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Headlines: March 17, 2025

· The Pulse
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  • CUPE Alberta announced that tentative deals have been reached with Edmonton Public Schools, Fort McMurray Public School Division, and Fort McMurray Catholic School District, which could end strikes that began months ago. The deals, which include wage increases and would be in effect until August 2028, still need to be ratified by CUPE members. If approved, workers could return to work as early as March 19. The settlements do not affect the 2,600 workers still on strike in Calgary, Sturgeon, Parkland, Foothills, and Black Gold school divisions.
  • The City of Edmonton will end its curbside Christmas tree pickup program next winter, a move expected to save $120,000 annually. The collection service, which began in 1990, has seen declining use, with a 50% decrease in trees collected over the past decade. This year, the City collected 6,408 trees. Residents can still drop off trees at Community Recycling Depots and Eco Stations.
  • Edmonton businesses on 101 Street, including Padmanadi and Freecloud Records, are concerned that planned bus lanes will remove vital parking spaces and deter customers. The City of Edmonton plans to implement a dedicated transit lane on 101 Street between Kingsway and 107 Avenue starting this summer to improve transit efficiency. The Chinatown Business Association says businesses were not properly consulted and that the notification period wasn’t enough. The City says it wants to reduce delays for transit users travelling to Chinatown and the downtown core.
  • Parking at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market will no longer be free, effective April 6. The City of Edmonton did not renew the market’s lease for the parking lot at 83 Avenue and Gateway Boulevard, ending the two hours of free parking offered to customers on Saturdays, the market said in a statement.
  • To address the student housing crunch, the City of Edmonton is partnering with the Edmonton Students’ Association to survey post-secondary students this fall about housing availability, affordability, and location. MacEwan University will open 50 new rental spaces near campus this fall as part of a pilot project with a developer, while Concordia University of Edmonton is investing in a 200-bed on-campus residence expected to open in January 2027. The moves follow a survey last spring that found 40% of MacEwan students said they could not afford more than $500 rent monthly.
  • Canada Post unveiled a new stamp celebrating Eid with a multicultural design created by Edmonton’s Muslim and Indigenous community. The artwork, created by a Métis artist, incorporates a lodgepole pine, Cree symbols, and a colorful archway symbolizing the purpose of prayer. Omar Yaqub of the social services organization Islamic Family highlighted the stamp’s significance during Eid, comparing it to other holiday traditions that involve sending letters and gifts.
  • The Rebel Boss Women’s Day Market in Edmonton showcased more than 50 women-owned small businesses, offering a supportive community amid economic challenges. Organizer Alissa Tukkimaki emphasized the importance of a safe space for female business owners. The event also included a silent auction to support the End FGM Canada Network.
  • Alberta Health Services issued a warning about potential hepatitis A exposure for customers who visited the Tim Hortons at Millbourne Market Mall in southeast Edmonton between Feb. 20 and March 5. The health authority confirmed that a food worker was infectious during that period. Individuals who consumed food or drink at the location between March 1 and 5 may be eligible for a vaccine if received within 14 days of exposure, while those who visited between Feb. 20 and 28 are advised to monitor for symptoms for 50 days.
  • Alberta Health Services filed a statement of defence arguing that former CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos’s wrongful dismissal lawsuit is baseless and an attempt to secure a larger severance payment. The health authority said it terminated Mentzelopoulos due to her inadequate performance, not because of her internal investigations into surgical contracts. Mentzelopoulos alleges she was fired after investigating contracts with potential conflicts of interest and for resisting political pressure to extend deals she considered overpriced. She is seeking a $1.7-million settlement, while AHS and LaGrange are asking for her lawsuit to be dismissed.
  • Premier Danielle Smith says Alberta is still trying to import medication from Turkey to fulfill a $70 million deal. The deal is under scrutiny due to allegations of government interference at Alberta Health Services to benefit private businesses, as contained in a wrongful dismissal lawsuit from former AHS CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos. Smith said MHCare Medical, an Edmonton company facilitating the deal, began the import process for intravenous acetaminophen in November 2023 and submitted an application to Health Canada a year later. However, Health Canada said it has not received an application from the province or associated companies to import drugs.
  • The University of Alberta Pandas hockey team is the top seed at the 2025 U SPORTS Women’s Hockey Championship in Elmira, ON, which runs from March 20 to 23. The Pandas, who are heading to the tournament for the 18th time, will be seeking their record ninth Golden Path trophy.