- Edmonton city councillors voted on Dec. 2 to purchase 25 new buses for $25.2 million, to be funded through tax-supported debt. Coun. Ashley Salvador introduced the motion, aiming to address the city's 440 buses needing replacement and meet record ridership demand. However, councillors denied Coun. Karen Tang's request for an additional $5 million for arterial road repair and voted against Coun. Karen Principe's proposal to postpone the $3.2 million demolition of the Argyll Velodrome. Budget discussions are set to continue this week.
- The Edmonton Police Service became the first in the world to begin testing facial recognition body-worn video cameras from Axon. The proof-of-concept test, provided for free by Axon, includes safeguards such as restricting detection to within four metres in good lighting, with collected data encrypted and stored in Canada. While the police service said the technology will not replace human investigation, University of Calgary associate law professor Gideon Christian raised concerns about potential "mass surveillance." Axon's director of responsible AI, Ann-Li Cooke, noted improvements in reliability since a 2019 report. The police service submitted a privacy impact assessment to Alberta's information and privacy commissioner.
- The City of Edmonton is changing its natural Christmas tree disposal by eliminating curbside pickup. Residents can use free drop-off options at Eco Stations, the Edmonton Waste Management Centre, or any Community Recycling Depot from Dec. 27 to Feb. 7. The City said the change allows it to redirect funding to more efficient uses and stabilize utility rates, as only 2.5% of households used the previous curbside service. Before dropping off trees, ensure all ornaments, decorations, and lights are removed.
- The Edmonton Police Service placed several schools in the Dickinsfield neighbourhood on alert on Dec. 2, while responding to a nearby weapons complaint at a home near 144 Avenue and 92 Street. Police contained the home and confirmed no public safety threat by 12:16pm. Affected schools, including St. Philip Catholic Elementary, Cardinal Léger Catholic Junior High School, Dickinsfield School, and Northmount School, were on alert, meaning doors were locked, preventing entry or exit, but students and staff could move freely inside, and classes continued as normal.
- Alberta Information and Privacy Commissioner Diane McLeod raised concerns on Dec. 2 about the government's plan to add healthcare numbers to driver's licences and other ID. McLeod warned this increases fraud risk and could lead to incorrect medical records, noting the Registrar of Motor Vehicles lacks privacy law oversight for such sensitive data. Despite these warnings, the government said it will proceed with its plan, prioritizing data protection and promising further regulations.
- The Alberta government unveiled its plan to resist Ottawa's federal firearm buyback program, deeming it an "unconstitutional attack" on Albertans' rights. Justice Minister Mickey Amery announced the province will use the Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act to prevent provincial entities from participating and direct Crown prosecutors to generally not pursue charges for reasonable force used in home defence.
- The Edmonton Elks have re-signed defensive lineman Brandon Barlow, keeping him with the team through 2026. Barlow played a full 18-game season in 2025 and has built a steady four-year CFL record that includes 123 tackles and 17 sacks. He previously played for Toronto and Hamilton before joining Edmonton.
Headlines: Dec. 3, 2025
By Mariam Ibrahim