- Edmonton city council voted 12-2 to not take action on a report from the Edmonton Police Commission recommending that council replace the two councillors on the commission with members of the public. The recommendation is based on a 2023 external report, which said councillors have more political experience, considerations, and influence than other commissioners. The request comes amidst tensions between council and the commission, stemming from council's request to see the audit plan for the Edmonton Police Service.
- The Alberta Human Rights Tribunal heard closing arguments in a human rights complaint related to Edmonton Police Service 911 operator David Schening's handling of a 2019 call from trans activist Marni Panas. Adam Sopka, a lawyer for the Alberta Human Rights Commission, argued Panas faced discrimination based on gender identity, and that "intention is irrelevant to determining discrimination" under the Alberta Human Rights Act. He also cited Schening's testimony as evidence that the police service failed to prevent future discrimination. Lawyers for the police service argued Schening's assumptions during the call were not based on discriminatory views of trans women.
- The City of Edmonton is experiencing major delays in processing development permits due to a 35% increase in application volumes and a 67% rise in housing starts this year. While most applications are meeting target times, permits for multi-unit residential projects are taking an average of 181 days to process, exceeding the 90-day target. To address the backlog, the City is employing more staff, assigning overtime, and introducing automation. This week, the City launched an automated approval process for those looking to build single detached or semi-detached homes in previously undeveloped areas.
- Edmonton is experiencing an unprecedented rate of home starts across all housing types this year, according to new data from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Edmonton had more than 10,000 housing starts from January to July, led by a surge of more than 3,500 new single-family detached homes. Most apartment starts this year have been for purpose-built rentals as the condominium market segment recovers from years of high supply relative to demand, said CMHC economist Taylor Pardy.
- ChargeStop, Edmonton's first EV-only service station, opened in Old Strathcona on Sept. 12. Located at 8106 99 Street NW, the station offers Level 3 charging stalls, which can power most electric vehicles up to 85% in about 20 minutes. It also has an app that allows drivers to book a stall in advance. The Edmonton-based company behind the station wants to open 20 more locations across Canada in 2025.
- Residents in the Hermitage area in northeast Edmonton raised concerns about a damaged concrete divider for a bike lane on 40 Street NW, just one month after the lane was installed, Global News reported. The City of Edmonton said it would follow up, and replacement costs will be minimal.
- The Children's Autism Services of Edmonton opened the Jim Jiwani Autism Academy, which is the first-ever school specifically for autistic children in Alberta. The school currently has 40 students from kindergarten to Grade 3, with plans to expand once it has more funding.
- The Ermineskin Cree Nation south of Edmonton has resumed a decade-old lawsuit against the Canadian government, arguing that proposed federal legislation on First Nations drinking water fails to recognize their right to clean, safe water. The lawsuit, initially filed in 2014 with three other First Nations, had been paused while negotiations with Ottawa took place. A Federal Court ruling this week allowed Ermineskin to proceed independently, paving the way for an amended claim.
Headlines: Sept. 13, 2024
By Kevin Holowack and Mariam Ibrahim