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Headlines: Nov.7, 2024

· The Pulse
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  • Edmonton Public Schools is seeing high enrolment, with numbers growing by the equivalent of one modular classroom full of students per day, according to a report discussed by trustees on Nov. 5. This year, the division enrolled about 120,000 students, compared to about 115,000 students last year, and many newer schools south of Anthony Henday Drive are relying on modular classrooms, including some in "unconventional spaces." The division ultimately needs 50 new public schools built in the next 10 years, said board chair Julie Kusiek.
  • Zocalo, a greenhouse-cafe in Little Italy that closed last January after a fire, began welcoming back customers, who are "super pumped" to return, said co-owner Miranda Ringma. The business is now partnering with Love and Fantasy Flowers to run the flower shop and Aspen Coffee Roasters to manage the cafe. Construction on the greenhouse is expected to last a few more months.
  • The Edmonton Public Library launched the Palace Project App, which gives library users free access to audiobooks and eBooks, including exclusive content from Audible for the first time. Demand for digital content has increased by 57% since 2018, the library says.
  • Global Sport Resources, a recreation facility equipment supplier, was ordered to pay $200,000 after a worker died while doing demolition and reclamation work at the Tofield arena in March 2022. The company pleaded guilty to one count under the Occupational Health and Safety Code. As part of a "creative sentence," the penalty includes a $25,000 fine, $75,000 to STARS Air Ambulance, and $100,000 to the Alberta Municipal Health and Safety Association.
  • St. Albert city council's 5-2 vote to stay part of Edmonton Global creates some hope for improved collaboration in the region, Postmedia reported. Five regional municipalities have signalled their intention to leave the agency over the past year. Edmonton Global CEO Bruce Malcolm said the St. Albert vote shows confidence in the agency, which has been improving transparency and communication.
  • CBC News Edmonton has launched a 24/7 streaming channel, which offers free TV, news, and entertainment. The channel is available online, on the CBC News App, or on CBC Gem. The broadcaster says local stations are "expanding across the county this year," with similar channels launching across Canada.
  • Deloitte Canada announced the winners of its Technology Fast 50 program, which recognizes achievements and growth in the technology sector. Two Edmonton companies made the list: Jobber was recognized in the Enterprise-Industry Leader category and OneSoft Solutions was recognized in the Clean Technology category. Calgary-based Neo Financial was named the fastest-growing technology company in Canada.
  • The Edmonton City as Museum Project published an article on the Métis ironworkers who contributed significantly to building Edmonton's downtown in the 1960s and 1970s. Workers at the time who did the most dangerous construction jobs downtown, including building the CN Tower, were nearly all Métis men who trained as ironworkers, said retired ironworker Tom Daniels.
  • Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid returned to the ice for the team's Nov. 6 game against the Vegas Golden Knights, after a quick recovery from an ankle injury sustained on Oct. 28. McDavid was originally projected to be sidelined for weeks.
  • The Athletic evaluated the latest performance of the Edmonton Oilers prospect pool, which is performing much better than the prospect pool at the end of last season. Additions by CEO Jeff Jackson since August 2023, including top prospect Matt Savoie, will bring "bigger, stronger, more rugged players" to the team's roster in years to come, said sports writer Allan Mitchell.
  • The Alberta government is ending its distribution program of publicly funded vaccines for community medical clinics. Shipments of the vaccines stopped in April when the province's distribution contract expired, and clinics didn't get COVID-19 or influenza vaccines for the fall immunization campaign. The province now plans to distribute select vaccines to about two dozen community medical clinics, compared to 500 to 600 clinics before the contract expired.
  • The Alberta government is proposing to "modernize" provincial access to information rules by splitting the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act into the Access to Information Act and the Protection of Privacy Act. The former act will bring Alberta in line with other jurisdictions, update language, and streamline processes, the province says. The changes would also extend the timeline for FOIP requests from 30 calendar days to 30 business days, Postmedia reported. Alberta's privacy commissioner has been investigating the province's freedom of information rules since last August after journalists found provincial departments were failing to abide by public disclosure laws. The investigation will continue until at least December.