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Headlines: Aug. 28, 2026

· The Pulse
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  • Record-breaking rain in Edmonton this summer caused $42 million in uninsurable damage to infrastructure and projects, City of Edmonton staff told city council's infrastructure committee meeting on Aug. 26. The City plans to recover costs through the province's Hazard Assistance and Resilience Program, which would cover 90% of losses, leaving the city responsible for the rest. Severe weather affected work on the Valley Line West and Capital Line South LRT projects, among other ongoing projects. The Edmonton Construction Association highlighted challenges with saturated sites and warned that extreme weather is becoming more frequent, urging contract revisions for risk management.
  • Edmonton city council has decided to move forward with the $100 million bike lane expansion project, despite debates over scaling it back. The decision upholds a 2022 plan to enhance the city's bike network, aiming for traffic safety through an active transportation network. The City of Edmonton has faced community protests over planned bike lanes in some neighbourhoods, and the Alberta government is set to introduce legislation on bike lane placement during the upcoming legislative session.
  • The Henwood Treatment Centre in northeast Edmonton is facing an uncertain future after flooding in June led to its closure. Although labeled "temporarily closed" by Recovery Alberta, staff told CBC News that the closure is permanent, with layoffs and redeployments underway. Henwood is one of the few fully funded facilities for addictions treatment in Edmonton. Its closure affects 62 beds and disrupts support for hundreds of clients.
  • An Edmonton Police Service officer is facing sexual assault charges related to a more than two-year-old off-duty incident, according to Alberta's police watchdog. The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team announced that Const. Alec Chomik was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual assault following an investigation directed on March 11, 2024. The police service said that Chomik is currently off duty without pay as the legal process continues.
  • As Alberta's October referendum approaches, 100,000 "Forever Canadian" lawn signs are expected to be distributed across the province. Organizers believe that the signs will help galvanize support ahead of the referendum, which will include a question on whether Alberta should remain a province of Canada or whether the provincial government should begin the process to hold a separate, binding referendum on separation.
  • Meta Platforms Inc.'s planned hyperscale data centre in Sturgeon County, northeast of Edmonton, may increase household power bills by up to $39 monthly, according to a Pembina Institute report. The Alberta government, however, said that the project would cut transmission costs by up to 6%. Meta disputes the report's findings, promising to cover all energy expenses for the centre and not pass costs to residents. The data centre, drawing power comparable to the City of Calgary, could elevate wholesale prices until its power plant opens in late 2030.
  • The Edmonton Oilers have added Misha Donskov as a coaching consultant. Currently Hockey Canada's vice-president of hockey operations, Donskov will join the Oilers for select days at home each month.