- Hundreds of citizens packed into council chambers on Tuesday to press for action on community safety in Chinatown. Among them was the daughter of Hung Trang who, along with Ban Phuc Hoang, was killed in unprovoked attacks in Chinatown on May 18. "(If) there was one thing that he would hope for now," she said, it would be that "his death can open up everyone's eyes to see how out of control things are there now." Council approved the Community Safety and Well-Being Strategy and funding for recommended actions at the meeting, as well as $300,000 in one-time funding "for the purpose of addressing the immediate needs of Chinatown."
- The federal government announced $10 million in funding for Explore Edmonton to ensure that K-Days "remains a key part of Edmonton's cultural tapestry years to come." The funding will support turning Klondike Park into a year-round destination, generating new revenue streams, and creating inclusive programming for Indigenous, newcomer, Francophone, and LGBTQ2S+ communities. "The roots of K-Days go back 142 years to 1879, with the first Edmonton Exhibition," said Arlindo Gomes with Explore Edmonton. "(We) are excited to steward this event into the future and ensure it meets the needs of our community today and for the next 142 years."
- Some Alberta Avenue residents say they are living in fear due to a string of property fires in the area going back several months. Erick Estrada, treasurer of the Alberta Avenue Community League, said the community has "high hopes" for city council to address the issue. Ward Métis councillor Ashley Salvador, who spoke about the fires on Episode 173 of Speaking Municipally, said she is optimistic the Community Property Safety Team pilot approved in April will alleviate the issue by addressing "problem properties" and holding landowners accountable for buildings that pose fire risks.
- Omar Yaqub and Cheryl Whiskeyjack have been named Edmonton's historian co-laureates for the next two years, taking the torch from Amber Paquette, Whiskeyjack announced on Twitter. "Together we want to explore treaty in the present day, beautifying our city, build relations & bring community together through shared stories and heritage," tweeted Yaqub. The new laureates appeared on Senator Paula Simons' podcast Alberta Unbound last June to talk about what Indigenous and immigrant Albertans can accomplish together.
- From November 2021 to April 2022, the city's 311 line received around 7,900 complaints about snow on the sidewalk, which is 80% higher than in previous unseasonably warm winters, Postmedia reports. The Chappelle Area and Holyrood communities were each the subject of over 200 complaints.
- Local taxi drivers are struggling and the number of active permits is declining due to a drastic depreciation in plate value, competition with ride-sharing services, increased operating costs, and taxi fares that have not increased since 2007, CBC reports. Edmonton was the first Canadian municipality to legalize Uber in 2016 and is now conducting its first comprehensive review of cab fares in 15 years.
- A team of academics and lawyers have launched the Alberta Police Misconduct Database, a searchable directory of roughly 400 disciplinary actions taken against Alberta police officers since 1992, including criminal charges. Paralegal Devyn Ens, who led the project, said lawyers have been circulating the information for years through "whisper networks" and added the project is only "scratching the surface of misconduct in this province."
- EPCOR shared an infographic illustrating the peaks and valleys in water consumption throughout the Oilers' May 22 game against the Flames, with consumption spiking at the end of each period.
Headlines
By Kevin Holowack