- Edmonton city council is considering tougher parking enforcement during winter street cleaning, including towing vehicles in addition to a $250 ticket if they are not moved. During the latest spring street cleaning in April and May, Edmonton issued more than 5,800 tickets. Council approved a $100,000 funding package for towing and ticketing, with a final decision expected during fall budget adjustments.
- Edmonton Transit Service announced that summer service changes will take effect on June 29, including the suspension of school service until fall 2025 and the introduction of On Demand Transit to Riverdale, Lendrum, Malmo, Belgravia, and Windsor Park. Due to low ridership, ETS will replace conventional transit with On Demand Transit in those neighbourhoods, cancelling Routes 131, 725, and 726, and rerouting Route 111. Route 508 will be split into Routes 508 and 527. Several bus bays will be reassigned at transit centres, and holiday service schedules are set for Canada Day, K-Days, and Heritage Day.
- Edmonton's film and entertainment industry is experiencing growth due to increased collaboration, with industry leaders like Luke Azevedo of Edmonton Screen working to attract more productions to the city. Don Depoe, president of Dept. 9 Studios, aims to secure a TV series for his full-service production facility to provide stable employment for local crews. Both Depoe and Azevedo emphasize that collaboration with vendors, government, producers, and unions is key to attracting projects and fostering further growth in the region.
- Edmonton is exploring single-staircase apartment buildings as a way to increase housing options and affordability. A new city guide helps developers navigate the building code's "alternative solutions path," which allows for innovations if they meet specific performance objectives. While the City of Edmonton consulted with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services in preparing the guide, the Alberta Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics Association and the Edmonton Fire Fighters' Union oppose the initiative, citing safety concerns.
- Edmonton is on alert for the emerald ash borer, a destructive beetle threatening the city's ash tree population. According to the City of Edmonton, the insect is nicknamed the "relentless killer" because it is difficult to detect and eradicate, and it has killed millions of ash trees across North America.
- In his latest article, Postmedia columnist Keith Gerein writes that the City of Edmonton is struggling to balance the demands of new and old infrastructure, leading to budget challenges and traffic congestion. Despite these challenges, Edmonton Transit Service saw a 15% increase in ridership in 2024, with further growth expected in 2025. The City is also facing a shortfall in funding for renewal of existing infrastructure. The next city council will need to make tough decisions regarding transit expansion and infrastructure maintenance amid rising costs and disruption, Gerein wrote.
- Facing elimination, Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers prepare to play Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers on June 17, down 3-2 in the series. After a 5-4 overtime victory in Game 4, the Oilers suffered a 5-2 loss at home in Game 5. Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch had not announced the starting goalie for Game 6 as on June 16.
- Edmonton Oilers players Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. McDavid will play for Canada, and Draisaitl for Germany. Both players have extensive experience in international competition, representing their respective countries in various world championships and junior tournaments.
- Alberta has recorded 53 new measles cases over the weekend, bringing the province's total to 932 since March 2025. This case count marks the highest total Alberta has seen in more than 40 years. Four people are currently hospitalized, including one in intensive care. Shelley Duggan of the Alberta Medical Association believes Canada is at risk of losing its measles-elimination status by October 2025. Health Canada reported measles as eliminated in 1998, after it was ruled no longer endemic.
- Take Back Alberta is appealing $112,500 in fines from Elections Alberta, which found that the organization violated election finance laws. The fines, issued in February against the organization and its founder David Parker, stem from online and in-person events prior to the May 2023 provincial election. Parker, who was also fined $7,500 for false statements in a financial report, refuses to pay the fines. Elections Alberta has referred the unpaid fines to Crown debt collection and the failure to file financial reports to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Headlines: June 17, 2025
By Mariam Ibrahim