The Pulse: July 22, 2025

An architect of Unison, a City of Edmonton tool that uses artificial intelligence to map data from safety incident reports to predict where responses will be needed and inform what those responses should be, said that after several years in use, the tool is now coming into its own.

"Unison sets itself apart in three really important ways," Kris Andreychuk, the manager of data science and research at the City of Edmonton, told Taproot. "The first one is that we are building one common operating picture by aggregating all of this data. Thing two is privacy by design. And thing three is that these solutions are just wildly expensive if purchased from third-party vendors, but our corporate leadership team has given us permission to facilitate access to our partners who are in the business of public safety."

Launched in 2022, Unison draws data from the City of Edmonton, Edmonton Police Service, REACH Edmonton's 24/7 Crisis Diversion program, the University of Alberta, Southgate Centre, and Edmonton City Centre (the owner of which entered receivership on July 7).

Andreychuk's team uses AI to analyze the data and determine what kind of safety incidents happen where and when with the above partners — as well as with Allied Universal, ATB Place, the Edmonton Downtown Business Association, Edmonton Public Library, GardaWorld, NAIT, Paladin Security and Paladin Technologies, and Securitas

But part of the "privacy by design" Andreychuk mentioned is limiting what data Unison uses. Unison, for example, only draws on the type of incident, like an assault, where it happened, and when it happened. Andreychuk said his team does not use data from incidents that specify race or gender, or types of incidents that include, for example, transit fare evasion or creating graffiti. Unison only includes demand data, which means when a member of the public has a direct interaction with one of the partners.

"This is an area and a discipline that I think is rightfully subject to a lot of scrutiny and criticism around data ethics and data privacy," Andreychuk said. "From the perspective of data minimization, what's the least amount of data that we require to get our partners the insight they need?"

This point is particularly important when it comes to policing, Andreychuk said. "We don't want to be predicting against actual crime data, because it can create a feedback loop," he said. "It can put us in a situation where we could be over-policing."

The first version of Unison launched three years ago but Andreychuk said it has come into its own over the past year. He demoed the tool during the EDBA and BOMA Edmonton and North's Downtown Safety & Vibrancy Summit on June 17. Later, he shared on LinkedIn that the demo generated at least 16 requests for access to Unison.

• Former Edmonton city councillor Michael Walters launched his campaign for mayor on July 21. Walters, who served on city council from 2013 to 2021, said he aims to improve basic city services without raising taxes, address homelessness, improve downtown safety, and strengthen the City of Edmonton's relationship with the province. Other candidates for mayor include current councillors Andrew Knack and Tim Cartmell, and former councillor Tony Caterina.
• The City of Edmonton is launching the Beyond Belonging Grant, offering $750,000 in one-time community grants to support initiatives that create safer, more inclusive spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ residents. Individual projects can receive between $10,000 and $100,000, and must be completed within one year. Non-profit organizations based in Edmonton can apply until Sept. 10.
• Following The Weeknd concert at Commonwealth Stadium on July 19, some attendees described a "chaotic" experience leaving the venue, with approximately 54,000 people trying to navigate crowded streets and public transit. Despite the challenges, the Edmonton Police Service reported only eight minor incidents. Some concertgoers suggested increasing the frequency of trains and better signage. The City said that the stadium was cleared within 55 minutes and that only one LRT track was open due to construction.
• The City of Edmonton said it is exceeding expectations for increasing the housing supply under its Housing Accelerator Fund agreement with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. As of June 30, the City is 75% of the way to meeting its overall housing supply target by November 2026. Edmonton was also one of 27 "top-performing" communities to receive additional accelerator funds earlier in the year and will now receive an additional $17 million for an additional 500 units, bringing the total allocation to $192 million.
• An Edmonton man will attempt the longest ferris wheel ride at KDays, spending 54 hours on the ride to raise money for Alberta Dreams, an organization that grants wishes to sick children.
• A year after the Jasper wildfire, the town is open for business and focused on recovery. A report reviewing the wildfire recommends clarifying expectations among the municipal, provincial, and federal governments, to improve future responses. The report, released by the Municipality of Jasper, highlights jurisdictional complexities and political challenges that diverted focus from directing the wildfire response and re-entry efforts. The fire destroyed 358 structures, about one-third of the town, and resulted in $1.2 billion in insured damage and the death of firefighter Morgan Kitchen.
• Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is demanding that the town of Jasper apologize and retract a report that is critical of the province's handling of last summer's wildfire. Smith also blamed the federal government for its fire response. The report, commissioned by the municipality, surveyed firefighters and front-line staff and says the province complicated the response by requesting information and attempting to make decisions despite not having jurisdiction. Smith says the report overlooks Alberta's contributions, including $181 million in disaster recovery funding and evacuation payments.
• The Insurance Bureau of Canada is urging the federal government to lead national discussions with provinces on disaster recovery management, citing delays in rebuilding Jasper, Alberta, a year after a wildfire destroyed about a third of the town, causing an estimated $1.2 billion in insured damage. Only 56 of 358 buildings have been issued rebuilding permits thus far, the IBC said, warning that some Jasper residents could run out of additional living expenses coverage, and businesses could exhaust business interruption coverage.
• The Alberta government is seeking formal proposals to repurpose the old Royal Alberta Museum site in Edmonton. Interested parties can submit proposals until Sept. 26. The government says Albertans have a strong connection to the building, and that this is an effort to explore all options for the site.
• Political commentator Dave Cournoyer marked 20 years of Daveberta, his blog chronicling Alberta's political upheavals since 2005. Starting as a student, he's covered leadership races, party mergers, and historic elections while evolving into newsletters and a podcast. He recalls being present for key moments like Danielle Smith's Wildrose defection and Rachel Notley's 2015 win.
• The First Nations Health Consortium, the University of Alberta, and the University of Calgary signed a memorandum of relational understanding at Bison Lodge in Edmonton on July 21 to address health disparities by centering Indigenous knowledge and Treaty rights. Named the Amisk Agreement, the agreement establishes a community-led health research collaboration, affirming the right of Treaty First Nations to direct research affecting them.
• To extend Connor McDavid's contention window, the Edmonton Oilers must improve in several key areas. According to The Athletic, cap management is a concern as seen in the offer sheets for Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway, and the Evan Bouchard extension. The Oilers are looking to improve their pipeline by acquiring prospects like Matt Savoie and Ike Howard. Finding a stronger goaltending partner for Stuart Skinner and improving in-game tactics, such as breakout strategies, are also crucial, it reported.

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Technology Alberta in the Innovation Zone at KDays at Edmonton EXPO Centre
• Ardrossan Farmers' Market starting at 4:30pm at Ardrossan Memorial Hall
• Business Model 101 starting at 6pm at Edmonton Unlimited
• Grove Gatherings: 0Stella starting at 6:30pm at Central Park
• Reading & Signing: Wendy McGrath and Danny Miles starting at 7pm at Audreys Books
• The Odd Couple starting at 7:30pm at Varscona Theatre

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• July 25: Coffee with the Chamber & the Edmonton Elks at Commonwealth Stadium
• July 25-27: GhanafestAlberta 2025 at Louise McKinney Riverfront Park
• July 27: Let's Bike There: Queen Mary Park at Queen Mary Park playground

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