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Headlines: June 6, 2025

· The Pulse
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  • The Alberta Teachers' Association launched a formal strike vote on June 5. Teachers across the province can vote until June 8 on whether to go on strike. Last month, the association rejected a proposed settlement from a mediator, and nearly all its members authorized strike action if necessary. The association and the province have been in collective bargaining negotiations since teachers' last contract expired in August.
  • Councillor and mayoral candidate Tim Cartmell has announced the candidates who will run as part of a slate under his Better Edmonton Party in the fall municipal election, including sitting councillor Karen Principe and former Edmonton Police Association president Michael Elliott. A list of Better Edmonton candidates, and other candidates running as part of slates, is available on the Edmonton Elections website.
  • Lydia Kawun and Colin Hefferon, two professional planners, wrote an op-ed calling on council to reconsider approving a $553-million expansion to the downtown Community Revitalization Levy. The authors say subsidizing developers and sprucing up public spaces has not yet led to downtown revitalization, and the levy is a "speculative approach" that can cost taxpayers later. They call for "proven alternatives with better outcomes," using Amsterdam as an example of a revitalization strategy built on "stable revenue and long-term affordability."
  • MacEwan University president Annette Trimbee wrote an op-ed suggesting partnerships are key to providing student housing. Trimbee said the university is launching a pilot program this fall that involves partnering with Qualico Properties and Maclab Development Group, which have committed to renting some units at a discount to MacEwan students. MacEwan plans to grow from about 20,000 students to 30,000 students by 2030.
  • Explore Edmonton has released a guide to Summer of Pride events, highlighting numerous celebrations throughout the Edmonton region. Events include the Edmonton Drag Festival, Nextfest at the Roxy Theatre, and the Edmonton Pride Parade in the ICE District.
  • The Alberta School of Business at the University of Alberta is home to the recently launched Cities Institute, which aims to generate practical research, develop "future leaders," bring data analytics to policy, and foster industry collaboration, according to the institute's website. Folio, the university's media site, published a profile of Murtaza Haider, a data science and real estate management professor who will be leading the institute.
  • Const. Alexander Doduk of the Edmonton Police Service, who earlier this week pleaded not guilty to charges of assault causing bodily harm and assault with a weapon, resumed his testimony at his trial on June 5. The man Doduk is accused of assaulting has testified that Doduk struck him multiple times with a baton while he was trying to report a property crime. Doduk said his use of force was justified. The trial will continue next week.
  • Edmonton journalist Lauren Boothby, who has covered municipal politics for Postmedia for the last several years, shared that she will join CityNews Edmonton as a video journalist later this month. Boothby said she will still report on municipal politics from time to time, but it won't be her focus. Instead, she'll be a general assignment reporter focused on crime and policing.
  • The Edmonton Police Service is urging residents to practice motorcycle safety after three fatal motorcycle accidents so far in 2025. Police data shows motorcycle injuries and fatalities are rising, with 28 injuries and seven fatalities recorded in 2024. Other drivers are reminded to double-check blind spots, use turn signals early, and give motorcyclists plenty of space.
  • In a piece for the Edmonton City as Museum Project, Giselle General discussed the influence of Tessie Oliva, a Filipino nurse who came to Edmonton in 1969 and made significant contributions to the nursing sector. Oliva's legacy includes being head nurse of neurology and rheumatology at the University of Alberta Hospital, working with health authorities on large-scale recruitment of nurses from the Philippines, and inspiring many immigrant nurses to advance their careers. A showcase honouring Oliva is on display at the Royal Alberta Museum.
  • The Alberta Electric System Operator has announced a temporary limit on how many new AI data centres can be added to the province's electrical grid. The regulator has received proposals for 29 data centre projects that would require more than 16 gigawatts. The list has been reduced to 15, with more possibly filtered out over the next month. The province said it wants to build $100 billion in AI data centres in the next five years.
  • Sandra Lau was appointed to the board of directors of the Alberta Investment Management Corporation. She previously worked in senior roles at AIMCo and retired in mid-2023, according to a release.