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Headlines: Feb. 21, 2025

· The Pulse
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  • Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis is asking municipalities across the province to temporarily transfer control of bylaw and peace officers to police services, which he says would "ensure law enforcement efforts are coordinated to address fentanyl and social disorder most effectively." Amalgamated Transit Union Local 569 president Steve Bradshaw voiced concern over police taking control of transit peace officers, something the union and the City of Edmonton have resisted. While announcing public safety measures in April 2023, the UCP government "encouraged" Edmonton and Calgary to transfer control of transit peace officers to police.
  • A ministerial order allowing Edmonton Public Schools to require children with complex needs to learn at home during the support worker strike was suspended by a provincial court. Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides originally issued the order on Jan. 12, a day before CUPE Local 3550 members went on strike. The court gave him until Feb. 27 to consider a new order. Last week, a lawyer representing parents and guardians told the court the order is discriminatory. The school board told parents it is keeping existing arrangements in place as it awaits more information.
  • The City of Edmonton has rolled out a mandatory training package for taxi and ride-share drivers, which all vehicle-for-hire drivers must complete by April 1. Administration says the flexible, four-to-eight-hour module has been under development since 2022 and responds to residents' concerns about safety and accessibility. Uber Canada complained about the length of the training and called it "red tape" that will make drivers' lives more difficult.
  • Alberta Worker, a labour news outlet run by Kim Siever, examined settlements reached in December between Edmonton Public Schools and CUPE 474, which represents 946 custodial staff in the division. While the workers will get a combined 14.75% wage increase over the next eight years, they will have less purchasing power than they do now because of previous years of wage freezes, a decrease in real wages, and future inflation. The division also eliminated about one in 20 custodial positions over the last seven years, Siever reported.
  • Edmonton's resale real estate market is relatively affordable, despite single-family home prices rising 42% since 2006, Postmedia reported. A RE/MAX Canada report looking at six major Canadian markets, not including Edmonton, found first-time home buyers are facing "some of the most challenging obstacles to home ownership in decades," with home prices in most Canadian markets more than doubling between 2006 and 2021.
  • The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra has named Jean-Marie Zeitouni as its next musical director, starting in the 2025-2026 season. Zeitouni has led orchestras on five continents and conducted 25 performances with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the Edmonton Opera. He is the symphony's ninth musical director since 1952, and its third Canadian director.
  • The Edmonton Elks have added several veteran players from the CFL free agency this month, including Emmanuel Rugamba, a linebacker who spent the last three seasons with the B.C. Lions. Before that, he played for the Cleveland Browns and made history in 2021 by becoming the first football player of Rwandan descent to join a North American major league team.
  • Canada defeated the United States 3-2 in overtime to win the 4 Nations Face-Off final, with Connor McDavid scoring the game-winning goal off a Mitch Marner pass. Nathan MacKinnon and Sam Bennett also scored for Canada, while Jordan Binnington made 31 saves.
  • After a 14-day break for the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Edmonton Oilers will return to the ice for five road games against Eastern Conference teams, starting with the Philadelphia Flyers and the Washington Capitals on Feb. 22 and 23.
  • Premier Danielle Smith has swapped out Andre Tremblay as deputy minister of health, although he retains his positions as interim CEO and official administrator of Alberta Health Services. Tremblay is named in the lawsuit filed by former CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos alleging government interference in procurement contracts. Smith also said the province will hire a third-party investigator and set up a "legal conflicts wall" between AHS and Alberta Health. The Opposition NDP continued to call for a public inquiry.