The Pulse: Sept. 2, 2025

Council is scheduled to review how administration reports on its municipal funding agreements, its handling of the city's digital assets, and the district energy sharing system in Blatchford.

There is a utility committee meeting on Sept. 2, an audit committee meeting on Sept. 3, a city manager and city auditor performance evaluation committee meeting on Sept. 4, and a non-regular city council meeting on Sept. 5.

Here are key items on this week's agenda:

• The city disbursed $236.4 million to nearly 2,500 community partners in 2024, according to a report that will be presented to council on Sept. 5. The report is the city's first formal corporate-wide annual reporting of municipal funding. The funding was provided through grants, subsidies, rebates, sponsorships, or operating support and was designed to align with one or more of the city's strategic goals. The city provided $17 million to business programs, $50 million to community programs, $30 million to housing programs, $7 million to specific and targeted community needs, and $132 million to agencies, boards, and commissions. City administration updated the municipal funding arrangements policy in November to establish monitoring procedures that ensure requirements in the funding agreements are being met. Administration will begin reporting on the outcome of the funds annually, the report said.
• The city's governance of its investments in digital technology assets like hardware, software, data, and cybersecurity is ineffective at achieving its strategies, according to a report from the city auditor. The audit found that while the city has a corporate business technology investment framework, no one is assigned to be accountable for its results or ensure compliance with its processes, and there is not consistent reporting on the framework. The auditor recommended that the city provide training to the executive leadership team and the technology investment advisory group to improve their understanding of the foundation for making technology decisions and that the city regularly evaluate the technology investment framework.
• Administration plans to prepare amendments that will limit developers from opting out of connecting their homes to Blatchford's district energy sharing system. Builders can currently choose not to connect to the city-owned system if they prove that the housing they are building is net zero. But the exemption process has generated operational and financial challenges for the utility, said a report that will be presented to council's utility committee on Sept. 2. Administration will prepare an amendment that limits any further exemptions, and council will vote on the amendment in the fall.
• Council will receive a private update from a consultant at a meeting on Sept. 4.

Meetings stream live on YouTube on the Chamber channel and River Valley Room channel.

Also: What issues do you care about as you consider who to vote for in the 2025 municipal election, and why? The 2025 municipal elections are approaching. Let us know what matters, and read more about what we plan to do with what we gather.

• Wildfire smoke has enveloped the Edmonton area, triggering alerts and prompting the City of Edmonton to activate its extreme weather response for poor air quality. Environment Canada issued a warning as the air quality index reached 10-plus, indicating very high risk. Smoke from B.C., the Northwest Territories, and other regions is expected to linger until at least Sept. 2. Residents are advised to avoid strenuous outdoor activities and keep windows closed.
• A Leger poll, conducted Aug. 22 to Aug. 25 among 401 Edmonton residents, indicates 58% believe the city is on the wrong track, with 74% of those over 55 sharing this sentiment. The survey also shows a competitive mayoral race, with Coun. Andrew Knack holding a slight lead with 12% support, closely followed by Coun. Tim Cartmell at 10%. Michael Walters, Rahim Jaffer, and Omar Mohammad also received support, but a significant 48% of voters remain undecided.
• Edmonton city council pushed back the public hearing for a rezoning proposal in the Rossdale neighbourhood that would see three high-rise residential towers and nearly 500 new housing units built. Mayor Amarjeet Sohi supports the project for providing diverse housing options, but Ward Métis Coun. Ashley Salvador and some residents have raised concerns about the development's size and scale, and its integration with the river valley. The debate, originally set for Aug. 29, was deferred to an undetermined later date.
• Edmonton Public Schools now requires parents to confirm students' sex assigned at birth for female sports teams. The policy follows Alberta's Fairness and Safety in Sport Act, which bans transgender athletes from amateur female sports divisions. The rule applies to students 12 and older on female-only teams, but not to younger children or physical education classes. Callum French of Team Edmonton criticized the policy as "incredibly invalidating" and a potential barrier to participation.
• Edmonton's SONiC 102.9 is using an AI host named Sarah on Sundays from 10pm to midnight, reflecting a growing trend in Canadian radio. Rogers Sports & Media, the station's owner, said the AI fills a previously unhosted time slot, with a human producer overseeing its scripts.
• The Edmonton Police Service is facing new challenges with gang activity, particularly due to the widespread use of social media for recruitment and targeting rivals, according to Sgt. Ryan Ferry. Marta-Marika Urbanik, a sociology professor at the University of Alberta, noted social media allows vulnerable youth to find gang members faster. Ferry said about 25% of homicides in Edmonton are linked to gang activity, placing the city on the mid-to-higher side for gang violence in Canada.
• The MacEwan University Board of Governors elected Gary Mar as its second chancellor, serving a four-year term as ceremonial head. Mar previously served as an MLA from 1993 to 2007 and is currently President and CEO of the Canada West Foundation. He will focus on building connections and enhancing the Edmonton university's profile and vision.
• Margaret Atwood criticized Alberta's school library book ban with a new satirical short story, after Edmonton Public Schools removed her novel The Handmaid's Tale from shelves. The satirical story features "perfect children" who avoid sex and charity, and ends with Premier Danielle Smith losing her job. The public school division decided to remove more than 200 books from its libraries to comply with the province's Oct. 1 deadline for banning "explicit sexual content." Smith called the book removals "vicious compliance," and argued the directive aims to protect children, not ban classics.
• An industrial fire involving used appliances at GenAlta Recycling Inc. in Strathcona County, near 34 Street in Sherwood Park, was no longer burning as of the morning of Sept. 1. The fire broke out around 8:30am on Aug. 30. Strathcona County Mayor Rod Frank confirmed the fire was contained with no risk to the public and no injuries reported, despite a large plume of smoke visible throughout the Edmonton region.

The co-hosts of Episode 321 of Speaking Municipally explored the city's deal with the provincial government and OEG, more provincial meddling with the city's bike lane plans, and whether city pools stay open long enough. Here's a quick snapshot.

1. OEG deal lacks housing accountability

City council approved a master agreement with OEG on Aug. 25 to build an event park and housing near Rogers Place. The deal, using the Alberta government's Community Revitalization Levy, will also see money go to the demolition of the Northlands Coliseum and development of Exhibition Lands near the Edmonton EXPO Centre. The total value of the deal is $408.2 million, and it is split between the province, city, and OEG. Council passed the deal with a 9-4 vote, with councillors Michael Janz, Andrew Knack, Erin Rurtherford, and Jo-Anne Wright voting against.

Co-host Stephanie Swensrude said a city news release mentioned that OEG is supposed to build 2,500 housing units as part of the deal, but added that the agreement does not require the company to follow through.

"Not only did (council) admit that there's no legal requirement to build housing, the 2,500 number is barely even being dreamt of anymore," Swensrude said. "OEG promises 354 units of housing by the second half of 2028 and 420 more over the next five years — based on demand in the downtown market."

2. Red tape for bike lanes

Devin Dreeshen, the minister of transportation and economic corridors, continues to fight bike lanes in Edmonton. A CBC report notes that Mayor Amarjeet Sohi met with Dreeshen and told him the city has already signed contracts to build bike lanes within Delton, Alberta Avenue, and 132 Avenue. Dreeshen said he has convinced the city to conduct traffic assessment plans for future bike lanes, which co-host Mack Male found incongruous with provincial priorities.

"For a government that wants to get rid of red tape, (this is) a weird amount of red tape to add back into the process," Male said. "I'm sure this is not the last we'll hear about bike lanes."

3. Spray parks in September?

The city closed most of its outdoor pools on Sept. 2. Queen Elizabeth Outdoor Pool will remain open until at least Sept. 14, and it is next to the Kinsmen Spray Park. Male noted that spray parks closed around this time in 2024, but no such closures have been announced for 2025. He questioned the logic of closing pools and spray parks before the weather cools, noting the average daily temperature last September in Edmonton was 21.6 C, and at least one day that month was 26 C.

"We've had this conversation about funding, and it's more expensive the longer they keep (spray parks) on," he said. "(But) it's such a waste of good infrastructure when we know that it's going to be hot through September — why not leave them running?"

The Aug. 29 episode also includes discussion of snow clearing, the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival, and Taproot's election project. Listening and subscription options are all right here.

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Sing, Sign, Laugh and Learn starting at 1:30pm at Edmonton Public Library (McConachie)

• Ardrossan Farmers' Market starting at 4:30pm at Ardrossan Memorial Hall

• Salsa in the Square: Merengue starting at 6pm at Churchill Square

• Craft & Chat starting at 7pm at Edmonton Public Library (Castle Downs)

• Book launch: Sebastien de Castell starting at 7pm at Audreys Books

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Sept. 9: A Conversation with Peter Mansbridge at Horowitz Theatre
• Sept. 10: Meet and Greet: PACE team for City Council at Four Points by Sheraton Edmonton South
• Sept. 12: Edmonton's Mayoral Debate at JW Marriott (Edmonton ICE District)

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

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