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Headlines: Jan. 29, 2025

· The Pulse
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  • The City of Edmonton is launching the seventh round of its Affordable Housing Investment Program, offering up to $20 million in grants to accelerate the development of affordable housing. The program has a general stream that covers up to 25% of capital costs for new or rehabilitated affordable housing, and an Indigenous housing stream that covers up to 40% of capital costs for projects. Since 2019, the City has invested $254 million to help create 5,553 affordable housing units.
  • EPCOR and Capital Power are among the companies named by Mediacorp Canada as Alberta's Top Employers for 2025. Nearly 90% of this year's winners offer flexible health plans or spending accounts, 50% offer parental leave top-ups, and nearly half support employee upskilling through tuition assistance.
  • Principled Accountable Coalition for Edmonton, or PACE, has been approved as Edmonton's first municipal political party under new provincial legislation. The party, supported by more than 1,200 petition signers, says it will offer a slate of candidates committed to five principles: value for taxes, safety and security, open for business, first things first, and accountable to you. The party said it will start its candidate nomination process for the 2025 municipal election soon.
  • Trauma surgeons in Edmonton are advocating for the consolidation of the city's two adult trauma centres, which are currently located at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and the University of Alberta Hospital. The surgeons argue that consolidating them into one site would improve patient outcomes, reduce patient transfers, and save money. A 2019 report by Ernst & Young also recommended consolidation, but the Alberta government said it is concerned about potential service disruptions.
  • The Alberta Securities Commission, Edmonton Police Foundation, and Edmonton Police Service have selected two winning concepts from the ScamShield: Investor Protection Challenge for innovative solutions to combat online crypto investment fraud. The winning concepts will be further developed and added to investor protection resources offered by the Alberta Security Commission, which estimates that more than 60% of the $309 million in investment fraud reported in 2023 was tied to crypto schemes.
  • American fast-food chains like Krispy Kreme, Chipotle, and Chick-fil-A are finding success in Edmonton, with their recent openings drawing large crowds. A retail rent survey from CBRE suggests that Edmonton's suburban, grocery store-anchored retail sites are in high demand.
  • The City of Edmonton's proposed new public spaces bylaw would ban or limit a range of behaviours, including visible drug use, panhandling near roadways, feeding feral cats or birds, and protests of 100 or more people without a permit. The bylaw also prohibits anyone over 14 from riding bikes, skateboards, scooters, or roller skating on sidewalks. City council's community and public services committee will discuss the bylaw on Feb. 10.
  • The Alberta Investment Management Corp. has fired 19 employees, including the head of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) program. The company said the terminations were part of a reorganization, amid a broader debate about the role of DEI initiatives. Earlier this month, the University of Alberta renamed its DEI policies to "access, community, and belonging."
  • The Edmonton Transit Service Arc card fare payment system is getting closer to allowing riders to tap their credit or debit cards to pay. ETS has been replacing fare validators since November to enhance security, and testing of the open-payment system is underway, with more details expected in the coming months.
  • Farm goods retailer Peavey Mart, which is headquartered in Red Deer, is closing all 90 of its stores across Canada after seeking creditor protection. The company cited "unprecedented challenges" in the Canadian retail industry, including low consumer confidence, inflationary pressures, rising operating costs, and supply disruptions.
  • Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid says he is looking forward to playing alongside Sidney Crosby at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, in February. The tournament will feature teams from Canada, the United States, Finland, and Sweden. Canada starts the tournament with a game against Finland on Feb. 12.