- Danielle Smith's United Conservative Party was projected to win a majority government at the conclusion of the 2023 Alberta provincial election. Shortly after midnight, with more than 1.6 million votes counted, the UCP was leading or elected in 51 ridings, which was fewer than the 63 seats the party won in the 2019 election. "It is time to move forward together as all Albertans, no matter who we voted for," Smith said during her victory speech in Calgary. The NDP was expected to take 36 seats, retaining its Official Opposition status with 13 more seats than the party won in the previous election. "As a movement, we have grown our support in every corner of this province," Notley said in her concession speech in Edmonton. Both Smith and Notley won their respective seats, the only provincial party leaders to do so.
- Edmonton remained an NDP stronghold following the provincial election. The party retained every seat it held in the city and flipped the riding of Edmonton-South West, where former deputy premier Kaycee Madu was defeated by NDP candidate Nathan Ip. The party also won the riding of Sherwood Park, where the NDP's Kyle Kasawski defeated incumbent UCP MLA Jordan Walker with 50.3% of the vote.
- The city announced that spring street sweeping, which started April 11, has been completed ahead of schedule. The city said crews cleaned more than 6,200 kilometres of streets and cleared debris and dust from roads, bike lanes, and major pathways. Crews will continue to do weekly maintenance on roads within Business Improvement Areas and other high speed roads over the summer.
- The Mustard Seed is asking for public donations to help fund outreach programs, hot meals, health care, employment services, affordable housing, and other essential services. The organization, which operates in British Columbia and Alberta, says it is seeing rapidly growing demand due to the ongoing affordability crisis. There are various ways to donate, including online monetary donations or gifts. Items urgently needed in Edmonton, including some clothing and hygiene items, can be dropped off at the Mustard Seed Community Support Centre at 10568 114 Street NW.
- HomeEd, the city's non-profit housing corporation, has acquired Miller Ridge Apartments in the Miller neighbourhood in north Edmonton for more than $20 million. According to a release, HomeEd plans to rent at least half of the 122 units at no more than 80% of average market rates. In April, HomeEd also acquired the newly constructed Rundle at Riverview Crossing with a plan to offer rent subsidies for at least half of the 248 households.
- The Federal Court of Canada has temporarily stayed a deportation order for Karamjeet Kaur, an Edmonton woman from the Punjab region of India who, according to authorities, unknowingly submitted a fraudulent admission letter five years ago as part of her student visa application. Earlier this year, Kaur was unsuccessful in fighting the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada's decision to remove her, with the board insisting it was her responsibility to ensure the letter was real. According to lawyers and activists who spoke to The Canadian Press, the board's decision could have implications for hundreds of other international students who reportedly received fake admission letters from the same immigration agent in India. Kaur's lawyer said her deportation could put her life in serious danger due to threats she has received and argued she should be able to remain in Canada until an application to stay on humanitarian grounds can be processed.
- Evolution Wonderlounge hosted a re-enactment of a night out at the iconic Edmonton gay bar Flashback, which opened in the mid-1970s and closed in 1992. The re-enactment was done for an upcoming documentary by screenwriter Matthew Hays about the people who built and frequented Flashback, the city's queer history and culture, and the anti-queer backlash the bar experienced in the 1980s. CBC's Radio Active also spoke to historian Ron Byers about his memories of Flashback. The documentary, titled Flashback, will launch at Canadian and international festivals in early 2024.
Headlines: May 30, 2023
By Kevin Holowack and Mariam Ibrahim