Headlines: Oct. 25, 2023

Oct. 25, 2023 · The Pulse
By Mariam Ibrahim

The Valley Line Southeast LRT will begin passenger service on Nov. 4 beginning at 5:15am, the city and TransEd announced. The $1.8-billion project, which was supposed to open in December 2020, is a 13-kilometre low-floor line connecting Mill Woods to downtown. The project has faced repeated setbacks during construction, including cracked concrete piers, signalling cables that needed to be replaced, and an unexpected concrete mass discovered in the river. "This has been a long journey, with challenges and detours, but we're confident in the system we've built," TransEd CEO Ronald Joncas said. Final operational exercises will happen over the next few weeks, and a formal grand opening ceremony is set for 2024.
Public school teachers have voted 97% in favour of having the Alberta Teachers' Association ask for a government supervised strike vote after rejecting a mediator's proposal. Teachers are seeking improved conditions for online learning, as well as for those teaching summer school and night school. Edmonton Public Teachers Local 37 said the union is still hopeful for a negotiated settlement despite the strike vote. A spokesperson for Edmonton Public Schools said the district is committed to working with the teachers' bargaining committee to come to a settlement.
Unionized video game developers employed by Keywords Studios have voted unanimously in favour of strike action. The workers, represented by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 401, became Canada's first unionized video game industry workers in 2022. They were laid off last month during negotiations for their first collective agreement. The union says the strike aims to hold the company accountable for abandoning the bargaining process and address poor working conditions in the industry, including long work hours and low wages.
The first hydrogen-powered transit buses will be operating in Edmonton and Strathcona County beginning Oct. 25. The buses have fuel cells that use hydrogen and oxygen to generate electricity that powers the vehicles. They will be wrapped in a special blue and green vinyl design inspired by hydrogen and water molecules to help them be easily recognizable to transit riders. The hydrogen bus pilot is funded through the Alberta Zero Emission Hydrogen Transit initiative.
The Edmonton Police Service has partnered with Wounded Warriors Canada to provide free mental health support to its active and retired service members. "Every day police officers are confronted with traumatic situations that can be difficult to process due to the nature of their work, so mental health is always top of mind," said Staff Sgt. Rocky Druar. The support includes camps and programs for family members.
Global News has launched a three-part series examining gang and gun violence in Edmonton. The Edmonton Police Service says 2023 is on track to have the highest number of shootings ever in the city. Edmonton has had a 47% increase in shootings compared to last year, with 25% of homicides confirmed to be gang-related. The police gang suppression team was created in 2019 and is dedicated to tackling gun violence and monitoring gun violence through a variety of tactics, such as working with businesses to keep people involved in gangs out of public places.
The NHL has lifted its ban on players supporting social causes on their equipment, including the use of Edmonton-based Pride Tape in support of the LGBTQ community. The decision came after Arizona Coyotes defenceman Travis Dermott defied the ban and used Pride Tape on his stick during a recent game. NHL players will now be able to represent social causes with their stick tape throughout the season. The move to lift the ban was applauded by advocacy organization You Can Play.
The Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation has launched the Every Kid Deserves A Shot initiative, which aims to support and inspire kids through hockey. The effort will be supported through Oilers 50/50 raffles and other fundraising efforts. Its goal is to make hockey more accessible, affordable, and inclusive for all kids in Edmonton with on and off ice programming. The current 50/50 raffle, running until Oct. 29, will support the initiative.