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· The Pulse
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  • The City of Edmonton and CUPE Local 30 have ratified a new three-year collective agreement which includes general wage adjustments of 0% in 2021, 1% in 2022, and 2% in 2023.
  • Edmonton landlords are running a private Facebook group with a "do not rent" list where they have shared the names of around 440 people and some children and family members. The group has over 2,200 members, and around 95% of posts include no reason for the person's inclusion, Postmedia reports. Donna Monkhouse of the Alberta Residential Landlord Association said the group is "just wrong" considering the power landlords already have to vet renters, while the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta said blacklisting tenants on social media is likely illegal under the Personal Information Protection Act.
  • Sharda Devi Naidu, the 78-year-old woman who was seriously injured after she was shoved onto the LRT tracks on April 25, is suing the City of Edmonton and ETS alleging they did not respond quickly enough, failed to implement sufficient safety protocols, and didn't ensure she was safe while being recovered by emergency services. The statement of claim seeks more than $1.1 million in damages as well as legal costs, Global News reports
  • The Addiction Recovery Centre, a 24-hour drug and alcohol detox facility in downtown, is temporarily relocating during LRT construction to Alberta Hospital Edmonton on Fort Road and 174 Avenue, a move that worries addictions advocates. Dr. Daniel Alati at MacEwan University suggests there "could be a very real human cost" to displacing such services to inaccessible or less familiar areas.
  • A small piece of land near Anthony Henday Drive in west Edmonton, which was part of the Enoch Cree Nation reserve until the government forced its surrender in 1908, will be returned to the nation within a few months. As of June 20, the City of Edmonton and the province have both approved a land transfer suggested by Enoch Cree Nation Chief Billy Morin in 2021 as step toward reconciliation. The land holds a cemetery where ground-penetrating radar surveys have located around 80 sites including the graves of historic leaders Lazarus Lapotac, Enoch Lapotac, and Tommy Lapotac, CTV News reports.
  • STARS has unveiled a new Airbus H145 helicopter in Edmonton, which means all six STARS bases across Western Canada now use the new model. "We wanted one aircraft type going forward. It's more economical and much more efficient to just operate one type of aircraft for our operation," said Scott Young, director of fleet implementation with STARS.
  • The city is seeking input on the Rossdale Transportation Network, with a public event scheduled for June 23 and an online survey open until July 11. Proposed changes include a community hub on 96 Avenue and a pedestrian-focused 104 Street.
  • The Edmonton Oilers have signed a three-year contract extension with head coach Jay Woodcroft, who took over after Dave Tippet was fired in February. The 45-year-old Woodcroft, originally from Toronto, led the Oilers to a 26-9-3 record during the final 38 games of the regular season.
  • Former Edmonton quarterback Ricky Ray has been inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame along with Chip Cox of the Montreal Alouettes. Ray won four Grey Cups as a starting quarterback over his career, a league record.
  • Premier Jason Kenney announced a cabinet shuffle on June 21. Two Edmonton-area MLAs are included among the changes, with Jackie Armstrong Homeniuk, MLA for Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville, becoming the Associate Minister of Status of Women and Brad Rutherford, MLA for Leduc-Beaumont, becoming Chief Government Whip and Minister without Portfolio.