- The Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers (EMCN) is seeking a low- or no-cost space for a new donation centre to replace a "bootstrap operation" at 82 Street and 117 Avenue that has run out of space. "Our city needs a permanent home for donations intended for refugees, victims of emergencies, and others needing to make a fresh start," said executive director Megan Klein, noting that the current building filled a vacuum when the Edmonton Emergency Relief Services Society closed last August, but it's not suitable for the task at hand.
- Michael Oshry spent $223,250 of his own money on his failed mayoral campaign, according to his recently released campaign disclosure statement. The Local Authorities Election Act limits candidates to $10,000 of their own funds to reduce a deficit. Oshry's disclosure indicates a deficit of $9,967.49, and he told CBC he believes his campaign was compliant with the legislation. The disclosures made public so far indicate that successful city council candidates spent an average of $38,000 on their campaigns.
- Edmonton offers the best work-life balance in Canada, according to the Work/Life Balance Index created by the British holiday-themed search engine Holidu.co.uk. The index measured cities based on hours worked, commute time, paid holidays, hours slept each night, and more. Edmonton was ranked 53rd and Calgary 54th in the world, with other Canadian cities trailing after. Last March, Edmonton was also named the most affordable city in Canada by PC Magazine.
- The Edmonton Elks announced that their June 3 pre-season game against the Stampeders will be designated Stand With Ukraine night. Tickets for the game at Commonwealth Stadium are $15, and net proceeds will go to the Canada Ukraine Foundation. "As a community-owned team, we have a responsibility to give hope, inspiration, and provide action to Edmontonians on important issues," said Victor Cui, president and CEO of the Elks Football Club.
- At least 700 south Edmonton residents have signed a petition to oppose the erection of fences and signs around the Bearspaw Off-Leash Area near 109 Street and 11 Avenue. The proposed changes are part of the city's Dogs in Open Spaces Strategy, which seeks to reduce conflicts and encourage dog owners to clean up by separating off-leash parks from nearby areas. The city is running a public survey on the issue until May 11.
- The Edmonton Public Library branches in Capilano and Jasper Place made Architizer's list of eight modern libraries to check out in Canada.
- A new study by British researchers published in the journal Science Advances suggests that the heat wave last summer in western North America was "among the most extreme ever recorded globally" since the 1960s. The study also projects that by 2080, similar heat waves could have a one-in-six chance of occurring every summer unless greenhouse gas emissions decrease.
Headlines: May 6, 2022
By Kevin Holowack