EDMONTON — A petition to build the Nathan Fillion Civilian Pavilion in Edmonton has the support of some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

Margot Robbie and John Cena, as part of the release of The Suicide Squad on Aug. 6, backed the petition honouring Edmonton-born Fillion, who plays T.D.K.

“I 100 per cent support this,” Margot Robbie said on a Warner Bros video. “I really, really hope you succeed in this mission, Edmonton.”

“I’m intrigued, I’m excited and I’m eager to watch how this story plays out,” John Cena added.

The petition, created by Sonic’s Lauren Hunter, is close to its 15,000-signature goal.

EDMONTON — Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 remained relatively stable in Alberta Tuesday evening as the province recorded more than 700 new cases over the past four days.

Tuesday’s update included data from Friday to yesterday’s holiday Monday.

Alberta recorded 743 new cases over that stretch but the number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals and intensive care units changed only slightly over that time.

There are 90  COVID-19 patients in Alberta hospitals, a decrease of one since Friday. Twenty-three patients are receiving care in intensive care units, four more than four days ago. 

The province’s death toll remains at 2,328 after no new deaths were reported over the long weekend. The last death was recorded on July 29.

The seven-day average for the province’s test positivity rate rose to 3.13 per cent, about where it was mid-June. On July 29, the province limited testing to symptomatic individuals only. Testing will be limited to primary care and high-risk settings at the end of the month.

Among eligible Albertans, 76 per cent have received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 65.8 per cent have gotten a second shot.

EDMONTON — A third-party report into Alberta’s response during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic will be released later this week, according to Health Minister Tyler Shandro.

“Given the interest in the report, the full report will be posted earlier than planned in the interest of full transparency,” Shandro tweeted. 

The minister was responding to speculation that the report would not be released. 

The province initially said the document would be published in late 2020 but later updated that timeline to early 2021. 

Accounting firm KPMG was awarded a $475,000 contract to complete the report in July 2020.

Opposition New Democrats welcomed the report’s impending release but are now also calling for a public inquiry into the government’s handling of the pandemic. 

“It is clear that Albertans can no longer trust their own government to keep them safe,” said the NDP deputy leader, Sarah Hoffman. 

At the time it was announced, the province said the investigation will help determine if Alberta is adequately equipped to deal with a second wave of coronavirus, should one occur in Canada.

“A strong, coordinated response can help save lives, prevent wide-scale spread of disease and help jobs and the economy bounce back more quickly,” the province said in a release.

The review is expected to look at:

• Health system response
• Economic response
• Governance and decision-making
• Procurement
• Engagement with other governments and stakeholders
• Communications

The government says the review will be similar in nature to the ones performed in response to the 2016 Horse River fire in Fort McMurray, the 2013 floods in southern Alberta and the 2011 Slave Lake fire.

With files from CTV News Calgary’s Michael Franklin

EDMONTON — A fatal multi-vehicle collision has closed a portion of the Parkland Highway near Beach Corner, Alta., northwest of Stony Plain.

RCMP say rescue crews are responding to a collision on Highway 16A near Range Road 20.

“No further details are being released at this time,” RCMP said in a statement.

According to 511 Alberta, both lanes of traffic in the area are closed. The province’s road authority said drivers should expect traffic delays when travelling in the area. Traffic is being rerouted around Range Road 15.

The collision caused a power outage for approximately 118 people in the area, Fortis Alberta said.

Beach Corner is approximately 43 kilometres west of Edmonton.

CALGARY — RCMP are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred during a break and enter in Red Deer County on Monday afternoon.

Mounties said they responded to a reported residential break and enter in progress off of C & E Trail after 3:10 p.m.

Officers arrived to find that the homeowner sustained injuries while another male in the residence had a gunshot wound. The male with a gunshot wound was pronounced dead on scene.

The homeowner was transported to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

“There is no ongoing danger to the public,” Mounties said in a statement. “RCMP will not be releasing further details at this time.”

In Penhold, Alta, residents told CTV News there was a large police presence close to their community. Witnesses reported nearly a dozen vehicles, as well as several ambulances, at a private home in Red Deer County, near C&E Trail, also known as Range Road 283A.

Penhold is located approximately 130 kilometres north of Calgary and 16 kilometres south of Red Deer.

This is a developing story and we will have more details when they become available…