The Pulse
Jan. 30, 2024

While security questions following the Jan. 23 shooting attack at city hall are obvious, the effects will be felt in other ways, too, co-hosts Mack Male and Troy Pavlek observed in Episode 248 of Speaking Municipally.

The cancellation of this week's committee meetings in the wake of the attack will create a "knock-on effect" that will add to the Items Due list the city keeps, which already runs to hundreds of items.

Pavlek said he expects city hall to remain closed for a significant period. One wrinkle, he added, is that city meetings currently require staff like clerks to be at the building to run them, even if councillors stay virtual. This nearly guarantees delays. "Because we're pushing some stuff (forward), the most important stuff will get routed through a general review," he said.

The result? Sorry, downtown pedestrianization plan, which is currently scheduled to be discussed on Feb. 9 and has already been rescheduled twice. Both hosts expect that meeting to get bumped, along with many others. "I mean, if they could reschedule the police funding formula three, four, or five times, what's another reschedule on a pedestrianization report," Male said.

The question of what city hall will be like in the future also interested Taproot's civic affairs podcast. Male observed that councillors have shared sentiments about wanting city hall to remain as open to the public as possible, while also being safe.

"(T)hey're going to have to try to find some kind of a balance between real safety improvements and security improvements, and that sort of accessible, open to the public, open to the community thing that is so great about city hall," Male said.

Another question that could come up is where to hold meetings at city hall. Male wondered if future committee meetings in the River Valley Room could be pushed to the main council chambers, as it already has metal detectors and far less direct access to councillors. "It would seem to me easier to secure one room rather than multiple rooms," he said.

Speaking Municipally also chimed in on the impending closure of the Edmonton Downtown Farmers' Market after an unsuccessful stint at 10305 97 St NW. Male said he is not surprised by the institution's demise.

"It's really sad that an organization, an institution in this city, that's been around for more than 120 years, is now facing bankruptcy and about to shut down," said Male, who noted that he decided to raise his family on 104 Street in part because of the market's presence there before it moved indoors. "I don't have a lot of sympathy for them … for the most part it was handed to them on a silver platter … and all the market did in that time was refuse to go back outside, talk only about the free parking … and exclude vendors because of competitive concerns."

Hear more about these issues as well as the single-use item bylaw, Oliver's new name, and some high-profile departures on the Jan. 26 episode.

• EPCOR announced a mandatory ban on non-essential water use for Edmonton and surrounding areas on Jan. 29 because of a pump failure at the E.L. Smith water treatment plant. The company urged residents to conserve water by taking short showers, turning off taps while brushing teeth, delaying laundry, and washing dishes by hand. Businesses like laundromats and car washes are also asked to stop water use, while places that use water for essential processes or to meet health code standards, including hospitals and restaurants, are exempt. It's not known how long the ban will remain in place as repairs continue, but the company said water is safe to drink.
• Edmonton is set to record its deadliest year ever for opioid-related deaths, with 554 reported fatalities in 2023 up to October, according to the latest provincial data. The total will likely climb above the record 626 deaths set in 2021 when numbers for the final two months of 2023 are released in March. Across Alberta, 1,565 opioid-related deaths were recorded from January to October 2023. Community advocates have called on the province to expand supports and access to harm reduction services. The UCP government is continuing to pursue a recovery-oriented model, and in a statement to Postmedia highlighted its expansion of more than 10,000 addiction treatment spaces and the development of 11 recovery communities.
• Several press freedom and journalism organizations held a press conference to call on the Edmonton Police Service to drop all charges against Indigenous journalist Brandi Morin, who was arrested while reporting on an encampment removal in Edmonton on Jan. 10. The organizations include the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), PEN Canada, Journalists for Human Rights, and the Indigenous Journalists Association, among others. Morin, who was charged with obstruction despite identifying herself as a journalist, has a court date set for Feb. 1. "Let me be blunt: Based on all evidence, Brandi was targeted and singled out for doing her job as a journalist," CAJ President Brent Jolly said during the news conference.
• The George Spady Centre Society is seeking approval to relocate its detox centre from downtown Edmonton to a building at Stony Plain Road and 156 Street. The agency is applying for rezoning to double the facility's allowable size to 2,000 square metres. It would offer in-patient medical treatment and out-patient services related to addiction and detoxification, according to the city's rezoning website. The application is currently in review, with a council public hearing date scheduled for Feb. 20.
• Edmonton-based Flair Airlines owes the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) $67.2 million in unpaid taxes related to import duties on its fleet of Boeing 737 Max jetliners, court documents show. The debt prompted CRA to obtain a court order to allow the seizure and sale of the company's property, but Flair CEO Stephen Jones says there is no impact on the airline's operations. "We have a mutually agreed-upon payment plan with CRA to pay these importation duties, and we are current with that plan," Jones told CBC News in a statement. The situation follows a history of financial struggles for Flair, which had four planes repossessed last March and is facing increasing competitive pressure from other airlines.
• Six CH-146 Griffons from the 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron at CFB Edmonton did a flyover downtown on Jan. 29 to commemorate the Royal Canadian Air Force's 100th anniversary. Lt. Col. Melissa Snook thanked the city for its support over the years for the squadron, which has been based in Edmonton since 1971.

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Climate Adaptation and the Benefits of Early Action starting at 1:30pm online
• Solutions for the Top 5 Business Tax Mistakes starting at 3pm online
• Audreys Book Club starting at 7pm at Audreys Books

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Feb. 21: Our Edmonton of the Future at the TELUS World of Science
• Feb. 24: Chasing Ubuntu at the Metro Cinema
• Mar. 2: BCW International Women's Day 2024 DigitALL at the Edmonton Convention Centre

Visit the beta version of the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.