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Analysis: How changes to vote counting will affect municipalities across the Edmonton region in 2025
On June 23, Alberta ditched electronic counting machines and conducted a manual vote count for three by-elections for the legislature, and did so in a standard amount of time. The next test of the step away from electronic tabulators and towards hand counts in Alberta will be on Oct 20, when 14 municipalities in the Edmonton region will elect mayors and councils. Taproot reached out to municipalities across the region to determine what the change will mean compared to the last election in 2021.
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A moment in history: June 27, 1987
On this day in 1987, Edmonton's future mayor called for more women to enter provincial and federal politics.
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Flood won't be a problem for proposed Rossdale housing, architect says
Gene Dub said he believes his proposed housing development in Rossdale won't be at risk of flooding, even as updated forecasting models suggest two of the three buildings would be in water in the event of a hundred-year flood.
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Calls for public engagement: Entertainment district, wildfire strategy, open spaces
Here are opportunities to inform decisions about entertainment districts, parks, urban wildfire planning, and more.
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Edmonton forms new partnership with Calgary to strengthen tech in both cities
A new partnership between Edmonton Unlimited and Platform Calgary could combine each city's strengths for mutual success, said Edmonton Unlimited CEO Tom Viinikka.
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Noted: Meddling with midblocks, politics versus policy, why variations could lead to variances
The co-hosts of Episode 313 of Speaking Municipally discussed how a city council committee has endorsed a motion to send proposed changes to its country-leading housing policy to a public hearing on June 30.
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As McBryan announces EDBA exit, she sketches out a hopeful future for downtown
Puneeta McBryan said she will leave her role as CEO of the Edmonton Downtown Business Association once she has helped hire a successor, but not because she is moving to a new gig or has ambitions for the coming municipal election.
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On the agenda: Sewer lines, costly policies, community revitalization levy
This week, city councillors will meet to discuss proposed changes to sewers that could save the city more than $500 million, existing policies that potentially add millions to the cost of building municipal assets, and hear from the public about the proposed extension to the downtown community revitalization levy.
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Lexi Pendzich hopes to inspire people to build places with SKATE WORLD event
Lexi Pendzich's latest event puts her love of art, skateboarding, and do-it-yourself culture into the hands of the community.
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The Pulse
A weekday news briefing that informs you about what's going on in Edmonton.
Friday, June 27
In this edition: Analysis: How changes to vote counting will affect municipalities across the Edmonton region in 2025; a moment in history from 1987; and more headlines and happenings
Thursday, June 26
In this edition: Flood won't be a problem for proposed Rossdale housing, architect says; calls for public engagement: Entertainment district, wildfire strategy, open spaces; and more headlines and happenings
Wednesday, June 25
In this edition: Edmonton forms new partnership with Calgary to strengthen tech in both cities; Green Shacks to open across Edmonton on July 2; and more headlines and happenings
Events
Check out the beta version of the Taproot Edmonton Calendar. This is our latest effort to inform and connect our community, building on the attention Taproot already pays to what's going on in the Edmonton region.
Roundups
Weekly newsletters that go deeper on topics of interest.
Business Roundup: June 27, 2025
With news from 48Hour Discovery, Crust Craft, RAM Elevators + Lifts, samdesk, Edmonton Unlimited, NiaHealth, The Nod, Avison Young, and more.
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Events Roundup: June 26, 2025
Featuring an event pick by Taproot managing editor Tim Querengesser, and ways to celebrate Canada's 158th birthday on July 1.
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Arts Roundup: June 26, 2025
With news from The Works Art & Design Festival, Edmonton International Jazz Festival, Robin Cisek, Arsene Arcand, Hungry Zine, Story City, and more.
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Regional Roundup: June 25, 2025
With news from St. Albert, Spruce Grove, City of Leduc, Sturgeon County, Edmonton International Airport, Sherwood Park Farmers Market, and more.
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Health Innovation Roundup: June 25, 2025
With news from MyCompass Planning, Skills Society, Alberta Innovates, BioAlberta, Edmonton Unlimited, University of Alberta, and more.
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Food Roundup: June 24, 2025
With news from the University of Alberta Botanic Garden, RGE RD, Ester Sushi, Bodega, Rig Hand Distillery, Downtown YEG Burgerfest, and more
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Tech Roundup: June 24, 2025
With news from Waste Parrott, RoBIM Technologies, Future Fields, samdesk, Edmonton Regional Innovation Network, Edmonton Unlimited, and more.
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Podcasts
Taproot publishes regular podcasts on local topics.
O-E-Gee whiz, how C-aRe-L we gonna vote?
We discuss the proposed moratorium on infill development, the extension of the Downtown Community Revitalization Levy, and the return of former MP Rahim Jaffer to municipal politics. We also look at how changes to vote counting will affect the 2025 municipal election, and the end of photo radar in playground zones.
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Wow, six bylaw, bro
Council is looking to reduce the maximum number of midblock infill units to six per lot from eight. Plus, entertainment districts are exempt from the single use plastic bylaw.
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A new CEO, but still Edmonton, without limits
We talk with Edmonton Unlimited CEO Tom Viinikka about his first year in the role, measuring the city's innovation sector, what separates entrepreneurs from the rest of us, and what's next for the organization.
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Blog Posts
Updates on what Taproot Edmonton has been up to recently.
Housing Complex a finalist for Collaboration of the Year
Housing Complex — Taproot's series on what works, what doesn't, and what can be improved about Edmonton's housing system — has been named a finalist in the Collaboration of the Year category at the 2025 LION Publishers Sustainability Awards.
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A progress report on Taproot’s election project
Much has happened since last we spoke about our election plan, so here's an update on what we've done so far and what's to come.
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What we learned about Taproot’s audience
In early 2025, we surveyed our audience to better understand who Taproot is serving. Hundreds of people filled out the survey we sent in February. Here's what we found out.
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