Of the 63 Canadians killed in a plane crash near Tehran, Iran in January 2020, 13 had connections to Edmonton. Continue reading

Breanna Karstens-Smith
Anchor/Reporter
Breanna Karstens-Smith anchors Global News at 11 during the week on Global Edmonton, covering Quinn Ohler’s maternity leave.
She previously anchored Global News Hour at 6 and Global News at 11 on weekends, and reported on various topics during the week.
Born and raised in Edmonton, Breanna was excited to join Edmonton’s #1 news team in June 2019 after spending time working throughout Alberta and British Columbia.
Breanna earned her Broadcasting diploma from Mount Royal University in Calgary. After graduation, she made the move to CHAT Television in Medicine Hat to gain experience.
In 2012, she returned home to work as a reporter in Edmonton. After four years, she made the move to Vancouver where she reported and filled in on the anchor desk.
In May 2016, Breanna was one of the reporters in Fort McMurray when a wildfire quickly spread to the city, forcing everyone to evacuate. She spent the next year travelling back and forth to Fort McMurray to tell stories of the damage and rebuild. As a result, she was part of the team awarded the 2017 Edward R. Murrow Award for Continuing Coverage.
The following year, Breanna was once again on the front lines as British Columbia experienced a record wildfire season. The coverage earned the 2018 Charlie Edwards Award for Breaking News and the 2018 Bert Cannings Award for TV Newscast.
Giving back to the community is extremely important to Breanna, having done work with Kin Canada, the MS Society of Canada and Boys and Girls Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters.
In her spare time, she is busy planning her upcoming wedding, travelling, spending time with her family and running with November Project Canada.

Iran’s ties to the U of A go back decades. The academic community is still trying to heal after losing so many of their best and brightest in a plane crash in Iran one year ago. Continue reading →

Students and professors — newlyweds, parents and sisters: the lives of 13 people with ties to Edmonton were cut short, their promise of a bright future extinguished. Continue reading →

A growing interest in sneaker collecting has helped keep a local business alive during the pandemic. Grand View Research says the industry could be worth $95.14 billion by 2025. Continue reading →

Since the first COVID-19 test on Jan. 20 to the first COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 15, here’s a look back of the novel coronavirus in Alberta. Continue reading →
Four Alberta mayors have penned a letter raising their concerns over a centralization of EMS dispatch in the province. Continue reading →
Three months after losing her young daughter, an Edmonton mother is continuing a tradition of raising money for the Stollery with a lemonade stand. Continue reading →

Fire crews in Parkland County are trying to determine whether a severe storm that rolled through the area Sunday evening is to blame for fire that destroyed a home near Devon. Continue reading →

A convoy will go from Glendon to Bonnyville Wednesday in a call for action on racism after two Metis hunters were killed in late March. Continue reading →

A judge in High Prairie decided Monday that sentencing will be adjourned for an Alberta RCMP officer charged with assault. Continue reading →

An initiative to rename the Oliver neighbourhood is gaining traction after its namesake’s actions were called discriminatory. Continue reading →

As Edmonton city councillors hear calls for police reform, one local business is sharing an alternative it says it has seen success. Continue reading →

Dozens of members of the public were expected to speak during a public hearing that started Monday morning. Continue reading →
After seeing a post on Facebook, a hairstylist in Fort McMurray, Alta., offered a parking lot haircut to a hospital patient undergoing non-COVID-19-related treatment. Continue reading →
Parts of Lac La Biche county were put under mandatory evacuation order Sunday night because of overland flooding. Continue reading →