The Pulse: Oct. 18, 2021

The Taproot Survey has received more than 16,000 responses since it launched on Sept. 24, as voters sought to gain insight into how they align with candidates on issues like climate change, policing, housing, and transit.

You can play with the data yourself to see where other respondents stand as a whole. You can also compare the people to the candidates on each question.

Some notes:

• The data included in this article incorporates responses to the survey up until Oct. 14.
• Respondents could skip questions. The question with the most responses was Should effects on the climate be taken into account in every decision city council makes? and the question with the fewest responses was What is your position on the bus network redesign?.
• Respondents could theoretically fill out the survey multiple times, though that seems unlikely on a large scale given the structure of it. Taproot excluded surveys with fewer than two answers; the vast majority of respondents answered most of the questions.

• The 10 kilometres of shared space created for pedestrians and cyclists this summer will be converted back into vehicle lanes for the winter during the first week of November. The "shared streets" program cost about $25,000 this year.
• More than 250 residents in The Hills at Charlesworth, a southeast community near Ellerslie Road, have signed an online petition asking the city to improve transit service as the closest stop is about two kilometres away. The city said the area is currently an exception to the 600-metre guideline for transit stops but will consider an extension of service early next year.
• Despite an increase of 21% in overall retail leasing activity in the city during the first half of 2021 compared to 2020, Edmonton is still down 22% from pre-pandemic levels, according to a recent JLL report.
• The Edmonton Elks have traded quarterback Trevor Harris to the Montreal Alouettes for defensive end Antonio Simmons. Edmonton (2-7) is currently last in the West Division.
• Mayor Don Iveson and Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi spoke with The Globe and Mail last week about their regrets, Alberta's handling of the pandemic, and what's next. "I don't feel like I have unfinished business in public service," Iveson said. "But I wouldn't rule anything out."
• Albertans can now book their flu shot online or by calling 811, with appointments starting today at participating pharmacies and public health clinics. Last year, 37% of Albertans were immunized. This year, the province has ordered 2.1 million doses of influenza vaccine.

• Alberta Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) will celebrate small business week on Oct. 18 with a series of conversations on how to start, grow, and scale businesses in Alberta.
• The Virtual Effect will present Elevate: Anti-Racism — an evening to learn, unlearn, and discover how to fight against racism — on Oct. 19. Panelists include Indigenous myth architect Hunter Cardinal, psychology professor Gina Wong, and MLA David Shepherd. All proceeds will go directly to the Indigenous innovation program at Edmonton Fringe Theatre.
• LitFest and the University of Alberta will present Two Women Who Went First on Oct. 19 — a talk from U of A president emerita Indira Samarasekera and University of British Columbia president emerita Martha Piper, as they discuss their new book.
• Rainforest Alberta will host a panel of local marketing technology and service companies on Oct. 19.
• A virtual event on Oct. 20 from WaiTALK Edmonton will cover ethical issues in AI, the history of women in computing and AI, and the career journey of Katrina Ingram, founder and CEO of Ethically Aligned AI.
• The Enlightened Economy Summit by MacEwan University will present An Equitable Economic Recovery: A Small Business Perspective on Oct. 21, where a panel of entrepreneurs and business advocates will discuss how the pandemic impacted small businesses.

Photo: A warm autumn sunset and leaves. (Alex Liew/Instagram)

The mayor and council that Edmontonians elect on Oct. 18 will be in charge of a "once-in-a-generation" renewal of the city's zoning bylaw that will have a huge effect on how the city is planned.

The Zoning Bylaw Renewal Initiative is partway through a comprehensive overhaul, and much of the work is slated to take place through 2022.

"We don't do this often," said Speaking Municipally co-host Troy Pavlek on Episode 151 of Taproot's civic affairs podcast. "So this next council could either push us forward... (or) it could set Edmonton back not just four years, but a generation."

After budget deliberations in the fall, zoning will dominate the agenda, agreed podcast co-host Mack Male. That means the fate of the City Plan that was approved in December of 2020 is in the new council's hands.

"Who we elect on Monday and their views on the zoning bylaw and on urban planning in particular are really going to make or break how much of City Plan we start to realize in Edmonton," Male said.

The Taproot Survey quizzed candidates on three matters related to urban planning:

• How should council bring the 15-minute districts described in the City Plan to life?
• Do you support the city's current approach to infill?
• Which statement best describes your opinion of city council's zoning decisions?