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Headlines: Sept. 16, 2024

· The Pulse
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  • Edmonton city councillors' financial disclosures will be released publicly each year after council unanimously approved a new bylaw last week. The new rules, which take effect on Jan. 1, will require the city manager to publish details such as council members' business affiliations and shareholdings by the last business day of February each year. The move aligns Edmonton with practices in other cities, including Calgary, where councillors' disclosures have been public for at least a decade.
  • The City of Edmonton announced the opening of the 50 Street overpass, which will help eliminate delays caused by train crossings. The northbound lanes of the $181-million overpass project opened on Sept. 13, while the southbound lanes are expected to open on Sept. 16. The City called the opening a significant milestone in the 50 Street Widening and Railway Grade Separation project, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2026.
  • Beljan Development plans to redevelop the historic St. Anthony School property in Edmonton's Old Strathcona neighbourhood into a mixed-use site with new commercial retail tenants and a residential complex. The company says it will try to preserve the exterior and historical integrity of the 118-year-old building, which was the site of Edmonton's first Catholic school south of the river. Construction on the project could begin by the end of 2025 if city council approves the rezoning application.
  • The Alberta Ecotrust Foundation has awarded $925,000 in Climate Innovation Grants to ten organizations in Edmonton and Calgary, including the University of Alberta, NAIT, and the Community Energy Association. The funding is intended to support projects aimed at addressing climate change and aligning with local climate plans. Projects include initiatives such as electric school buses, low-carbon housing designs, and expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
  • Edmonton has a significant shortage of ice sheets for hockey and other ice sports, leading to inconvenient practice times and logistical challenges for families. Many facilities identified for replacement in 2009 are still in use, and new arena projects remain unfunded. Some clubs have had to travel to surrounding communities to find available ice, said Jeremy Haluschak of Hockey Edmonton.
  • An Edmonton Police Service program that registers bike serial numbers and other details online has so far helped recover about $1 million in stolen bicycles, police said in a news release. The Bike Index program has registered more than 146,000 bikes in the Edmonton area since its launch in 2019. Police will hold the final registration event for the summer season on Sept. 21 at the Old Strathcona Farmers' Market.
  • At the Canadian Country Music Association Awards, held in Edmonton for the first time in a decade, Josh Ross took home multiple honours, including entertainer of the year and single of the year. Alberta's MacKenzie Porter was named female artist of the year, and k.d. lang reunited with The Reclines for a performance celebrating her induction into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.
  • The Kaleido Family Arts Festival in Alberta Avenue marked its 19th year over the weekend as it faces a funding shortfall of $50,000. The festival has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help support its operations.
  • St. Albert ranked last among the 100 best Canadian cities for renters due to high rent costs, limited rental options, and low renter rates. The city has a very low vacancy rate of 0.9%, compared to Edmonton's 2.6%, indicating high demand for rental units, said Lory Scott with the City of St. Albert.
  • The provincial government is creating the Alberta Police Review Commission to handle code of conduct complaints against municipal police officers. The commission, which will operate independently of police services and include the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, is set to begin its work in December 2025. The move will shift disciplinary responsibilities from police chiefs to a civilian-led body. A spokesperson for the Edmonton Police Service said it welcomes the new commission.