EDMONTON — The Heritage Festival returned for the first time since 2019 to complete the August long weekend in Edmonton.

The three-day outdoor event celebrates cultures from across the globe who call the city home.

“This is one of the most important events in Canada,” said Jim Gibbon, executive director for the festival.

“So many cultures come together and we do it in peace and in harmony.”

Gibbon said the festival hit its targeted attendance: half of a normal year’s turnout.

Tony Surtida from the Philippines pavilion told CTV News Edmonton that the smaller crowds didn’t put a damper on the event.

“It’s always a good thing when you run out of food,” Surtida said. “It means people are buying your stuff.”

“It’s a real privilege to be able to show that we are from a different country and we share their heritage and culture,” said Polish dancer Francis Bobiarski.

“We bring it into Canada and help make it more unique – more diverse and really add to what makes Canada so great.”

Premier Jason Kenney was in attendance on holiday Monday. He enjoyed some dishes prepared by countries represented at the festival and cultural performances.

“Canada is unique. Alberta is unique with our model of pluralism. That’s what Heritage Fest is all about,” he said.

“Alberta is open for summer. We are coming back together as a community.”

EDMONTON — Mounties say a female tree planter has been mauled to death by a bear in northern Alberta. 

RCMP told CTV News they received a call just after 3 p.m. on July 31 regarding an attack in a rural area northwest of Swan Hills.

The 26-year-old woman was planting trees in the remote spot when she was attacked by what witnesses described to police as a black bear.

Mounties say a co-worker scared the bear off before calling for help.

The woman was taken by helicopter from the site to the Swan Hills airport but was pronounced dead soon after landing, according to police. 

Investigators with Alberta Fish and Wildlife are also looking into the incident.

A statement by Alberta’s Justice and Solicitor General office says fish and wildlife officers have set up a trail camera and traps in the area, and that they took samples from the victim’s clothing for analysis to create a DNA profile of the bear.

Three black bears near the site of the attack have been located by officers who are awaiting DNA results to confirm if one of them is responsible.

According to Cpl. Troy Savinkoff, RCMP spokesperson, the woman was from Peers, Alta., but the family does not want her name released.

With files from The Canadian Press

EDMONTON — An Edmonton Police constable has been reunited with an infant she rescued after finding her abandoned in April. 

Edmonton Police Association president Sgt. Michael Elliott tweeted an image of Edmonton Police Const. Sherwood visiting the baby girl who now lives with a foster family. 

According to his tweet, Const. Sherwood found the baby when the girl was between 12 and 24 days old and abandoned in a laundry room. 

EDMONTON — A toddler in Fort Saskatchewan received a lot of well wishes to celebrate his third birthday on Sunday.

Lucas James was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a form of cancer, in May. He is currently undergoing treatment and has a long road of recovery ahead.

To celebrate his birthday, his mother, Amanda James, wanted to organize a small parade for Lucas.

Dozens turned out to wish Lucas happy birthday, including a local biker group, first responders and his favourite video game characters, Mario and Luigi.

“This is amazing … more than I could have ever expected,” said James. “I expected a few cars, this is… thank you so much.”

Debbie Breen said James approached her group at the Six Pack Saloon to be part of the event. Breen was also surprised by the turnout.

“We were like, ‘Whoa,’ but you know, anything for kids,” said Breen.

A GoFundMe was set up for the family, as both parents are unable to work as Lucas is undergoing treatment.

EDMONTON — A shopping centre in Edmonton has changed its exterior signage and online branding to remove ‘Oliver’ from its name.

Previously known as Oliver Square, the central Edmonton shopping centre will now be called Unity Square.

Frank Oliver, a Canadian politician and journalist brought the first printing press to Edmonton. He served as minister of the interior and superintendent general of Indian affairs where he pursued policies that harmed Indigenous communities, including restricting land ownership.

An Edmonton neighbourhood, park, school, and pool also feature Oliver’s name. Community members have been pushing for name changes to remove associations to the historical figure.

The property manager for the shopping centre confirmed the name change and said further details would be announced after the long weekend.

CTV News Edmonton received a flyer that BentallGreenOak, the company managing the property, plans to mail out to members of the community to inform them of the name change.

“Change is all around us, including our name,” the flyer read.

According to the flyer, unity was chosen because it is featured in the word community and that it has associations with the words ‘hub’ and ‘centre’ – places where people cross paths.

“Welcome to Unity Square, where the awesome power of community connects.”