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Headlines: June 9, 2025

· The Pulse
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  • Edmonton activated its extreme weather response due to high-risk air quality from wildfire smoke. The response began June 7 at 10am and is scheduled to end June 9 at 9am, but may be extended if conditions persist. City of Edmonton recreation centres, pools, and libraries are open for relief. Free N95 masks and bottled water are available at select city facilities. Residents are advised to stay indoors, keep windows closed, and check on vulnerable neighbours.
  • The intersection of Stony Plain Road and 124th Street in Edmonton is set to reopen after being closed for six weeks to accelerate construction of the Valley Line West LRT. According to Marigold Infrastructure Partners, the LRT project is now about 40% complete and expected to open in 2028. Other intersections along the route remain under construction, and a partial closure at 142nd Street and Stony Plain Road will begin June 10 for nine weeks. Another unplanned closure will begin next week at 139th Street and Stony Plain Road for nine weeks.
  • Edmonton's Chinatown hosted its second annual block party on June 7 with activities including dragon dances. The event is among those supported by funding from Edmonton's Chinatown Vibrancy Fund.
  • United Sport and Cycle in Edmonton is working to keep up with demand for Edmonton Oilers merchandise as the team continues its playoff run. On Whyte Avenue, Yelo'd Ice Cream & Bake Shoppe is offering a limited-edition orange and blue ice cream flavour to celebrate the team.
  • Premier Danielle Smith has invited Prime Minister Mark Carney to watch an Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup Final game, potentially Game 5, ahead of the G7 conference in Kananaskis. Carney, who grew up in Edmonton, previously skated with the Oilers in March. Smith defended her and her cabinet's past attendance at playoff games after criticism last year over accepting free luxury box tickets.
  • Lauren Kyle McDavid, wife of Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, opened Bar Trove, a small bites restaurant in downtown Edmonton. This weekend's opening coincides with Oilers' second straight Stanley Cup Final appearance. McDavid's other ventures include Kyle and Co. (interior design), Sports Club Atelier (a fashion line), Trove Living (furniture showroom), and a cookbook arriving this fall.
  • Parents praised Edmonton's new Jim Jiwani Autism Academy as it celebrated its first school year in operation and the milestones their children have reached. Forty students from Kindergarten to Grade 2 were enrolled this year, and it will open to Grade 3 students next school year.
  • Constable Daniel Woodall School commemorated the 10th anniversary of the Edmonton police officer's death on June 6. A Grade 6 student, Maizie Stewart, received the inaugural Legacy Award for displaying values of courage, service, and compassion.
  • After the Alberta government rescinded its March order to pause purchases of U.S. products in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canadian goods, Edmonton liquor stores like Keg n Cork Liquor Company and 121 Jasper Liquor have noted a shift in consumer preference towards Canadian options. According to AGLC's announcement, the change will allow retailers to restock their U.S. products, which will still be subject to a 25% surtax upon importation.
  • The Edmonton Elks unveiled new home and away jerseys at an event at Midway Music Hall on June 5. The redesign, which took 18 months, brings back gold numbers to the home jerseys, a feature absent since 2021, and prominently displays "EDMONTON" across the front of both jerseys. The sleeves feature a familiar pattern combining the Double E logo with striping reminiscent of the 1960s and the 2015 Grey Cup-winning team.
  • Canadian universities are seeking new methods to evaluate students in response to concerns about AI being used for cheating. Karsten Mundel, who sits on the AI steering committee at the University of Alberta, noted an increase in handwritten exams and new approaches that incorporate AI and oral exams, but recognizes challenges for students who lack handwriting skills. Katie Tamsett of the U of A's student union says AI is being used in the workforce, and wants to see it incorporated as a tool in university courses.
  • Nearly half of the buildings in the northern Alberta community of Chipewyan Lake, about 450 kilometres north of Edmonton, have been destroyed by a wildfire. According to emergency management officials, the destroyed buildings included the Bigstone Health Centre, a local church, the community's water treatment plant, homes, and sheds.