The Pulse: July 28, 2021

Villeneuve Airport is set to be equipped with a new $2.2 million waterline that will bring water from the hamlet to the neighbouring airport. The provincial government, Sturgeon County, and Edmonton Airports announced the news during a joint press conference on July 22.

"Water, sewer, and communications infrastructure ... are the basic needs of a business. The waterline will provide more reliable access to water, reduce costs, and eliminate the need for truck transport," said a news release from Sturgeon County.

"A dedicated water supply will also allow for the airport to expand and attract new investments. For existing tenants, a reliable water source provides them the opportunity to better plan and expand their own business. Currently, an average of 465 m3 of water per month is trucked into the Villeneuve Airport reservoir to meet current needs."

The funding for the waterline is from the provincial government's Municipal Stimulus Program.

Edmonton Airports considers Villeneuve Airport to be the "premier general aviation airport and flight training facility" in the Edmonton region, according to its strategic plan. As it aims to leverage Villeneuve Airport as an "economic development and diversification center," a reliable source of water is a step towards that goal.

"The Villeneuve airport has already proven itself to be a valuable asset by attracting investment, and supporting the growth of innovative companies within our Edmonton Metropolitan Region," Edmonton Global CEO Malcolm Bruce told Taproot. "The aerospace sector is experiencing a lot of growth globally and this investment will allow these companies to continue to expand, while also attracting further investment into the region."

• The man who killed Cindy Gladue, a 36-year-old Cree and Metis woman, has been sentenced to 12.5 years in prison for manslaughter. Gladue's mother said justice was served for her daughter, but Bradley Barton's lawyer said he plans to appeal the conviction.
• The Capital Line LRT expansion to Ellerslie Road is moving forward after receiving a $394.2-million investment from the federal government on Tuesday.
• The descendants of the Michel First Nations Indian Band, located outside Edmonton, are calling on the federal government to reinstate the band and to include them in the search for unmarked graves at residential school sites. The band was enfranchised in 1958.
• The emergency department at the Royal Alexandra Hospital was on lockdown and EMS diversion Tuesday morning. The lockdown was lifted by 12:15 p.m. No reason was given by Alberta Health Services.
• Local animal rescue groups are seeing an influx in surrenders now that lockdown restrictions have been lifted. The Infinite Woofs Animal rescue has seen around 100 surrenders in the past few months, as opposed to an average of 10 to 15.
• The province rejected the University of Alberta's proposed tuition hike, citing the need for more student consultation. The students' union said consultations were flawed and pushed through during final exams.

Three separate mental health programs have been launched with the goal of supporting Albertans through the remainder of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. An initiative out of the University of Alberta was created to help the province's first responders cope with traumatic situations, while two other provincial programs have also been announced to support youth and Indigenous communities.

Dr. Vincent Agyapong, a University of Alberta clinical professor of psychiatry and global mental health, has developed two new free texting services, similar to Text4Hope, which was launched last year in response to the pandemic.

"Text4PTSI and Text4Well-being are designed to help emergency personnel cope positively with feelings of stress, anxiety, depression, disturbed sleep, and suicidal thoughts," said Agyapong.

Agyapong explained that the two text services are important because they're intended to help ensure first responders don't develop a post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI) and reduce the symptoms for those who have already developed the condition.

The provincial government also recently announced plans to support young people in Alberta by investing $7.3 million over three years to expand youth mental health hubs across the province.

The World Health Organization has reported that half of all mental health disorders in adulthood start by age 14, but most cases go undetected and untreated.

The funding will help improve existing youth mental health hubs as well as build new ones to support rural and Indigenous youth. The hubs offer a wide range of services including mental health and addiction support.