Taproot Edmonton

Two people in formal wear seated at a dinner table

D-Spice inventors seek to make all diners feel welcome

An Edmonton-based couple who came up with a way to make spicy food less painful to eat without sacrificing the flavour will get a chance to further develop their innovation.

A phone displaying the opening screen of Oops Social

No swiping or texting on Edmonton-made dating app

Annie Poirier was fed up with typical dating apps like Hinge and Tinder.

A screengrab of Coun. Aaron Paquette sitting at a microphone

Large capital projects likely off the table in next budget, councillor says

Don't expect anything too flashy out of the upcoming four-year budget, says a councillor with a couple of budgets under his belt.

Newspaper clippings of pictures of the Exhibition Lands in 1953 and ads celebrating the 75th anniversary

A moment in history: July 10, 1953

On this day in 1953, Edmonton's Exhibition Lands were being prepared for the 75th anniversary of the city's annual summer fair.

The Pulse

Wednesday, July 15

In this edition: D-Spice inventors seek to make all diners feel welcome; 1 dead, 2 missing after collision sparks explosion, fire at Edmonton apartment building; and more headlines and happenings

Roundup

Regional Roundup: July 15, 2026

With news from Meta, Capital Power, ERA, Aksis, Edmonton Region Hydrogen HUB, AIRmarket, Avison Young, Royal Alberta Museum, BILD, and more.

Roundup

Health Innovation Roundup: July 15, 2026

With news from RNARevive, Amii, Somagen Diagnostics, U of A, Future Fields, Antigoni Studios, RWI, Alberta Blue Cross, and more.

Speaking Municipally

Aaron out the budget concerns

We're joined by Ward Dene Coun. Aaron Paquette for a conversation about the upcoming four-year budget. We talk about the state of Edmonton's finances, our city's relationship with neighbours and the province, and what success looks like for the 2027-2030 budget.


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A dozen people pose at a booth, collecting feedback

Your turn: Chinatown housing, Windsor Park rezoning, and more

This week's batch of calls for public engagement includes a questionnaire about housing in Edmonton's Chinatown and a rezoning proposal in Windsor Park.

People cross the street at Calgary Trail and Whyte Avenue

Removal of Whyte Ave scrambles delayed until 2027

Three scramble crossings on Whyte Avenue will remain in place for another summer season so the city can better coordinate with events and construction projects.

Six people gathered around a sign that says InnVest Hotels

Swift Charge seeks rapid but thoughtful growth

An Edmonton-born electric-vehicle charging company is now focusing on maintaining excellence while pursuing measured growth after landing a whale of a client.

A man kneels next to a bookshelf with colourful books

Hingston & Olsen Publishing reaches its epilogue

The numbers don't make sense anymore, but the publisher that sold 20,000 short story collections over 10 years said he doesn't feel despair about the future of physical media.

Sturgeon County residents call for transparency on data centres

Some residents of Sturgeon County say there hasn't been enough public input on Meta's $13-billion AI data centre, to be built at 56111 Range Road 223 in Alberta's Industrial Heartland.

RNARevive earns further acclaim during year of momentum

The Berlin-based Falling Walls Foundation is the latest organization to recognize the work of RNARevive, placing it on its list of the 100 Science Startups to Watch.

Province's $50M for Amii to spur commercialization, adoption

The Alberta government will invest $50 million over five years into the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute.

Lots of local on KDays menu, even before the fair

KDays may not start until July 17, but there are already ways to indulge in carnival-style food at local businesses.


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Taproot members and stories

Regional Roundup: July 15, 2026

With news from Meta, Capital Power, ERA, Aksis, Edmonton Region Hydrogen HUB, AIRmarket, Avison Young, Royal Alberta Museum, BILD, and more.

Health Innovation Roundup: July 15, 2026

With news from RNARevive, Amii, Somagen Diagnostics, U of A, Future Fields, Antigoni Studios, RWI, Alberta Blue Cross, and more.

Food Roundup: July 14, 2026

With news from KDays, Taste of Edmonton, IGA, Zwick's Pretzels, Bistro Praha, Above Average Drinks, New Harvest, 7 Summits Snacks, and more.

Tech Roundup: July 14, 2026

With news from Amii, Meta, Capital Power, Oops Social, Swift Charge, Phase Advanced Sensor Systems, Future Fields, Edmonton Unlimited, and more.

Business Roundup: July 10, 2026

With news from Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations, Meta, KB&Co, Swift Charge, Hingston & Olsen, Westrich Pacific, Somagen Diagnostics, and more.

Events Roundup: July 9, 2026

Featuring an event pick from Taproot community coordinator Debbi Serafinchon and a listing of historical tours that you can add to your calendar.

Arts Roundup: July 9, 2026

With news from Emily Chu and Halie Finney, Prairie Song Folk Club, Whyte Avenue Art Walk, Brian Paisley, Hingston & Olsen, Simon Glassman, and more.


Speaking Municipally

Schrodinger's lodging house

Edmonton city councillors debated changes to the zoning bylaw to regulate lodging houses … if they can figure out what they are. Plus, the city has started cracking down on illegal downtown surface parking lots, and we get excited for the Fringe Festival.

Speaking Municipally

I like big bins

City council delayed a public hearing about Rossdale as it had questions about its duty to consult with Indigenous nations. Plus, the parking requirement at daycares has been reduced, and we discuss how to stop illegal dumping at apartment buildings.

Speaking Municipally

Maybe it is a municipal responsibility

Council approved $925,000 to fund winter day spaces, even as the conversation about jurisdiction continues. Plus, the Southeast Transit Garage will be a little bigger, and we look at what Edmontonians told the Edmonton Police Commission about the next EPS operating budget.

Speaking Municipally

Vroom, vroom, vroom went the trolley

We're joined by Taproot reporter Colin Gallant, who tested out Edmonton Explorer, the new hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour "trolley" from Explore Edmonton. Plus, the city is taking over operations of the Valley Line LRT, and we discuss upcoming changes to parking at attractions.


Taproot wins award for excellence in journalism

Taproot wins award for excellence in journalism

We have wonderful news to share: Taproot has received the Dr. Eric Jackman Award for Excellence in Journalism for our 2025 election project.

Taproot at 10: Celebrating the beginning

Taproot at 10: Celebrating the beginning

Ten years ago this week, we took our first step toward finding out whether Taproot was worth building.

Accessibility and design improvements across Taproot

Accessibility and design improvements across Taproot

Delivering reliable intelligence to our community means thinking about how to serve the entire community. With the help of our readers, we identified accessibility and design as key areas for improvement.