Alberta
Murdered Edmonton Police Officers are 35 year old Const. Travis Jordan and 30 year old Const. Brett Ryan
Police investigate the scene where two officers were shot and killed on duty in Edmonton on Thursday, March 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
News release from the Edmonton Police Service
Two EPS officers killed in Line of Duty; one male suspect deceased
The Edmonton Police Service is mourning the deaths of two of its members, who were shot and killed while on duty earlier this morning in a west Edmonton apartment complex.
At approximately 12:47 a.m. today, Thursday, March 16, 2023, EPS West Branch patrol members responded to a family dispute call in an apartment complex near 114 Avenue and 132 Street.
Upon arrival, the two patrol members went inside the building, approached the suite, and were shot by a young male suspect. At this time, all indications are that they did not have a chance to discharge their service weapons. The two members were rushed to hospital, where they were both declared deceased.
“This is an extremely tragic day for the Edmonton Police Service and our city,” stated EPS Chief Dale McFee. “I’m deeply saddened to announce the Line of Duty deaths of two of our members that occurred earlier this morning. These officers gave their lives while trying to protect our community. They will never be forgotten.”
“On behalf of the entire EPS family, our deepest condolences go out to their families, during this heart-breaking time.”
The deceased EPS members are West Branch patrol officers, Const. Brett Ryan, 30, with 5.5 years of service and Const. Travis Jordan, 35, with 8.5 years of service.
The young male suspect died from a self-inflicted gun-shot wound. A female complainant from the suite was also taken to hospital with serious injuries, where she remains in stable condition.
The Edmonton Police Service’s Employee and Family Assistance Section have since been called out to assist the families of the deceased officers and other members of the police service.
Funeral and procession details will be confirmed and shared with the community in the coming days.
Alberta
Diploma Exams Affected: No school Monday as ATA rejects offer of enhanced mediation

Premier Danielle Smith, Minister of Finance Nate Horner, and Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides issued the following statement.
“Yesterday, the Provincial Bargaining and Compensation Office wrote to the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) and formally requested an agreement to enter an enhanced mediation process.
“This process would have ensured that students returned to the classrooms on Monday, and that teachers returned to work.
“Negotiating would have continued with the ATA, Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA) and a third-party mediator to propose a recommended agreement.
“We are very disappointed that the Alberta Teachers’ Association refused this offer. Teachers and students should also be disappointed.
“PBCO made this offer to the ATA because the union has not made a reasonable offer and this strike is impacting students. Alberta’s government is trying to put kids first and bring an end to this strike.
“The offer of enhanced mediation provided a clear path to ending it.
“We want the same things as the ATA: More teachers. More pay for teachers. More educational assistants. And more classrooms.
“This strike has gone on too long and we are extremely concerned about the impact it is having on students.
“We are willing to consider further options to ensure that our next generation gets the world-class education they deserve. After about three weeks, a strike of this nature would reach the threshold of causing irreparable harm to our students’ education.
“The ATA needs to do what is right for its members, and for all Alberta students.
“If it refuses to do so, we will consider further options to bring this strike to an end.”
Diploma exam update
November diploma exams will be optional for students.
With instructional time in schools disrupted due to the teacher strike, the November 2025 diploma exams will now be optional for students. Students who wish to write a diploma exam may request to do so, and their school boards will accommodate the request.
The optional diploma exams apply to all schools provincewide. These exams will still take place on the currently scheduled dates.
Students who choose not to write the November diploma exams can still complete their courses and graduate on time. Their final grade will be based entirely on the school-awarded mark provided by their teacher.
Choosing not to write the November diploma exams will not affect a student’s ability to apply to, be accepted by, or attend post-secondary institutions after graduation.
No changes have been made to the January and June diplomas and provincial achievement tests.
Quick facts
- Students are automatically exempted from writing the November diploma exams but can request to write them.
- School boards must allow the student to write the diploma exam if requested.
Alberta
Alberta taxpayers should know how much their municipal governments spend

From the Fraser Institute
By Tegan Hill and Austin Thompson
Next week, voters across Alberta will go to the polls to elect their local governments. Of course, while the issues vary depending on the city, town or district, all municipal governments spend taxpayer money.
And according to a recent study, Grande Prairie County and Red Deer County were among Alberta’s highest-spending municipalities (on a per-person basis) in 2023 (the latest year of comparable data). Kara Westerlund, president of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta, said that’s no surprise—arguing that it’s expensive to serve a small number of residents spread over large areas.
That challenge is real. In rural areas, fewer people share the cost of roads, parks and emergency services. But high spending isn’t inevitable. Some rural municipalities managed to spend far less, demonstrating that local choices about what services to provide, and how to deliver them, matter.
Consider the contrast in spending levels among rural counties. In 2023, Grande Prairie County and Red Deer County spent $5,413 and $4,619 per person, respectively. Foothills County, by comparison, spent just $2,570 per person. All three counties have relatively low population densities (fewer than seven residents per square kilometre) yet their per-person spending varies widely. (In case you’re wondering, Calgary spent $3,144 and Edmonton spent $3,241.)
Some of that variation reflects differences in the cost of similar services. For example, all three counties provide fire protection but in 2023 this service cost $56.95 per person in Grande Prairie County, $38.51 in Red Deer County and $10.32 in Foothills County. Other spending differences reflect not just how much is spent, but whether a service is offered at all. For instance, in 2023 Grande Prairie County recorded $46,283 in daycare spending, while Red Deer County and Foothills County had none.
Put simply, population density alone simply doesn’t explain why some municipalities spend more than others. Much depends on the choices municipal governments make and how efficiently they deliver services.
Westerlund also dismissed comparisons showing that some counties spend more per person than nearby towns and cities, calling them “apples to oranges.” It’s true that rural municipalities and cities differ—but that doesn’t make comparisons meaningless. After all, whether apples are a good deal depends on the price of other fruit, and a savvy shopper might switch to oranges if they offer better value. In the same way, comparing municipal spending—across all types of communities—helps Albertans judge whether they get good value for their tax dollars.
Every municipality offers a different mix of services and those choices come with different price tags. Consider three nearby municipalities: in 2023, Rockyview County spent $3,419 per person, Calgary spent $3,144 and Airdrie spent $2,187. These differences reflect real trade-offs in the scope, quality and cost of local services. Albertans should decide for themselves which mix of local services best suits their needs—but they can’t do that without clear data on what those services actually cost.
A big municipal tax bill isn’t an inevitable consequence of rural living. How much gets spent in each Alberta municipality depends greatly on the choices made by the mayors, reeves and councillors Albertans will elect next week. And for Albertans to determine whether or not they get good value for their local tax dollars, they must know how much their municipality is spending.
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