- Edmonton city council has begun a year-long process to develop its next four-year budget, starting with a review of long-term financial projections to 2036. Mayor Andrew Knack said the process will focus on transparency and clearly outlining the costs of city services. Administration will finalize year-end financial updates by March, with council setting the 2026 budget in April. Public engagement, including ward meetings and workshops, will run from April to June, followed by councillor reports in July. A public hearing is scheduled for November ahead of council's budget deliberations in December.
- Edmonton city council discussed high development costs for new neighbourhoods during a meeting on Jan. 28. Councillors are evaluating strategies to mitigate these expenses, which significantly impact housing affordability and the ongoing expansion of residential areas within the city. "Everything that is south of 41 Avenue SW, authorizing planning for that also needs to come with the authorization of a clear financial plan of how we will pay for all of the necessary infrastructure," Mayor Andrew Knack said.
- WestJet is reducing flights to the U.S. from Edmonton, saying the decision reflects a decrease in demand for these routes. "We see no indication that this trend will change in the foreseeable future and we are implementing reductions to our transborder network in 2026 on an ongoing basis," a WestJet spokesperson told CTV News.
- Fraud charges against 11 owners of 10 Edmonton tow truck companies were quietly withdrawn between November and December 2025, Global News reported. The owners were charged last year by the Edmonton Police Service. The Alberta Crown Prosecution Service cited "no reasonable likelihood of conviction due to insufficiency of the available admissible evidence." Some company owners told Global News of negative impacts on their businesses and reputations despite the charges being dropped.
- Former Edmonton city councillor and mayoral candidate Michael Walters is pitching an after-school recreation program aimed at expanding youth programming at city recreation centres. His proposed All in for Kids initiative would add activities during after-school hours and weekends and provide free transit for youth from high-needs communities to access the centres. Walters says investing in prevention supports mental health and reduces future social costs, an idea Mayor Andrew Knack said he supports as council heads into budget discussions.
- Alberta Sen. Kristopher Wells joined 40 other senators in calling for a ban on all advertising related to online sports betting. Wells cited concerns about sports corruption, the pervasive nature of these ads since laws were loosened in 2021, and gambling addictions, particularly among young men under 25.
- Alberta separatists collected signatures in Edmonton on Jan. 27 at a west end hotel, for a petition aiming to trigger a referendum on provincial independence. Organizers are seeking nearly 178,000 signatures across Alberta. Edmonton residents Brian Copping and Serge Chamberland expressed frustration with Ottawa, citing unfair treatment. Jeffrey Rath of Stay Free Alberta said he is confident about reaching a goal of one million signatures.
Headlines: Jan. 29, 2026
By Mariam Ibrahim