- Edmonton's ICE District developers, Katz Group and ONE Properties, have listed the Connect Centre retail complex and its associated development air rights for sale. The two-storey, 113,776-square-foot Connect Centre, located next to Rogers Place, is 89% occupied by tenants like Loblaws CityMarket, CIBC, National Bank, and the Edmonton Oilers. Commercial real estate brokerages Avison Young and TD Cornerstone Commercial Realty are managing the listing.
- Five Edmonton mayoral candidates — Tim Cartmell, Rahim Jaffer, Andrew Knack, Omar Mohammad, and Michael Walters — participated in a televised debate on Sept. 12. Hosted by the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce and Global News at the JW Marriott hotel, candidates addressed critical city issues, including municipal taxes, council's performance, basic city services, economic development, downtown revitalization, core safety, homelessness, and infill. Edmontonians will vote in the mayoral election on Oct. 20.
- A new Echelon Wellness healthcare clinic, the company's fourth, has opened in Edmonton, providing services for military and RCMP veterans. Within a month, 300 patients signed up for treatments, along with individual and group mental health sessions. Veterans Affairs Canada directly compensates the privately funded clinic, meaning veterans never pay. CEO Igor Gimelshtein said the clinic addresses service-related injuries like PTSD and related conditions, aiming to improve overall quality of life.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney launched a new federal housing agency called Build Canada Homes, allocating $13 billion for affordable housing. The new agency will develop 4,000 factory-built homes on federal lands in six cities, including Edmonton. Of the total, $1 billion will support transitional and supportive housing, and the agency will manage the $1.5 billion Canada Rental Protection Fund. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the initiative, saying it would create bureaucracy and delay construction.
- Cando Rail & Terminals in Strathcona County unveiled a new electric-powered locomotive. This zero-emission, lithium-ion battery locomotive is the first in Canada designed to withstand harsh winters. Retrofitted from a diesel-electric unit, it was tested in Winnipeg at temperatures below -40 C and is intended for short-distance railyard operations. Emissions Reduction Alberta contributed $2 million in funding.
- Edmonton-based startup Aqua-Cell Energy will pilot its saltwater flow battery in Medicine Hat starting in early 2026, following its selection in the city's Energy Innovation Challenge. The technology, the size of a shipping container, aims to offer an alternative to expensive electrical grid upgrades and help manage grid congestion. CEO Keith Cleland, who partnered with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology for research, hopes the battery will support Medicine Hat's clean energy transition by stabilizing power from renewable sources.
- In his latest newsletter, former Edmonton mayor Don Iveson recounted being told he had "ruined downtown" and reflected on the weight of the criticism. While acknowledging ongoing concerns about safety, housing, and addictions, he cautioned that fear-driven narratives oversimplify the challenges cities face. Iveson pointed to stalled progress on homelessness after provincial support waned, despite the proven success of Housing First and supportive housing models. He argues that meaningful solutions require compassion, stronger investment in housing, and a shift away from divisive rhetoric.
- Country music star Morgan Wallen was joined on stage by Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid at Commonwealth Stadium during his first of two concerts in Edmonton. Wallen frequently walks out with local athletes during his tour, a tradition that has included figures like Jose Bautista and Brett Favre. McDavid has previously said that Wallen is one of his favourite musicians.
Headlines: Sept. 15, 2025
By Mariam Ibrahim