The Pulse: July 3, 2025

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Essentials

  • 21°C: A mix of sun and cloud. Wind becoming northwest 20 km/h gusting to 40 in the morning. High 21. UV index 7 or high. (forecast)
  • Blue: The High Level Bridge will be lit blue for Somali Heritage Month. (details)

Workers in yellow hardhats and safety vests walk by an array of solar panels

Minister says investor confidence in renewables is strong, despite report that suggests otherwise


By Colin Gallant

A Pembina Institute report found that the Alberta Electric System Operator saw more electricity production cancelled than pitched in 2024.

Will Noel, a senior analyst at the clean energy think tank, told Taproot that Pembina tracked 55 project cancellations in 2024 compared to 58 applications for new renewable energy projects. But while the new applications outnumbered the cancellations, Noel said the overall amount of electricity nonetheless fell: New projects offering 9.5 gigawatts of electricity were cancelled, while new projects with eight gigawatts worth of electricity were proposed. Noel said this is the first time since at least 2020 that the capacity of electricity in the AESO queue shrunk.

The Pembina report, published in late May, ties the drop in overall proposed new renewable electrical capacity to the province's seven-month moratorium on renewables, which ran from August 2023 to February 2024, as well as new provincial restrictions on these projects implemented over the last two years. Pembina concluded in the report that growing cancellations indicate investors have reduced certainty. "What the data now shows is ongoing uncertainty and reduced investor confidence in the market, even after the moratorium was officially lifted," Pembina said. "This is out of step with global trends, where interest in renewable energy remains strong."

Pembina previously found that 53 projects were cancelled or paused between August 2023 and July 2024. Two of the postponed projects were from Alpin Sun, a German solar developer, valued at a combined $509 million. Fred Null, Alpin Sun's director of project development, told Taproot via email that the company's withdrawals were due to Alberta's "snail-like pace" in updating its regulations.

Electricity generation is a differentiator in the provincial government's work to attract $100 billion in hyperscale data centre investment. In June, the Alberta Electric System Operator capped data centres at 1.2 gigawatts of energy from the province's grid until 2028.

Nathan Neudorf, the minister responsible for utilities, told Taproot that investors in renewable electricity generation projects still have confidence. He pointed to 25 renewable projects that were approved in 2024, compared to 12 in 2023 (which endured the bulk of the moratorium), and 19 in 2022.

Neudorf added that he understands concerns from developers of renewable projects, but also noted challenges for these projects include the grid's overall inability to accept all of the electricity that could be generated.

He also said Alberta has a high surplus of generation capability from renewables right now, after a long spell without it, which affects the profitability for new operators due to Alberta's unique deregulated energy market.

Neudorf added that Alberta has not developed to export electricity, noting efforts are underway to sell Albertan electricity to Saskatchewan, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and, with greater difficulty, to the United States. "When you have congestion or an abundance of generation, you either curtail it off, or you have to try to attract new load, and that's what we're working through," he said.

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Headlines: July 3, 2025


By Kevin Holowack

  • Edmonton city council approved several measures to advance the district energy system for downtown, including creating a municipally owned utility to operate Phase 1 of the project, which will provide heat to the Winspear Centre for Music, Chancery Hall, and Century Place, starting in the fall. Council also approved expanding the system to the Citadel Theatre, the Stanley A. Milner Library, and City Hall, along with starting preliminary designs for Phase 2, which will connect the system to private buildings and new developments. The City's district energy strategy also includes a system in Blatchford, while feasibility studies have been completed for the River Crossing and Exhibition Lands redevelopments.
  • Edmonton city council approved a plan from Edmonton Mountain Bike Alliance to build a seven-acre, $1.2-million bike skills park in Queen Elizabeth Park, southeast of the Walterdale Bridge. Construction on the project, funded by donors and government grants, is expected to start this year and be finished in 2026. Earlier this week, Eric Gormley with the Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition wrote an op-ed opposing the bike skills park and a proposed highrise complex in Rossdale.
  • City of Edmonton administration proposed changes to the zoning bylaw affecting homeless shelters, which were requested by council last September. The proposed changes include capping the number of people allowed in overnight shelters at 125, except during emergencies, and preventing shelters from opening in areas near heavy industrial sites. A public hearing to discuss the proposal was postponed to Aug. 18. Tim Pasma with Hope Mission said the organization has no problem with restricting maximum occupancy in new shelters, but is concerned about how the changes will affect existing operations.
  • Edmonton city council voted to accept a new collective agreement between the City of Edmonton and Amalgamated Transit Union Local 569, which was ratified by union members on June 23. The agreement spans from Dec. 31, 2023 to Dec. 11, 2027, and includes a 3% wage increase each year, plus increases to differential pay, footwear allowances, and health benefits. The agreement affects more than 2,500 bus drivers, maintenance personnel, and other transit staff.
  • Edmonton city council voted to reintroduce tow trucks as part of the City of Edmonton's street clearing strategy, allocating $100,000 from the contingency fund to pay for them. For the past two winters, the City has not funded tow trucks to accompany street cleaners and plow trucks, which led to inefficiencies and streets not fully cleaned. Council also lowered the fine for violating a parking ban from $250 to $150, or $100 if paid within a week.
  • Medgine Mathurin, a multilingual spoken-word artist and advocate, was named Edmonton's 11th Poet Laureate by the City of Edmonton, the Edmonton Public Library, and the Edmonton Arts Council. Born in Haiti, Mathurin speaks French, Creole, and English, and her work reflects her personal experiences as an immigrant and person with a chronic illness. She will serve a two-year term. Edmontonians can follow her on Instagram or through her website.
  • A person with a confirmed case of measles was in the Grey Nuns Hospital in Edmonton, with a risk of exposure to anyone who visited certain units or the emergency department between June 25 and 28. A total of 1,169 measles cases have been recorded in Alberta since the start of 2025, including 10 in Edmonton, which is the lowest in the province. Alberta Health Services has information online about what to do if you are exposed to measles.
  • The least flycatcher, a small migrating bird that breeds in Alberta, has been migrating south about two weeks earlier than it did 32 years ago, according to a new study in The Wilson Journal of Ornithology. Researchers say the bird has been forced to adapt to climate change. The research was done in partnership with the Beaverhill Bird Observatory, located southeast of Edmonton, which has monitored bird populations since 1984.
  • Former UCP MLAs Peter Guthrie and Scott Sinclair, who were both kicked out of the party this year, said they are planning to re-register the Progressive Conservative Party. Making the announcement on Real Talk with Ryan Jespersen, they said the revived party would be "fiscally responsible and socially reliable," appealing to people who oppose separatism and those who want restrained government spending. To register the party, Guthrie and Sinclair need to collect 8,819 signatures by November.
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A Strathcona County ambulance, parked on the side of the road with trees behind it

Calls for public engagement: Budgets, entertainment district, ambulances


By Kevin Holowack

Here are opportunities to inform decisions about budgets, a proposed entertainment district, and Strathcona County's ambulance service. Please only answer surveys from the municipality where you live.

  • Parkland County Budget Survey — Parkland County is seeking feedback to help inform future budget decisions. Residents and business owners can complete an online survey until July 4.
  • Happy Beer Street Entertainment District — The City of Edmonton is considering a proposed entertainment district on 78 Avenue between 99 Street and 100 Street. The last day for residents to provide feedback through a survey is July 6.
  • Beaumont Budget Survey — The City of Beaumont is seeking feedback about its budget through a survey until July 11.
  • Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Patient Care — Strathcona County is gathering feedback to evaluate and improve its ambulance service. A survey is open to residents who have used an ambulance service in the past year, their friends and family, and anyone who witnessed a situation requiring medical assistance. The survey is open on an ongoing basis.

More input opportunities

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Water spraying into the pool with Edmonton City Hall in the background

Happenings: July 3, 2025


By Debbi Serafinchon

Here are some events happening today 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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