Calgary Dispatch
News Desk
Stories filed by the Calgary Dispatch news desk.
Stories by News Desk (115) · page 8 of 10
- Politics ·
Alberta and the West Assembly opens two-day debate over province’s future in Canada
Preston Manning and former B.C. premier Gordon Campbell are chairing a two-day virtual assembly examining Alberta’s relationship with Canada ahead of the Oct. 19 referendum. The forum brings together political figures, policy specialists and advocates for competing constitutional options, including greater provincial autonomy, remaining in Canada and independence.
News Desk - Politics ·
Highwood UCP board backs leadership review as separatist anger turns toward Danielle Smith
Jeffrey Rath says the Highwood UCP constituency board has voted to seek a leadership review of Premier Danielle Smith, opening a potential grassroots challenge from within her own party. Under current UCP rules, identical motions from one-quarter of constituency associations can force a special general meeting — a threshold that works out to 22 associations based on the 87 CAs listed by Elections Alberta.
News Desk - Alberta ·
Treaty chiefs back Saddle Lake Cree Nation’s assertion of health jurisdiction
Treaty chiefs representing Treaties 6, 7 and 8 have unanimously backed Saddle Lake Cree Nation’s move to exercise its Treaty and inherent jurisdiction over health care. The emergency resolution supports the Nation’s use of Treaty 6’s medicine chest clause as it develops gender-affirming care, its own health framework and a broader approach to clinician licensing.
News Desk - Local ·
Calgary downtown office vacancies keep pressure on recovery
Calgary’s downtown office market is showing modest signs of improvement, but vacancy remains close to 27 per cent and more than 12 million square feet of space still sits empty. Stronger demand for premium buildings and the city’s office-conversion program are helping, but energy-sector consolidation and older office stock continue to weigh on the core.
News Desk - Local ·
Smith Calls Calgary’s Closed-Door Council Habit ‘Not Good Practice’ — and Farkas Once Called It the Chamber of Secrets
Premier criticizes Calgary's in-camera culture as debate over transparency reignites
News Desk - Local ·
Calgary Halved Its Housing Affordability Gap — But Starts Are Cooling Fast
CMHC says Calgary nearly halved its path-to-2036 affordability gap, but housing starts have cooled from about 27,000 last year to a ~19,000 pace this year.
News Desk - Local ·
Separation Could Cost Alberta $50–170B in Five Years as Farkas Pushes Council to Weigh In
A UCalgary report pegs Alberta separation setup costs at $50–170 billion in five years as Mayor Farkas pushes council to weigh in before the Oct. 19 referendum.
News Desk - Local ·
Smith Says No to Crown Gas Pipelines as Prairie AI Race Turns Up the Pressure
Smith rules out Crown gas pipelines while Alberta and Saskatchewan race to power AI data centres — including Bell’s growing Sherwood hub outside Regina.
News Desk - Alberta ·
Calgary-Shaw UCP Nomination Opens as Rebecca Schulz Prepares to Leave Legislature
Rebecca Schulz’s planned departure from Alberta politics has opened a new contest for the United Conservative Party in Calgary-Shaw. Schulz, the former environment and protected areas minister, announced at the end of 2025 that she would resign from cabinet effective Jan. 2 and step down as the MLA for Calgary-Shaw by May 2026. In her […]
News Desk - Local ·
Dan McLean to Seek UCP Nomination in Calgary-Shaw
Calgary Ward 13 Councillor Dan McLean has announced he will run for the United Conservative Party nomination in Calgary-Shaw, the provincial riding currently represented by MLA Rebecca Schulz. Schulz announced at the end of 2025 that she would leave cabinet and step down from her seat in 2026, creating the expectation of a byelection in […]
News Desk - Local ·
Douglas Fir Trail Project Advances with Detailed Design and Community Engagement
The City of Calgary is moving forward with plans to repair the Douglas Fir Trail in Edworthy Park. Detailed design work, led by Thurber Engineering, is underway in 2026 to improve slope stability, manage surface water, address drainage issues, and explore targeted realignments for better long-term safety and durability. A separate slope stabilization project on […]
News Desk - Local ·
Calgary Man Uses Memorial Drive as Makeshift Driving Range
A Calgary man has reportedly spent years using one of the city’s busiest arterial roads as a makeshift driving range, and until last week, it appears no one intervened. Video footage captured by a community cleanup volunteer shows a man on the balcony of a white house near the Centre Street Bridge striking golf balls […]
News Desk