The Pulse
Aug. 28, 2026

This week's roundup of calls for public engagement includes a survey asking how employees, business owners, and organizational leaders feel about their businesses today and how that might change in the next year.

The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce is launching its first business sentiment index survey. The feedback will be used to shape the chamber's advocacy priorities. The chamber said it wants to hear from all businesses, not just chamber members. The survey will be open until Oct. 1.

The survey asks respondents to rate the financial health of their businesses, as well as cost pressures, external factors, and risks they're facing. It also asks them to rate how those factors have changed in the last year and how they expect them to change in the next year.

The survey goes on to ask how Alberta's long-term relationship with the federal government is affecting business planning and investment decisions, with a request to rate the seriousness of the potential economic impact of increasing Alberta-federal tensions. The chamber also asked members their thoughts on the rise of Alberta separatism earlier this year.

The survey asks businesses to explain if and how the City of Edmonton supports them. As is its mandate, the chamber has advocated in the past for more support, financial and otherwise, from the City of Edmonton. Most recently, in the wake of several high-profile business closures, it called for administration to take immediate action on downtown economic stability by expanding investment in safety, coordinating construction projects, and holding construction sites to a higher standard. It also called for financial relief through free on-street parking downtown, waived patio fees, and investment in the public realm.

The chamber will host a conversation about the municipal budget on Sept. 29. It said Edmonton is on a roll, with businesses investing more than $3.3 billion here last year. "But there's a catch — if you own a business in Edmonton, you're paying almost double what you'd pay just outside city limits for the exact same kind of property," the event page says. The chamber will reveal its analysis of city spending at the event and share the community's perspective on what needs to change for the upcoming budget.

• Record-breaking rain in Edmonton this summer caused $42 million in uninsurable damage to infrastructure and projects, City of Edmonton staff told city council's infrastructure committee meeting on Aug. 26. The City plans to recover costs through the province's Hazard Assistance and Resilience Program, which would cover 90% of losses, leaving the city responsible for the rest. Severe weather affected work on the Valley Line West and Capital Line South LRT projects, among other ongoing projects. The Edmonton Construction Association highlighted challenges with saturated sites and warned that extreme weather is becoming more frequent, urging contract revisions for risk management.
• Edmonton city council has decided to move forward with the $100 million bike lane expansion project, despite debates over scaling it back. The decision upholds a 2022 plan to enhance the city's bike network, aiming for traffic safety through an active transportation network. The City of Edmonton has faced community protests over planned bike lanes in some neighbourhoods, and the Alberta government is set to introduce legislation on bike lane placement during the upcoming legislative session.
• The Henwood Treatment Centre in northeast Edmonton is facing an uncertain future after flooding in June led to its closure. Although labeled "temporarily closed" by Recovery Alberta, staff told CBC News that the closure is permanent, with layoffs and redeployments underway. Henwood is one of the few fully funded facilities for addictions treatment in Edmonton. Its closure affects 62 beds and disrupts support for hundreds of clients.
• An Edmonton Police Service officer is facing sexual assault charges related to a more than two-year-old off-duty incident, according to Alberta's police watchdog. The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team announced that Const. Alec Chomik was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual assault following an investigation directed on March 11, 2024. The police service said that Chomik is currently off duty without pay as the legal process continues.
• As Alberta's October referendum approaches, 100,000 "Forever Canadian" lawn signs are expected to be distributed across the province. Organizers believe that the signs will help galvanize support ahead of the referendum, which will include a question on whether Alberta should remain a province of Canada or whether the provincial government should begin the process to hold a separate, binding referendum on separation.
• Meta Platforms Inc.'s planned hyperscale data centre in Sturgeon County, northeast of Edmonton, may increase household power bills by up to $39 monthly, according to a Pembina Institute report. The Alberta government, however, said that the project would cut transmission costs by up to 6%. Meta disputes the report's findings, promising to cover all energy expenses for the centre and not pass costs to residents. The data centre, drawing power comparable to the City of Calgary, could elevate wholesale prices until its power plant opens in late 2030.
• The Edmonton Oilers have added Misha Donskov as a coaching consultant. Currently Hockey Canada's vice-president of hockey operations, Donskov will join the Oilers for select days at home each month.

On this day in 1957, the Roxy Theatre was advertising its plan to play first-run films.

Edmonton has a long history of beloved theatres, both of the cinema and playhouse variety. But the Roxy is one landmark that belongs to both camps. When it opened its doors in 1938, it was a movie theatre.

The Roxy was the creation of Bill Wilson. His father had been the manager of the Capitol, Edmonton's first dedicated cinema. Wilson had spent some time working for the government, but lost his job during the Great Depression. So, he returned to the family business and commissioned well-known architect William G. Blakey to design the building — the city's only theatre west of 104 Street.

The Roxy's opening gathered a lot of attention. Despite the dismal economic times, Wilson wanted to offer a luxurious theatre experience. The Roxy boasted air conditioning, comfortable seating, and an eye-catching Moderne style. Opening night attracted a lot of attention, with glowing newspaper articles and prominent Edmontonians in attendance.

Wilson would manage the Roxy until 1941, before moving south of the river to oversee the Garneau Theatre. That same year, the theatre was leased to the Odeon chain. It was the first of several operator changes that would eventually turn the Roxy into a $2 theatre. In the 1970s, the building underwent extensive renovations.

In 1989, the Roxy switched to a different kind of show when it was acquired by Theatre Network and turned into a home for live theatre. (The boxy cinema design apparently made it very well suited to puppetry.) Another round of renovations in the early 1990s upgraded the stage, seating, and lighting. The theatre also became the home of NextFest, Edmonton's long-running multi-disciplinary arts festival.

In January 2015, a fire gutted the Roxy, devastating Edmonton's theatre community. Without its home venue, Theatre Network was forced to move to a temporary venue on Gateway Boulevard. But the Roxy was not gone forever. In 2018, the theatre company announced plans to rebuild the venerable venue. In 2022, the curtains opened on the new, resurrected Roxy Theatre, complete with a rehearsal space and a gallery for visual art.

The Roxy's return has been a welcome story in Edmonton's arts community, but it hasn't been without its issues. There is an ongoing dispute with the owners of an adjacent building, leaving the south wall unfinished and exposed to the elements.

After 27 years under the direction of Bradley Moss, Theatre Network's artistic direction is now in the hands of Jenna Rodgers, with David Cheoros as executive director. The mainstage season opens with Oh, Anne! in September.

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.

• Aug. 28: Music for Mavericks Presents... E-LYMPIA... 20 Years of Music, Art & Culture starting at 3pm at Old Strathcona Performing Arts Centre
• Aug. 28: Love Pro Wrestling 51: Marz Attacks! starting at 7pm at The Rec Room (South Common)
• Aug. 28-29: Boots and Hearts West at Fan Park
• Aug. 28-30: Northern Enchanted Faire at The Pointe Agricultural Event Centre
• Aug. 29: Craft for YEG in the Park starting at 10am at O-day'min Park Pavilion
• Aug. 29: Resilient Roots: Stories of Kyrgyz Canadians A Documentary Screenings starting at 10am at Edmonton Public Library (Stanley A. Milner)
• Aug. 29: Cloud Party starting at 12pm at O-day'min Park Pavilion
• Aug. 29: Fulton Fest starting at 2:30pm at Fulton Drive Bowl
• Aug. 30: Pints & Pages: Cowboy/ Small Town/ Contemporary Romance Edition starting at 1pm at Rig Hand Distillery
• Aug. 29-30-: Bentiversary starting at 5pm at Bent Stick Brewing

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Sept. 10-13: RCS International Conference & Gala Dinner at Chateau Louis Hotel & Conference Centre
• Sept. 11: The Twilight Picnic Experience: Alexa Smith, Guitarist/Vocalist at University of Alberta Botanic Garden
• Sept. 13: The Way of Tea: Japanese Culture at University of Alberta Botanic Garden

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.

If you ever miss a Mini, you can always catch up in the archive.