The Pulse
Sept. 21, 2026

This week, council will hold public hearings for the former Toys "R" Us in Terra Losa, a proposed four-storey development in Bonnie Doon, and a lot across the street from Westmount Shopping Centre.

The public hearing is on Sept. 22, starting at 9:30am. Council has extended the hearing's scheduled adjournment to 9pm, with a dinner break from 6pm to 7pm.

Here are some key items on the agenda this week:

• A rezoning in Terra Losa would broaden redevelopment options for the former Toys "R" Us at 9908 170 Street NW, which closed in late 2025. EINS Consulting submitted the application on behalf of Dong-Phuong Oriental Market Ltd. The proposed general commercial zoning would allow uses such as grocery stores, offices, and housing above the ground floor, with buildings up to 16 metres for most uses and 30 metres for hotels. Two neighbouring commercial parcels would receive updated direct control zoning. Administration said it supports the application, citing redevelopment opportunities along the Stony Plain Road corridor.
• Council will consider a rezoning application in Bonnie Doon at 8515 and 8519 84 Avenue NW to allow housing up to about four storeys. Administration said it supports the proposal because it would add housing near services and transit, including the Bonnie Doon LRT stop within a 550-metre walk. Residents raised concerns about infrastructure capacity, building scale, shadows, parking, and tree loss.
• A rezoning in North Glenora across the street from Westmount Shopping Centre would allow housing up to four storeys at 11029 and 11033 135 Street NW. Administration said it supports the application, citing nearby shops, schools, recreation facilities, and bus service. Four of the five responses to the mailed notice opposed it, with concerns including traffic, density, and the absence of parking requirements.
• A rezoning and district plan amendment in Montrose would replace residential zoning at 12103 and 12107 66 Street NW with zoning for light industrial and small commercial businesses. The report says planning policies in the 1980s sought to convert this stretch of 66 Street to non-industrial uses, but no residential redevelopment has occurred.
• A postponed Parkdale rezoning application would lower the maximum building height at 11348 83 Street NW from 16 metres to 14 metres while changing setbacks, which administration said would make development more feasible on the small corner lot. Administration supports the proposal, saying it aligns with the Stadium Station area redevelopment plan.

• The Alberta government is considering changes to the Traffic Safety Act that would give municipalities more authority to regulate e-scooters and other personal micromobility devices, including speed limits, age restrictions, and where they can be used. Edmonton has operated shared e-scooter and e-bike programs since 2019 but cannot currently allow privately owned e-scooters without a provincial exemption. The proposed changes come amid safety concerns, with an Edmonton study finding 759 adults sought emergency treatment for injuries from rented e-scooters between 2019 and 2021.
• A few hundred people gathered outside Rogers Place on Sept. 19 to protest the Edmonton Oilers signing of Alex Formenton and show support for survivors of sexual assault. The rally was led by Mary Loewen, known as Mama Stanley, who has criticized the team's decision and launched a petition that had nearly 70,000 signatures. Formenton, who made his preseason debut against the Winnipeg Jets that night, was one of five former Canadian world junior players acquitted of sexual assault charges stemming from a 2018 incident in London, Ontario. While protesters chanted against the signing outside, Formenton received cheers from some fans inside Rogers Place after scoring in the second period. Formenton said afterward that he was focused on making the team and improving rather than the criticism surrounding his return to the NHL.
• The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team is investigating the death of a 27-year-old man found unresponsive in an Edmonton holding cell. Edmonton Police Service officers discovered the man in the Detainee Management Unit on the evening of Sept. 17 and an on-duty paramedic began CPR. Despite efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead at 7:55pm.
• Edmonton's Magpie Books was included in The Economist's Plot Twist newsletter on a list of top bookshops, based on reader recommendations. The Ritchie store opened two years ago and focuses on books by Indigenous, Black, racialized, queer, and trans authors, along with titles from smaller presses.
• Red Deer plans to spend $2.93 million from a federal grant on permanent supportive housing, following a city council decision. The funds, part of the now-cancelled $12 million housing accelerator fund, had initially been at risk of return due to zoning disagreements. Mayor Cindy Jefferies said that the demand for supportive housing is high, with a 2025 count noting 645 homeless individuals in Red Deer. The city will issue requests for proposals soon to determine the project's scope and unit count as part of a broader housing strategy.
• A group of Alberta teens, led by 16-year-old Kiera Lang, have transformed their summer into a learning opportunity by managing a community garden through the Beaumont and District Agricultural Society. They grew vegetables and flowers to sell at the Beaumont Farmers Market, gaining agricultural and business skills along the way. The effort was supported by a $16,000 grant from the Canada Post Community Foundation.

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Life Sciences Week 2026: Official Kick-Off starting at 10am at Queen Elizabeth II Building
• Femtech Connect 2026: A National Summit starting at 12pm at Brighton Block
• Echoes of Peace: Commemorating the International Day of Peace starting at 12pm at Churchill Square
• Life Sciences Campus Reception & Tours starting at 1pm at Edmonton Research Park
• tahto awasis asitakimaw: Every Child Matters Traditional Feast & Round Dance starting at 4pm at Alberta Aviation Museum
• Spilling the Beans: How to Start a Restaurant in Alberta starting at 6pm at Waffle Bird
• Reading Between the Barcode Lines: Voting Beyond Your Fork starting at 7pm at Magpie Books
• Genre Book Club: The Last Unicorn starting at 7pm at Audreys Books
• Poetry Pleas: Open Mic Poetry Reading starting at 7pm at Upper Crust Cafe

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Sept. 30: Kohkom's Babushka at Servus Credit Union Theatre
• Oct. 7: Monica Miller Memorial Lecture featuring Lisa Moore at MacEwan University (Allard Hall)
• Oct. 13: The Strategists Live: Pre-Referendum Edition starting at 7:30pm at Horowitz Theatre

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

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