- Forecasters are predicting heavy snowfall in Edmonton and across central and northern Alberta starting March 13. In Edmonton, roads and walkways may be difficult to access, and there may be significant rush hour traffic, Environment Canada said. Colder temperatures are expected into the weekend.
- The City of Edmonton is evaluating its procurement practices in light of the Alberta government's directive for the province, municipalities, and other provincial entities to source goods and services locally amid the Canada-U.S. trade war. Sohrab Sohrabi, branch manager for procurement and supply services, said the City is awaiting more details about the directive. In total, the City buys about $3 billion worth of goods and services a year across 400 contracts. Last year, a review of publicly listed contracts found most are already awarded locally, especially for services, Postmedia reported.
- City of Edmonton administration is recommending council reallocate $5 million from security guard contracts with Commissionaires toward increasing peace officer presence at transit stations. In a report going to council on March 18, administration says it will create an "enhanced Transit Peace Officer (TPO) deployment plan for citywide coverage" and increase the number of TPOs from 96 to 126, while phasing Commissionaires out of the 19 transit facilities they currently cover.
- The Court of King's Bench denied a review of the Crown's 2023 decision not to pursue charges against Const. Ben Todd for seriously injuring Pacey Dumas, even though the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team recommended charges. In his decision, Justice Michael Kraus said Dumas "failed to meet the threshold" for a judicial review. Dumas's lawyer Heather Steinke-Attia said the standard is "so high, it's basically impossible." Last year, the province hired a retired judge to oversee a review of Crown prosecution services and ASIRT, which criminologist Temitope Oriola suggested was long overdue.
- The federal government announced a proposed out-of-court settlement on March 6 in response to a class-action lawsuit seeking damages for abuse and mistreatment at the 33 so-called "Indian hospitals" that operated across Canada between 1936 to 1981. If the settlement is certified, claimants will be eligible for compensation between $10,000 and $200,000. The former Charles Camsell Indian Hospital in Edmonton's Inglewood neighbourhood is one of the facilities named in the lawsuit. The hospital was the subject of a short documentary from the Edmonton Heritage Council in 2016.
- Edmonton resident David Stupnikoff has launched a GoFundMe campaign to revive the historic Princess Theatre on Whyte Avenue, which closed in 2020 and has been listed for sale at $2.7 million since 2022. Stupnikoff said he has collaborated with architects and contractors on a plan to transition the main theatre to a stage and leave the second theatre as a screening room for movies. He said he is seeking $9.2 million to buy and revive the building, with plans to eventually register as a charity to accept corporate donations.
- Nearly a dozen bronze plaques honouring Edmonton soldiers who died during the First World War have been stolen from a cemetery in recent weeks, with several showing up in antique stores and flea markets, said Loyal Edmonton Regiment Museum historian Joe MacDonald. Last week, a bronze statue of Emily Murphy was stolen, followed this week by another statue in Ambleside Park.
- Keith and Ken Harcus, twin brothers who own the long-running Edmonton art supply store Colours Artist Supplies, said they plan to close up shop and retire. The brothers, who took over the business in 1984 before expanding it to Vancouver and Winnipeg, say they've employed more than 1,000 staff over the years.
- Woodlands County, about 150 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, is considering nuclear energy as a way to power the region. In February, county council recommended buying an associate membership for the Canadian Association of Nuclear Host Communities, which has 16 member communities, mostly in Ontario. Woodlands County is at the start of its journey, and installing small modular reactors would require extensive engagement, the organization's chair said.
- Alberta Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said the 2025 Alberta budget will "alleviate pressure on classrooms" and help manage class sizes by spending $1.1 billion to hire more than 4,000 teachers, education assistants, and support staff. Student enrolment in Alberta has risen by about 89,000 since 2020, with much of the growth in the Edmonton and Calgary areas, the province said. Meanwhile, an auditor general report found Alberta Education is lacking effective processes to ensure school authorities follow annual reporting requirements.
- Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen proposed amendments to the Wildlife Act that the province says will "modernize" hunting and trapping legislation. The roughly two dozen changes include allowing children as young as 12 to shoot guns without supervision, allowing hunters to kill black bears and cougars without needing to preserve the hides, allowing hunters to use laser sights, and making it legal to hunt in a wheelchair.
Headlines: March 13, 2025
By Kevin Holowack