The Pulse
July 21, 2026

Essentials

24°C: Mainly cloudy with 30% chance of showers and risk of a thunderstorm. Clearing late in the afternoon. Widespread smoke. High 24. Humidex 28. UV index 6 or high. (forecast)
5-6: The Edmonton Riverhawks lost to the Kamloops NorthPaws on July 20. (details)
7:05pm: The Riverhawks play the NorthPaws at Re/Max Field. (details)
7:30pm: The Edmonton Stingers play the Saskatoon Mamba at Merlis Belsher Place. (details)

Tech marketer makes a splash in beverage industry

July 21, 2026
By Colin Gallant

The founder of Zyra Premium Vodka has used his tech-marketing playbook to build his beverage brand into a spirit of choice for elite Edmonton venues ahead of a public launch on July 25.

"Usually when you launch a software product, you kind of go into alpha, beta, and (other phases), and then you go to what we call general availability, so I took that same domain expertise to the vodka brand," said Zyra founder Courtney Remekie, who also works in digital marketing for Adobe.

Remekie told Taproot he tested his products' viability with events last summer, starting with a charitable golf tournament in support of CASA Mental Health. He targeted this event because golf and drinking go together like vodka and caviar.

"Microeconomics tell you that drinking is down (overall), but drinking is up amongst the people who drink," he said.

After the CASA event, Remekie landed deals with the OEG-owned Fan Park and the Explore Edmonton-operated Edmonton Convention Centre. How did a new entrant to the spirits market reel in such big fish?

"The biggest thing is if you can find the decision-maker," he said. Then, it's about making a case for brand compatibility, quality compared to national brands, and leveraging one-off collaborations — such as Igloofest at Fan Park — to build a lasting relationship.

One such relationship was forged through a collaboration with the Cariwest Caribbean Arts Festival, where the brand will be served again in August. That helped open the door to retail sales at liquor stores, thanks to an intro to decision-makers at North Central Co-op Wine Spirits Beer, which now carries Zyra. As of early July, Zyra is available at 61 liquor stores in the province, including more than 20 Great Canadian Liquor locations, out of a total more than 1,600 liquor stores in Alberta.

"That's how to become Alberta's No. 1 new vodka brand," Remekie said, based on a rating received from Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis. "I'm not saying that's much … One good thing about Alberta is that we have so many liquor stores, but the bad thing about Alberta (is also) that we have so many liquor stores."

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Headlines: July 21, 2026

July 21, 2026
By Mariam Ibrahim

The City of Edmonton activated its extreme weather response due to poor air quality, with the Air Quality Health Index reaching 10 or higher. The response, expected to last until July 22, could be extended if conditions persist; city facilities were open for vulnerable residents to seek relief from the conditions. The City also said an extreme heat response was expected to be activated on July 22.
The City of Edmonton and EPCOR are temporarily closing the west sidewalk and northwest approach of the High Level Bridge beginning July 20 at noon to complete necessary repairs for slope stability following heavy rainfall. Expected to take three days, the work involves drainage infrastructure repair to stabilize the slope, affecting pedestrians and cyclists on this busy route. To fully cross the bridge, pedestrians must use the southeast staircase and then cross to the west sidewalk. The City will provide updates on the closure as works progresses.
Downtown Edmonton is losing two more established restaurants, with arcade bar Greta set to close on July 26 and Bündok announcing its closure after nine years, adding to a series of recent restaurant departures from the core. Business owners cited prolonged construction, reduced downtown office traffic and rising operating costs as key challenges, renewing calls for improved access and measures to revitalize the city's downtown economy.
A federal court directed Correctional Service Canada to record temperatures and seek authorization to install air conditioning at the secure unit of the Edmonton Institution for Women. Inmate complaints of extreme heat go back about two decades; temperatures caused "panic attacks, psychological distress, and sleep deprivation," the court found.
An unexpected electrical issue at Saputo's Edmonton facility disrupted milk production, causing bare shelves and purchase limits at some stores in the province. Small businesses said they were entirely cut off from new deliveries; Saputo expected service to return to normal by the end of the week.
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra told an Edmonton conference that Alberta and Saskatchewan make the "most compelling" case for supplying United States oil needs. The U.S. must find three to four million more barrels per day over the next decade, Hoekstra said. He expects a Canada-U.S. trade deal to eventually be reached and suggested the two countries could partner on critical minerals.
Elections Alberta opened applications to vote by mail in the Oct. 19 referendum, with the deadline to apply set for Oct. 9. The special ballot is available to all eligible Alberta electors, including students studying away from home.