- Wildfire smoke has enveloped the Edmonton area, triggering alerts and prompting the City of Edmonton to activate its extreme weather response for poor air quality. Environment Canada issued a warning as the air quality index reached 10-plus, indicating very high risk. Smoke from B.C., the Northwest Territories, and other regions is expected to linger until at least Sept. 2. Residents are advised to avoid strenuous outdoor activities and keep windows closed.
- A Leger poll, conducted Aug. 22 to Aug. 25 among 401 Edmonton residents, indicates 58% believe the city is on the wrong track, with 74% of those over 55 sharing this sentiment. The survey also shows a competitive mayoral race, with Coun. Andrew Knack holding a slight lead with 12% support, closely followed by Coun. Tim Cartmell at 10%. Michael Walters, Rahim Jaffer, and Omar Mohammad also received support, but a significant 48% of voters remain undecided.
- Edmonton city council pushed back the public hearing for a rezoning proposal in the Rossdale neighbourhood that would see three high-rise residential towers and nearly 500 new housing units built. Mayor Amarjeet Sohi supports the project for providing diverse housing options, but Ward Métis Coun. Ashley Salvador and some residents have raised concerns about the development's size and scale, and its integration with the river valley. The debate, originally set for Aug. 29, was deferred to an undetermined later date.
- Edmonton Public Schools now requires parents to confirm students' sex assigned at birth for female sports teams. The policy follows Alberta's Fairness and Safety in Sport Act, which bans transgender athletes from amateur female sports divisions. The rule applies to students 12 and older on female-only teams, but not to younger children or physical education classes. Callum French of Team Edmonton criticized the policy as "incredibly invalidating" and a potential barrier to participation.
- Edmonton's SONiC 102.9 is using an AI host named Sarah on Sundays from 10pm to midnight, reflecting a growing trend in Canadian radio. Rogers Sports & Media, the station's owner, said the AI fills a previously unhosted time slot, with a human producer overseeing its scripts.
- The Edmonton Police Service is facing new challenges with gang activity, particularly due to the widespread use of social media for recruitment and targeting rivals, according to Sgt. Ryan Ferry. Marta-Marika Urbanik, a sociology professor at the University of Alberta, noted social media allows vulnerable youth to find gang members faster. Ferry said about 25% of homicides in Edmonton are linked to gang activity, placing the city on the mid-to-higher side for gang violence in Canada.
- The MacEwan University Board of Governors elected Gary Mar as its second chancellor, serving a four-year term as ceremonial head. Mar previously served as an MLA from 1993 to 2007 and is currently President and CEO of the Canada West Foundation. He will focus on building connections and enhancing the Edmonton university's profile and vision.
- Margaret Atwood criticized Alberta's school library book ban with a new satirical short story, after Edmonton Public Schools removed her novel The Handmaid's Tale from shelves. The satirical story features "perfect children" who avoid sex and charity, and ends with Premier Danielle Smith losing her job. The public school division decided to remove more than 200 books from its libraries to comply with the province's Oct. 1 deadline for banning "explicit sexual content." Smith called the book removals "vicious compliance," and argued the directive aims to protect children, not ban classics.
- An industrial fire involving used appliances at GenAlta Recycling Inc. in Strathcona County, near 34 Street in Sherwood Park, was no longer burning as of the morning of Sept. 1. The fire broke out around 8:30am on Aug. 30. Strathcona County Mayor Rod Frank confirmed the fire was contained with no risk to the public and no injuries reported, despite a large plume of smoke visible throughout the Edmonton region.
Headlines: Sept. 2, 2025
By Mariam Ibrahim