The Latest

Here's the latest from Taproot Edmonton.


The Pulse

Monday, Feb. 3

In this edition: On the agenda: Landscaping deposits, Blatchford rezoning, Henday ramps; council unlikely to pass latest public spaces bylaw, podcasters say; and more headlines and happenings

The Pulse

Friday, Jan. 31

In this edition: Second payment system in three years always part of plan, ETS head says; Edmonton activates extreme weather response as cold snap hits; and more headlines and happenings

The Pulse

Thursday, Jan. 30

In this edition: Walkthrough aims to create healthier game-building culture in Edmonton; calls for public engagement: Maps tool, policing, development plan; and more headlines and happenings


A hand holding an Arc card makes contact with a fare validator at an Edmonton Transit Service LRT station.
transit lrt

Second payment system in three years always part of plan, ETS head says

The long process that Edmonton Transit Service has used to arrive at offering riders machines that allow tap-to-pay at LRT stations, transit centres, and on buses was by design, branch manager Carrie Hotton-MacDonald told Taproot.

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A man with a child on his shoulders addresses a group of seated people in a board room.
technology business

Walkthrough aims to create healthier game-building culture in Edmonton

Interactive Arts Alberta hopes that its newly opened Walkthrough Collaborative Centre on Whyte Avenue can help make Alberta "the best place in the world to make games," one staff member said.

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A person prepares a coffee at an espresso machine.
business food

Intent Coffee team returns with Balay Coffee pop-up

The team behind Intent Coffee has returned with a pop-up café concept that applies the same values as before but now includes a plan to grow more sustainably.

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Mayor Amarjeet Sohi speaks at a podium beside a slide that reads "Mayoral Keynote Address: Balancing Inclusivity and Social Cohesion in an Era of Rising Polarization: Mayoral Leadership in Building Resilient Cities in the Face of Migration Challenges"
city council racism

Mayor lauds anti-racism efforts amid acrimony

Mayor Amarjeet Sohi has been highlighting the city's anti-racism efforts, even travelling to Berlin to speak about it. But the committee charged with shaping that work has been paused, raising concerns about a lack of community involvement and delays in implementing the city's anti-racism strategy.

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A canopy of green leaves as seen from beneath a tree
trees climate change

For Edmonton, a sustainable future depends on trees

Even though a council committee has put off passing a bylaw to protect trees on private property, the Tomorrow Foundation for a Sustainable Future is encouraged to see progress on a file that is vital to the city's ability to lessen and mitigate the effects of climate change.

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Heather Ratsoy speaks at a news conference
business city council

Downtown daycares in danger of succumbing to pandemic

As Edmontonians weather a fifth wave of the pandemic, the prolonged closure of many downtown offices has left daycares in the heart of the city struggling to stay open.

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A truck on a snowy Edmonton street
podcast city council

Council unlikely to pass latest public spaces bylaw, podcasters say

The latest draft of Edmonton's much-discussed public spaces bylaw will be hard for city council to pass, the co-hosts of Episode 293 of Speaking Municipally said.

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Rowhouses in the Blatchford neighbourhood.
city council zoning

On the agenda: Landscaping deposits, Blatchford rezoning, Henday ramps

This week, council is scheduled to vote on changes to the zoning bylaw meant to improve developer compliance on landscaping, a rezoning application in Blatchford, and whether to borrow money to build new ramps on Anthony Henday Drive.

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A newspaper advertisement for the Rainbow Ballroom.
history entertainment

A moment in history: Jan. 31, 1951

On this day in 1951, those looking for a party were getting ready to hit one of Edmonton's hottest clubs.

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Roundup

Business Roundup: January 31, 2025

With news from The Brick, Trans Global Insurance, InnoTech Alberta, Industry Sandbox & AI Computing, CBRE, AIMCo, Edmonton Global, Amii, and more.

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Roundup

Events Roundup: January 30, 2025

With a recommendation from Taproot reporter Colin Gallant and ways to root for the home team.

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Roundup

Arts Roundup: January 30, 2025

With news from Orchesis Dance Society, Harcourt House, Flying Canoë Volant, Interactive Arts Alberta, Edmonton International Film Festival, and more.

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Roundup

Regional Roundup: January 29, 2025

With news from City of Leduc, St. Albert, Strathcona County, Stony Plain, Morinville, Parkland County, Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board, and more.

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Roundup

Health Innovation Roundup: January 29, 2025

With news from Zanis Tech, Nanostics, Sinoveda, Puravita, Rehabtronics, GlycoNet, Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society, Skills Society, and more.

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Roundup

Food Roundup: January 28, 2025

With news from Asiafest, EggMania, O'Byrne's Irish Pub, Bannock Broz, Hong Kong Bakery, Spilt Zero Proof, Flavour Agency, Ernest's at NAIT, and more

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Roundup

Tech Roundup: January 28, 2025

With news from The51, Showbie, Industry Sandbox & AI Computing, Scooly, 3C Information Solutions, Levven, MovEd, MacEwan University, and more.

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Podcast

Public Spaces 2: Electric Boogaloo

We examine the updated Public Spaces Bylaw, which will be discussed at an upcoming committee meeting. Plus, an update on affordable housing on surplus school sites, and how artificial intelligence is beginning to integrate into municipal work.

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Podcast

Accountability is police commissing in action

We discuss the 76 Avenue redevelopment, the latest police commission appointments, the end of the EMRB, and a well-known West Edmonton Mall record, which may not be a record at all. Plus, we have a new segment exploring Edmonton Food Faves.

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Podcast

Eddie's still driving –– but now it's permanent

We're joined by the no-longer-interim city manager, Eddie Robar, to discuss his role, the city's finances, the year ahead, and the upcoming municipal election.

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How wellness checks help Taproot thrive
Blog

How wellness checks help Taproot thrive

At Taproot, we pride ourselves on creating a workplace where people feel valued, supported, and empowered to do their best work. One of the practices that has helped us do this is the wellness check, a simple but powerful way to start every meeting.

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How Taproot Edmonton made an impact in 2024
Blog

How Taproot Edmonton made an impact in 2024

Did you know Taproot Edmonton sent 1.3 million emails in 2024? That's a lot of informing, connecting, and inspiring people with reliable intelligence about the Edmonton region. Here's more on what our team has been able to accomplish this year.

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Taproot harvests curiosity about housing at well-attended event
Blog

Taproot harvests curiosity about housing at well-attended event

Taproot brought its Housing Complex project to the public by hosting an event that was part panel discussion, part question-gathering, and part mind-mapping exercise. While we discussed our editorial series, we also turned the mic (or in this case, m...

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