The Pulse
April 10, 2025

Edmonton Transit Service is set to cancel regular bus service in three core neighbourhoods, primarily due to low ridership, and replace it with on-demand service.

Route 725, which runs through Lendrum and Malmo, route 726, which runs through McKernan, Belgravia, and Windsor Park, and routes 111 and 131, which run through Riverdale will each be replaced with on-demand service at the end of June.

An ETS route report card from the fall of 2024 showed the Lendrum/Malmo route serves fewer than 100 people per weekday, the McKernan/Belgravia route serves about 160 people per weekday, and the Riverdale route serves fewer than 60 people per weekday. To put those numbers into context, the 518 bus, which travels through the Ellerslie neighbourhood to link Century Park Transit Centre with Mill Woods Transit Centre, sees nearly 4,000 weekday riders.

"Each of (the changing) routes currently operates with relatively infrequent service and attracts low ridership," Andrew Gregory, manager of planning with ETS, told Taproot. "There is also limited service during certain time periods, so there's currently gaps in service, and we've heard requests and complaints about difficulty getting around."

The regular bus service — where buses travel a fixed route and schedule — will be replaced with on-demand transit. On-demand transit requires riders to book a trip up to an hour ahead of time using a smartphone, phone call, or computer. The on-demand transit buses don't collect fares, and will pick up passengers at existing bus stops and drop them off at transit centres or LRT stations.

The switch from regular service to on-demand means that riders will have access to transit service for more hours of the day and more days of the week, Gregory said. "This conversion to on-demand service provides a more consistent span of service during almost all time periods and provides more flexibility for transit passengers to navigate around the areas," Gregory said.

The Cross Cancer Institute is one destination that should be easier to access with on-demand transit, Gregory said. It's currently served by the 726 bus, which only comes once an hour Monday to Saturday, and doesn't run on Sunday. "For some areas, (the change will be) a service improvement — even though you have to book a ride, you could probably get there within a few minutes, rather than waiting an hour if you've just missed the bus," Gregory said.

Cancelling the regular-service routes will free up service hours for ETS buses, which will mainly be allocated to crosstown routes like 54 (West Edmonton Mall to Clareview), 55 (West Edmonton Mall to Meadows via Whitemud Drive), and 56 (West Edmonton Mall to Meadows via 23 Avenue NW). Those routes have between 3,000 and 10,000 daily weekday riders and between 2,000 and 6,200 on weekends.

The service hours will also be used to replace on-demand transit with a regular bus route through the southwest neighbourhoods of Glenridding Ravine and Keswick. There is not currently a standard that determines whether a neighbourhood gets on-demand transit or regular service, Gregory said, "but usually, if we're in the area of 200 or 300 people (riding a route) a day, then that becomes close to a threshold where a fixed route makes the most sense. It also depends on the length of route and what time periods the ridership is in order to ensure we provide enough capacity."

The new route in southwest Edmonton will begin on April 27. The shift from regular service to on-demand will happen at the end of June to minimize disruption to high school and post-secondary students.

• The City of Edmonton will proceed with a plan to add 30 more transit peace officers by reallocating $5 million set aside to hire private security guards from Commissionaires. City council debated the plan on April 9 and voted down a motion from Coun. Anne Stevenson to split the funding between police officers and station attendants.
• Edmonton's Food Bank has launched a seed bank, which aims to help people with low incomes grow their own food. The program was inspired by the Edmonton Public Library, which ran a seed-sharing program that ended in 2023 due to high demand, but focuses on collecting donations from local stores, garden centres, and individuals over the summer and fall to distribute in the spring. More information on accessing seeds or donating seeds is available on the food bank's website.
• CTV News put together an overview of candidates running in Edmonton-area federal ridings, which "have the potential to be fierce battlegrounds" in the April 28 election. The ridings have been adjusted since 2021, and four are new.
• The City of Edmonton is reopening some of its municipal golf facilities. The Victoria Driving Range will open April 10, and the Rundle Park Golf Course is set to open April 11. The City will announce opening dates for the Victoria Golf Course and the Riverside Golf Course soon.
• The Nîkânîw Indigenous Youth Leadership Program, an aquatic pre-employment program that incorporates cultural teachings and guidance from Elders and Indigenous leaders, has presented 21 Intermediate First Aid Awards and 10 Bronze Medallion Awards to Indigenous youth so far in 2025. The program is offered by the City of Edmonton and the Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society.
• In an article for The Gateway, writer Teren Hazzard highlighted organizations and events that support Edmonton's writing community, including the Writer-in-Residence program at the Edmonton Public Library, pub nights from the Writers' Guild of Alberta, and 2SLGBTQIA+ open mics like Vers/e Poetry and Felice Noir. Edmonton also has multiple publishers, including Frontenac House and NeWest Press. "Writers have a reason to stay in Edmonton," wrote Hazzard. "They have a future in Edmonton."
• The University of Alberta announced five people who will receive honorary degrees during spring convocation ceremonies. They are chemist Kenrick Lewis, who has made "far-reaching" innovations in the science of silanes and silicones; former U of A chancellor Peggy Garritty; Michel Sadelain, who developed CAR-T cell therapy; and Radhe and Krishna Gupta, who founded the real estate company Rohit Group.
• The Edmonton Elks have signed two wide receivers and two defensive backs: Jacob Copeland, CJ Hutton, Kalon Barnes, and Braxton Clark. The four American players will join the Elks on May 7 for the start of CFL rookie camp.
• Edmonton Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard was selected as the team's nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is given to the NHL player who "best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey."
• Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said before the team's April 9 game against the St. Louis Blues that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were among the injured players expected to return to the team before the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs. McDavid, who was injured March 20, returned to the ice earlier than expected, scoring three assists in the Oilers' 4-3 win.
• The Sheriff Branch Officers Association, a group representing Alberta sheriffs that launched in 2024 and is trying to become a recognized union, expressed concern over the UCP government's Bill 49, which takes steps toward establishing an independent police agency. Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis said about half of the existing 1,200 sheriffs could be transitioned to police officers under the new agency, which the association said could create confusion about job roles, adding there isn't a plan for the other 600 sheriffs.

Correction: This file has been updated to reflect Connor McDavid's return to the Oilers lineup on April 9.

Here are opportunities to inform municipal decisions about snow and ice, inclusion, housing, and more. Please only answer surveys from the municipality where you live.

• Snow and Ice Control Program — The City of Edmonton is seeking input to improve its communication about snow and ice removal, parking bans, live snow-clearing maps, and parking restrictions until April 14.
• Building a Safe and Inclusive Edmonton for the 2SLGBTQIA+ Community — The City of Edmonton is looking for feedback to help improve inclusion and belonging for 2SLGBTQIA+ people. Residents are invited to complete a survey or add their experiences to an interactive map until April 21.
• Student Housing Survey — The City of Edmonton and the Edmonton Student Alliance are looking to better understand housing for post-secondary students, including options and affordability. Students can complete a survey for a chance to win a $100 grocery card until April 21.

More input opportunities

• Until April 18: Passenger Rail Master Plan Survey (Government of Alberta)
• Until April 25: Naturalization 2025 (City of Edmonton)
• Until April 25: Agricultural Workshop Interests — Leduc County
• Until April 27: Vehicle for Hire Bylaw Survey (Strathcona County)
• Until April 30: Green Industries Questionnaire (City of Edmonton)
• Until May 5: West 240 Neighbourhood Area Structure Plan — University of Alberta Farm (City of Edmonton)

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Self-advocacy: A Critical Skill in your Health Care starting at 2pm at St. Albert Public Library (downtown)
• STEAM Lab starting at 3pm at Edmonton Public Library (Mill Woods)
• MIT REAP Edmonton Town Hall starting at 3:30pm at Edmonton Unlimited
• Student Pitch Competition: Yatscoff Family Award in Medical Entrepreneurship starting at 4pm at University of Alberta (Walter C. Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre)
• Startup TNT Happy Hour starting at 6pm at Pub 1905
• Family Research Night starting at 6pm at St. Jacques Heritage House Museum
• Seed Starting starting at 6pm at City of Edmonton Reuse Centre
• Films at the Library: We Live in Time starting at 6:30pm at Edmonton Public Library (Whitemud Crossing)
• Still Move: BFA Grad Show Opening Reception starting at 7pm at Mitchell Art Gallery
• Peck Visual Art Program YWCA series presents Protect Her Peace by Charlene Johnson Opening Reception starting at 7pm at Miller Art Gallery

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• April 22: Tourism Matters: 2024 Highlights & Insights online
• April 27: Fertility Unfiltered: From Reel to Real at RGE Rd
• April 30: Learn Downtown: Tiny Acts of Community Gathering as Democracy at at Edmonton Public Library (Stanley A. Milner)

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