The Pulse: March 24, 2026

Next steps taken toward BRT and wider sidewalks on Whyte

March 24, 2026
By Stephanie Swensrude

Edmonton's city council will decide whether to prioritize delivering bus rapid transit and wider sidewalks on Whyte Avenue when it makes its budget decisions for the next four years this fall.

On March 23, urban planning committee supported a motion from Coun. Michael Janz, whose Ward papastew includes most of Whyte Avenue, directing administration to bring forward two funding packages to budget deliberations. Council will consider funding the detailed design, infrastructure delivery, and operations of the B1 and B2 BRT routes. It will also consider funding simultaneous improvements to the pedestrian realm along Whyte Avenue, which would involve removing some vehicle parking to make way for wider sidewalks. The motion also calls for an unfunded service package to advance transit priority measures across the city.

"If we're going to be doing BRT down Whyte Ave — if we're going to be chopping up Whyte Ave anyway — let's do the pedestrian realm improvements around the sidewalks and around the intersections," Janz said while introducing the motion.

Councillors heard from several Edmontonians, including members of Prioritize Whyte Ave, a coalition made up of the Old Strathcona Business Association, the French Quarter Business Association, Paths for People, and Edmonton Transit Riders. The coalition is realistic about what council can and will do, said Andrea Donini, the interim executive director of the OSBA.

"We know that this next budget is going to be a challenge, so it would be unrealistic of me to say 'Yeah, absolutely, with all of us speaking together, we're absolutely certain we're getting everything we're asking for,'" Donini told Taproot's Speaking Municipally before the committee meeting. "But we do definitely need to consider the fact that this is a heritage district — it's got a specific kind of cultural and economic value to the city."

The funding packages, if approved in the fall, would mean action on some of the many plans and designs for Whyte Avenue and the immediate surroundings. The pedestrian improvements are one action in the Old Strathcona Public Realm Strategy, which focuses on the stretch between 109 Street and 99 Street. Some actions in the strategy are underway, while others are not funded. The two BRT routes included in the motion both go down Whyte Avenue, and are still in early design phases without funding for construction.

"There's been a lot of attention given to what the potential for the area could be, but there's not been a lot of 'rubber meets the road' on making that happen, pun intended," Donini said. "Nothing actually seems to materialize, and we think it needs to."

Headlines: March 24, 2026

March 24, 2026
By Mariam Ibrahim

City council's urban planning committee approved a motion by Coun. Anne Stevenson on March 23 to reinstate parking on 101 Street, from 107 Avenue to Kingsway, weekdays 9:30am to 3:30pm. Council will vote on the motion at an upcoming meeting. Edmonton businesses express mixed reactions to bus-only lanes and parking restrictions. Richard Liukko of the Chinatown Business Association cited significant midday business drops due to parking removal on 101 Street during non-peak hours. Meanwhile, businesses and residents near Whyte Avenue, including Emily Stremel of the Edmonton Transit Riders, support dedicated bus lanes for transit and emergency services, particularly near the University of Alberta Hospital.
Edmonton Public Schools is projecting that enrolment will surpass 144,000 students by 2035, with facilities reaching full capacity by 2033. Despite new school funding, the division expects a shortfall and estimates it needs about 23,000 additional spaces to maintain current utilization. Trustees say ongoing growth means overcrowding and enrolment restrictions may persist at some schools. Several projects are in planning or construction, but timelines remain uncertain. Meanwhile, a deferred maintenance backlog exceeding $1 billion is adding pressure on the system.
Edmonton tap water has a noticeable smell and stronger chlorine taste due to spring runoff, which washes sediments and organic materials into the North Saskatchewan River. Jonathan Gelinas of EPCOR said the water is safe to drink, and noted that increased organic matter requires more chlorine for disinfection. EPCOR expects the smell to diminish within three to five days. Residents can run cold water, use carbon filters, or add lemon to their water to mitigate the taste and smell.
Reports are mounting of Canadians in the United States being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement despite having valid or pending legal status, Postmedia reported. Recent cases include a British Columbia-born woman held with her daughter over an alleged visa issue and an Edmonton-born man facing deportation for a decades-old minor offence. With enforcement tightened under President Donald Trump, lawyers urge Canadians to closely review their status, as even minor issues can lead to denial or deportation.
The Alberta government plans to amend legislation to allow individuals to sue over the sharing of AI-generated intimate images, known as deepfakes. Technology Minister Nate Glubish said the move aims to address the serious harm such content can cause. The proposed changes would expand legal protections by creating a new avenue for civil action. The government has not yet provided a timeline for introducing the amendments.
The Edmonton Oilers are enduring one of the team's most disappointing seasons, appearing tired and prone to costly mistakes after two recent Stanley Cup Final appearances, journalist Allan Mitchell wrote in The Athletic. Following a loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Connor McDavid voiced concerns about the team's organization and execution. The Oilers face challenges with confidence, goaltending, defensive coverage, and Leon Draisaitl's injury, which has taken him off the ice for the remainder of the regular season. If the team's current struggles continue, sweeping changes in management, coaching, and on-ice personnel are expected.

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A smiling woman beside the words 'Communicator of the Year, 2025: Michelle Lean'

Communicator of the Year reflects on meaning of Capital Awards

Sponsored March 24, 2026

A message from IABC Edmonton:

Michelle Lean doesn't need awards to know she's made a difference. The communications director at pipikwan pêhtâkwan is already well aware of the intrinsic rewards that come from doing work such as leading digital campaigns for Truth and Reconciliation Week for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

"Just seeing the impact that we've been able to have in terms of engagement ... and getting that message out there, inviting Canadians to learn about truth and reconciliation ... it's really meaningful to me," she said.

But earning recognition from her peers in communications is meaningful, too, and Lean was proud to be named Communicator of the Year at the 2025 Capital Awards, presented by IABC Edmonton last May.

"It was definitely a complete surprise," she said, noting that it was pipikwan pêhtâkwan's founder, Shani Gwin, who nominated her. "I've always known working with Shani that she respects me and appreciates my contributions, but to have her put that nomination in and for that to go through that selection committee … it is an honour to be recognized."

Lean graduated from MacEwan University's public relations program in 2004 after initially considering a career in journalism. She managed internal communications at EPCOR, where she supported those working in diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as Indigenous relations. She found that work particularly engaging, and when the opportunity presented itself to leap into the agency world with pipikwan pêhtâkwan, she took it.

In her four-and-a-half years with the communications, public relations, and engagement agency, Lean has had the opportunity to work with Indigenous community organizations that have important things to say but lack the internal resources to put together and execute on a communications strategy. Lean is happy to help. "They're really grateful for that support," she said. "And I find it's really impactful."

After more than two decades in the field, Lean has also grown into a mentorship role, guiding newer communicators as they build their careers while continuing her own professional development, earning a master of arts degree in international and intercultural communication from Royal Roads University.

Lean's agency won four Awards of Excellence in 2025: in issues management and crisis communication for the Canadian Medical Association's apology to Indigenous Peoples; in publications for Creating Connections for Children in Care; in non-profit sector communication for the Space of Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Alberta's Corbett Hall; and for diversity, equity, and inclusion for weaving Indigenous narratives into the Commonwealth Walkway. Regardless of whether it leads to recognition, Lean sees value in the awards submission process itself.

"It is really important to take that time, evaluate the success of a project, because that's what ultimately helps you be a better communicator," she said.

Submissions are open for the 2026 Capital Awards until April 17, but you have a little longer to nominate someone for the Awards of Distinction, which are due by May 1. Communications professionals throughout northern Alberta are eligible. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on May 28 at Fu's Repair Shop.

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