- With temperatures expected to drop over the coming days, the City of Edmonton has launched its snow and ice control program, with several updates for the 2024-2025 season. The changes include adjustments to the priority system for snow-clearing and the addition of active pathways to the City's live map of snow-clearing vehicles. Postmedia published an explainer on Edmonton's snow clearing plan this year.
- CUPE Local 3550, which represents approximately 3,150 Edmonton Public Schools education support staff, voted 97% in favour of strike action, with a voter turnout of 92%. Once the Alberta Labour Relations Board approves the vote results, the union can provide the school board with 72-hour strike notice. The union says its members make "poverty wages" that haven't kept up with the cost of living. CUPE Local 474, which represents 950 custodial staff at Edmonton Public Schools, was scheduled to hold its strike vote on Oct. 17 and Oct. 20.
- To get in the Halloween spirit, Postmedia highlighted some Edmonton buildings believed to be haunted, including the Firkins House in Fort Edmonton Park, the Princess Theatre and the Strathcona Hotel in Old Strathcona, and several buildings on the University of Alberta main campus.
- Edmonton is the only Alberta city to make Airbnb's list of top 10 most popular Canadian winter travel destinations in 2024. "Coupled with its vibrant downtown, diverse dining options, and easy access to the nearby river valley for winter sports, Edmonton is becoming a go-to spot for both locals and visitors looking for a lively winter escape," said Airbnb.
- Alberta had a net increase of 518 registered doctors over the last year, according to data from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta. Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said the numbers show "promising progress," but the Alberta Medical Association said the numbers lack context because it's unclear how many of the doctors are full-time and working in Alberta, rather than just maintaining their licence in the province. Meanwhile, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees says frontline workers are concerned about how their jobs will be affected by Primary Care Alberta, one of the province's four new healthcare agencies, which is set to officially launch Nov. 1.
- Premier Danielle Smith said she plans to replace the province's online continuing care directory with a new online platform, which she compared to Uber, an analogy she later said shouldn't be taken too far. "What we're talking about is creating a portal so that those (providers) who have spaces available can easily post them, and those who need a space can easily find them," Smith said.
Headlines: Oct. 18, 2024
By Kevin Holowack