- Harassment based on race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or gender identity will soon be a punishable offence in Edmonton. City council's community and public services committee endorsed amendments to the public places bylaw that, if passed, will authorize peace officers to fine someone $250 for a first offence and $500 for a second. The change comes in the wake of a series of threats and assaults against Muslim women.
- The community and public services committee also endorsed a revised snow and ice control policy that will allow administration to make service level changes without requiring policy updates.
- Act for Edmonton, a grassroots advocacy group, is calling on the city to reinstate the mandatory mask mandate. The group argues that much has changed since the mandate was removed on July 1, including a rise in the Delta variant and the provincial decision to end all pandemic health measures.
- The Edmonton Public School Board has written a letter to the province asking it to bring back the same COVID-19 health protocols that were in place last year. "We're waiting for direction, and the wait is frustrating," said EPSB chair Trisha Estabrooks. "We need clarity… We needed it two weeks ago."
- A new course called Indigenous Peoples and Technoscience at the University of Alberta explores relationships between Indigenous knowledge and Western science. It follows positive response to U of A's free online course, Indigenous Canada, which has seen a spike in enrollment in recent months.
- Alberta Senator Doug Black is retiring as of Oct. 31 which means Alberta will once again have two vacant Senate seats. Municipal election ballots in October will include a Senate vote but the prime minister has the final say on who ultimately gets appointed, Postmedia reports.
