- Edmonton's office vacancy rate stabilized at 19% by the end of 2025, returning to pre-pandemic levels, a CBRE report found. Mark Anderson, CBRE's Edmonton managing director, attributed this steady growth partly to office-to-residential conversions, especially downtown. Quinn Phillips of the Edmonton Downtown Business Association called for more such projects to increase downtown vibrancy and foot traffic. The return of provincial government workers to offices in February is expected to further boost the market.
- A fire next to Norwood music venue The Aviary has sharpened calls to extend Edmonton's problem properties initiative to neglected commercial buildings. Owner Phillip Muz says abandoned properties pose serious risks, noting two nearby derelict buildings burned within weeks, threatening active businesses. He says property owners often leave buildings vacant and unsecured despite repeated warnings about break-ins and fire hazards. Muz adds that years of reports to the city about the neighbouring property led to little action, calling the damage to his venue a preventable failure.
- Edmonton's Ice Castles have closed for the week due to unseasonably warm weather. The popular winter attraction requires cold temperatures to maintain the ice structures. Those with tickets during the closure can either get a refund or exchange them for a future visit.
- Edmonton business owner Richard Gendron, 72, took an injured man to the hospital himself on Jan. 4 because of a long ambulance wait, Postmedia reported. Gendron found the man, who had a broken leg and said he had been assaulted, crawling in -20 C weather in his business parking lot near 75 Street and Wagner Road. After police arrived, they informed Gendron that an ambulance could be hours away. The Edmonton Police Service confirmed the incident and that the complainant declined to wait for EMS. Gendron drove the man to the University of Alberta Hospital, expressing his disappointment and "losing faith" in emergency services.
- The purchase of a downtown Edmonton building later slated for addiction recovery services has raised fresh questions about government decision-making and private influence, The Tyee reported. The property was toured by senior Alberta officials months before it was bought by businessman Sam Mraiche, who now leases it to the Métis Nation of Alberta for $480,000 a year. Mraiche is a central figure in a wider political scandal involving alleged conflicts and political interference in Alberta Health Services contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars, allegations he denies and that are under investigation by the auditor general and RCMP. Documents reviewed by The Tyee show overlapping ties among the UCP government, a private recovery firm and Mraiche, prompting opposition claims of a broader pattern of insider access.
- Edmonton parents say poor governance at Southwest United Soccer Club has cost their U-18 team thousands of dollars and a key scouting opportunity, Postmedia reported. A sideline altercation involving the club's president led to coaches being removed, leaving the team unable to secure travel permits for an Ontario showcase. Parents say the club failed to replace the coaches and showed little accountability, allowing the president to remain after a brief suspension. The late cancellation meant players missed a rare chance to be seen by college and university scouts.
- Edmonton will host the National Indigenous Cultural Conference from Feb. 17 to 19. Organized in partnership with Indigenous Tourism Alberta, Travel Alberta, and Explore Edmonton, the event will welcome more than 1,100 delegates from about 11 countries. Keith Henry of Indigenous Tourism Canada said the conference aims to strengthen Indigenous tourism by focusing on marketing, development, leadership, and partnerships, positioning Canada as a leading Indigenous destination.
- Alberta Municipalities asked the federal government not to impose reductions to off-site levies within the Housing Accelerator Fund. The organization argues that these levies are crucial for municipalities to fund essential infrastructure like roads and utilities for new housing developments. It says reducing them could strain municipal finances and impact services across Alberta, including in Edmonton and surrounding areas.
Headlines: Jan. 12, 2026
By Mariam Ibrahim