Good morning, Edmonton and surrounding areas! Happy Sunday!
Smoky skies hang around through the morning and afternoon with a high near 25C, then a risk of strong thunderstorms rolls in tonight, so keep an eye on the sky if you are out for Fringe's final day or catching the last of Pride Fest. A baby boom is stretching the Lois Hole Hospital team thin, the city is weighing a controversial return for winter road de icing, and Alberta advocates are pushing for better wildfire evacuation planning after a Deaf couple in Summerland relied on a neighbour's hand signals to get out safely. Here is what is making news across Edmonton and the surrounding areas today.
Scroll down for today's full lineup of events too, including Fringe's final day, the CPKC Women's Open final round and more farmers markets.
👶 Summer Baby Boom Has Lois Hole Hospital Team Stretched Thin
Ever wonder what nearly twenty births a day looks like from the inside?
More than 1,700 babies were born at the Royal Alex's Lois Hole Hospital for Women between May and July, nearly 20 a day, including 61 sets of twins and 4 sets of triplets, keeping neonatal staff working at a pace they call unprecedented.
Twins and triplets are part of what is driving the surge, with staff pointing to rising fertility drug use.
The NICU team has leaned on each other through a genuinely exhausting stretch of summer.
A warm one for anyone who has ever waited on a delivery room update.
❄ City Weighs Bringing Back Controversial Calcium Chloride
Ever wonder what it takes to keep Edmonton roads clear through a wilder winter?
Edmonton city council will debate resuming calcium chloride use on winter roads after a stretch of unpredictable freeze and thaw cycles, weighing the de icing benefits against the rust and corrosion damage that got it pulled back in 2019.
The policy heads to city hall on Monday, August 31, with more discussion expected during fall budget talks.
Local mechanics say damage from the last round is still showing up in vehicles seven years later.
Worth watching if you park outside all winter.
🏆 A Championship Trophy Has Gone Missing On Its Way To Alberta
Ever ship something precious and just hope it shows up?
The Montreal Victoire's Walter Cup replica went missing in transit to Lethbridge this week, where it was set to spend a day with forward Dara Greig, and the league is now working with the shipping company to track it down.
The cup is sterling silver, designed by Tiffany and Co, and weighs about 35 pounds.
It is a team keepsake, not the championship trophy itself, which stays permanently at the Hockey Hall of Fame.
A quirky one to keep an eye on this week.
🔥 Wildfires Are Exposing Evacuation Gaps For Canadians With Disabilities
Ever wonder what happens when an emergency alert never reaches you?
A Deaf couple in Summerland, British Columbia relied on a neighbour's hand signals to know a wildfire was closing in, with no accessible alert reaching their home, and advocates say the same gap shows up across the country. The story carries a strong Alberta thread too, the Fort McMurray evacuation registry born from the 2016 wildfire and now used in Jasper as well.
More than 670,000 people in Canada have been evacuated since 1990, mostly from floods and wildfires, and that pace is expected to grow.
Advocates want enforceable standards for accessible alerts and shelters built into emergency planning.
An important one, especially with wildfire season still active.
🗣 Smith Breaks From Ottawa On How To Answer The Tariffs
Ever watch an ally push back on the plan?
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called herself deeply disappointed after Canada and US trade talks collapsed and fifty percent tariffs took effect, but broke from Ottawa's retaliation plan, calling some of the American asks untenable and saying she has no interest in banning US alcohol.
Smith is urging federal negotiators to get back to the table as soon as possible.
Alberta and Saskatchewan remain the only provinces without a US alcohol ban.
A story that will keep moving, we will keep you posted.
🛢 Iran Standoff Keeps Oil Prices Elevated Ahead Of Monday Briefing
Ever wonder what a standoff on the other side of the world does to your gas bill?
The US is preparing what Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has called the toughest sanctions in history against Iran, with a full briefing expected Monday, and oil prices remain elevated in the meantime, a genuine number for Alberta's budget.
Brent crude has been climbing for two straight weeks on the sanctions threat.
Alberta's provincial budget leans heavily on oil price swings like this one.
Worth watching if you fill up locally or follow the province's bottom line.
Edmonton local Weather
Day ⬇3higher than historical avg. Night ⬆6° higher than historical avg.
Edmonton Weather: Sunday, August 23
Smoky skies linger through the morning and afternoon with a high near 25C, so it is worth keeping an eye on air quality if you are out for Fringe's final day or Pride Fest. Storms move in this evening with a real chance of heavy rain overnight, so grab an umbrella if you are out late, with lows dropping to near 15C.
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Events Happening in Edmonton and Surrounding Areas
Sunday, August 23
🎭 Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival (Final Day) 🎟️ Details
📅 Sun Aug 23 · ⏰ All day · 📍 Old Strathcona, various venues
Last chance for Fringe shows, KidsFringe activities, and street festival fun.
🏌 CPKC Women’s Open (Final Round) 🎟️ Details
📅 Sun Aug 23 · ⏰ Daytime · 📍 Royal Mayfair Golf Club, 9450 Groat Rd NW
Final round of Canada’s LPGA championship with top international golfers.
🚛 Midas Monster Truck Throwdown (Final Day) 🎟️ Details
📅 Sun Aug 23 · ⏰ Daytime · 📍 RAD Torque Raceway, Leduc County
Closing day for monster trucks, stunts, and family motorsports fun.
🏳️🌈 Edmonton Pride Parade & Festival 🎟️ Details
📅 Sun Aug 23 · ⏰ Daytime · 📍 Downtown Edmonton & Fan Park
Parade day with Pride programming, entertainment, community booths, and celebration.
🥕 Bountiful Farmers’ Market 🎟️ Details
📅 Sun Aug 23 · ⏰ 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. · 📍 3696 97 St NW
Large indoor market with local produce, food vendors, meats, baking, and crafts.
🥕 Capilano Farmers’ Market 🎟️ Details
📅 Sun Aug 23 · ⏰ 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. · 📍 Capilano Mall, 5004 98 Ave NW
Sunday market with farmers, bakers, prepared food, and local makers.
🌿 Garden Games & Garden Days 🎟️ Details
📅 Sun Aug 23 · ⏰ Daytime · 📍 Rutherford House, 11153 Saskatchewan Dr NW
Old fashioned outdoor games and garden themed activities on historic grounds.
🍰 Sunday High Tea 🎟️ Details
📅 Sun Aug 23 · ⏰ 11 a.m. · 📍 Location listed by organizer
Classic high tea outing for a slower Sunday plan.
BET YOU DID NOT KNOW 🤔
Bet you did not know, Edmonton's Fringe Festival is considered one of the top five fringe theatre festivals in the world, standing alongside Edinburgh and Adelaide, and still the largest and longest running one in North America. Hit reply and tell us your favourite show or moment from this year's festival before it wraps up tonight.