The Pulse: Nov. 22, 2024

A report that updates Edmonton's progress on its carbon budget shows that the city was cloaked in wildfire smoke for several weeks cumulatively in the past two years.

During the 2023 wildfire season, the report notes, Edmonton had 36 days with an air quality health index of seven, posing a high health risk. During the 2024 season, Edmonton had an air quality health index of seven for 15 days.

Jacob Komar, the co-chair of the Energy Transition Climate Resilience Committee, told Taproot that the cumulative figure in the carbon budget report jumped out at him, especially when one remembers the smoky days were often paired with hot temperatures.

"This is impacting Edmontonians on a yearly basis," Komar said.

The cost of climate change and the climate impacts of budget decisions are explored in the update to Edmonton's carbon budget, which was presented in a report to city council in November alongside the operating and capital budget updates.

The report shows emissions are trending down in Edmonton, but not fast enough to reach the goals outlined in the carbon budget. The budget is one action the city has taken after declaring a climate emergency in 2019.

"In a way, the report is not a surprise," Komar said. "It kind of backs up what has been happening in previous years. We knew this is the path we're headed on. We know we're not tackling emissions in the way that we need to in order to meet our commitments that we made through our declaration of a climate emergency."

Extreme weather has an economic impact on top of its physical, mental, and emotional risks. The report notes Edmonton spent $16 million responding to wildfire evacuees in 2023. Komar said there will be more situations that highlight the cost of inaction on climate change in the years to come.

Edmonton introduced a carbon budget in late 2022 during budget deliberations. Unlike the operating and capital budgets, the carbon budget is not debated or modified. Instead, it is meant to show council how its funding choices could increase or decrease carbon emissions. City administration said Edmonton was the first city in Canada and the second in the world to use a carbon budget.

• The City of Edmonton says it activated its Winter Safety Response Plan, which includes encampment response, outreach, wound care pop-ups, shuttles, and several other "key initiatives." Four people believed to be homeless have died in Edmonton bus shelters over the past two weeks. Edmontonians who see someone outside in distress are asked to contact the Crisis Diversion Team by calling 211 and pressing 3, or calling 911 in case of immediate danger, unresponsiveness or signs of hypothermia. A Winter Resource Card with information about shelter and emergency services is available in libraries.
• Jim Gurnett with the Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homeless criticized the City of Edmonton's winter safety plan. "We wait until the last minute and scramble something together year after year after as if we thought this never happened," said Gurnett. Nearly 1,200 people in Edmonton were without any shelter in September, 426 more than last year, while nearly 5,000 people were without "stable, safe, permanent, appropriate housing" or the means of getting it, according to Homeward Trust's point-in-time (PIT) count.
• In a letter to Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis said he intends to add more provincial appointees to the Edmonton Police Commission, which currently has three provincial appointees out of 12 members. Coun. Michael Janz called the news "deeply concerning from an 'independence of policing' perspective." In September, city council chose not to follow the commission's recommendation to replace two councillor appointees with members of the public, which came amidst tensions over council's request to see the audit plan for the Edmonton Police Service. The UCP government gave itself the power to appoint local police commissioners in 2022.
• Coun. Tim Cartmell said he is running for mayor in the 2025 Edmonton election and plans to launch a municipal political party, with a platform of "safer streets, tough on taxes, and build it better." He criticized Mayor Amarjeet Sohi's leadership and said he takes issue with the "very public calling out" of the Edmonton Police Commission. Cartmell, who was previously against parties in municipal politics, said new provincial rules "compel" a party system, but that his will operate more like a team than a party.
• Edmonton Police Service Chief Dale McFee, who is retiring in February 2025, declined to comment on rumours about his future plans, including a potential mayoral run, Postmedia reported. "All options are on the table," said McFee, who said he will reveal his plans in "the coming days and weeks."
• The Principled Accountable Coalition for Edmonton (PACE) and TAPYeg, two conservative-leaning groups that have announced their intentions to form municipal political parties for the 2025 Edmonton election, say they will merge under the PACE banner. Neither group has officially registered as a local political party.
• Municipal commentator Troy Pavlek, who co-hosts Speaking Municipally, is keeping an up-to-date list of candidates registered to run in the 2025 Edmonton election. He invites anyone with additional details, corrections, tips, or "election gossip" to email him.
• The City of Edmonton's parking payment vendor, HotSpot, has sent a cease and desist letter to Zipstall, a local company with a mobile app that helps find deals on parking. The City says Zipstall is buying parking through HotSpot on behalf of users and charging additional fees for the service, violating HotSpot's terms of service, which say it can't be used for commercial purposes. Zipstall founder Kevin Petterson called the move a "slap in the face," saying his company brings transparency to the marketplace.
• The average home price in the Greater Edmonton Area increased to $440,089 in October, up 11% year over year, but slightly lower than in September, according to numbers from the REALTORS Association of Edmonton. Edmonton's market saw 2,489 transactions in October, more than Calgary's 2,174, although the Calgary region as a whole had more activity. Housing is the focus of Taproot's ongoing Housing Complex project, which will be presented at an event on Nov. 27 at the CKUA building.
• The Alberta government is projecting a $4.6-billion surplus this fiscal year, driven by higher-than-expected income tax revenue, but potential U.S. trade tariffs and fluctuating oil prices could lead to future deficits, said Finance Minister Nate Horner. The surplus is significantly higher than the $355 million forecast earlier this year. Of the $4.6 billion, $2.9 billion is allocated to debt reduction and the Heritage Savings Trust Fund.

On this day in 1912, William Short was aiming to be the mayor of Edmonton once again. While most former mayors have left a mark on the city, Short was in power during several significant moments in Edmonton's history.

Short was born in 1866 in Canada West (now Ontario). He moved to Edmonton as a young man in 1889 and was called to the bar a few years later. By 1901, Short had already dabbled in politics, including serving as a public school trustee for a couple of years, when he chose to run for mayor. No one ran against him, so Short was acclaimed.

Soon after, Short oversaw his first vital moment in Edmonton's history — the arrival of the first passenger train. Even though the Edmonton-Calgary Railway had by this time existed for more than a decade, trains never actually stopped in Edmonton. Instead, the line ended in Strathcona to save the cost of building a bridge over the river. Many assumed that without a rail connection, Edmonton would eventually be overtaken by Strathcona, its neighbour on the south side of the river.

Instead, the Edmonton, Yukon & Pacific Railway was established, using the Low Level Bridge to link Edmonton to the south side of the river. Trains rolled across the bridge in 1902. Short declared the day a civic holiday.

Back then, Edmonton's elections were an annual affair. Short was acclaimed mayor again in 1902. In 1903, he won his first contested race, taking 277 votes to his opponent's 246.

Edmonton was granted city status in 1904, meaning Short was the first mayor of the City of Edmonton. As mayor, Short wrote Edmonton's original city charter. That same year, Short met with officials from the Canadian Pacific Railway to propose the idea of building another rail bridge into Edmonton. These were the first steps toward the construction of the High Level Bridge.

Short didn't seek re-election in 1904, but he wasn't completely done with the idea of being mayor. Almost a decade later, in 1912, Short ran again and won. Once again, Short was in power as Edmonton's relationship with Strathcona was changing. In 1912, the two cities were amalgamating into one entity. One of the big questions arising from the merger was street names—the two cities used widely different methods. Several plans were proposed, including one Short came up with to see Edmonton use a grid system of numbered streets, with Jasper Avenue as 101 Street. The plan was controversial. Many opposed it, including the city's engineer, and many aldermen. Short ignored those protests, purposefully cut out some of his opponents, and pushed his plan forward. It was eventually approved by a plebiscite in 1913. Short won the fight over street names but it likely cost him the next election. In 1913, he lost to William J. McNamara by 36 votes. So, not only does Short hold the distinction of being the first mayor of the City of Edmonton, he was also the first incumbent mayor to lose.

Short doesn't have parks and stadiums named after him like many former mayors. There is, ironically, simply a William Short Road in his honour. But the impact of his time leading Edmonton is clear to see in the numbered streets and former railway bridges that Edmontonians travel daily. In October 2025, voters will decide on the city's next mayor. Coun. Tim Cartmell has announced he's running. Current mayor Amarjeet Sohi has not yet announced whether he plans to run for re-election.

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

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

• Nov. 22: National Housing Day Luncheon starting at 11:15am at Coast Edmonton Plaza
• Nov. 22: Alberta Seniors and Community Housing Association Housing Day Event starting at 1:30pm online
• Nov. 22: Devfest Edmonton 2024 starting at 3pm at Edmonton Unlimited
• Nov. 22-23: Lightly Classical: Affairs of the Heart at Winspear Centre
• Nov. 23: Perfecting Your Pitch: Nailing Your Five-minute Pitch starting at 9am online
• Nov. 23: Housing Cures Homelessness starting at 1pm at Alberta Legislature Grounds
• Nov. 23: The (M) Factor Film Screening Party starting at 3pm at Edmonton Public Library (Stanley A. Milner)
• Nov. 23: Art Party starting at 9pm at Art Gallery of Alberta
• Nov. 24: Teenage Dreams & Drag Queens, SkirtsAfire's 13th Birthday Brunch! starting at 11am at Bell in Scona
• Nov. 24: Festive AF Market starting at 12pm at the Bellevue Community League
• Nov. 24: Set Etiquette Workshop starting at 12:30pm at the IATSE 210 Office
• Nov. 24: Soul Speak Poetry Night starting at 8pm at Grindstone Comedy Theatre and Bistro

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Nov. 27: Taproot presents: A conversation about housing at the CKUA Performance Space
• Nov. 30: Meat, Cheese, and Wine Extravaganza at Fort Edmonton Park
• Dec. 16: Bright Light Skate Night at City Hall Plaza

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