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
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.