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Headlines: Sept. 1, 2026

· The Pulse
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  • The City of Edmonton is temporarily closing 121 Street at Yellowhead Trail from Sept. 1 to the end of November as part of the Yellowhead Trail Freeway Conversion program, as crews work to keep the project on schedule following heavy summer rain delays. Drivers should expect increased traffic on nearby routes, including 97 Street, 107 Street, 127 Street, St. Albert Trail and 118 Avenue.
  • The City of Edmonton confirmed 17 cases of Dutch elm disease this year, with a newly established banded elm bark beetle playing a significant role in spreading the tree-killing fungus. Edmonton has about 90,000 elm trees making up 22% of its urban forest, and the disease can destroy a community's entire elm population within a decade.
  • Edmonton city councillors said they have no intention to reintroduce calcium chloride as a road de-icer after a committee heard the chemical's long-term costs — including vehicle and infrastructure corrosion — outweigh its short-term benefits. Mayor Andrew Knack acknowledged it had made streets safer in testing but said Edmontonians have consistently opposed its expanded use.
  • Edmonton organizations marked International Overdose Awareness Day by highlighting the number of drug poisonings occurring in private homes. Patrick Black of Boyle Street Community Services said stigma can prevent people from calling 911 or having naloxone available. Edmonton recorded 770 drug-poisoning deaths in 2025, with more than half of unintentional opioid deaths occurring in private residences. Advocates called for greater public education, less stigma and improved access to treatment.
  • Food Banks Alberta is warning of a critical shortage as its warehouse has already distributed over two million pounds of food this year — roughly 60% of its full-year 2025 total — with August volumes running 32.8% above the same month last year. Executive Director Darryl Burry called on manufacturers, producers and distributors to donate bulk quantities, and said member food banks have had to reduce how much food families receive each month.
  • An Edmonton man experiencing homelessness is asking a judge to find the City of Edmonton liable for seizing and disposing of his belongings during a 2024 encampment cleanup. Dwayne Cardinal, 55, argues municipal workers unlawfully discarded his tent, clothing and other possessions while he was detained by police, and is seeking $7,000 in damages; the City argued the cleanup was legally authorized due to health and safety risks at the site.
  • Edmonton Fire Rescue Services launched a video series showcasing its drone program, which has grown from one drone and pilot in 2023 to 20 drones and 64 Transport Canada-certified pilots covering all six city districts around the clock. The drones support the response to wildland fires, water and ice rescues and structure fires through real-time aerial tracking and thermal imaging.
  • Lemonade Stand Day held its 13th annual edition with 725 stands across Edmonton raising money for NICView cameras for neonatal intensive care units across northern Alberta. Proceeds go to the Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation. Last year's event raised more than $533,000.
  • About 65% of Albertans intend to vote for the province to remain in Canada in the Oct. 19 referendum, with 23% planning to vote for a binding separation referendum, according to an August Leger poll of 1,001 Albertans. Voting intentions have remained fairly steady since June, and 62% of respondents said they are concerned about potential U.S. interference in Alberta's independence discussions. Premier Danielle Smith avoided the topic of separation in her Alberta Day speech, instead praising the province as "Canada's economic engine" and saying "the best chapters are still ahead."