The Pulse: Sept. 6, 2024

Here's what you need to know about Edmonton today.

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Essentials

  • 29°C: Sunny. High 29. Humidex 31. UV index 4 or moderate. (forecast)
  • Red: The High Level Bridge will be lit red for FASD Awareness Day. (details)
  • Sept. 7, 5pm: The Edmonton Elks play the Calgary Stampeders at Commonwealth Stadium. (details)

An aerial shot of homes in Leduc

Leduc residential construction 'going like gangbusters'


By Stephanie Swensrude

While the Edmonton region's population booms, provincial housing starts reach record highs, and real estate sales see double-digit increases, numbers suggest a significant portion of the region's new housing is being built in Leduc.

Dennis Peck, manager of planning and development at the City of Leduc, told Taproot the city is on track to process three times as many applications as was budgeted for this year. "Those kind of numbers, it's quite amazing," he said.

As of mid-August, the City of Leduc has issued permits for 206 single-detached homes, 118 secondary suites, 33 duplexes, and 25 townhouses (the duplexes and townhouses are counted per door), for a total of 382 new homes.

A little over halfway through the year, Leduc has already approved more new homes than it did for most of the past five years. Leduc approved 352 new homes in 2023, 350 in 2022, 366 in 2021, 407 in 2020, and 345 in 2019.

Peck said the city has also approved services for lots for 265 single-detached homes, 64 duplexes, and 89 townhouses. He said developers will likely apply for permits and build houses on those lots in 2025.

"The lots that we've approved (for servicing), which is a much higher number, that's what you're seeing coming forward," Peck said. "So that's an expression of the industry's optimism for what they see is happening in the market."

The Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board, the organization that coordinates planning at a regional level, suggests the region's population could grow from its current 1.5 million people to 2.2 million by 2044. Recently, officials in Ardrossan, population 1,000 and located near Sherwood Park, noted plans are in place for its population to increase six-fold. Housing developer Andrew Usenik told CBC that existing core neighbourhoods inside Edmonton proper cannot handle the region's expected population growth.

Lindsey Butterfield, vice-president of government relations at BILD Edmonton Metro, said it's hard to compare growth rates in the municipalities across the Edmonton region. Still, Butterfield said, Leduc is certainly one of the fastest growing.

"A lot of growth is happening because of, I think, the administration in Leduc, because of their regulatory framework. It's just an easy place to do business — I think that's what it comes down to," Butterfield said. "We've heard from our builders, there's a lot of activity there, and it's just going like gangbusters."

Peck said the average turnaround for a development permit in Leduc is 2.8 calendar days. He said Leduc's administration meets regularly with industry representatives. "We try to work very closely with industry to get an understanding of what their needs are, and how we can help them," Peck said. "That doesn't mean we're just going to agree with everything they say, but you need to have very constructive conversations with industry to understand: What are they trying to do? What pressures do they face?"

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Headlines: Sept. 6, 2024


By Kevin Holowack

  • The City of Edmonton is activating its extreme weather response due to heat from Sept. 6 to 11. Water stations will be set up across the city, and municipal facilities will be open for people who need to escape the heat. Edmontonians concerned about someone outside can call 211 and press 3 to speak to a 24/7 crisis diversion team, or call 911 in emergencies. Edmonton is expecting a heat wave this weekend, with highs around 30°C.
  • The Edmonton Police Service paid nearly $1.9 million in overtime and extra-duty policing expenses during the Edmonton Oilers playoff run this year, according to numbers obtained by CBC through a freedom of information request. The police service is responsible for $1,088,616, with the rest covered by OEG and the City of Edmonton, which said its portion will also be covered by OEG. Officials say the Oilers playoff run had a $280-million economic impact on Edmonton.
  • Some residents of the Hairsine neighbourhood are upset with the City of Edmonton's ongoing neighbourhood renewal project, which includes work on roads, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and street lights. Residents who spoke to Global News expressed concerns about reduced parking due to added boulevards, sidewalks that are too wide, increased traffic, and not being heard during public consultation. Information about the Hairsine renewal, and other renewal projects across the city, is available online.
  • EPCOR said a power outage in several south Edmonton neighbourhoods on Sept. 4 was caused by a fallen cable at the Ellerslie substation. Nearly 25,000 EPCOR customers were affected starting around 3:30pm, with power restored within 25 to 45 minutes.
  • Edmonton's real estate market offers the best price per square foot among major Canadian markets, according to a Century 21 survey. Single-family detached homes in 2024 cost $317 per square foot, up 3% from 2023, compared to $470 in Calgary, up nearly 12% from 2023. "The results of the report are consistent with what we have seen here locally and in terms of general benchmark pricing," said Rob DeJong with Schmidt Realty Group.
  • The Whitemud Drive overpass at Anthony Henday Drive will cost about $2.3 million to repair after a semi hauling an excavator hit the underside of the overpass in June 2023. Traffic at the site in east Edmonton has been affected by lane closures since the accident happened. A provincial spokesperson said repair work will begin the week of Sept. 16 and is expected to be finished by mid-January.
  • Edmonton-born pitcher Erik Sabrowski made his Major League Baseball debut on Sept. 4, playing for the Cleveland Guardians against the Kansas City Royals. He entered the game in the seventh inning and recorded his first major league strikeout. Sabrowski is one of only five players from Edmonton to ever play in MLB.
  • Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said there's "nothing hard and fast" about the UCP's plan to transfer underperforming hospitals from Alberta Health Services to third-party providers, like the Catholic care operator Covenant Health. NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi suggested Premier Danielle Smith hasn't considered public concerns that would arise from the plan, including restricted access to reproductive health care for women. The Sept. 4 episode of The Big Story podcast looked at the potential for Alberta to transfer public hospitals to a Catholic provider.
  • Edmonton Centre MP Randy Boissonnault said he is disappointed by the federal NDP's decision to withdraw from a supply-and-confidence agreement with the Liberals. Edmonton Griesbach MP Blake Desjarlais appeared on Alberta Primetime to speak about what the end of the deal means for the federal NDP.
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A title card that reads Taproot Edmonton Calendar: edmonton.taproot.events

Happenings: Sept. 6-8, 2024


By Debbi Serafinchon

Here are some events happening this weekend in the Edmonton area.

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

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

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