- Fall yard waste collection takes place in Edmonton from Sept. 29 to Nov. 24, with specific dates found on the WasteWise app or edmonton.ca/WasteWise. Residents should use see-through plastic or double-ply paper bags and can also drop off waste for free at Eco Stations or the Edmonton Waste Management Centre. Due to the discovery of Dutch Elm Disease, elm wood is no longer accepted with regular yard waste or at Eco Stations. The annual elm pruning ban ends Oct. 1; elm wood must be immediately burned or taken to the Edmonton Waste Management Centre for free, safe disposal.
- As Edmontonians prepare to choose a new mayor in the Oct. 20 municipal election, experts caution the role carries less authority than many expect. Under Alberta's "weak-mayor system," the mayor has only one vote on council and limited executive powers, with key decisions controlled by the province. Political scientist Kate Graham says residents often overestimate the office's clout, while former mayor Jan Reimer notes its strength lies more in influence and leadership than in direct control.
- Edmonton serial conman Jeff Kent was declared a dangerous offender by Justice Hayes-Richards on Sept. 23, an unprecedented ruling for fraud based on the severe psychological harm caused to his victims. Kent, who has blamed gambling addiction and "moral gaps" for his actions, is appealing the decision. Some defence lawyers say this ruling improperly expands the dangerous offender designation beyond violent offenders, potentially leading to a Supreme Court challenge. The parole board is scheduled to hear Kent's case in December.
- The City of Edmonton, Papaschase First Nation, and EPCOR came together to honour the historical gravesite in Rossdale Flats during a sacred ceremony. In 2001, Papaschase First Nation opposed EPCOR's proposed expansion of the Rossdale Flats power plant, a fight that resulted in the site's historic gravesite being formally recognized in 2005.
- While the closure of DeepMind Alberta, Google's AI research lab in Edmonton, in January 2023 was initially perceived as a blow, its departure has spurred growth in Edmonton's AI ecosystem, The Logic reported. Former DeepMind staff, including Alex Kearney and Brian Tanner, co-founded Artificial Agency, an AI tools startup for game developers that now employs 25. Martha White, Adam White, and Alden Christianson launched RL Core Technologies, focusing on industrial automation. Richard Sutton of the University of Alberta continues to advance reinforcement learning locally, and the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute has expanded, demonstrating Edmonton's flourishing AI community.
- An early-morning fire on Sept. 23 destroyed an infill home under construction in Edmonton's Highlands neighbourhood. The blaze also severely damaged two neighbouring homes and a parked car. Edmonton Fire Rescue Services received the call at 3:24am, finding the construction site fully engulfed with flames spreading. Crews brought the fire under control by 6:10am. No injuries were reported, and fire investigators are working to determine the cause.
- Much of Alberta, including Edmonton, is facing an extreme fire risk as of Sept. 23, due to prolonged hot, dry weather. Unusually high September temperatures, reaching nearly 30C, are making conditions worse. Derrick Forsythe of Alberta Wildfire warned that cooler temperatures will create dry fuel, increasing risk from human activity like hunting. He emphasized being mindful of fire restrictions, as fall fires often stem from human causes rather than lightning.
- The Edmonton Police Service is searching for 44-year-old Shawna Wuttunee, who is wanted on 47 warrants linked to theft and fraud cases involving stolen purses and wallets from schools and daycares. Investigators say she also removed a court-ordered ankle monitor and sometimes goes by the name Shawna Sanders. Police are urging anyone with information on her whereabouts to call the EPS complaint line or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers.
- The Edmonton Oilers announced they signed forward Vasily Podkolzin to a three-year contract extension with an average annual value of $2.95 million. Podkolzin, 24, completed his first season with the Oilers in the 2024-25 campaign, playing all 82 regular season games and collecting 24 points.
Headlines: Sept. 24, 2025
By Mariam Ibrahim