The Pulse: June 19, 2025

The City of Edmonton requires patrons in its entertainment districts downtown to use single-use plastic cups despite the concerns of its operating partner and its own efforts to reduce single-use plastics through a dedicated bylaw, Taproot has learned.

The Edmonton Downtown Business Association expressed its concerns about plastic cups being required and used at the districts before the 2024 pilot on Rice Howard Way, executive director Puneeta McBryan said via email.

The city did not heed those concerns.

Daniel Kielback, the senior waste policy planner for waste services at the City of Edmonton, said in an emailed response to Taproot's questions that entertainment districts are exempt from the single-use item reduction bylaw that went into force in July 2023.

Most Edmontonians probably know the bylaw, which 45% of respondents to a city survey described as unreasonable, because it stipulates that retailers and hospitality operators must charge customers at least $0.25 for disposable bags and $2 for reusable bags, rather than hand out free plastic ones.

For beverages, Edmonton's bylaw stipulates that most restaurants must use reusable cups for dine-in service and have a written policy to accept reusable cups brought in by customers, Kielback said.

The downtown business association oversees the entertainment districts on Rice Howard Way and 104 Street on behalf of the city. McBryan said via email that the association "discussed our concerns about the creation of plastic waste through these cups with City staff in 2024, but ultimately we have and will continue to follow their direction."

McBryan added that it was the city that picked plastic cups, as opposed to a compostable alternative, to meet the budget for the pilot run of an entertainment district on Rice Howard Way in 2024.

The City of Edmonton did not mention the budget in its statement despite Taproot asking about it.

The single-use plastic cups are used for alcoholic beverages that visitors purchase at bars and restaurants within entertainment districts, which they can then consume in the street — a change from standard rules meant to encourage vibrancy.

• Edmonton city council will not take over day-to-day maintenance and operations of the Edmonton EXPO Centre and the Edmonton Convention Centre, deciding to leave those responsibilities with Explore Edmonton. A city report found that Explore Edmonton maintains the city-owned venues to a high standard, and the City lacks the budget and staffing capacity to absorb the work. The City's annual building maintenance and renewal budget is approximately $100 million.
• The City of Edmonton plans to conduct at-grade LRT track rehabilitation at the University Avenue and 114 Street intersection from 8pm on June 27 to 6am on July 1. University Avenue will be closed to vehicle traffic heading east and west. The McKernan/Belgravia LRT station will also be closed, with split service available. The City said the work is needed to improve the LRT system's longevity and address aging infrastructure.
• The City of Edmonton's water station program is providing water at 28 temporary stations across the city until Sept. 30. Since it launched with five stations in 2021, the program has grown each year, with new locations this year at Coronation Park and by Alex Taylor School. The City's website has a map of all available water stations and details about other extreme weather response measures.
• The City of Edmonton has launched its Guaranteed Industrial Development Timelines program, which creates a more streamlined and predictable permitting process for industrial developments, a release says. The program's features include guaranteed processing times of 40 calendar days for development and partial building permits, a streamlined review process, and a Client Liaison Unit to support applicants. The City's website has more details about the program.
• The Edmonton Transit Service has launched an updated trip planner that has up-to-date alerts, real-time bus tracking, and scheduling information. It also includes route information for Strathcona County, Fort Saskatchewan, St. Albert, Beaumont, Leduc, and Spruce Grove. The trip planner, available on web browser, mobile phone, and desktop, replaces the ETS Live system and the previous trip planner on the City's website.
• Jacob Dawang, a volunteer with housing advocacy group Grow Together Edmonton, wrote an op-ed in Postmedia about city council's upcoming June 30 decision on whether to roll back zoning rules that enable developers to build eight-unit buildings in all neighbourhoods. Dawang suggests council is prioritizing complaints about infill in mature neighbourhoods raised by a "vocal minority" of homeowners. By restricting housing choice, the city is "enforcing neighbourhood exclusion," argued Dawang.
• A host of events will be held across Edmonton to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21. The Bissell Centre will host a celebration, food, and performances from 10am to 3pm, the TELUS World of Science is hosting drop-in activities, and the Royal Alberta Museum is featuring Indigenous history and heritage throughout the week. Explore Edmonton has created a guide to celebrating National Indigenous History Month throughout June.
• Edmonton Airports, which manages the Edmonton International Airport, announced that it joined the H2CanFly consortium, a Canada-wide initiative to accelerate hydrogen and electrification technology, airport infrastructure, and certification. The airport has Canada's first airport-based hydrogen hub and is a member of the federal government's Net-Zero Challenge, with an aim to reduce emissions to net-zero by 2050 or earlier.
• The University of Alberta was ranked eighth in the world and second in Canada for impact on sustainability by the 2025 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. It is the third straight year the university ranked in the top 10.
• According to Alberta government survey results released to Postmedia, 63% of respondents opposed Alberta leaving the Canada Pension Plan. The 2023 provincial pension plan engagement survey also showed that 10% were in favour of an Alberta Pension Plan and 12% were undecided. More than 94,000 Albertans completed the survey between September and December 2023. The Alberta government stated that while recent surveys show public opinion may be shifting, it will continue to engage with Albertans on the topic.
• The Alberta government's communications and public engagement department has been "quietly" transferred to the premier's office, expanding the size and budget of executive council, Global News reported. In 2017, the Alberta NDP moved the branch from executive council to the treasury board and finance. Rakhi Pancholi, deputy leader of the Alberta NDP, suggested the UCP's recent move normalizes the use of public money for partisan purposes.

Here are opportunities to inform decisions about parks, entertainment districts, and more. Please only answer surveys from the municipality where you live.

• June 2025 Mixed-Topic Survey — Strathcona County is seeking resident feedback on topics including pools and yard maintenance, emergency services, public hearing accessibility. A survey will be available until June 20.
• Windermere District Park — The City of Edmonton is developing a new district park at 170 Street and Rabbit Hill Road in southwest Edmonton, which will serve community members, two schools, and users of a future recreation facility. Residents can view the draft design and complete a survey until June 24
• Happy Beer Street Entertainment District — The City of Edmonton is considering a proposed entertainment district on 78 Avenue between 99 Street and 100 Street, which is known as Happy Beer Street. When activated, the roadway would be closed to cars, pedestrians would be able to consume alcohol and food on the street, and events would get an accelerated permitting process. Residents can offer feedback through a survey until July 6.

More input opportunities

• Until June 23: Towards 40 — 40 Street and Hermitage Road (City of Edmonton)
• Until June 29: Open Space Master Plan (Strathcona County)
• Until June 30: Land Use Bylaw Update — Conventional Neighbourhood District (Fort Saskatchewan)
• Until July 26: Plan for Parks (Government of Alberta)
• Until Aug. 31: 2025 Business Census (City of Edmonton)
• Until Aug. 31: Community Wellness Scan (City of Leduc)

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Email Marketing 101: Leverage your Existing Client Lists starting at 11am online
• MNP Workshop Series: Fundamentals of Financial Position for Startup Founders starting at 12pm at Edmonton Unlimited
• Capital Access: IP Investment Readiness starting at 12pm online
• Supporting a Person with Dementia starting at 1pm online
• ECAMP Curiosity Walking Tours - Strikes, Struggles and Success starting at 6pm
• Meet the Winemaker: Jean-Francois Hebrard starting at 6pm at Color de Vino
• Orcas: Our Shared Future - Film Screening and Guest Speaker starting at 6pm at Royal Alberta Museum
• Permaculture starting at 6:30pm at Ritchie Community Hall
• Women's Script Writing Circle Showcase starting at 6:30pm at Edmonton Public Library (Stanley A. Milner)
• Startup Ops Mini Series Part One starting at 6:30pm at Edmonton Unlimited
• Book Launch: Noreen Nanja starting at 7pm at Audreys Books
• Until June 22: Alberta Circus Arts Festival at La Cité Francophone

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• June 24: How Place Matters: Leveraging Edmonton's Assets for a Vibrant Future at Edmonton Public Library (Stanley A. Milner)
• July 1: Edmonton Riverboat Community Barbecue at Edmonton Riverboat
• July 5: CAR-nival at Edmonton EXPO Centre

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