- Edmonton city council approved parameters for an independent body to oversee its anti-racism efforts, which is a priority set out in the Anti-Racism Strategy created in 2021. Of the options proposed by administration, council selected a "collaborative group of existing efforts" rather than a new nonprofit or advisory board, CBC reported. In 2023, council drew some criticism for being too slow at enacting the strategy.
- The City of Edmonton is inviting residents to celebrate Waste Collector Appreciation Week from June 16 to 20 by leaving a note on their carts or bins, tagging the City in a social media post, or finding other creative ways to say thanks. Residents can show appreciation year round by properly sorting their waste, the City said.
- CityNews spoke to some Happy Beer Street businesses about their efforts to have part of 78 Avenue declared an entertainment district, similar to parts of Rice Howard Way and 104 Street downtown. Bent Stick Brewing co-owner Cole Boyd recently talked to Taproot about it, saying there are municipal procedures and community engagement to go through, but he hopes the entertainment district will be in place by fall.
- RE/MAX released its 2025 Edmonton Commercial Real Estate Overview, which says multi-unit residential properties continue to be the strongest sector in Edmonton's real estate market. Investment has increased in purpose-built retail centres in both new and established neighbourhoods, while the office market remains the weakest of all asset classes, according to RE/MAX.
- The Nonprofit Chamber, which advocates on behalf of Alberta's nonprofit sector, is running its 2025 state of the sector survey to understand the priorities, challenges, and successes faced by organizations. All nonprofits in Alberta are invited to complete the survey, which is open until June 30. The chamber's new CEO, Angie Gelinas, spoke to the Calgary Herald about the chamber's future plans.
- Strathcona County council is exploring the creation of a community foundation, a nonprofit organization that funds local initiatives using endowment funds. Council asked administration to consider options for partnering with the Edmonton Community Foundation, which could offer operational and investment support until the county's foundation is self-sufficient. A report is expected back in September.
- Digital Journal published an AI-generated article about a new Startup Genome report on the state of startup ecosystems worldwide. According to Digital Journal, the value of Edmonton's startup ecosystem is "well below global averages," but it is building "long-term strength" in machine intelligence, life sciences, and clean tech.
- Alberta has recorded 868 measles cases since March, surpassing numbers seen during a surge in 1986 and making it the worst outbreak since 1979, when more than 10,000 cases were recorded. The majority of cases have been in the province's south zone, but 22 of the active 29 cases are in the north zone. Alberta's measles vaccine program was "just getting started" in the 1970s, and the province's routine vaccine program for a single dose of MMR vaccine launched in 1982, CBC reported.
Headlines: June 13, 2025
By Kevin Holowack