Headlines: Jan. 18, 2023

Jan. 18, 2023 · The Pulse
By Kevin Holowack

CBC News has started posting charts of Edmonton emergency department wait times, which it notes "can fluctuate greatly from day to day, even hour by hour." The charts are updated hourly with an automated computer script using wait times reported by Alberta Health Services. The charts reveal that wait times at many hospitals spike late at night and in the early morning, which AHS said is due to lower overnight staffing levels.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress-Alberta Provincial Council (UCC), Ukrainian Canadian Social Services, Catholic Social Services, and the Strathcona Chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace are partnering to build beds for families who have fled the war in Ukraine. The organizations are seeking monetary donations to build the beds with locally sourced materials. The program is offered through the Ukrainian Newcomer Furniture Warehouse, which provides free furniture and other necessities to more than 75 Ukrainian families each week.
The Canadian government is phasing in a return-to-office plan for federal employees in core public services, many of whom started working at home full time at the beginning of the pandemic. Downtown Edmonton businesses and restaurants look forward to workers returning to buildings where federal services have office space, including Canada Place. The Edmonton Downtown Business Association said employees from all levels of government make up more than 20% of downtown office workers.
Three homeowners in the Queen Alexandra neighbourhood are taking part in a pilot project to "deep retrofit" their homes, which is a process of transforming an older house into a net-zero dwelling. Global News spoke to one of the homeowners participating in the project, Edmonton Public School Board trustee Julie Kusiek. "We're not going to reach our climate change goals by tearing down existing buildings and building new ones net-zero," said Kusiek. "We're going to have to retro-fit the buildings that already exist."
Albertans eligible for the province's affordability payments can apply through the online portal beginning 9am on Jan. 18. Anyone unable to apply online can apply in person through any registry agent or through the Alberta Supports service centre. Everyone who receives assistance through Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH), Income Support, the Alberta Seniors Benefit, or the Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) program will receive their payments automatically.