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Headlines: Aug. 12, 2026

· The Pulse
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  • City council's urban planning committee heard that Edmonton is weighing permanent rule changes for shared e-scooters and e-bikes, including more dedicated parking corrals and geofenced slow zones, as ridership has nearly tripled since 2019 to more than 1.4 million trips last year. Part-time wheelchair user Kyrie Herman said devices left blocking sidewalks remain a hazard for her and her daughter, while Ward O-day'min Coun. Anne Stevenson cautioned against restrictions so strict "that starts to take away from the benefit." No permanent changes were decided at Tuesday's meeting, though administration recommended focusing on vendor accountability, designated parking, and tech-driven enforcement rather than new restrictions.
  • Edmonton city councillors directed administration to provide a report exploring a tax incentive for transit-oriented development at urban planning committee. They also asked for a report identifying ways to expand development opportunities near mass transit stations and outlining a process for proactive rezoning near transit stations, similar to the city's priority growth area project, which resulted in the upzoning of more than 1,200 properties in core areas.
  • Downtown boosters welcomed Westrich Pacific's court-approved purchase of Edmonton City Centre, with co-CEO David Sanche calling it a "once in a generation opportunity." The company plans to convert the former Hudson's Bay space into 1,500 residential units as part of the redevelopment, though Sanche cautioned that the transformation "can't happen without major stakeholders" and will take years. Otéra Capital, the mall's lender, isn't expected to fully recoup the nearly $140 million it was owed when the property went into receivership last year. Cheryll Watson, chair of the Downtown Revitalization Coalition, said having a local buyer is "a big win for Edmonton," adding, "I think there's a huge amount of optimism" about the mall's future. Ward O-day'min Coun. Anne Stevenson noted that the mall is outside of the Downtown Community Revitalization Levy, but the city will do what it can to ensure the vision comes to life.
  • The 24/7 Crisis Diversion Team spent $6.3 million but created $42 million in social value in 2025, says a new report from REACH Edmonton. REACH partners with the Canadian Mental Health Association, Edmonton Region, Boyle Street Community Services, and Hope Mission to work towards crisis diversion and intervention 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Dispatches of the service have grown from 20,000 in 2023 to 32,000 in 2025, a 58% increase. In addition to year-based comparisons, the partners have a crisis diversion dashboard with rich data sorted by month.
  • The Alberta government is seeking proposals for new gambling addiction services, to be funded through revenue from the regulated iGaming system that launched last month. The province will take a 20% cut of revenue from private operators, with 1% set aside for "social responsibility initiatives" such as addiction services and educational campaigns, the Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction said. Almost two dozen private sportsbooks and casinos were ready for launch day, with five more coming online since; organizations have until Sept. 10 to apply for the new funding.
  • Ben Baril, a 20-year-old student at the University of Alberta who organized a protest against AI data centres in Sturgeon County, said he plans to show up at upcoming provincial town halls to demand a halt to approvals until public concerns are addressed. Baril said four town halls — one of which will be in Sturgeon County on Aug. 20 — are insufficient consultation given that projects, including Meta's $13-billion facility north of Edmonton, have already been approved.
  • The Town of Gibbons is reopening talks on a regional fire-service agreement with Sturgeon County, months after halting the same discussions in April over concerns about full-cost recovery. The county's revised proposal could cut Gibbons's annual fire costs by 89% starting in 2027, while keeping the town's fire hall and funding upgrades. Town council directed administration to review the new business case and report back on Aug. 25.
  • Jordan Martinook brought the Stanley Cup to the Leduc Recreation Centre on Aug. 11 to share the trophy with more than 1,000 fans in the arena where he grew up playing hockey. Martinook, an alternate captain for the Carolina Hurricanes who had two goals and three assists during the team's Cup run, called it "a culmination of your life of hard work."
  • If the sky is clear, Aug. 12 will bring both a partial solar eclipse and the peak of the Perseid meteor shower to Edmonton stargazers.