- Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis has approved the application from the Camrose Casino to relocate to south Edmonton at 420 Parsons Road SW, after denying a similar bid in 2022. The move will significantly increase revenue for the Alberta government, which is a "key responsibility" of the AGLC, it said in a release, adding the relocation will improve returns for rural charities with minimal loss to urban ones. Non-profit leaders and Edmonton city council have said the move would negatively affect revenue streams for local charities. Ward Karhiio Coun. Keren Tang wrote on her blog that she was "deeply disappointed" and told Postmedia she questions "some of the political motivation" surrounding the decision.
- Edmonton Transit Service will stop selling its paper tickets and monthly transit passes on Nov. 9, as it moves into the final stage of implementing Arc. The November 2024 monthly pass will be the last pass sold to riders, who must switch to Arc beginning in December. Tickets expiring Dec. 31, 2023, and passes expiring in 2024 will be accepted until Dec. 31, 2025. Transit users can buy an Arc card online, over the phone, at some stores, or at Arc vending machines, which are located at all LRT stations and some transit centres. Instructions on how to use Arc are available online.
- Doctors are urging Edmontonians to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and influenza, with Edmonton hospitals already operating beyond capacity heading into respiratory virus season. Family medicine wards in the Edmonton Zone are at 155% capacity, and general internal medicine is at 135% capacity, which leads to backlogs in emergency departments, the Alberta Medical Association said. Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said the province will open surge beds, and some out-of-town patients may be moved closer to their home communities.
- The City of Edmonton is closing its municipal golf courses and driving range for the season. The Rundle, Riverside, and Victoria Golf Courses will all be open for their last day on Oct. 20. The Victoria Golf Course Driving Range will stay open throughout October, with hours reduced to 9am to 6pm.
- Willowbrae Academy West Point Centre, a child care centre in west Edmonton, has lost its licence and was shut down by the province due to safety issues involving unsupervised children. The province says cancelling a business licence is a last-resort scenario, and that inspectors had found ongoing concerns while Willowbrae was on a probationary licence. The closure affects about 190 children and their families.
- Edmonton's real estate market is seeing its lowest levels of available homes for sale in nearly two decades, driven by high demand among first-time buyers from other provinces and cities, according to the latest market update from Royal LePage. The aggregate home price in Edmonton rose to $456,300 in the third quarter of 2024, up 5.4% from the previous year. Affordability "remains a challenge," and buyers "remain cautious," said Tom Shearer with Royal LePage Noralta.
- Arts journalist Fish Griwkowsky put together a guide to exploring Edmonton Design Week, which runs Oct. 15 to 20. Throughout the week, Edmontonians can enjoy events, tours, exhibitions, and walking tours across the city.
- The Edmonton Oilers have fans wondering what's to come for the season, after losing 6-0 to the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 9. The loss reminded many of the team's slow start to last season, and some major losses from the last playoff run. "It is very frustrating to start like this," said goalie Stuart Skinner, who was pulled from the game during the second period.
Headlines: Oct. 11, 2024
By Kevin Holowack