Families of slain EPS officers to receive $100K from provincial heroes' fund
The families of two Edmonton Police Service officers killed in the line of duty this week will receive $100,000 from Alberta's provincial fund for first responders, the premier says.
Premier Danielle Smith made the announcement during her Corus radio program Saturday, saying the grieving families of constables Brett Ryan and Travis Jordan will receive funds from the Alberta Heroes' Fund.
"Const. Brett Ryan and Const. Travis Jordan are both young men with young families, and so one of the things that we have to support families is our Heroes’ Fund," Smith said on Your Province, Your Premier.
"So the families will get $100,000 each to be able to help with the costs associated with having to deal with this horrible tragedy," she added.
Along with the payment, the families will be further supported by donations from a GoFundMe page that the Edmonton Police Foundation established. As of Saturday afternoon, the fundraiser has reached nearly $240,000.
The Heroes' Fund was established in 2020 and provides one-time, tax-free gifts to grieving families of police officers, paramedics, firefighters, sheriffs and provincial correction officers killed during active duty.
Each year, the province commits $1.5 million to the fund.
"It’s very rare when we lose an officer. It was a really rough week for everybody," Smith said. "It was a really rough week for everybody as we watched this tragedy unfold."
During the show, the premier stated a regimental funeral would take place in the coming weeks. Hours afterwards, she retracted that information in a statement posted to social media.
"This morning I shared information on the regimental funerals for Constables Brett Ryan and Travis Jordan," the statement read. "The details of the funerals are not fully confirmed and finalized at the moment.
"I would ask that the public wait for the [Edmonton Police Service] to provide the date and full details," the premier added.
In a statement to CTV News Edmonton, police said the funeral arrangements are still being finalized.
"This is premature," said Scott Pattison, EPS spokesperson. "We will let media and the public know once [funeral] plans for Constables Ryan and Jordan have been finalized."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Risk of a hard landing for Canadian economy is up, former Bank of Canada governor says
Former Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz says Canada’s economy is at a greater risk of a 'hard landing' — a rapid economic slowdown following a period of growth and approaching a recession.

'Horrible, horrible deals': Trump criticizes Biden's visit to Canada
Former U.S. president Donald Trump shared his disdain for Joe Biden's visit to Canada, saying Prime Minister Justin Trudeau treats the U.S. ‘horribly’ on trade issues.
Putin says Russia will station tactical nukes in Belarus
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans on Saturday to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus, a warning to the West as it steps up military support for Ukraine.
'There's nothing left': Deep South tornadoes kill 26
Rescuers raced Saturday to search for survivors and help hundreds of people left homeless after a powerful tornado cut a devastating path through Mississippi, killing at least 25 people, injuring dozens, and flattening entire blocks as it carved a path of destruction for more than an hour. One person was killed in Alabama.
Officials: 2 dead, 5 missing in chocolate factory explosion
An explosion at a chocolate factory in Pennsylvania on Friday killed two people and left five people missing, authorities said. One person was pulled from the rubble overnight.
Trump, facing potential indictment, holds defiant Waco rally
Facing a potential indictment, Donald Trump took a defiant stance at a rally Saturday in Waco, disparaging the prosecutors investigating him and predicting his vindication as he rallied supporters in a city made famous by deadly resistance against law enforcement.
Canadians view own country favourably but many unsure about Canada's system of government: survey
A recent study by the Angus Reid Institute found Canadians view their country more positively than Americans do, but only a slight majority of people in Canada believe their system of government is good.
Declining suicide rates in Europe may be linked to increased preventative initiatives: report
Within the last decade the total suicide rate among European nations have decreased, according to a new report that says increased suicide prevention initiatives may have helped bring down this death rate.
Russia 'largely stalled' in Bakhmut, shifting focus, U.K. says
The top commander of Ukraine's military said Saturday that his forces were pushing back against Russian troops in the long and grinding battle for the town of Bakhmut, and British military intelligence says Russia appears to be moving to a defensive strategy in eastern Ukraine.