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Regional Roundup
Aug. 19, 2026

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Events commemorate 150th anniversary of Treaty 6

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A powwow, a treaty signing reenactment, and community gatherings continue this week to mark 150 years since First Nations and the Crown first entered into Treaty 6 on Aug. 23, 1876. Organizers are framing the anniversary as both a historic milestone and a reminder that Treaty 6 remains a living agreement shaping relationships around land, education, healthcare, governance, and reconciliation. Fort Edmonton Park will host a reenactment of the treaty signing on Aug. 19 at the Indigenous Peoples Experience. The event will include exhibits, programming, powwow performances, a pop-up market, and interpretation connected to the history and continuing significance of Treaty 6. On Aug. 20, Enoch Cree Nation will host a commemorative powwow. The free outdoor event will include dancer registration starts at noon with a Grand Entry and continues into the evening.

Additional events include Papaschase Band Treaty Days and Beaver Hills Market at the Bison Lodge in Edmonton from Aug. 20 to 23, with food, vendors, drumming, and teepee teachings. Edmonton's High Level Bridge will also be lit green, blue, and yellow on Aug. 23 to honour Treaty 6 Recognition Day. The Confederacy of Treaty No. 6 First Nations hosted free cultural teachings, including moccasin making, drumming and singing, moose-hide stretching, traditional games, and more. There will also be commemorations in Saskatchewan at Fort Carlton and Fort Pitt, two locations where the treaty was originally signed.

Joey Pete, the grand chief of the Confederacy of Treaty No. 6 First Nations, called for more respect after Rajan Sawhney, the provincial minister of Indigenous relations, did not attend a commemorative event at Edmonton's city hall on Aug. 17. "If we want true reconciliation, it's time that they need to come and sit at the table with us and understand treaty and respect us and stop pushing us aside," Pete told reporters. "Where's our minister of Indigenous (relations)? She's not even here — 150 years — is that reconciliation? To me, it's not." Pete is among the chiefs who have challenged separatists. "Alberta sovereignty is illusion," he said in January. "Without treaty, Alberta, as we know it, wouldn't even exist."

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Municipalities

  • St. Albert RCMP, EMS, and firefighters conducted joint training at a school to practise coordinated responses to large-scale emergencies. The training focused on common language and deployment schemes to reduce the "logistical bottleneck" that can occur when multiple agencies respond to the same incident.
  • Strathcona County council heard from a resident urging a new approach to vehicle noise enforcement near a Lakeland Ridge traffic circle, where recorded decibel levels exceed the county's residential target. RCMP noted Project TENSOR East issued about 1,235 violation notices in 2025, though a councillor said the program is not suited to residential roundabouts.
  • The Town of Stony Plain is wrapping up its summer community engagement for its municipal development plan update, having gathered more than 1,500 comments. Early themes show residents value the town's small-town character, pathways, local businesses, and recreation amenities.
  • The City of Spruce Grove won the Triple Crown Award from the Government Finance Officers Association, earning recognition for the city's annual report, financial reporting, and budget presentation. The City of St. Albert received the distinguished budget presentation award from the association for its 2026 budget.
  • The City of Beaumont is recruiting residents to fill 14 openings across seven council advisory boards and committees, with applications open until Sept. 11.
  • A nurse practitioner has joined Beaumont Family Medical Associates with support from the city's primary care grant, expecting to serve 1,100 patients over the next two years.
  • Beaumont launched a micro-grant program offering up to $1,000 per project to help residents, youth, and community organizations fund neighbourhood gatherings, cultural activities, and volunteer initiatives.

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Happenings

Here are some events coming up soon:

And here are more to keep in mind:

Visit the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.

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