Headlines: Oct. 26, 2023

Oct. 26, 2023 · The Pulse
By Kevin Holowack

City council received its latest bi-monthly verbal update on transit safety from administration, the Edmonton Police Service, and the Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society. The city said drug-related incidents, non-violent incidents, and violent incidents have decreased, showing "progress is being made related to the Enhanced Transit Safety Plan" that council approved in February 2022. Cleaning work and security upgrades are also ongoing, supported by a one-time $5-million provincial grant. Council also discussed a series of opportunities to improve transit safety, which will be explored further once budget deliberations for next year begin Nov. 21. Options include spending $2.4 million on 24 full-time transit attendants, $1.8 million annually plus another $500,000 next year for enhanced cleaning measures, and $300,000 to support "transit space activation" through art, performance, and busking.
While the long-awaited Valley Line Southeast LRT will begin passenger service on Nov. 4, officials say trains will run at 10-minute intervals during peak hours rather than every five minutes as initially promised. The city said it requested that the line run every 10 minutes based on ridership capacity and "lessons learned from other municipalities." The other half of the line, Valley Line West, will connect downtown to Lewis Farms and is being built by Marigold Infrastructure Partners. Councillors said that leg appears to be on schedule.
EMS personnel have responded to a record 4,256 opioid-related calls in Edmonton so far in 2023 with an average of 426 calls per month, according to data from the province's substance use surveillance system. The number surpasses the previous record of 4,227 calls in 2021. "Our paramedics are running nonstop, our dispatch is trying to handle this massive influx of calls, and the healthcare system is not set up anymore to take on this addition," said Michael Parker, president of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta. The number of opioid-related EMS responses in Edmonton this year is nearly double the number recorded in Calgary.
A new report by Alberta's Public Interest Commissioner found that "systemic lapses" in the medical care of inmates at the Edmonton Remand Centre contributed to two deaths and several cases of inmates being hospitalized. The report, completed in response to a 2020 whistleblower complaint, highlighted confusion around protocols and found that patients in several cases were improperly assessed or ignored. The report notes Alberta Health Services is taking "corrective measures," including retraining and disciplining staff.
The results of the city's annual Climate Change and Energy Perception survey found that nearly 75% of its respondents are concerned about climate change. Results also showed that two-thirds of the more than 1,000 people surveyed recognize the economic opportunity presented by climate change and energy transition, the city said in a release. The city has been conducting the annual climate change survey since 2017. The full findings are available online.
The Zebra Child and Youth Advocacy Centre, a local non-profit that works with children who have experienced abuse, is temporarily closed after a break-in and arson at its offices on the morning of Oct. 24. Investigators believe the fire was set on the 13th floor of the high-rise, causing significant damage to the Zebra Centre's storage. The organization is looking for monetary donations to help repurchase items such as backpacks, clothes, snacks, and toys.
The Veterans Association Food Bank in Edmonton is struggling to meet increasing demand in the face of inflation and rising food costs. Operations manager Bob Cotton said the association currently doesn't have enough food to fill the 160 hampers set to go out in November. The organization has seen its number of clients quadruple since opening in Edmonton in 2020. It is accepting donations at its warehouse at 18504 111 Avenue.
City council voted to declare two downtown buildings as Municipal Historic Resources. The Boardwalk and the Revillon Building are located next to one another at 103 Avenue and 102 Street in the warehouse district and have served many purposes since the 1910s. Each building will receive a $500,000 grant for renovations and repairs.
Police have charged two Edmonton men with kidnapping and vehicle theft in connection with an Amber Alert issued on Oct. 19 after a 40-year-old blind and non-verbal woman was abducted around 118 Avenue and 91 Street. Officials identified the men as Dakota James Hughes and Jacob Lloyd Chambers. They are scheduled in court on Oct. 27 and Nov. 2. The woman was found unharmed in Fort Saskatchewan about half an hour after the Amber Alert was issued.
Global News released part three of its three-part series examining gang and gun violence in Edmonton, which focuses on police curfew checks with criminals. Previous instalments in the series profiled the gang suppression team of the Edmonton Police Service and looked at police encounters with gun violence.
The city and Explore Edmonton announced that Edmonton secured a three-year contract to host the Canadian Finals Rodeo at Rogers Place in 2024, 2025, and 2026. The finals ran in Edmonton for 44 years from 1974 to 2017 but have been hosted in Red Deer since 2018. The event features five main rodeo performances over four days, plus additional events throughout the city, and is expected to draw about 45,000 spectators. Explore Edmonton estimates hosting the event for three years will have a $30-million economic impact. The next event runs Oct. 2-5, 2024.
The Edmonton Transit Service will provide park and ride service for the Heritage Classic game between the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames on Oct. 29. Park and ride buses will start running at 12:45pm for the pregame concert at Clarke Stadium and will run every five minutes after Commonwealth Stadium opens its doors at 3pm. The NHL has released a fan guide with information about transportation, policies, and tickets for anyone attending the Heritage Classic.