Sprawlcast

A summer mini-episode! The shared experience of live music gives a sense of togetherness. But as venues and artists struggle through a tough stretch, is there an opportunity to rebuild the performing arts sector for the better? Featuring Jaxon McGinn, Miranda Martini, Maud Salvi, Kerry Clarke and more.

Our absent-minded city hall reporter gets locked outside a big LRT announcement in Calgary—and then lands an interview with the Prime Minister. Also in this episode: Jeremy Appel's exit interview with Calgary Councillor Shane Keating, who considers himself the "father of the Green Line." Become a Sprawl member today and support our independent newsroom! Sign up at sprawlalberta.com

Mekwun Moses and Cheryl Baptiste live in different cities, and they’ve never met in person. But that didn’t stop the two women, both in their early 20s, from organizing a vigil to mourn the 215 victims of the Kamloops Indian Residential School. Sprawl deputy editor Hamdi Issawi speaks with Moses and Baptiste about their relatively recent foray into activism. This episode contains content about res...

In the run-up to Calgary's 2017 election, the Green Line became an election issue when mayoral candidate and former PC president Bill Smith proposed halting the project. Now the UCP has put construction procurement on pause. With the project mired in endless delay and politicking, it all feels very familiar.

Since she was first elected in 2001, Calgary Councillor Druh Farrell has pursued an unabashedly progressive vision for the city's future, fighting for projects such as affordable housing, the Green Line and the Peace Bridge—often in the face of intense opposition. Jeremy Appel, The Sprawl's municipal politics reporter, sits down with Farrell for a wide-ranging interview about the highs and lows of...

Miranda Martini speaks with Alberta musician Corb Lund about why he chose to speak up about coal mining in the Eastern Slopes—and what's next in that struggle.

Jeremy sits down with Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley to discuss the province's changing political landscape, universal basic income, the case for a PST—and more.

In the fall of 1990, drivers hit three pedestrians on Elbow Drive in the span of a week—including a seven-year-old boy. It ignited a decades-old debate about speed limits and led city hall to create a long and contentious playground zone. We tracked down the boy's parents, and a former community organizer, to learn what happened. Support independent Alberta journalism! Sign up as a Sprawl member a...

Outrage sells. But what do we miss when we only focus on the latest outrage? Jeremy speaks with Calgary journalist Christina Frangou, Sprawl assistant editor Ximena González and comics artist Sam Hester about the stories we need right now. Plus: Sprawl municipal affairs reporter Jeremy Appel explains how the Alberta government has welcomed "dark money" into civic elections.

As COVID-19 cases surge in Alberta, Kenney doubles down on "personal responsibility"—ignoring doctors and echoing the rhetoric of Republican governors in the U.S. Call 587-885-3139 to share why you support The Sprawl. If you're not a member yet, join at sprawlcalgary.com!

Calgary has an oversupply of housing and a budget crunch. But developers are lobbying hard to build another batch of costly communities on the city's outskirts. Become a Sprawl member today! sprawlcalgary.com

Why has Alberta's premier been so quiet on racism? We hear from the Black and Indigenous Alliance, among others. Featuring an interview with Heather Campbell, co-chair of the Alberta Anti-Racism Advisory Council. Help the Sprawl hire another journalist by signing up as a Sprawler—and we'll send you our new zine! Sign up at sprawlcalgary.com.

After a year and a half of UCP rule, some Albertans are choosing to leave the province and build their lives elsewhere. Hadeel Abdel-Nabi sits down with Dr. Tehseen Ladha, an Edmonton pediatrician, to find out why she's eying the exits. Hadeel also shares why her friend, Adeel Khan, is leaving. Become a Sprawl member today to support independent Alberta journalism! Sign up at sprawlcalgary.com.

The Sprawl relies on readers and listeners to crowdfund its independent Alberta journalism. Become a Sprawl member today by pitching in just a few dollars a month!

The Sprawl relies on readers and listeners to crowdfund its independent Alberta journalism. Become a Sprawl member today by pitching in just a few dollars a month!

Whose voice matters at Calgary city hall—and whose doesn't? Amid calls for anti-racist action in every segment of society, including urbanism, we take a deeper look at who the Green Line is for.

"The grief that I've experienced in the last week is very familiar." Cheryl Foggo has been writing about racism and Black life in Alberta for more than 30 years—as an author, playwright and filmmaker. Jeremy and Cheryl discuss the history of Black people in Western Canada, and Foggo's upcoming myth-busting documentary on John Ware. Features music by Miranda Martini.

On June 1, the Green Line goes is going before a Calgary city council committee—yet again—amid public debate over whether the LRT project should go ahead or not. We look at what's at stake and the politics behind it.

In Alberta, as elsewhere, people of colour are bearing the brunt of COVID-19. "Why isn't there a voice among community members, among Canadians, defending these workers?" asks Marichu Antonio, executive director of Action Dignity.

Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro has doubled down on his fight with the province's doctors—and misused his power to threaten and intimidate his critics. We look at the fallout.

In 2009, city council approved Plan It—a long-range blueprint to shift growth into established neighbourhoods and introduce more transportation choice. But a decade later, we're falling short on key targets—and moving backwards on transit.

In July 2018, a month after passing a new climate plan, Calgary city council approved 14 new communities on the city's outskirts. But the housing market has slowed, and now city hall is bracing for a shortfall of $57-million—and counting—as developer levies fail to keep up with infrastructure costs.

Adora Nwofor and Shifrah Gadamsetti are organizing the fourth annual Calgary Womxn's March on Saturday, January 18. This year they're rolling out something new: an afternoon of post-march civic conversations at the Central Library. Jeremy speaks with Adora and Shifrah about what's in store—and why it's needed now.

Fariza Thraya and her husband bought Stanley Jones Grocery in 1987. It was a tough business then; it's even harder now. Today a new couple runs the century-old Renfrew store, and Fariza's grandson hopes to make it a busy neighbourhood hub once again.

Before Premier Jason Kenney handed Steve Allan a plum $290,000 gig, Allan pushed for a new Flames arena—while also calling for a halt to the Green Line. We continue our investigation into how city council prioritized an NHL arena over the biggest transit project in the city's history.