The Pulse: Jan. 27, 2025

The provincial investigation of two of city council's appointments to the Edmonton Police Commission has raised concerns about accountability, the co-hosts of Episode 292 of Speaking Municipally said.

On Jan. 15, The Edmonton Police Service asked Mike Ellis, the minister of public safety and emergency services, to investigate the appointment of former police officer and criminologist Dan Jones and Renée Vaugeois, the executive director of the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights to the commission.

"Why in the world would the (police) service have a say on who is holding them accountable and governing them?" co-host Troy Pavlek said. "How could that ever make sense?"

In a news release, EPS said it could not disclose its specific concerns, and only said they relate to "public-facing activities undertaken by the two appointees in either private or professional capacities." Postmedia obtained documents that suggest Edmonton Police Service leadership opposes the two people council appointed because of their comments about police matters, which include open police use-of-force investigations. The documents suggest EPS leadership has a problem with Jones and Vaugeois's respective participation in Safer For All, a documentary about police violence and accountability released last year. Jones has since resigned from the commission.

The commission will soon be tasked with recruiting a new chief of Edmonton's police service, as Chief Dale McFee is set to retire in February. "The makeup of the commission is critically important right now because the commission will be deciding who will be the chief of police in Edmonton for the next few years," Pavlek said.

Meanwhile, the province chose to reappoint Anne-Marie Lambert to the commission despite city council choosing not to renew her term in December. The commission itself elected former city councillor Ben Henderson as its chair in December, taking over for John McDougall, who resigned following backlash over his decision to be a member of the commission remotely from Portugal until 2026. Henderson said one of the reasons he decided to step into the chair position was to rebuild relationships between the commission, the police service, and council.

Co-host Mack Male said Henderson will have his work cut out for him. "Given the recent changes here — the request for an investigation, and the appointment, non-appointment of Lambert — it's a tough road ahead to try to rebuild those relationships, and a lot of it will centre around the new police chief," Male said.

The Jan. 24 episode of Taproot's civic affairs podcast includes a dissection of Paths for People's "bold" vision for 76 Avenue and the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board's decision to wrap operations. Plus, Taproot's managing editor, Tim Querengesser, provides an update from the Taproot newsroom. Speaking Municipally comes out on Fridays. Listening and subscription options are all right here.

• Some residents of the Wedgewood Heights neighbourhood are upset over a City of Edmonton plan to use a surplus school site in a park for affordable housing. Opponents of the plan argue there hasn't been enough community consultation, while the City emphasized the project's urgency because of provincial and federal funding opportunities and the need for affordable housing. City council is set to vote on the issue next month.
• New owners of the historic Army & Navy building on Whyte Avenue plan to transform it into a social and retail hub. The renovation will create multiple units while maintaining historical features. "We want to try to create something in the community that helps bring people together," said Kevin Petterson with Leder Investments, which now owns the building.
• Edmonton's Chinatown celebrated Lunar New Year with a lively parade featuring traditional lion and dragon dancers. Community members and business owners expressed hopes that the Year of the Snake will bring increased safety, security, and economic revitalization to the neighbourhood. "When we have more safety and security to the area more people will come to Chinatown and that will help businesses a lot," said Lan Chan with the Chinatown Transformation Collaborative Society.
• The Ice Climbing World Cup is set to return to Edmonton's river valley on Feb. 27, featuring lead and speed climbing events on a 21-metre ice wall. The competition highlights the sport's growth in popularity, supported by a Canadian team formalized under the Alpine Club of Canada.
• Edmonton's population growth is expected to slow in 2025 because of reduced federal immigration targets, but the city's employment is expected to rise by 2.1%, or about 18,000 jobs, according to a new report from the Conference Board of Canada. Potential U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods could also pose economic challenges for Alberta, particularly in the energy sector, the report says.
• Edmonton's 2025 commercial real estate market is expected to experience increased demand for rental units, higher-quality office buildings, and growth in the industrial sector, according to a new report from CBRE. While Edmonton's market remains more affordable than other major Canadian markets, high construction costs and potential tax issues may affect affordability and rental rates in the future, the report says.
• Country singer Morgan Wallen is set to perform at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium on Sept. 12 and 13, with opening acts Miranda Lambert, Brooks & Dunn, and Ella Langley. Tickets go on sale on Jan. 31 via Ticketmaster. Edmonton is one of only two Canadian cities included in the singer's tour.
• Three people were seen displaying signs with anti-immigration messages in St. Albert over the weekend. "This is not the St. Albert that I know and love," Mayor Cathy Heron said on Facebook. The individuals left the area after being cautioned by police that they were creating a disturbance for drivers.
• Union leaders say nearly 900 education support workers represented by CUPE Local 5543 and CUPE Local 3484 could join the more than 4,000 workers already on strike after failing to reach agreements with their respective school divisions. Low wages remain the primary issue, with workers citing financial strain due to rising living costs.
• Despite a $1-billion investment in the Alberta SuperNet over the past 25 years, the province ranks last in Canada for rural broadband availability, with only about 40% of rural homes having access to high-speed internet. The slow progress has prompted some areas, such as Red Deer County, to develop their own broadband solutions.
• The Edmonton Oilers have climbed to first in the Pacific Division and third overall in the NHL after narrowly defeating the Buffalo Sabres on Jan. 25. The team has now won 10 of their last 13 games.
• Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said on her weekly radio show that Canada needs to address trade barriers and improve interprovincial commerce to reduce reliance on the U.S. as President Donald Trump threatens to impose tariffs. Smith also defended her diplomatic efforts with the Trump administration because of Alberta's trade relationship with the U.S., noting that the province has had an office in Washington since 2005.

This week, city council's utility committee meets on Jan. 27 to review EPCOR Water Service's 2025 operational plan.

EPCOR said it has made progress on its project to replace most water meter reading technology in the city. The project will improve monthly bills and give customers more information about water use, according to a report that is scheduled to be presented to council's utility committee.

The meters sparked controversy as some customers expressed concerns about their ties to an Israeli company that has been criticized for extracting and exploiting water in the West Bank and Gaza. About 300 customers opted out of the new meter for "various reasons," and EPCOR dropped part of the fee charged to those customers, an EPCOR spokesperson told CBC. The installation of the rest of the meters is expected to be finished by the end of 2025.

EPCOR reviewed its existing measures to manage demand in response to the water supply interruption and ban on non-essential water use in late January 2024.

In 2025, EPCOR said it will launch an updated stormwater rebate program and work with the city to support the review of the substantial completion standard. EPCOR has proposed a cogeneration system at the Gold Bar Wastewater Treatment Plant to convert biogas to electricity.

EPCOR plans to make several structural changes in 2025 to become more efficient. Employees working in water distribution and transmission, wastewater collection, construction, and customer operations will be brought together, which will help with the development of EPCOR's integrated operations centre, the report said. The centre will help EPCOR manage and optimize its systems, and proactively identify issues.

Council and committee meetings stream live on YouTube on the Chamber channel and River Valley Room channel.

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Messed Up Mondays starting at 6pm at Pub 1905
• In-Person nêhiyawêwin (Cree Language) Classes starting at 6pm at Edmonton Public Library (Highlands)
• Meeting of the Secret LongTree Society starting at 7pm at Felice Cafe
• Audreys Book Club starting at 7pm at Audreys Books
• Seattle Kraken vs. Edmonton Oilers starting at 7:30pm at Rogers Place

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Feb. 9-11: The Alberta Tourism Advocacy Summit at JW Marriott (Edmonton ICE District)
• Feb. 12: Prairie Bioeconomy Guild: Natural Products Canada at Brewsters (Unity Square)
• Feb. 13: 2025 Wear Red Gala-entines Day at Royal Glenora Club

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