- Residents in southeast Edmonton held a silent protest outside the Morningstar supportive housing facility in Terrace Heights to draw attention to what they describe as crime and disorder in their community after the facility's opening. Some residents said they were misled and want Boyle Street Community Services and Homeward Trust to be held accountable. Boyle Street said in a statement the facility's management is working to address encampments around the building and completes perimeter checks every hour.
- The University of Alberta Innovation Fund is supporting Edmonton artificial intelligence startups as they work to scale and commercialize. CEO Sheetal Mehta Walsh appeared on Global News to talk about how the $7-million fund is supporting businesses. The fund has made five investments after reviewing more than 200 companies, Mehta Walsh said.
- The Edmonton Blues Festival has been cancelled for 2025 due to significant financial challenges, including increased costs, inflation, decreased sponsorship, and slow ticket sales, festival producer Cam Hayden said. The festival, which has struggled with venue changes and financial losses in recent years, aims to return to Hawrelak Park in 2026. "We had a pretty sizable emergency fund, which we managed to squirrel away over the first 22 years of the festival, and that's very much depleted at this point," Hayden said.
- More than 100 volunteers from BILD Edmonton Metro spent three days renovating the basement of Amy's House, a residence that provides free accommodation for out-of-town cancer patients receiving treatment in Edmonton. The renovation transformed the space into a more comfortable and functional area for families who travel long distances for essential medical care.
- A Royal LePage survey found that only about half of young Canadians believe homeownership is attainable, with slightly more optimism in Alberta compared to provinces like Ontario and B.C. In Edmonton, realtor Eddie Chang noted that first-time buyers are increasingly opting for semi-detached and row homes without condo fees due to rising prices. According to the REALTORS Association of Edmonton, the average price of a single-family home reached nearly $553,000 in September, which is a 12% increase over last year.
- Residents in south Edmonton, St. Albert, and seven other communities across Canada took part in an accessible trick-or-treating event on Oct. 20 for kids with sensory, mobility, and intellectual disabilities. The Treat Accessibly program is in its seventh year, with 250,000 houses participating.
- Public Interest Alberta executive director Bradley Lafortune wrote an op-ed for Postmedia arguing that city council should use surplus school sites for affordable housing. Edmonton is facing a significant homelessness crisis, with more than 4,000 residents lacking permanent housing and a recent increase in emergency shelter use, Lafortune wrote. "These 11 sites could make a real difference, and by increasing the supply of low-cost affordable housing, council could take pressure off the lowest part of the market," Lafortune wrote. City council is set to discuss the topic this week.
- The Alberta government announced $112 million in funding to construct 250 modular homes in Jasper for residents who lost their homes in the July wildfire. The homes, targeted for essential and support service workers, will be available by January 2025 and are intended to be permanent, with the province acting as the landlord. An additional 25 modular homes will be built in Hinton for 32 displaced residents of Pine Grove Manor, a seniors complex in Jasper. Construction on those homes is set to begin in January, with occupancy expected by April 2025.
Headlines: Oct. 22, 2024
By Mariam Ibrahim