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Headlines: May 9, 2025

· The Pulse
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  • Edmonton city council rejected a rezoning application that would have allowed developers to relocate Fulton Creek and remove thousands of mature trees to expand the footprint of Fulton Creek Business Park in southeast Edmonton. The motion failed with a 6-6 tie vote, with Coun. Jo-Anne Wright citing concerns about environmental sustainability and lack of consultation with Papaschase First Nation. Mayor Amarjeet Sohi and Coun. Tim Cartmell both supported the motion, saying they were satisfied with the developer's proposed mitigation efforts.
  • The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, which represents 23,500 members, said it will hold strike votes for members of eight AUPE locals, who haven't seen significant wage increases for decades. The union said it wants a 24% increase over four years, while the province has offered 11.5%. On April 30, the province applied to lock out AUPE members, which vice-president Sandra Azocar said shows the Alberta government's "ongoing disrespect" to public workers.
  • Cool weather on May 8 helped crews battle a series of wildfires in Alberta that have caused shifting evacuation orders and alerts since May 3. Evacuation orders for the Village of Boyle and some parts of Athabasca County were lifted the morning of May 8, allowing more than 800 residents to return home. Evacuation orders remain for parts of Sturgeon County that are threatened by a fire in the Redwater Provincial Recreation Area. Residents of Thorhild County, about 90 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, were allowed to go home, but the area remained under alert as of May 8.
  • Officials say a grass fire that shut down part of Anthony Henday Drive on May 6 was caused by human activity in an area with trees near 186 Street and 104 Avenue. As of May 8, crews were still working to extinguish the fire.
  • Valley Line Southeast LRT service was suspended between Mill Creek and Davies stations for about an hour on the morning of May 8 due to a multi-vehicle collision that blocked the tracks at 76 Avenue. The crash did not involve an LRT train.
  • WestJet said it will pause nine Canada-U.S. routes due to low demand for travel between the two countries. The company's Edmonton-Chicago route and Calgary-Fort Lauderdale route will be paused during June. Its Edmonton-Atlanta route will be unavailable in July and August.
  • The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce held its annual State of Our City event, which aimed to be a "frank, solutions-focused conversation" about Edmonton's future. The event included a panel discussion on growth, innovation, and municipal priorities with chamber CEO Doug Griffiths, city manager Eddie Robar, Traci Bednard of Explore Edmonton, Tim Shipton of OEG, and Kalen Anderson of BILD Edmonton Metro.
  • Former Edmonton Police Service officer Oli Olason, accused of using excessive force during a March 2021 arrest, testified in his trial that he believes he acted reasonably and proportionately. The trial continues May 9.
  • Catholics in Edmonton celebrated the election of Robert Prevost, who chose the name Pope Leo XIV, as leader of the Catholic Church. Calgary-based bishop William McGrattan said he found Prevost, the first American pope, to be a "very sensitive" person. Prevost has spent some time vacationing in Canada, including the Rockies, McGrattan said.
  • University of Alberta president Bill Flanagan wrote an op-ed arguing that post-secondary institutions can help navigate Alberta's economic challenges, noting domestic enrolment at the U of A has risen 10.5% since 2020, and applications from high school students have increased 22% in five years. Flanagan called for more engineering students, collaboration with the Alberta government, and "predictable, sustainable, and targeted" visa policies.
  • MacEwan University journalism student Raynesh Ram published a piece in The Tyee about Alberta Energy Regulator board chair David Yager, who is also a "special adviser" to Premier Danielle Smith and former CEO of a company that rents equipment for reclaiming abandoned wells. The AER is supposed to be an independent agency regulating energy and mineral development in Alberta, but critics have long accused it of being co-opted by the industry, Ram reported.
  • The Alberta NDP, health advocates, and several unions say the UCP government's sweeping Bill 55, tabled May 1, would enable private, for-profit companies to operate public hospitals. Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said opponents are mischaracterizing the bill. The province says the bill supports its work to refocus the health care system.
  • The Otipemisiwak Métis Government, which is the government of the Métis Nation within Alberta, issued a release celebrating significant milestones toward Métis rights and self-government. The government has formally established more than half of the districts in its 2022 constitution, and it recently signed an agreement with the Canadian government recognizing the Métis Nation within Alberta and its five territories as a "rights-bearing Métis collectivity," the release says.
  • As of May 8, there were more than 300 measles cases reported in Alberta, 100 more than last week, with most cases in children and teenagers. Health experts are urging families and guardians to have children vaccinated against the virus. The province has announced an immunization campaign, but Alberta has low measles vaccination rates overall.
  • The Edmonton Elks held rookie camp this week, with 60 rookies competing to join the team. The club said it has "tough decisions" to make before the deadline to make cuts at midnight on May 10. The team's regular season starts with a June 7 game against the B.C. Lions.