Headlines: Oct. 28, 2026
By Mariam Ibrahim
- Edmonton city council voted 9-3 to seek a national task force on municipal autonomy. The motion from Coun. Aaron Paquette calls for a proposal to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Council also voted to pursue an Alberta Municipalities resolution and a Big City Mayors' Caucus declaration on municipal autonomy.
- The City of Edmonton plans to release draft infill zoning amendments in mid-November to meet a provincial deadline of Jan. 22, 2027. Administration said time constraints would limit public engagement on the provincially mandated changes.
- Environment and Climate Change Canada forecast up to 15 centimetres of snow for Edmonton and surrounding communities through Oct. 29. The agency warned the prolonged snowfall could disrupt rush-hour traffic and urged drivers to allow extra travel time.
- Federal NDP Leader Avi Lewis proposed federal support to help employees buy back Edmonton-based video game developer BioWare following its closure by Electronic Arts. Lewis criticized private equity ownership and argued that the studio's developers should have the opportunity to run the company themselves. However, BioWare has undergone years of layoffs and restructuring, leaving uncertainty over whether a revival would be feasible
- The UCP government has introduced Bill 33, which would prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion considerations in public-sector hiring and promotions. It would cover municipalities, school boards, Crown corporations, and publicly funded post-secondary institutions, with exemptions possible through regulations. The bill also proposes penalties for sharing or threatening to share intimate content without consent, including digitally altered media.
- The Alberta Teachers' Association said overcrowded classrooms and teacher shortages remain a problem one year after Alberta legislated teachers back to work to end a large-scale strike. President Jason Schilling called on the province to restore teachers' Charter rights. Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said the province hired 2,100 teachers and 1,000 educational assistants ahead of the school year.
- Premier Danielle Smith said United Conservative Party board candidates must pledge not to advocate Alberta's separation from Canada. Existing board members would also be expected to honour the pledge, she said. She said candidates in the 2027 provincial election would have to affirm pro-Canada views.
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