Free essential medications now within reach for more Calgarians
A new no-cost medication pilot leads the briefing, plus goats on Nose Hill and a voyeurism arrest.
Calgarians without prescription drug coverage have a new no-cost path to select essential medications. The City of Calgary and GreenShield launched a pilot partnership on July 15 that lets eligible Fair Entry clients be referred to GreenShield's Essential Medicines program, which provides free access to certain essential prescription medications for up to 12 months for people who lack drug coverage. Fair Entry is the City's single access point to multiple subsidy programs, with eligibility based on income, residency and, in some cases, age. Eligible clients can be referred through the existing Fair Entry system rather than a separate application. (City of Calgary Newsroom)
Hundreds of goats are back on Nose Hill Park
Roughly 600 goats are returning to Nose Hill Park this month as the City of Calgary's annual targeted-grazing program gets underway. The herd will graze a broad area for a short period as an environmentally responsible way to control weeds and pests, part of an effort to restore prairie grassland balance and ecosystem health. The program runs in July 2026. (City of Calgary)
City weighs easier path for modular classrooms
The City of Calgary is looking at making it easier to place modular classrooms and reuse vacant school land. As part of the July 15 Infrastructure and Planning Committee agenda, administration proposed changes to the bylaws governing school-related development, a move aimed at removing another layer of red tape for schools without waiting on the school boards or the provincial government. The proposal would ease requirements that currently slow how quickly classroom space can be added or existing school sites repurposed. If approved, the changes would go to a full city council public hearing on Sept. 15. (LiveWire Calgary)
Lobbyist registry plan advances at city hall
Calgary is a step closer to tracking who lobbies city hall. On July 14, council's Executive Committee voted almost unanimously to advance a plan directing administration to report back on the scope and cost of a lobbyist registry that would log lobbyist activity at city hall. The vote does not create a registry yet; it commits staff to studying what such a system would look like and what it would cost to run. (LiveWire Calgary)
New Asian Highlands exhibit opens at the Calgary Zoo
The Calgary Zoo's new Asian Highlands exhibit has opened, bringing snow leopards and Sichuan takins to the grounds along with the return of red pandas. Several of the species featured are new to the zoo, and the exhibit is part of the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo. It gives visitors a fresh set of animals to see this summer, with the mountainous Asian habitat as the theme for the new space. (Global News)
Pet owners flag toxic trees in a dog park
Pet owners in Cambrian Heights are raising alarms about Ohio Buckeye trees the City of Calgary planted in a local dog park, warning that the nuts the trees produce are toxic to animals. Residents in the community say they filed reports about the trees two years ago. The concern centres on dogs coming into contact with the nuts while off-leash, and neighbours say they want the issue addressed given how long it has been outstanding. (Global News)
Landlord charged with five counts of voyeurism
Calgary police have arrested and charged a landlord with five counts of voyeurism after tenants found hidden cameras at rental properties he owns. Tenants reported multiple concealed cameras, including one built into a bathroom surge protector and another in a bedroom smoke detector. Police later executed a search warrant at a property in the southwest community of Springbank Hill, where devices were seized. (Calgary Herald)
Nominate your favourite restaurant before July 24
Nominations are open for Avenue Calgary's 2026 Best Restaurants Readers' Choice Ballot, giving diners a chance to put forward a favourite Calgary restaurant. The deadline to nominate is July 24, 2026, so there is a short window left to weigh in before nominations close. (Avenue Calgary)
Saddledome summer lineup starts July 25
Comedian Nate Bargatze brings his Big Dumb Eyes World Tour to the Scotiabank Saddledome on Saturday, July 25. The Calgary show starts at 7 p.m. (Scotiabank Saddledome)