- Edmonton city council has asked administration to review when two-lane arterial roads should be expanded to four lanes after concerns that many roads in newer areas exceed their capacity. Coun. Jo-Anne Wright said some roads carry far more traffic than they were designed for and called for options to adjust the current 18,000-vehicle daily threshold for widening. Mayor Andrew Knack noted provincial rules limit how large roads can be built in new developments before demand increases.
- Edmonton's single-use item reduction bylaw, enacted in July 2023, has significantly reduced the use of plastic bags and straws, according to data presented to city council. Retail bag use plummeted by 79%, while straw and utensil consumption decreased by 26%. However, takeout container usage increased by over 80% and cup use by 5%, attributed to a lack of regulation and a 12% population increase.
- A funding boost last year helped iHuman Youth Society to connect with more vulnerable youth. This one-time increase of $1 million proposed by Mayor Andrew Knack in November 2025 was shared with The Mustard Seed and Boyle Street Community Services. It allowed the organizations to extend their hours from Dec. 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, and iHuman said it was able to open 120 daytime shelter spaces.
- Dianne and Mike Ilesic of Edmonton are pushing for legislative changes to federal parole eligibility laws, named "Brian's Bill," in honour of their son Brian Ilesic. Brian was murdered in June 2012 during an armed robbery in HUB Mall at University of Alberta by Travis Baumgartner. Introduced by Conservative MP Kerry Diotte, Bill C-243 would mandate a five-year waiting period between parole applications for convicted murderers after an initial denial, instead of annually. The bill is scheduled for debate in the House of Commons this week.
- Downtown Dining Week kicks off on March 11, aiming to draw more people to Edmonton's core during the hospitality industry's slow spring season. Michael Paruby, General Manager of Campio Brewing Co., hopes the 12-day event helps businesses, while Quinn Phillips of the Downtown Business Association challenged negative perceptions. "I think the narrative is that downtown is dead, but that is just not the case," Phillips said. This year, 68 restaurants are participating.
- Edmonton's Alphonso Davies left the field with an injury during Bayern Munich's Champions League match against Atalanta in Bergamo, Italy, on March 10. The 25-year-old Canadian star appeared distraught after suffering an apparent non-contact injury, leading to concerns about his availability for the upcoming World Cup. Bayern manager Vincent Kompany indicated that Davies was being checked for a muscular injury. This injury follows Davies's recent return from an injury suffered in February and a serious knee injury from March 2025.
- First Nations chiefs and Indigenous leaders gathered at the Alberta legislature in Edmonton to urge the province to end the separation debate. Confederacy of Treaty 8 First Nations Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi said that their rights are being minimized, and chiefs unanimously called for a non-confidence vote against the government. NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi tabled a motion, but the United Conservative Party, which holds a majority, shut it down.
Headlines: March 11, 2026
By Mariam Ibrahim