man first drove his vehicle into an Edmonton Fire and Rescue Services truck and attempted to assault emergency workers with a blunt object around midnight on June 26. Police said two more hit-and-run incidents followed. When police located the man at a residence in southwest Edmonton on June 27, an interaction occurred that resulted in the fatal shooting. The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team is investigating.
- The Supreme Court of Canada unanimously ruled that the Edmonton Police Service must disclose officer misconduct records to defendants in criminal cases, dismissing EPS's bid to restrict that disclosure. The court found that the administrative removal of a misconduct record after five years of good behaviour does not affect its disclosure obligations in criminal proceedings, and ordered EPS to pay the defendant's legal costs.
- A document from Recovery Alberta obtained by the Investigative Journalism Foundation reveals that Edmonton's Henwood Treatment Centre and the Addiction Recovery Centre at Alberta Hospital Edmonton are among the sites under consideration as interim locations for Alberta's involuntary addiction treatment program this fall. Converting those facilities would require closing voluntary programs — a plan that critics say will produce a "net loss" in an already-strained system. The province plans to build two 150-bed facilities in Edmonton and Calgary, but they won't be ready until 2030. It had previously stated that community-based voluntary treatment beds at those sites would not be used for involuntary programs.
- Sherritt International Corp. is shutting down operations at its Fort Saskatchewan refinery after running out of feed material from its Moa mine in Cuba, which suspended operations due to fuel shortages caused by U.S. sanctions cutting off Venezuelan oil. The company says no jobs were lost and that it is continuing to produce fertilizers and sulphuric acid using existing inventory. The refinery is the only producer of battery-grade cobalt in North America, Richard Hiller of the Energy Futures Lab told The Canadian Press.
- Edmonton fans erupted with joy after Canada beat South Africa 1-0 in Los Angeles, advancing for the first time to the round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup. Stephen Eustaquio scored the goal during injury time; the team seemed noticeably energized when Edmonton's Alphonso Davies subbed in at the 75th minute, marking his first time on the pitch since suffering an injury in May.
- Postmedia's Fish Griwkowsky shared his eight favourite pieces of art on display at The Works Art & Design Festival in Churchill Square and surrounding venues. The festival runs until July 1.
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