- Edmonton city council's executive committee started a four-year process to tackle derelict properties, aiming to address vacant commercial spaces that foster crime. The committee unanimously voted to prepare a new property tax subclass for derelict non-residential buildings. Challenges include defining "derelict," upgrading city tax software, and provincial Municipal Government Act limits, which restrict punitive tax increases to a maximum of 57% for non-residential properties.
- A Postmedia analysis of campaign finance disclosures and official vote totals from Edmonton's 2025 mayoral race breaks down campaign spending to show the cost per vote. Andrew Knack, who received 78,519 votes and won the race, spent $240,770, averaging $3 per vote, making his campaign the most cost-efficient. Tim Cartmell spent $812,472 for 61,668 votes, or $13 per vote, with total spending rising to about $1.48 million ($22 per vote) when including the Better Edmonton party. Michael Walters spent $346,166 ($14 per vote), while Omar Mohammad spent $199,000 ($10 per vote), according to the analysis.
- The bison has been named Edmonton's 2026 critter of the year, with residents invited to vote on a final design that will appear on merchandise. The campaign, led by Edmonton River, highlights overlooked aspects of the city's identity and the bison's historical importance to Indigenous peoples and the region. Once numbering in the millions locally, bison were central to life on the Prairies. Today, they remain a symbol of that legacy and can still be seen at Elk Island National Park.
- Edmonton-based Wyvern, an aerospace company, received $3 million in federal funding as part of a $6-million federal investment for defence-related firms in the region. CEO Christopher Robson said Wyvern will use advanced hyperspectral imagery from its satellites to uniquely identify "rogue vessels" at sea by their spectral "fingerprints," even if their automatic identification systems are disabled.
- The University of Alberta board of governors approved a controversial new hiring policy that removes equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) practices. This ends the previous policy of favouring candidates from historically underrepresented groups when equally qualified. Student groups and the Association of Academic Staff University of Alberta opposed the decision. Bill Flanagan, the university's president, said the change reflects a commitment to eliminate barriers for everyone. The university said it will comply with federal research funding EDI requirements.
- Municipal leaders around Edmonton expressed mixed feelings about proposed changes to provincial ridings in the final report from the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission. Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack fears hybrid ridings, combining parts of Edmonton with communities like Beaumont and Enoch Cree Nation, could dilute representation. The commission recommended adding two new ridings for population growth, with the majority report proposing a net gain of one seat for Edmonton and two new hybrid divisions. The legislative assembly will debate the proposed changes.
- Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi criticized the federal NDP's direction after Avi Lewis won the party leadership on March 29. Nenshi said that Lewis, an outspoken opponent of fossil-fuel development who he said had previously "cheered for the defeat" of the Alberta NDP government, is not in the interests of Alberta. Edmonton-Strathcona MP Heather McPherson finished second in the race.
- The Edmonton Oilers have signed defenceman Tomas Cibulka to a two-year entry-level contract, beginning in the 2026-27 season. Cibulka, a 21-year-old from the Czech Republic, spent the last two seasons with HC Motor Ceske Budejovice in Czechia's top league. He previously played three seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Val-d'Or Foreurs and Cape Breton Eagles.
Headlines: March 30, 2026
By Mariam Ibrahim