- The Old Strathcona Public Realm Strategy, set to be discussed at city council's urban planning committee meeting on Oct. 8, proposes seven recommendations for the area, including transforming parking lots into parks, developing affordable housing, widening sidewalks, and adding bus rapid transit lanes. While many residents support the plan, public feedback raised concerns about the cost, reduced parking, and traffic impacts. Coun. Michael Janz said the strategy is a vision to guide the long-term development of the area, and that funding discussions wouldn't start until 2026.
- Water testing at Edmonton Law Courts found elevated lead levels in about 4% of samples, prompting the replacement of 19 water fountains with new models featuring filters and bottle fill stations. The issue comes as the province finalizes a $3-million business case to determine the future of the aging courthouse, which has been plagued with problems including leaks and an extended power outage.
- The City of Edmonton and TransEd are reviewing signs and signal timing on the Valley Line Southeast LRT, which has been involved in at least 23 collisions since opening last year. The City is not currently considering adding crossing arms to the line, said Carrie Hotton-MacDonald, director of Edmonton Transit Service. She said ETS is also looking at improvements to contingency bus service when the LRT isn't running because of a crash.
- Advocates are calling on the federal government to release a revised citizenship study guide that includes more Indigenous content, a key recommendation from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 2015 report. Lewis Cardinal, an advisor with the Indigenous Knowledge and Wisdom Centre, helped work on the new guide, which he said would help correct misinformation, reduce racism, and promote understanding of Indigenous histories and rights.
- Mill Woods Town Centre in southeast Edmonton will undergo significant redevelopment, including the construction of two 22-storey rental apartment buildings starting next year and the opening of a new grocery store by August 2025. The project is part of a long-term plan to build 6,000 to 8,000 homes and new retail spaces on the 22-hectare site. "It's really about building a strong community," said Bill Blais, president and CEO of Maclab Development Group, which owns the property.
- Artist Branden Cha unveiled a new mural in Edmonton's Chinatown, marking the second piece in his Four Guardians project aimed at promoting inclusion and community responsibility. The Azure Dragon of the East mural, which includes a tribute to Indigenous peoples, joins the White Tiger of the West and will eventually be accompanied by the Vermilion Bird of the South and the Black Tortoise of the North.
- Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi is among the Alberta municipal leaders urging the province to pay its full share of property taxes on provincial buildings. Sohi said Edmonton is owed $90 million after years of deferred payments, and that taxpayers are forced to cover the shortfall. The government will examine the issue ahead of possible changes in next year's provincial budget, Premier Danielle Smith said at the Alberta Municipalities convention on Sept. 27.
- Edmonton's Conor Kerr has been named one of five finalists for the 2024 Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize for his work Prairie Edge. The prize, which awards $60,000 to the winner, recognizes the best novel or short story collection by a Canadian author. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in Toronto on Nov. 19.
- Alberta healthcare workers say they are feeling overwhelmed as they brace for an expected surge in patients due to the upcoming respiratory virus season. Alberta Health Services said it is taking steps to address the anticipated demand, such as increasing the number of temporary acute care beds and hiring additional staff, but concerns remain.
- The Globe and Mail launched a new podcast, In Her Defence: 50th Street, focusing on the unsolved murder of Amber Tuccaro, a young Indigenous mother who disappeared in 2010 after leaving a Nisku motel to find a ride into Edmonton. A critical piece of evidence in the case is a recording of her final moments that includes the voice of a man believed to be Tuccaro's killer. Despite the 2012 release of the tape and years of investigation, no one has been charged in her murder. The podcast will explore the failures of the initial police investigation and her family's ongoing fight for justice.
- Edmonton's Food Bank held a door-to-door food drive on the weekend to address the rising demand. Meanwhile, staff at Mr. Rooter Plumbing harvested thousands of pounds of potatoes to donate to the food bank, which serves more than 34,000 people each month.
- Kim Ruether, whose son Brock died from cardiac arrest while an AED remained unused nearby, has become an advocate for training dispatchers to guide callers in using defibrillators during emergencies. She will be honoured with the Alberta Order of Excellence during a ceremony in Edmonton scheduled this month. Ruether's efforts have led to changes in emergency response protocols in several countries.
- Alberta spends $193 per day per inmate, which is the least in Canada and significantly lower than most other provinces, according to new Statistics Canada data. Experts note the Edmonton Remand Centre, the largest jail in Canada, relies on surveillance to reduce operating costs, which has led to concerns about inmate well-being and calls for more mental health support.
- The provincial government is promoting Alberta as an ideal location for data centres due to its cold climate and business-friendly environment. Minister of Technology and Innovation Nate Glubish promoted the idea during a recent trip to Silicon Valley, but CBC News spoke to one data centre CEO who argued that the province must first address high energy costs and aging infrastructure to attract these energy-intensive facilities.
Headlines: Oct. 1, 2024
By Mariam Ibrahim