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Headlines: July 4, 2024

· The Pulse
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  • Service adjustments on the Capital and Metro LRT lines are scheduled for this month due to maintenance work. Central Station will undergo electrical work from 4pm on July 7 until 4am on July 8, and riders must use a different station. On July 13 and 14, the Metro Line will be affected by construction on an LRT bridge crossing, and riders will need to use the Capital Line to travel south of Government Centre. The NAIT/Blatchford Market Station will be closed July 13 until 8pm to accommodate the construction of a 60-foot feature wall at the site of the former NAIT station.
  • Edmonton city council unanimously rejected proposed amendments to the council code of conduct bylaw during its July 3 meeting. Administration said in a report to council that the changes would "provide additional procedural clarity to increase transparency." One of the proposed changes would have eliminated the automatic publication of the integrity commissioner's findings of wrongdoing. Another change would have allowed sanction hearings to be held in private. Council members expressed concern over how the changes would affect transparency and sent the amendments back for revisions.
  • Edmonton city council approved amendments to the Business Licence Bylaw to regulate the sale of bear spray, also called oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray. The amendments include banning the sale of OC spray to minors, creating a category for businesses that sell the spray, and requiring the tracking of transaction records. The amendments come into effect immediately, but administration says it will focus on educating businesses about the changes before enforcement begins.
  • The City of Edmonton is accepting applications to this year's Anti-racism Grant Program, which is offering nearly $1.4 million in grants to community and non-profits. This year's four funding streams support community activation, anti-racism capacity-building and innovation, participatory action research, and helping not-for-profits in the media sector tell stories of underrepresented communities. The application deadline is Sept. 12.
  • The three-year-old boy who died after he was struck by the driver of pickup truck in Edmonton earlier this week was identified by a family friend, who set up a GoFundMe page to support the family. The fundraiser had more than 670 donations as of July 3.
  • The City of Edmonton is providing a total of $5 million in one-time grants to 27 community organizations for youth and family intervention initiatives. The funding is through the Early Intervention and Intervention Grant Program, which supports the Community Safety and Well-Being Strategy that council approved in May 2022.
  • The latest analysis from Zoocasa shows the number of home sales in Edmonton and Calgary grew rapidly from 2020 to 2024, with a 146% increase in sales recorded across both cities. In Edmonton, there were 5,498 sales in 2020, compared to 13,518 in 2024. The rate of growth in the two Alberta cities accompanies a major population increase and is far greater than most other Canadian cities.
  • CBC's This is Edmonton podcast took a ride-along with the Human-centred Engagement and Liaison Partnership (HELP) Unit, a partnership between the Edmonton Police Service and a collection of social service organizations. CBC's Pippa Reed followed along with a HELP team to get a sense of the program on the front lines.
  • Several sports commentators offered their assessments of the Edmonton Oilers' picks for the 2024 NHL draft. The team has drafted forward Sam O'Reilly, goalie Eemil Vinni, left-winger Connor Clattenburg, defenceman Albin Sundin, centre Dalyn Wakely, centre William Nicholl, and defenceman Bauer Berry. The Athletic rated Edmonton's draft picks a "C," casting doubt on O'Reilly but suggesting Vinni is "the most athletic goaltender in the draft," and ESPN rated them a "B-," calling it a "mixed bag."
  • Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi appeared in city hall wearing a Florida Panthers jersey on July 3 after losing a friendly wager over Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final against the mayor of Sunrise, FL. In a social media post, Sohi acknowledged "a bet is a bet," adding the playoffs showed Edmonton is a "vibrant, exciting city, where anything is possible."