- Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi appeared poised to win the byelection in Edmonton-Strathcona, formerly held by Rachel Notley, CBC News reported late June 23. Resignations triggered the three Alberta byelections. The other ridings included Edmonton-Ellerslie, where NDP candidate Gurtej Singh Brar also appeared poised to win late on June 23, and Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills, where UCP candidate Tara Sawyer was predicted to win. Elections Alberta is expected to release he official results on July 3.
- Edmonton city council is set to decide on extending the community revitalization levy (CRL) for another 10 years, with public hearings scheduled for June 26 and 27. The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, the Edmonton Downtown Business Association, and the Downtown Revitalization Coalition are urging council to approve the extension, which they say is vital for downtown's future and has driven more than $5 billion in investment since 2015. Ward Papastew Coun. Michael Janz has voiced his opposition, suggesting a referendum on the matter due to its connection with Oilers Entertainment Group projects.
- Edmonton city council is considering a feasibility study for a footbridge over Manning Drive to connect northeast neighbourhoods to Manning Town Centre. Coun. Aaron Paquette of Ward Dene says a safe pedestrian crossing is needed, as residents currently must detour to 153rd Avenue or illegally cross the busy road. Council's executive committee passed Paquette's motion unanimously, and council could decide in the fall of 2025 whether to fund the feasibility study. Paquette estimates the bridge could cost more than $10 million, with potential contributions from developers.
- Edmonton is hosting weekly volunteer weed-pulling events to help residents identify and remove invasive plants threatening the city's parks and ecosystems. Invasive species like Japanese knotweed and creeping bellflower damage infrastructure and outcompete native plants, with broader environmental and economic impacts. While the City of Edmonton no longer uses herbicides on dandelions, it enforces the removal of 75 other regulated weeds, with complaints handled through 311.
- A newly renovated 12-storey building in downtown Edmonton, called the SunRise, received a Guinness World Record for featuring the world's largest solar panel mural. The mural, titled The Land We Share, was created by Indigenous artist Lance Cardinal, and features First Nations and Chinese representation inspired by animals of the Cree tradition and the Chinese zodiac. Mitrex, a Canadian company, manufactured the solar façade for Avenue Living, owner-operator of the 179-unit building located on 106 Avenue and 101 Street NW.
- In a piece on his website titled Ecotone Urbanism, Edmonton writer Dustin Bajer argues that cities like Edmonton, which is located at the ecological edge between prairie and forest, should embrace the richness of transition zones, or ecotones. He suggests that urban design should prioritize connection over separation, using meandering, irregular spaces to foster both biodiversity and human interaction. Drawing from examples like New York's Broadway, Bajer calls for cities to treat infrastructure as edge habitat and maximize overlap between natural and built environments.
- Following a complaint in April about alleged assaults at Emerald Park Day Care in Sherwood Park, Strathcona County RCMP charged a 21-year-old Edmonton woman with five counts of assault. The alleged assaults occurred between March 17 and April 3 and involved five victims between the ages of five and eight. The woman was released on conditions and is scheduled to appear in court in Sherwood Park on July 9.
- The Edmonton Elks added American defensive lineman Elijah Alston to their practice roster. Alston, 24, played five seasons of NCAA Division I football, four with the Marshall Thundering Herd and one with the Miami Hurricanes.
Headlines: June 24, 2025
By Mariam Ibrahim