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Headlines: Sept. 23, 2026

· The Pulse
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  • Edmonton city council approved zoning bylaw amendments to regulate lodging houses more effectively. The revisions aim to address safety and compliance issues associated with lodging houses, which can lack proper maintenance and oversight. The amendments provide clearer definitions and guidelines for operating such accommodations within the city. The changes come after ongoing concerns and complaints about the conditions and management of rooming houses in Edmonton.
  • NAIT students affected by the suspension of the school's two-year captioning and court reporting diploma say they are struggling to find work and want tuition refunds. The program was paused in September 2025 after a review cited declining enrolment, low graduate numbers and high costs, though NAIT continues to offer a one-year court transcription certificate. Students say the certificate does not qualify them for most court reporting jobs, leaving some working in other fields. NAIT said second-year students were given an opportunity to complete their studies, while the program's future remains under review.
  • The Edmonton International Film Festival opens Sept. 24 with Smudge the Blades, a locally shot comedy-drama directed by Cody Lightning and starring Ed Helms. The festival's 40th anniversary lineup includes a mix of Canadian, Indigenous and international films, with programmer Vincent Brulotte highlighting the number of Alberta connections among this year's selections. Other featured films include The Meteorite Gang, Turtle Island Rap and Ceremony, which explores the cultural importance of the ooligan fish and environmental threats facing the Bella Coola River. Tickets and passes are available online.
  • During an event at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith suggested charging a $1,900 annual fee for temporary residents to access public health care, citing similar premiums charged to temporary workers in the United Kingdom. Her comments came ahead of an Oct. 19 referendum that will ask Albertans whether certain non-permanent residents should pay a "reasonable fee or premium" for health care and education. Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi criticized the idea, arguing temporary workers already pay taxes and that the proposal distracts from problems in the province's healthcare system.
  • Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the province will suspend its 13-cent-per-litre fuel tax on gasoline and diesel for three months starting Oct. 1 to help lower costs at the pump. The move reverses the government's June decision to keep the tax in place while offering $100 affordability cheques, which saw fewer than half of eligible Albertans apply. The tax suspension is expected to cost the province about $350 million in lost revenue. The NDP welcomed the move but criticized the rebate program and questioned the timing following the UCP's recent Calgary byelection loss.
  • A third-party campaign called Alberta's Voice visualized what the $134 million referendum cost could instead fund, showing the spending could instead pay for 150 family doctors, 188 teachers, 794 educational assistants or two new schools, among other options.
  • Canada will open the 2027 World Junior Hockey Championship against Switzerland on Dec. 26 at Rogers Place in Edmonton. The tournament, scheduled from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2027, will take place in Edmonton and Red Deer. Canada's Group B matches also include Latvia, Norway, and Czechia. Group A comprises Sweden, Finland, Germany, Slovakia, and the United States.