- Environment Canada issued an air quality advisory for Edmonton on Nov. 26 due to elevated pollution levels. The Air Quality Index for the Alberta capital and surrounding area was deemed "high risk," bordering on "very high risk," the worst across Canada. Edmontonians should limit outdoor time and consider rescheduling activities. The pollution can cause symptoms such as headaches and irritation to wheezing and chest pains, especially affecting vulnerable populations like the elderly, pregnant individuals, and those with existing health conditions.
- Edmonton's residential property taxes have increased by 44.89% since 2015, when the City began using four-year budget plans, Postmedia reported. The latest city budget for 2026 proposes a 6.4% increase to recover from COVID-19's fiscal effects. Significant increases include 2.1% in 2015 under then-mayor Don Iveson, 3.8% in 2016 due to provincial grant reductions by Rachel Notley's NDP government, and 2.1% in 2020, influenced by provincial cuts under then-premier Jason Kenney and the pandemic.
- Violent crime on public transit across Canada has increased significantly, with rates more than doubling in the Edmonton area between 2016 and 2024, according to a collaborative investigation by CBC News and the Investigative Journalism Foundation. While transit-related violent crime peaked in Edmonton in 2023 and slightly decreased in 2024, it remains well above levels from a decade ago. Edmonton is expanding its specialized transit safety police teams in response to this trend. Experts attribute the increase to factors such as the opioid, mental health, and affordability crises, often involving repeat offenders.
- The City of Edmonton launched its eighth round of affordable housing construction grants through its Affordable Housing Investment Program. Since 2019, the program has helped build 2,473 affordable housing units and attracted $852 million in investment to Edmonton. Grants are now open for non-profit and private developers for projects in 2026, offering funding up to 25% of capital costs. An Indigenous housing stream covers up to 40% for qualifying developments.
- Edmonton city council is set to debate bolstering traffic enforcement, in response to traffic fatalities hitting a 10-year high in the city. The discussion aims to address the concerning increase in collisions and explore new strategies to enhance road safety across Edmonton. Councillors will consider measures to improve enforcement and reduce the number of traffic-related deaths and injuries.
- A semi-truck collided with a Valley Line Southeast LRT train in south Edmonton just after 9am on Nov. 26, pushing the train off the tracks and disrupting service between Bonnie Doon and Mill Woods. Two passengers were assessed and released, and the train operator was taken for precautionary medical care, the Edmonton Police Service said. The truck driver was uninjured and ticketed. The collision prompted a brief closure of 51 Avenue before it reopened.
- Alberta Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis attributed "human error" to his department's incorrect claim of having no records concerning an Edmonton Police Service complaint against two appointees to the Edmonton Police Commission. NDP public safety critic David Shepherd said that while the ministry initially denied records for freedom of information requests filed earlier in 2025, the commission provided 130 pages, including five letters signed by Ellis. The complaint by then-police chief Dale McFee sought a review of Daniel Jones's and Renée Vaugeois's appointments, alleging bias. Both Jones and Vaugeois have since left the commission.
- The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is investigating an Edmonton Police Service officer's use of force during an arrest in downtown Edmonton. ASIRT announced the investigation on Nov. 26, after receiving a report about the incident.
- Disability advocates called on the Alberta government to reverse its planned shift from the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program to the new Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP). The government tabled the Financial Statutes Amendment Act on Nov. 25, potentially transferring all AISH recipients to ADAP by July 1. Trish Bowman of Inclusion Alberta warned ADAP will reduce monthly income by $200 for some and lower earning exemptions from $1,072 to $350.
- The Alberta government plans stricter penalties to deter the tobacco black market with new legislation, Bill 12. Introduced by Finance Minister Nate Horner, the bill includes mandatory seizure reporting and fines of triple the tax amount for illegal tobacco. The legislation comes after an RCMP bust on Nov. 18 near Lloydminster, east of Edmonton, where 8.8 million unstamped cigarettes worth $7.65 million were seized.
Headlines: Nov. 27, 2025
By Mariam Ibrahim