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Headlines: June 30, 2023

· The Pulse
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  • CBC News checked in with the city's 19 temporary dog parks, which were launched in May as part of the Pop-Up Dog Park Program and are set to close sometime in fall, depending on weather. Program coordinator Beckie Boutilier said a full program evaluation will happen after the pilot to see if it should be extended or made permanent. "We are hearing from Edmontonians who absolutely love these and folks that aren't so pleased about them," said Boutilier. You can share your feedback on the parks in an online survey before Oct. 1 or using paper surveys at the entrance to each site.
  • The Edmonton Queer History Project is organizing themed walking tours throughout the summer. The walking tours will explore various places, mostly downtown, and tickets are free. The Edmonton's Queer Night Life tour on Aug. 9 will tell the story of places like Flashback, which opened in 1975 and was a hub for the LGBTQ2S+ community and allies. The Edmonton Queer History Project also runs an online map of notable locations and produces a podcast called From Here to Queer about the people, places, and moments that defined the city's queer history.
  • Researchers from the University of Alberta Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology recently found evidence of 88 suspected unmarked graves near St. Bruno's Indian Residential School in the northern Alberta community of Joussard. More than 1,100 community members gathered on June 24 to honour those suspected to be buried in the unmarked graves with a blanket ceremony. The researchers used ground-penetrating radar to locate the graves, but anthropology professor Talisha Chaput cautioned that further methods must be used to confirm their presence.
  • An excavator stuck in an overpass at Anthony Henday Drive and Whitemud Drive in southeast Edmonton is set to be removed June 30. The machinery has been lodged in the bridge since a semi-trailer carrying it struck the overpass on June 16. The province said shoring towers will be installed as the excavator is removed. The overpass is expected to need extensive repairs but a timeline and costs haven't been determined.
  • TV news anchor Carmen Leibel has left CTV Edmonton after a 16-year career with the channel. CTV Edmonton reports that Leibel has "decided to spend more time with her family and grow her new business." Meanwhile, Jesse Beyer, chief meteorologist at Global Edmonton, announced he is leaving the role to take up a separate position at Corus Entertainment in sales and revenue. Edmonton Journal reporter Anna Junker announced in a Twitter post that she has accepted a job outside of journalism and that June 29 was her last day at the newspaper.
  • The Edmonton Oilers made three selections as part of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and have traded forwards Kailer Yamamoto and Klim Kostin to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for future considerations. The Oilers picked up defenceman Beau Akey, goalie Nathaniel Day, and centre Matt Copponi.
  • UCP Finance Minister Nate Horner announced that the province recorded an $11.6-billion surplus driven by high oil and gas revenues in the 2022 fiscal year, which ended in March. With oil prices falling, however, the government may need to lower its expectations about oil revenues in 2023, though Horner said the government is optimistic about projections for later this year. The UCP's 2023-24 provincial budget, which was released before the election, is spending-heavy and forecasts a surplus of $2.4 billion. In response to the fiscal update, NDP finance critic Samir Kayande said Premier Danielle Smith's "expensive and dishonest election promises are about to collide with the reality of weakening oil prices."
  • The Alberta NDP announced its shadow cabinet and leadership team. All 38 members of the caucus will have a critic portfolio, committee role, or leadership position, and the portfolios of finance, energy, health, and municipal affairs will have multiple critics each. "We will not only be the largest official opposition in Alberta history, but also the most effective," said NDP Leader Rachel Notley, indicating that the caucus will focus on health care, improving public education, and advancing action on affordability.