- Amarjeet Sohi is taking an unpaid leave of absence from his role as Edmonton’s mayor to run as a Liberal candidate in Edmonton Southeast in the upcoming federal election on April 28. Karen Principe and Erin Rutherford will fill in as deputy and acting mayor, respectively. If Sohi wins, he will resign as mayor, but if he loses, he will resume his mayoral duties until the municipal election in October. Liberal Leader Mark Carney called the snap election on March 23, kicking off the spring campaign.
- Randy Boissonnault, former cabinet minister and Liberal MP for Edmonton Centre, announced on March 23 that he will not seek re-election. Boissonnault, who resigned from cabinet in November 2024 amid controversy, won the riding in 2015 and 2021, but lost in 2019. Trisha Estabrooks is the NDP candidate in the riding, while Sayid Ahmed is running for the Conservatives.
- Two Edmonton businesses are dealing with the aftermath of recent break-ins. The Creative Hive in west Edmonton, which houses 15 businesses, experienced two break-ins in 10 days. Co-founder Dez Melenka expressed frustration over the damage, stolen cash, and the burden of dealing with insurance and police. In the Ritchie neighbourhood, Magpie Books was vandalized on March 2, with a window broken and books scattered. The owners are paying for the repairs out-of-pocket to avoid increases to their insurance premiums. Both businesses are reassessing their security measures.
- The Law Enforcement Review Board has upheld the demotion of Edmonton Police Service Const. Paul Kelly for failing to find Blayne Burnstick’s body at a 2017 homicide scene, but rejected then-police chief Dale McFee’s request to have him fired. Kelly was part of the crime scene investigation team after Nexhmi Nuhi was killed. Burnstick’s body was found four days later, hidden in a garbage bag. The board found Kelly guilty of 10 of 14 counts, including deceit.
- The Edmonton Oilers will be without Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for about one week after both sustained injuries in recent games. Evander Kane remains on long-term injured reserve, and Trent Frederic is still weeks away from returning, leaving the team without immediate reinforcements.
- Edmonton community leagues are working to combat social isolation by providing affordable recreation, events, and gathering places. As disposable income decreases, these leagues become increasingly important. The Cameron Heights Community League is opening a new 4,000-square-foot hall in June after five years of fundraising, while the Dovercourt Community League is completing a $1.7-million renovation of its hall, including energy-efficient upgrades and improved accessibility. The Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues says $180 million is needed for upgrades across the city.
- The Wayne Gretzky statue in downtown Edmonton was found smeared with what appeared to be feces on March 22. An employee from Rogers Place cleaned the statue, which was originally unveiled in 1989 at Northlands Coliseum and relocated in 2016. OEG is investigating the incident, condemning the vandalism of the “iconic landmark.” Gretzky, who led the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cups, has recently faced criticism for publicly supporting Donald Trump.
- A $4-million donation from an anonymous local family is fast-tracking the construction of a new family medicine clinic at the Community Health Centre in southeast Edmonton. The Community Health Centre, part of the Covenant Wellness Community, is scheduled to open this fall and will host outpatient clinics moved from the Grey Nuns Community Hospital, as well as doctors’ offices and other services. The donation is the largest ever received by the Covenant Foundation and will allow the primary care clinic to open much sooner than anticipated.
- The urgent care centre at the East Edmonton Health Centre is temporarily closed because of a water leak. Regular operations at the centre are expected to resume by 5pm on March 24. Alberta Health Services is redirecting urgent care patients and working to resolve the issue.
- The Alberta government will provide $10 million in grants through the Aboriginal Business Investment Fund, which will help community-owned Indigenous businesses purchase equipment or upgrade infrastructure.
- Former Alberta Health Services CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos filed a 10-page court document claiming Health Minister Adriana LaGrange made “malicious and bad faith allegations” about her performance. This response comes after LaGrange and Alberta Health Services filed statements of defence against Mentzelopoulos’s $1.7-million wrongful dismissal lawsuit, alleging she was fired due to poor job performance. Mentzelopoulos alleges she was terminated after launching an investigation into contracts with ties to government officials. She claims LaGrange praised her work in December 2024, but then demanded her firing the following month.
- Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is defending a $4.8-million increase to her office budget, citing rising costs and increased responsibilities. The money will fund staff salaries, operations, and communications. The premier said the increase is necessary to ensure effective government operations and to address the needs of Albertans.
- The Edmonton Oilers and the NHL are closely monitoring potential Canada-U.S. tariffs, which could impact player salaries, the biggest expense for Canadian teams. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says the league is prepared to make adjustments if needed. Tariffs could also affect spectators’ willingness to spend on tickets, merchandise, and concessions.
- Liberal Leader Mark Carney will run in the Ottawa riding of Nepean in the upcoming federal election, the party said. The Liberal Party revoked the nomination of Chandra Arya, the incumbent MP for Nepean since 2015, after Arya had already been nominated to run again. Carney, who recently won the party leadership, has never held a seat in Parliament.
Headlines: March 24, 2025
By Mariam Ibrahim