The Pulse: Dec. 19, 2025

Although several municipalities have left Edmonton Global, mayors in the metro region remain dedicated to regional economic development rather than going their own way, says Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack.

"The good news is, in all of my one-on-one conversations with the regional mayors, I very much got a sense that they are invested in this," Knack told Taproot in a year-end interview. "I think they're looking for a different way to do it, not whether they want to do it."

In late 2023, Fort Saskatchewan, Strathcona County, Sturgeon County, Devon, and Parkland County voted to exit the regional economic development agency, which is funded by annual contributions from shareholder municipalities based on their size and property tax assessment base. Those votes started a two-year clock, and now each of those five has finalized its decision to leave. Leduc County signalled its intention to leave in December 2024, which means Edmonton Global could see its membership dwindle to eight municipalities — Edmonton, Beaumont, Gibbons, the City of Leduc, Morinville, St. Albert, Spruce Grove, and Stony Plain — by this time next year.

Fort Saskatchewan now plans to focus on "sub-regional collaboration" through Alberta's Industrial Heartland Association, which includes Edmonton and four municipalities along its north and east edges. That sort of focus might allow each of the region's many economic development organizations to do what they do best, Knack said. He noted Edmonton Global attracts foreign direct investment, while Edmonton Unlimited champions the city's startup and innovation ecosystem, Health Cities supports the surging life sciences sector, Edmonton Screen bolsters the film and interactive media industry, and Explore Edmonton promotes the city as a destination.

"We made a deliberate decision many years ago to break up the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, which essentially had all of these things together under one bubble," said Knack, who was a city councillor when that decision was made. "I think for a number of reasons, the decision was made to break that apart because maybe each area wasn't getting its level of focus that was needed."

Now as the mayor, Knack said he will make economic development a priority. "I think we need to have dedicated and ongoing focus in this office, so that could be either a dedicated position, or ... maybe the other option is that you have everyone here leaning into that work," he said.

A concerted push for regional economic collaboration started in 2016 with the Be Ready, Or Be Left Behind report, which suggested that if municipalities kept competing with each other rather than collaborating, the region would suffer economically. Given that the ensuing decade has seen a pandemic and a vastly different trade relationship with the United States, the report could probably use an update, Knack said. But collaboration remains key in his mind.

"Because the world has changed as much as it has, it means even more emphasis is needed on working together as a region," he said.

• Edmonton Police Service Chief Warren Driechel says the service has changed its gifts policy since former chief Dale McFee attended Edmonton Oilers games in businessman Sam Mraiche's box. In a year-end interview, Driechel told Postmedia that McFee's attendance complied with the policy in place at the time. The issue drew scrutiny after questions surfaced about whether the tickets constituted an inappropriate benefit. Driechel said the updated policy now provides clearer limits to avoid similar concerns in the future.
• Downtown Edmonton's Beaver Hills House Park and Michael Phair Park have reopened after two years of renewal work, providing enhanced outdoor spaces. The renovations improved amenities, safety, and accessibility by removing a dividing wall. A new washroom facility will open in winter 2026, with a bouldering wall and decorative lighting in Michael Phair Park scheduled for spring 2026.
• Some City of Edmonton services will see changes during the holiday season, including modified operating hours and service levels. Edmonton Transit Service will operate on reduced schedules from Dec. 22 to Jan. 5, offering fare-free transit from 6pm on Dec. 31 to 3am on Jan. 1. Waste collection is suspended Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, with regular Thursday pickups shifted to Dec. 22 and 29. Eco Stations will be closed on Dec. 25, Dec. 26, and Jan. 1. Christmas tree curb pickup is discontinued. Residents can instead use Community Recycling Depots or Eco Stations to dispose of natural Christmas trees. City Hall, the Muttart Conservatory, and recreation centres will have adjusted hours or closures, primarily on Dec. 25 and Dec. 26. School zone snow removal will occur Dec. 22 to Jan. 4.
• Schools and hospitals in the Edmonton region are grappling with virus outbreaks ahead of the holidays. Sixteen Elk Island Public Schools, 10 Edmonton Catholic Schools, and four Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools reported outbreaks, leading some to cancel holiday events. School divisions are increasing cleaning and advising sick students to stay home.
• The Alberta government plans to test a 120 km/h speed limit on select rural divided highways in 2026. This follows a survey that found 68% of 59,400 respondents supported the increase. The province said the trial will include monitoring and safety evaluation. The Alberta Motor Association said decisions like this must prioritize safety, research, education, and enforcement.
• The Alberta government increased the citizen initiative petition fee from $500 to $25,000, a 5,000% hike. The increase discourages "frivolous applications," Justice Minister Mickey Amery's office said. The fee is refundable if signature thresholds are met. Elections Alberta will waive the new fee for Corb Lund's application to stop coal mining in Alberta's Rockies if filed by Jan. 11.
• The Alberta government appointed Vivien Suttorp as the new chief medical officer of health, succeeding Sunil Sookram, who served as interim CMOH since April. Suttorp brings more than 25 years of experience in public health, including 17 years as the lead medical officer of health for the South Zone, the province said. In her new role, she will oversee public health priorities for all Albertans, monitor health, advise on emerging threats, and lead disease prevention and health promotion initiatives across the province.

Correction: This file has been updated to more accurately reflect when garbage will be collected over the holidays.

It may be tempting to finish up your Christmas shopping by heading to Amazon and ordering what's left on your list. But spending your money locally brings more benefits than whatever comes in that box.

Shopping close to home "is an investment in making sure that we are a place that has lots of local restaurants, lots of unusual experiences, lots of little stores ... where the money that you (spend) mostly stays here," Taproot co-founder Karen Unland said on the Dec. 12 edition of Taproot Exchange, a members-only livestream where she and community coordinator Debbi Serafinchon offered local gift ideas.

When you spend your money at stores like those listed on the City of Edmonton's Shop Local site, or buy tickets to events and experiences listed in the Taproot Edmonton Calendar, "it's a gift to your person, it's a gift to yourself, it's a gift to Edmonton," Unland said.

Another idea that's a win-win-win is a gift membership in Taproot. The object of your generosity will get all of the benefits of membership — such as access to Taproot Exchange — plus all of the reliable intelligence that Taproot gathers. And that money stays here, too.

The Taproot team is taking a break from daily publishing starting on Dec. 22. But before we go, we want to leave you with a list of fun things to do over the holidays. Let us be your guide to a memorable season. We'll return to our regular schedule on Jan. 5.

On this day in 1986, a land sale was the first step to building one of Edmonton's tallest downtown towers.

For most of the 20th century, 10120 Jasper Avenue NW was home to the Commercial Chamber Building (also known simply as "the Commercial Building"). A two-storey structure built in 1930 was designed by Herbert Magoon and George MacDonald, a prolific pair of architects responsible for many of Edmonton's early commercial and institutional buildings, including the Edmonton General Hospital and the H.V. Shaw Building.

Built during the city's slow recovery from the economic crash that followed the First World War, the Commercial Building housed retail stores on the first floor and offices on the second. One of its most memorable features was a sundial set above one of the entrances, inscribed with the initials "M&S" after the builders, McDougall & Secord Limited.

The Commercial Building would remain a quiet part of Edmonton's growing downtown core for the next half-century. In 1986, Toronto's Olympia and York bought it as part of an ambitious plan to demolish both the Commercial Building and the neighbouring Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, and turn them into a commercial centre stretching along Jasper Avenue between 101 and 102 Streets, bookended by two large office towers.

That plan ended up half-finished. The Commercial Building was demolished in 1989, and construction started on the mall and the first tower. The second tower was never completed: the idea of razing the ornate stone CIBC building received much more public push-back than the demolition of the Commercial Building. On top of that, Edmonton's city council sparred with Olympia and York over the company's ever-shifting promises to preserve the CIBC facade in the new building. The plans for a second tower were soon abandoned.

The 27-storey CityCentre tower opened in 1990. The old M&S sundial was installed on the tower's podium, the last surviving piece of the old Commercial Building. The mall was supposed to open around the same time, but that was delayed by a year due to trouble finding tenants. That might have been a sign of the hardships ahead. Demand for office space downtown remained low, putting a strain on the project's finances. In 1992, Olympia and York would go into bankruptcy, and the project would be sold off to, ironically, CIBC. A couple of years later, the complex was renamed Commerce Place.

Commerce Place did survive the 1990s, and remains both an established part of the city's core and an anchor for Edmonton's extensive pedway system. However, it and other downtown towers are contending with another period of low demand for office space. This summer, Edmonton's downtown office vacancy rate dipped below 20% for the first time in years. And like many downtown retail buildings, the Commerce Place mall has long struggled to find and keep tenants.

This clipping was found on Vintage Edmonton, a daily look at Edmonton's history from armchair archivist Rev Recluse of Vintage Edmonton.

Here are some events happening this weekend in the Edmonton area.

• Dec. 19: Celebrate the Season starting at 6:30pm at Alberta Legislature
• Dec. 19: Mantra Movement's Winter Show starting at 7pm at Arden Theatre
• Dec. 19: Christmas Person: a Holiday Special starting at ArtsHub Ortona
• Dec. 20: Paws & Claws Christmas Party starting at 1pm at 8108 Coronet Road
• Dec. 20-21: Shumka's Nutcracker at Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
• Dec. 20: Solstice of Light starting at 6pm at Creative Hive
• Dec. 20: The Annotated Christmas Songbook starting at 7:30pm at Holy Trinity Anglican Church
• Dec. 21: Ice Cream 101 starting at 12pm at Made by Marcus
• Dec. 21: The Little Match Girl Passion starting at 7:30pm at All Saints Anglican Cathedral

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Dec. 27: PWHL Takeover Tour: Minnesota vs Vancouver at Rogers Place
• Dec. 27: The Unofficial Eras TOUR Featuring Charity Eden at Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
• Dec. 28: Holiday Skate at Rogers Place

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

Test your crossword prowess and deploy a little of your Edmonton knowledge. Complete the puzzle.

This is the final Taproot Mini of 2025. If you find yourself with a hankering for a puzzle, check out YEGwords! We'll be back on Jan. 5.