- The City of Edmonton reached a tentative agreement with Civic Service Union 52 on March 14, averting a strike of more than 5,000 employees of the city and Edmonton Public Library that was expected to begin at 11am the same day. A joint statement from council and administration confirmed there will be no labour disruption at this time, meaning city facilities and library branches will remain open. Union members are expected to vote on whether to ratify the deal next week. A union spokesperson said more details will be released after parties have time to "review the fine print." CSU 52 said it is recommending its members accept the offer.
- Civida, the largest affordable home provider in Edmonton, has opened its newest project, Civida Lendrum, which finished construction in October. The 120-unit building, located at 11442 60 Avenue NW, is a redevelopment of two aging social housing complexes. It is now home to more than 300 residents. The project received a combined $15 million from the federal and provincial governments, $3.85 million from the City of Edmonton to buy the properties, and $27.6 million from Civida in financing and land value.
- The Edmonton Elks are considering selling to a private buyer. In a statement on its ongoing ownership review, the club confirmed it has been working with Park Lane, a sports investment bank that managed the sale of the Montreal Alouettes a year ago. The team has been community-owned since its founding in 1949 but has recently experienced years of operating deficits, poor performance, and disappointed fans.
- Police confirmed that a 37-year-old man died after being hit by a Capital Line LRT train at 111 Street and 43 Avenue around 12:40am on March 13. It was reported to police that the man was running west across the street when he was hit by the southbound Capital Line train. At the time, the crossing arms were down and lights were activated. Police are investigating the incident.
- Edmonton Oilers winger Connor Brown scored his first Oilers goal against the Washington Capitals on March 13, contributing to the team's 7-2 win and ending Brown's 72-game "goal drought". He last scored a goal against the Winnipeg Jets on March 24, 2022, while playing for the Ottawa Senators. "It's pretty special for him to get that goal," said winger Zach Hyman, "I think everybody was really happy for him."
- The Alberta government released another draft of the K-6 social studies curriculum, along with a high-level overview of what it proposes for K-12 social studies. The province says it is seeking more public input on the draft, which can be offered through an online feedback form. The draft is the latest in a six-year "battle" of what Alberta children should learn in social studies, CBC reported.
Headlines: March 15, 2024
By Kevin Holowack