- Thousands of Albertans, including 18,000 in Edmonton, rallied on Oct. 5 in the province's two major cities to support public education, ahead of a potential province-wide strike by Alberta's 51,000 teachers, set for Oct. 6. The Alberta Teachers' Association and the provincial government are deadlocked on a new collective agreement, with salaries, growing class sizes, and classroom complexities being key issues. Premier Danielle Smith called the potential strike a "lose-lose-lose situation." Union president Jason Schilling said that while there are "conversations going on" between the two sides, the strike is imminent.
- Edmontonians can cast advance ballots for the Oct. 20 municipal election from Oct. 7 to 11, between noon and 8pm. Twelve advance polling stations, one per ward, are available, including at the Stanley A. Milner Library for O-day'min and the Westend Seniors Activity Centre for Nakota Isga. Voters will elect a mayor, 12 city councillors, and school board trustees. Eligible voters must be 18, Canadian citizens, and reside in Edmonton as of Oct. 20. Identification, such as an Alberta driver's licence or utility bill is required, or an attestation form can be used.
- An Abacus Data poll conducted Sept. 25 to 29 found that Edmonton voters focused on stability and affordability as the mayoral race progresses. Tim Cartmell leads among decided likely voters with 39% support, followed by Andrew Knack at 28%, though 30% remain undecided, according to the poll. Key voter concerns include housing affordability (47%), poverty and homelessness (45%), and crime and community safety (42%). Many Edmontonians (49%) believe the city is on the wrong track, with 71% seeking steady, reliable leadership.
- A Leger poll conducted Sept. 26 to 28 found that 64% of Edmontonians believe the city is on the wrong track ahead of the October 2025 municipal election. The survey found 64% are likely to vote, with mayoral candidates Tim Cartmell and Andrew Knack tied at 14% in voting intention, followed by Omar Mohammad (6%), Michael Walters (5%), and Tony Caterina (3%); 41% remain undecided. Top concerns for voters are lowering taxes (42%), downtown safety (28%), and reducing poverty (25%). Additionally, 47% favour maintaining current tax levels by reducing public services.
- With many Edmontonians still undecided, mayoral campaigns are intensifying get-out-the-vote efforts ahead of the Oct. 20 municipal election. Tim Cartmell's team is using door-knocking, phone calls, and rides to polls to boost early turnout, especially because election night is during the Diwali holiday. Andrew Knack's volunteers are meeting voters in person and have plans to engage students online at the University of Alberta to discuss election issues, while Michael Walters and Tony Caterina are campaigning long hours to engage the electorate. Rahim Jaffer is focused on ensuring his supporters vote despite a postal strike that could delay voter notices. Turnout in the last municipal election was just 37.6%, and candidates fear a similar showing could make every vote decisive in a close race.
- Support Our Students, a progressive nonprofit group focused on public education, has published a comprehensive guide about candidates in the upcoming Edmonton Public Schools elections. The guide assessed candidates according to positions on progressive policies, public education, and inclusivity, assigning lower ratings to candidates who have made transphobic statements, or who have anti-vaccination beliefs or UCP affiliations.
- The Edmonton Police Service is facing criticism for waiting over a month to announce the disappearance of 14-year-old Samuel Bird, an Indigenous teen now believed to have been killed the night he vanished. Investigators defended the delay as strategic, but many see it as part of a broader failure to treat missing Indigenous people with urgency. Samuel's family and volunteers launched their own search, keeping a sacred fire burning in Dawson Park. Police later linked the case to a suspicious fire at a west Edmonton duplex they searched on Sept. 19. They have since widened their search area southwest of the city.
- Explore Edmonton expects that the 51st annual Canadian Finals Rodeo will generate a $32 million economic impact. People from across the country have gathered in Edmonton to compete and celebrate the rodeo community, reinforcing Edmonton's role as a host for major national events, Explore Edmonton said.
- Documents filed in a civil suit by photojournalist Amber Bracken and The Narwhal revealed that RCMP sought to detain her without bail for months, alleging she assaulted a sheriff during her release from a Prince George jail in November 2021. Bracken, an Edmonton resident, was arrested in B.C. at the pipeline standoff on Wet'suwet'en territory. RCMP argued her Edmonton residency made her a flight risk and that she showed "no regard for the laws." Despite these recommendations, the Crown never approved the charge, and Bracken was released the following day.
- The Law Enforcement Review Board (LERB) upheld the firing of former Edmonton Police Service Det. Greg Lewis on Sept. 19, 2025, Postmedia reported. Lewis was dismissed from EPS after being convicted in 2018 of trafficking anabolic steroids to coworkers. The LERB panel concluded that the disciplinary hearing, presided over by retired RCMP officer Fred Kamins, made no legal errors in its decision to fire Lewis, who faced multiple offences under the Police Act.
- An Edmonton teenager received the maximum youth sentence for his role in the "Project Gaslight" extortion scheme. The 18-year-old, who was 16 and 17 during the offences, was deemed one of the "most active" members, targeting South Asian home builders in the Edmonton area through arson, extortion messages, and violence. Justice Emem Madu approved a three-year custody and supervision order on Oct. 3, with two years in jail and one year of community supervision.
- Thomas Lukaszuk, a former Progressive Conservative deputy premier, announced on Oct. 3 that his "Alberta Forever Canada" petition has secured approximately 230,000 signatures. The petition, which asks if Alberta should remain in Canada, requires about 294,000 signatures from eligible voters by Oct. 28. Lukaszuk's goal is to have the legislative assembly vote on the policy proposal, rather than initiating a constitutional referendum. Approximately 5,000 volunteers are gathering signatures across the province.
- The Edmonton Oilers announced head coach Kris Knoblauch has signed a three-year contract extension through the 2028-2029 season. Knoblauch, who became head coach in November 2023, led the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances. He holds a 94-47-10 record in 151 regular season games, achieving his 80th win on Feb. 5, 2025, in his 123rd game, making him the third-fastest NHL coach to that milestone.
Headlines: Oct. 6, 2025
By Mariam Ibrahim