The Pulse: Dec. 20, 2023

Alberta has played host to Canada's highest year-over-year increases to rents in 2023, and this mixed with inflation and inadequate support has pushed many post-secondary students further into poverty, student leaders say.

"What's happening with students is that not only are they living in poverty, but they're continuing to put themselves in poverty in order to access education," Rachelle Preston, vice-president external for the University of Lethbridge Students' Union, told the Ignite Change Global Convention in early December.

Student union leaders at MacEwan University and University of Alberta echo Preston's concerns, and are advocating for governments to put more support in place for students rather than less.

"We're just seeing a lot of cuts everywhere, and I worry that if this pattern continues … I don't know how much more students can take," Gabriel Ambutong, president of the Students' Association of MacEwan University, told Taproot. "At this point in time we've had surveys and students have already stated that they can't afford any more increases in their cost of education."

Student unions look to food banks to gauge how learners are coping. The 2023 survey at the U of A's campus food bank found 20% of users "cannot access the food they need beyond the supplementary groceries we provide," and one-third use off-campus food banks at least once a month. Meanwhile, MacEwan's Breakfast Club and pantry have seen numbers spike, too.

Ambutong said the food bank program has observed a "huge jump" in users since September, with 61% of users being new to the program.

Inflation has driven up the cost of food and rent. Meanwhile, in 2020, the United Conservative Party government eliminated the freeze on tuition fees. Since 2020, MacEwan has increased tuition fees by close to 21%, and the U of A has increased them by 26.5%.

While tuition costs increased, the province cut $220 million in the U of A's funding, said Chris Beasley, vice-president external of the University of Alberta Student's Union.

"The number of professors we have has declined, the number of staff we have has declined and the educational outcomes that we receive — in my opinion, it is not the university that it was in 2019, prior to these cuts," Beasley said. "And this is part of a greater strategy to push the onus of funding a university experience from the provincial government onto the universities."

• Edmonton Fire Rescue Services Chief Joe Zatylny said in his year-end interviews that the city's homeless encampments are "extremely unsafe" and must be removed for public safety, citing serious fires that have caused injuries and fatalities, including two deaths in November. Fire Rescue Services has responded to 105 encampment fires so far in 2023. Zatylny emphasized the need for resources and support to dismantle the camps and assist Edmonton's vulnerable population. Meanwhile, a court has allowed the Edmonton Police Service to remove tents at eight high-risk encampments before the holidays, provided they meet certain conditions, such as ensuring adequate shelter space and notifying residents in advance. A lawsuit filed by the Coalition for Justice and Human Rights against the city's encampment response is scheduled to be heard in court on Jan. 11.
• Edmonton Public Schools board chair Julie Kusiek and Edmonton Catholic Schools board chair Sandra Palazzo reflected on the pressures and successes of 2023, including significant student enrolment growth experienced by both school divisions. Edmonton Public Schools have added about 10,000 new students in the past two years, while the Catholic division has added about 4,500 new students in the same period. Kusiek also highlighted the introduction of a business and innovation program set for September 2024 and the construction of new schools, including Elder Dr. Francis Whiskeyjack School. Meanwhile, Palazzo celebrated the construction of inclusive playgrounds and the anticipated openings of three new schools, with Father Michael McCaffery Catholic High School set to open in September 2024, St. Josephine Bakhita Catholic Elementary/Junior High School in September 2025, and Blessed Carlo Acutis Catholic High School in September 2026.
• The city will host New Year's Eve celebrations at Churchill Square and City Hall Plaza on Dec. 31 with free activities and entertainment. The festivities will include a fireworks show at 9pm for families, along with a traditional midnight show. Road closures will be in effect around the event area, and Edmonton Transit Service will offer free service from 6pm on Dec. 31 until around 3am on Jan. 1. The ICE District will host a free New Year's Eve party featuring a live watch party for the Edmonton Oilers game, followed by performances from Canadian country artists and midnight fireworks. All festivities are weather permitting and Edmontonians are encouraged to check the city's website for up-to-date information.
• A new report warns that the Edmonton region could face a $4 billion annual loss by 2050 due to global heating, projecting a rise in mean winter temperature and increased risks of wildfires and extreme weather. However, the report suggests that investing $5,700 per person in climate action measures could prevent the losses. The study, accepted by the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board at its Dec. 14 meeting, highlights potential health costs, including $1.75 billion from heat-related impacts and wildfire smoke. The report recommends 24 actions, including regional plans for wildfire reduction and building standards for extreme heat.
• Edmonton's Food Bank and the Salvation Army experienced record-setting demand in 2023. The Food Bank served 34,000 people monthly and distributed 400,000 snacks and meals through partner programs. The increased demand is attributed to economic challenges faced by Albertans, including a nearly 6% rise in food prices and a 16% increase in rental rates. A survey of 1,500 Canadians done by the Salvation Army found that 20% are struggling to cover their basic needs. Despite the challenges, both organizations said Albertans have given generously in 2023.
• EPCOR and the Edmonton Oil Kings are partnering to promote safe winter activities for families in Edmonton, providing more than 90 grants to community leagues for secure skating rinks and raising awareness about the hazards of stormwater ponds. The campaign includes outdoor events featuring Oil Kings members, social media engagement, and public safety messages at games to ensure fans enjoy winter sports safely.
• Edmonton's Oliver neighbourhood was profiled in a Canadian Architect article by Kalen Anderson, the CEO of the Urban Development Institute - Edmonton Metro. Among the elements showcased were the 102 Avenue bike lane, dubbed locally as the "Oliverbahn," as well as seven development sites representing a collective $529 million in private investment. The article notes Oliver is "one of the most populated neighbourhoods in this part of western Canada," with growth expected to continue.
• Alberta's Ethics Commissioner, Marguerite Trussler, has concluded an investigation into the revocation of Dr. Deena Hinshaw's job offer with the Indigenous Wellness Core at Alberta Health Services, finding no evidence of private interest being furthered by former AHS administrator Dr. John Cowell. Trussler determined that Cowell did not direct Hinshaw's dismissal from the position and that the process was properly followed. Trussler said she also received complaints against Premier Danielle Smith regarding the matter but did not pursue an investigation because of investigative limits within provincial legislation, which distinguishes between personal and political interests.
• The Edmonton Oilers will not have a prospect participating in the World Junior Championships for the first time since 2008, breaking a 15-year streak of representation in the tournament. The team's most promising prospect for the event, Beau Akey, can't compete because of a season-ending shoulder injury, and no other prospects are in contention for their national teams.

On this day in 1966, Edmonton discussed proposals for two new skyscrapers in the heart of the city.

The 1960s were a boom period filled by big plans and breathless announcements. The oil industry was motoring ahead and Edmonton's population surged in response. Cranes dotted the city's downtown skyline as new construction and redevelopment tried to keep pace.

But even compared to the era's most ambitious plans, the proposed new headquarters for Alberta Government Telephones was big. The original idea was to build two towers on Jasper Avenue separated by a plaza, across from the Hotel Macdonald. One would be a 30- to 35-storey building to house AGT, while a private developer would build a second, 18- to 20-storey tower.

The project, which gave Edmonton what's currently known as ATB Place, was at the time seen as an anchor to reshape the city's downtown. When announcing the project, then-Mayor Vincent Dantzer said the towers would be one point in a triangle that would form Edmonton's civic centre, the other two being the CN Tower and a proposed downtown arena that was "not as far away as some people think," according to Dantzer.

The city approved the skyscraper proposals, which included demolishing the central library (also known as the Carnegie Library, because of the organization that funded its creation), which had stood on the spot for nearly 50 years.

Both towers ended up taller than first proposed. The smaller of the two, ATB Tower, was completed in 1969 and topped out at 26 storeys. Aside from holding offices for ATB, the building hosted retail space on its lower floors as well as a connection to the city's LRT system.

Two years later, when the taller AGT Tower was finished, it stood as the tallest building in the city, at 34 storeys (a record it would hold for a decade until Manulife Place was built.) The public was able to enjoy the views the new tower offered by visiting Vista 33, a telecommunication museum and observation deck that was built on the penultimate floor.

A third, two-storey structure was later be added to the plaza between the two towers.

In 1987, artist Slavo Cech pitched a festive idea — a light display featuring giant Christmas trees along the river-facing sides of AGT Tower. It was a difficult engineering endeavour, but soon hundreds of lights were permanently installed on the skyscraper. The display, with its multiple multi-coloured Christmas trees, was first lit up for the holiday season in 1988. It has since become an annual tradition, with the colourful display brightening up the city's skyline every December.

The building complex went through a few name changes in the 1990s when AGT was privatized into TELUS Communications. The plaza became TELUS Plaza before being renamed to the current ATB Place Plaza. And what was once the AGT building is now TELUS House, which holds the company's Alberta headquarters.

Half a century after construction, ATB Place remains a stalwart of Edmonton's skyline. And the colourful Christmas trees adorning the side of TELUS House are lit once again, adding to the many decorations brightening downtown. That includes a Christmas tree, which was unveiled to the public on Dec. 12.

This clipping was found on Vintage Edmonton, a daily look at Edmonton's history from armchair archivist @revRecluse of @VintageEdmonton. ​