Taproot Edmonton Logo

Headlines: Oct. 14, 2026

· The Pulse
By
Comments
Share
  • Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack is considering taking the Alberta government to court over a provincial directive requiring the city to repeal its infill zoning bylaw and restore the previous rules. Knack said the order creates a legal conflict because councillors must hold a public hearing with an open mind but have already been instructed to vote against the bylaw. He also criticized the province for announcing the directive without providing written instructions, saying the delay makes it difficult for city staff to determine how to proceed. Council will hold an emergency meeting on Oct. 16 to assess the directive's legal, financial and logistical implications. Knack said implementing the order will increase staff workloads and overtime costs, potentially affecting work on the city's draft four-year budget.
  • Residents of Summerside Grande Boulevard in southeast Edmonton are raising concerns about growing Halloween crowds, citing traffic congestion, property damage, theft and safety risks, CTV reported. Homeowners say thousands of visitors flock to the street to see elaborate decorations and collect candy, and some have reported street racing, people walking through yards and stolen decorations. Concerns are heightened this year because Halloween falls on a Saturday and the Treat Accessibly event, which supports children with disabilities and mobility needs, is scheduled for the same day from 4pm to 6pm. Residents say they lack municipal support for street closures, security and other safety measures, and some want the street closed to vehicles on Halloween.
  • The former Army and Navy store on Whyte Avenue is leasing space after sitting empty for six years, CTV reported. Anytime Fitness has taken the basement, with room for three to five tenants upstairs. The owners hope to fill the building within a year but have not set opening dates.
  • Ten-year-old Edmonton boy Rashid Abusalim is urging the Canadian government to help bring his father, Saed, from Gaza to Canada, CBC reported. Saed has been unable to complete the biometric screening required for his immigration application after five failed attempts to cross into Egypt. Immigration officials say the requirement is necessary for security, while the Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council argues it is a major barrier to reuniting Palestinian families.
  • Edmonton voters encountered varying wait times on Oct. 13 as advance voting opened for the Alberta referendum, with some waiting up to 90 minutes while others finished within minutes. Elections Alberta expects turnout to reach 80-85%, with voters able to cast advance ballots until Oct. 17, ahead of referendum day on Oct. 19. More than 650,000 mail-in ballot requests were received, representing about 20% of registered voters. Meanwhile, technical issues delayed the opening of 17 of Alberta's 311 advance-voting locations, leading Elections Alberta to extend their hours.
  • Former Alberta premiers Rachel Notley and Jason Kenney, once political rivals, joined forces to urge Albertans to keep the province in Canada, warning that pursuing independence could damage the economy and undermine business confidence. Speaking at an Edmonton Chamber of Commerce forum, the co-chairs of Alberta and Canada: Stronger Together called on voters to take the Oct. 19 referendum seriously, with Kenney arguing that separatists should form their own party rather than influence the governing United Conservative Party. Both pointed to polling suggesting most Albertans oppose separation, while Kenney attributed the movement's growth in part to a small group of activists who mobilized during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Prime Minister Mark Carney will attend Forever Canadian rallies in Calgary on Oct. 15 and Edmonton on Oct. 16, ahead of the province's Oct. 19 referendum. CityNews reported. The rallies urge voters to keep Alberta in Canada before the referendum. "We want the country's leader to see what we see every day: Albertans from every walk of life standing up for a united Canada," the Forever Canadian website says.
  • The University of Alberta is flying its banner at half-mast through Oct. 16 in honour of professor emeritus Baha Abu-Laban, the university said. Abu-Laban, a sociology professor and Order of Canada recipient, died Sept. 29. Born in Palestine in 1931, he later immigrated to the United States to pursue doctoral studies in sociology, his obituary said. He joined the University of Alberta in 1961, where he held several senior academic positions and became known for his research on immigration, race, ethnicity and leadership. Beyond academia, he worked with community organizations and governments to advance multiculturalism, human rights and inclusion, including establishing a research centre focused on immigration and diversity.