CALGARY – Employees at a vehicle auction house in Airdrie made a shocking discovery this week.

RCMP received a call from staff at Adessa on Tuesday, saying what appeared to be a grenade had been found inside the glove box of a vehicle.

Officers cleared the area around the vehicle and called in the RCMP Explosive Disposal Unit (EDU) from Edmonton.

Experts were able to determine the grenade was inert, at which point it was removed and taken to Airdrie Detachment to await proper disposal.

CALGARY- Two rallies are being held by both Jewish and Muslim groups on Friday, just one week after emotions spilled over at a similar protest in downtown Calgary.

Pro-Israel and pro-Palestine groups plan to converge around City Hall at 6 p.m., to voice their concerns over the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The rallies are being held exactly one week after violence broke out at a march to show solidarity with Palestinans. A handful of Israeli supporters showed up, and a confrontation broke out that saw men begin pushing and shoving, and one person even stomped on an Israeli flag.

READ MORE: Calgary’s Jewish community calls violent downtown protest ‘shameful’

In response, the city’s Jewish and Muslim leaders had a meeting on Thursday to try and promote understanding.

EDMONTON – A man wanted for an alleged kidnapping in south Edmonton early Monday morning was arrested in Calgary Thursday afternoon.

The Calgary Police Service arrested Kemol Delano Creary at a bus stop after a series of violent events over the past few days.

Creary was initially wanted on multiple warrants after allegedly attempting to kidnap a 23-year-old woman after she was dropped off at home in the area of 104 Street and 24 Avenue just before 2:30 a.m. Monday.

READ MORE: Police searching for alleged kidnapping suspect

The Edmonton Police Service says the 25-year-old man allegedly went to Calgary in a stolen vehicle on Wednesday.

Police say Creary reportedly showed up at a Calgary woman’s home with a weapon and demanded she make contact with the Edmonton woman he allegedly tried to kidnap earlier this week.

It’s not known if the two women are known to each other.

Police say Creary was apparently trying to get the woman to arrange a meeting with the 23-year-old Edmonton woman, who declined the offer.

On Thursday, police say the Calgary woman was able to once again contact the Edmonton woman to let her know Creary allegedly had a weapon and was looking for her. The Edmonton woman then called police.

Calgary Police were able to locate and arrest Creary in the area of Centre Street and Blackthorn Road around 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

Creary is now facing numerous charges from both the Calgary and Edmonton Police Services including:

CALGARY- A Calgary couple is heartbroken, after the dog they were trying to adopt was euthanized.

Three weeks ago, Nicole and Malcolm Graham found a one-year-old dog on their lawn. They kept it overnight, and say it behaved like any other pup.

“He went through the gamut, he played with our dogs in the backyard,” Malcolm Graham says. “We didn’t see anything that made us nervous.”

The next day they contacted Animal Services in hopes of returning ‘Kingston’ to his family, but his owners couldn’t be tracked down. The city then took it in for behavioural assessments which are standard procedure for adoptions—but Kingston failed the tests.

Kingston was euthanized on July 25, despite a family wanting to adopt him.

Graham says the city refused their numerous offers to try and help the dog themselves.

“They wouldn’t even entertain the idea of exploring options and bringing experts who are suited to this exact issue to the dog. We suggested to the city that we put the dog in a familiar environment and in training for specifically high-anxiety dogs. We committed to pay for that ourselves.”

The city says that the dog displayed fear, which usually leads to aggression, and they couldn’t take the risk of adopting Kingston out.

“In my opinion, if we adopt a dog out knowing that there’s a problem, we would still hold some liability,” explains Doug Anderson from Animal and Bylaw Services. “Because we were aware of it and still proceeded.”

Kingston was put down on Friday afternoon.

WATCH ABOVE: Global meteorologist Nicola Crosbie’s weather forecast from Friday’s edition of the News Hour. For more info, check out Global Edmonton’s weather page.

EDMONTON – High winds and heavy rain drenched areas across the Capital Region Friday, wreaking havoc on city roads, trees, power lines and resident’s basements.

The weather caused flight delays and cancellations at the Edmonton International Airport. As of 2:00 p.m. Friday, approximately 48 flights had been cancelled or diverted. EIA says passengers whose flights have been cancelled should contact their airlines for rebooking.

READ MORE: High winds cancel or divert dozens of flights at EIA 

Margie Balaneski, who lives in the area of 145 Avenue and 96 Street, spent most of the evening vacuuming water out of her basement after area sewer lines backed up into her home.

Balaneski says she has a back water shut off valve, but “it couldn’t hold the pressure that came through the lines.”

This isn’t the first time Balaneski has been forced to clean up following heavy rainfall; in August 2013, she was vacuuming water out of her basement after an intense overnight thunderstorm.

“We experienced the same problem. We have sewer water in the basement and we have been busy… vacuuming it up, taking it out in bucket loads,” she explained Friday night.

“History has repeated itself.”

READ MORE: Flooding in Edmonton following overnight storm

Due to the extreme weather, the Interstellar Rodeo was cancelled Friday night.  Artists that were set to play Friday - or whose flights had been cancelled or delayed – will be moved to Monday.

“Edmontonians are hearty, and not afraid of a little rain,” said producer Shauna de Cartier, “but the high winds and rain make for unsafe conditions and we decided to work on a Plan B.”

Organizers say Corb Lund and the Hurtin’ Albertans, scheduled to perform Friday, will be back Monday night. Saturday and Sunday performances will go ahead as scheduled. All Friday Interstellar Rodeo tickets will be honoured on Monday night.

The wet weather also rained on Taste of Edmonton’s parade Friday night.

More sad news. We’ll have to shut down at 7pm tonight due to flooding. Still have a couple wet hours left though! #yeg #yegwx

— Taste Of Edmonton (@TasteOfEdm) July 25, 2014

Okay update, we should be able to stay open as long as people keep coming. Restaurants will be open as long as it’s safe to cook!

— Taste Of Edmonton (@TasteOfEdm) July 25, 2014

But, earlier in the day, some brave souls battled the rain to check out the treats.

“There are no line-ups,” said Amber Durocher.  “You don’t have to push anyone out of your way and the food is just as good.”

Concerts at the K-Days midway went ahead as scheduled Friday night. Northlands staff offered free gate admission after 6 p.m.

Summerland Tour won’t be washed away! Free @KDaysyeg gate admission after 6 p.m. tonight. https://t.co/PbmMStePaQ #KDAYS

— K-Days (@KDaysyeg) July 25, 2014

The nightly fireworks show was cancelled, though, as the grounds closed following the concerts.

According to Global Meteorologist Nicola Crosbie, a cold low has moved in from Northern B.C., creating major instability across central Alberta.

Rain was falling at a rate of about five mm per hour, which Crosbie says is significant.

The unofficial rainfall amount in west Edmonton is 100 mm, which Crosbie says fell between 11 p.m. Thursday and 5 p.m. Friday. The average rainfall for July is 94 mm, according to Crosbie.

A wind warning was in place for much of the day, but it was dropped by Environment Canada by Friday evening.

Fortunately, this wet and rainy day is not expected to carry on throughout the weekend.

“The good news is the forecast really improves for Saturday,” Crosbie explains. “A strong ridge of high pressure builds in again and temperatures will head into the 30s by Tuesday.”

The City is looking for residents input on the future of Anderson Station.

The Office of Land Servicing and Housing (OLSH) will be at Southcentre Mall today from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. to share the latest information with Calgarians regarding transit oriented development at Anderson Station.

“Last year, we had hundreds of citizens participate in our public engagement process where they were asked to provide input into four concepts that showed different options for what the 20-acre site could look like in the future,” said John Potts, manager, Land Servicing, OLSH.… Read More

Open house: Future concepts for Anderson LRT Station is a post from: CREBNow

Brokerage supports program helping Calgarians graduate high school 

There can be many stumbling blocks to choosing the right home: finding the right location, amenities and availability, to name a few.

Yet for many Calgarians, the first step to buying a home comes not with securing a mortgage, but with securing an education. 

The Never Too Late program has long supported adults in their quest to complete their Grade 12 Equivalency Diploma (GED).…Read More

It’s never too late is a post from: CREBNow

West Village plans cast future of downtown core into spotlight

Construction cranes that dot the east downtown skyline are providing Calgarians a not-too distant
vision of what the city’s core might soon look like.

Yet industry experts suggest future plans in the underdeveloped West Village will provide a better understanding of what’s really in store in the heart of Calgary.… Read More

The new west is a post from: CREBNow

Today Calgary Economic Development and Calgary Chamber held a Business Recovery Task Force Commemoration sharing stories from local businesses impacted by 2013 flooding.

Also released at the event was an Emergency Business Contact Database to help facilitate communication and collaboration between the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) and the business community during emergencies such as natural disasters.… Read More

In Quotes: Local businesses commemorated is a post from: CREBNow

City releases Bicycle Count report

Calgarians love their bicycles, and the City has the numbers to prove it.

Released as part of the City of Calgary’s first ever official bike count, data collected by the city
showed over 19,000 cyclists passed by one of 51 collection points during two six-hour periods (6:30-9:30 a.m.… Read More

Have bike, will travel is a post from: CREBNow

New rules will see spending capped, more people on art jury

The City of Calgary is making changes to its public art policy following a controversial $471,000-project Mayor Naheed Neshi has called “awful.”

Under the old policy, the city’s “per cent for public art” was calculated at one per cent of the total capital project costs for City capital budget projects over $1 million.… Read More

Changes coming to public art policy is a post from: CREBNow

Calgary builders team up to bring assisted-living facility to Beltline

Calgarians lacking a proper place to call home are set to be given a helping hand thanks to a collaborative effort from 12 Calgary-area builders.

Stepping Stone Manor, which will be the first of eight apartment buildings to be constructed in the next four years, will be a 30-unit facility in the Beltline community.… Read More

Stepping Up is a post from: CREBNow

Take a walk this weekend and learn a little, or a lot, about the city of Calgary.

The Calgary Foundation is hosting the seventh annual Jane’s Walk May 2-4.

Jane’s Walk is a global movement of free, locally led walking tours inspired by Jane Jacobs. Jacobs (1916-2006) was an urban writer and activist behind community-based approaches to planning.… Read More

This weekend: See Calgary with Jane’s Walks is a post from: CREBNow

CALGARY – Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. is seeking approval to resume crude extraction from the part of its Primrose East oilsands property where a bitumen-water mixture was found oozing to the surface last year.

But the Calgary-based company said it’s planning to use a different steaming method that it says would avoid the problems that may have led to the high-profile leaks in eastern Alberta, which are still being investigated by the province’s energy watchdog.

Canadian Natural filed an application to the Alberta Energy Regulator last week asking for permission to inject steam at low pressure in a technique known as steam flooding.

READ MORE: 2 provinces, 2 environmental disasters, 2 very different responses

Previously, Canadian Natural had injected steam at high-pressure using a technology known as cyclic steam stimulation, the safety of which has been questioned by environmental groups. With that method – often described as “huff and puff” – a well alternates between injecting steam and drawing the softened bitumen to the surface.

On a conference call with analysts Thursday, Canadian Natural president Steve Laut says it’s “not possible” for steam flooding to create the same conditions that led to the Primrose East leaks.

Cyclic steam would enable production to ramp up more quickly, but rates over the long term are expected to be the same if steam flooding is used instead, said Laut.

“I wouldn’t see much of a drop in overall yearly average production from a steam flood at this stage versus a cyclic program at this stage,” he said.

The AER has said it won’t allow steaming to resume until it’s convinced all the risks have been addressed.

Last month, the energy watchdog said it had a better idea of what went wrong at Primrose. It said the main issues centre around Canadian Natural’s steaming strategy and on old wellbores around the site that have provided paths for fluids to flow to the surface.

Once a final report has been completed, Canadian Natural said it will apply to use cyclic steam on other parts of the Primrose East property. The section of Primrose East where the leaks took place, and where the company wants to use steam flooding, is a “unique area geologically,” said Laut.

Some 1.2 million litres of the bitumen-water emulsion have been recovered and 20.7 hectares have been affected. The company said on Thursday that clean-up is complete.

READ MORE: Steaming may have caused endless Alberta oil spills, CNRL admits

Thermal oilsands production for this year at Canadian Natural is expected to come in lower than previously anticipated, with the bottom end of the range lowered to 112,000 barrels per day from 120,000.

Some of that is due to the fact that it’s taking longer than expected to start steam flooding at Primrose East. As well, mechanical issues at Canadian Natural’s Kirby South steam plant are causing production to ramp up more slowly than planned.

Earlier Thursday, Canadian Natural said it more than doubled its second-quarter net earnings, helped by increased sales and higher prices.

The Calgary-based oil and natural gas producer reported profits of $1.07 billion, or 97 cents per share, versus $476 million, or 44 cents per share a year ago.

Adjusted profits were $1.04 per share, which beat analyst expectations by six cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters.

Company-wide production for the three months ended June 30 grew 31 per cent to 817,471 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

Realized prices for its crude oil averaged $87.03 per barrel, up nearly 16 per cent from the same period a year earlier.

Product sales rose to almost $6.11 billion from $4.23 billion.

Shares of the company were down more than 2.5 per cent at $44.68 in afternoon trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

A quartet of spills in northern Alberta has been oozing bitumen emulsion for more than a year with no sign of stopping, and the provincial regulator’s latest report finds the oil company’s own extraction method could be partly to blame.

A massive tailings pond breach sends a wall of potentially toxic mine waste flooding through central British Columbia.

Which garners more outrage?

The second one – by a long shot.

Mount Polley mine‘s tailings pond breach in B.C. has sparked a state of emergency as residents’ tap water is deemed unusable and provincial authorities scramble to determine just how toxic the spilled wastewater is, where the sludge went and what’s in the suspended solids.

Mine owner Imperial Metals has seen its share prices tank about 40 per centin the days following the breach.

Canadian Natural Resources Limited, on the other hand, has been barely bruised by the months-long series of spills at its Cold Lake site, even after an Alberta Energy Regulator report concluded the company’s high-pressure steaming is just too much for the rock, causing it to fracture and leak bitumen.

That conclusion’s a big deal, said Dinara Millington, vice-president of research with the Canadian Energy Research Institute: It suggests the operation itself is unsound, and has implications beyond these four spills, or even CNRL’s operations in that area.

“The regulator has been called by the public and Pembina Institute and other environmental institutes to  undertake a study where they would be looking at [cyclical steam stimulation] in general, and whether it’s even appropriate in a place where CNRL is,” she said.

“It will set a huge precedent for anyone who wants to get into that area.”

But shareholders don’t seem concerned: CNRL’s share price sits at about $44 now, compared to $31 a year ago.

And the public outcry in the days following B.C.’s tailings spill so far exceeds any outrage connected to Alberta’s ongoing bitumen spills.

Calgary billionaire Murray Edwards is Imperial’s controlling shareholder, as well as CNRL’s chairman and founder.

Why the divergent responses?

From a shareholder perspective, it could be a simple evaluation of risk, Millington said.

“CNRL, as a company, has large reserves, large assets large capital invested into various projects …  they could, for example, if the regulator says to walk away from the [Cold Lake] project, they have options.”

The sharply different reaction for Imperial Metals, she said, “Is directly related back to the concept of social licence: whether the company has that social licence, whether they’ve been able to obtain it and retain it. … You need to continue with what you said you were going to do, which is being the environmental steward of the land that you’re occupying. “

And the intimation from both the B.C. government and former employees that there were problems with the tailings site that should have been addressed earlier likely doesn’t inspire confidence, she said.

The tailings breach also has a more immediate and more visible human impact than the months of bitumen seeping from what is, effectively, a weapons range that’s a fair distance from even more remote First Nations communities.

But that just makes its effects more insidious, she said.

“We don’t know what the long-lasting impact can be – the emulsion can be seeping into the underground water resources or reaching small lakes and rivers and streams.”

TORONTO — A feature film starring Leonardo DiCaprio will be shot in and around Vancouver and Calgary beginning next month.

The Revenant, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu (Babel), also stars Tom Hardy (The Dark Knight Rises), Will Poulter (We’re The Millers) and Domhnall Gleeson (Dredd).

The film, based upon Michael Punke’s novel The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge, stars DiCaprio as 19th century fur trapper Hugh Glass, who seeks revenge on the men who left him for dead after a Grizzly bear attack.

Cameras are scheduled to roll September through March.

In Calgary, an open casting for extras is being held Aug. 9 at the Marlborough Mall. Boys between 10 and 18 years old with long hair and adult males with facial hair are being sought, as well as adult Native people with long hair.

Casting agents are also looking for people with amputations, scars and other unusual characteristics.

EDMONTON – Alberta opposition parties are calling on the minister of finance to step down and requesting for a public inquiry into the entire government’s travel spending.

The requests came the same day Alberta’s Auditor General, Merwan Saher, publicly released a report on government travel and other expenses which concluded that Alison Redford and her office used public resources inappropriately while she was premier.

Read More: Redford’s misuse of travel spending caused by ‘aura of power': auditor general

The Wildrose has demanded Minister of Finance and president of Treasury Board Doug Horner resign, citing it was Horner’s responsibility to protect taxpayer’s dollars.

The auditor general report identified that it’s the responsibility of the Department of Treasury Board and Finance to approve flight requests from the premier’s office.

Wildrose MLA Kerry Towle says the Progressive Conservatives have tried to put all of the blame on Redford, but there are plenty of examples in the report that show planes were used inappropriately used by other MLAs.

The report provided details of Redford using government aircraft for trips that allegedly only involved partisan business, and incidents when she travelled on government aircraft with her and her daughter’s friends.

The report also identified two occassions when Redford’s daughter travelled on the aircraft without her.

Read More: Redford resignation: Premier directs justice minister to call for RCMP investigation into Redford’s flights

Alberta’s NDP is calling for a public inquiry. The party says the report implicates other ministers for inappropriate travel expenses.

The Alberta Liberals are also calling for Horner’s resignation, and would like to see the auditor general inspect other ministers’ travel expenses.

Premier Dave Hancock released a statement Thursday morning which read:

“Governments are entrusted to put the interests of the people they serve ahead of their own and to use public resources for public purposes only. That trust has been broken.”

Justice Minister Jonathan Denis said the RCMP will look into the report.

“As Attorney General, I have a duty to uphold the laws of Alberta and ensure everyone is treated fairly and equitably. I have instructed Tim Grant, Deputy Minister, Justice and Solicitor General, to forward the report and its attachments to the RCMP,” explained Denis.

“Any investigation that the RCMP does will be fully independent of my office and, as such, I will have no further comment on the matter.”

The RCMP has confirmed it’s received the referral from the justice minister, but is not sure if it will investigate.

Watch above: Wind and rain is wreaking havoc around the Capital Region, including at the Edmonton International Airport, where dozens of flights have been cancelled or diverted. Fletcher Kent reports.

EDMONTON – Officials with the Edmonton International Airport say they are working to get back on schedule after approximately 48 flights were cancelled or diverted due to high wind conditions Friday.

Shortly before 5:30 p.m., EIA said the high wind weather event was subsiding. However, flight delays may continue as the airport works towards normal operations.

Earlier in the day, Heather Hamilton, a communications officer with EIA, said there were wind gusts of up to 95 km/h Friday.

In addition to the 48 flights that were cancelled or diverted, many flights experienced delays.

Jody Moseley, director of communications for the Calgary Airport Authority said 11 flights were diverted to Calgary. Passengers are being bused from Calgary to Edmonton.

People on other flights scheduled to leave from Edmonton are being transported to Calgary by bus to catch their flights there.

The airport is operating under high wind conditions which continued for most of the day.

READ MORE: Wet, blustery weather across Edmonton and Central Alberta 

The EIA is still operating and the runway is open. Some flights continue to arrive and depart.

“The decision to divert or cancel flights is guided by airline policy, and at the discretion of the pilot in the interest of passenger safety,” said EIA in a statement.

Passengers whose flights have been cancelled should contact their airlines for rebooking.

Flying to/from @FlyEIA today? Please check your flight status at http://t.co/8rVRBIwc58 before coming to the airport. #YEG

— WestJet (@WestJet) July 25, 2014

Travellers are asked to check the EIA’s website for flight information before leaving for the airport.

Passengers scheduled – or rebooked – for flights Friday night and Saturday are being asked to arrive at least two hours before their scheduled flights.

A historical piece of Calgary architecture has been denied historic designation.

In April, the CREBNow real estate news reported Alberta’s Culture Minister Heather Klimchuk was intending to make an order that the Barron Building on Eighth Avenue SW be designated a Provincial Historic Resource.

“The reasons for the designation are as follows: The Barron Building has heritage significance as an excellent example of early high rise architecture in Alberta and for its incorporation of both Moderne and early International styles,” stated the Alberta Gazette, a Government of Alberta newspaper.… Read More

Barron Building denied historical designation is a post from: CREBNow

High River remains resilient as recovery ramps up

One year after floods ripped through High River, the town is ready to turn the page.

On June 20, High River Mayor Craig Snodgrass joined deputy Premier Dave Hancock, fellow
dignitaries and hundreds of residents to commemorate the resilience shown by those living in and
around the area during the June 2013 floods, as well as the recovery now well underway.… Read More

Blue skies ahead is a post from: CREBNow