The Pulse
Sept. 23, 2026

As DiveThru has evolved from a journalling app to a bricks-and-mortar-based therapy provider, founder and CEO Sophie Gray has thought a lot about what innovation means.

"Something I've really learned as an entrepreneur and around innovating is that sometimes we don't need to innovate (the core service)," she said during the company showcase at Femtech Connect, a summit put on by Antigoni Studios on Sept. 21. "The thing we need to innovate is everything around it to make it easier for someone to access that."

To that end, DiveThru has introduced a reduced-rate program, removing some barriers that keep people from getting the care they need.

"Struggling with your mental health sucks, but accessing the care shouldn't," she said at the Life Sciences Week event. "(We are) really wanting to make it more accessible, not just from price point, but also from all of the pieces that go into someone accessing the care that they need."

The new program offers virtual sessions for $100 and in-person treatment for $150. Importantly, these can be direct-billed to insurance programs, removing a blocker for clients who don't have cash up front or need to save it for other things.

"In Alberta, the recommended rate is $235," Gray said. "That's a lot of money, and that prices out so many folks."

There are free options through the healthcare system and non-profits, and "those are absolutely essential," she said. But the wait times can be long, and it's not easy to find the right match, which is critical to success in mental health care.

Gray figured DiveThru could step into that price gap between free and $235-an-hour, while accommodating clients within a week and helping them find the right therapist through its app, saving time and frustration.

• Edmonton city council approved zoning bylaw amendments to regulate lodging houses more effectively. The revisions aim to address safety and compliance issues associated with lodging houses, which can lack proper maintenance and oversight. The amendments provide clearer definitions and guidelines for operating such accommodations within the city. The changes come after ongoing concerns and complaints about the conditions and management of rooming houses in Edmonton.
• NAIT students affected by the suspension of the school's two-year captioning and court reporting diploma say they are struggling to find work and want tuition refunds. The program was paused in September 2025 after a review cited declining enrolment, low graduate numbers and high costs, though NAIT continues to offer a one-year court transcription certificate. Students say the certificate does not qualify them for most court reporting jobs, leaving some working in other fields. NAIT said second-year students were given an opportunity to complete their studies, while the program's future remains under review.
• The Edmonton International Film Festival opens Sept. 24 with Smudge the Blades, a locally shot comedy-drama directed by Cody Lightning and starring Ed Helms. The festival's 40th anniversary lineup includes a mix of Canadian, Indigenous and international films, with programmer Vincent Brulotte highlighting the number of Alberta connections among this year's selections. Other featured films include The Meteorite Gang, Turtle Island Rap and Ceremony, which explores the cultural importance of the ooligan fish and environmental threats facing the Bella Coola River. Tickets and passes are available online.
• During an event at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith suggested charging a $1,900 annual fee for temporary residents to access public health care, citing similar premiums charged to temporary workers in the United Kingdom. Her comments came ahead of an Oct. 19 referendum that will ask Albertans whether certain non-permanent residents should pay a "reasonable fee or premium" for health care and education. Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi criticized the idea, arguing temporary workers already pay taxes and that the proposal distracts from problems in the province's healthcare system.
• Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the province will suspend its 13-cent-per-litre fuel tax on gasoline and diesel for three months starting Oct. 1 to help lower costs at the pump. The move reverses the government's June decision to keep the tax in place while offering $100 affordability cheques, which saw fewer than half of eligible Albertans apply. The tax suspension is expected to cost the province about $350 million in lost revenue. The NDP welcomed the move but criticized the rebate program and questioned the timing following the UCP's recent Calgary byelection loss.
• A third-party campaign called Alberta's Voice visualized what the $134 million referendum cost could instead fund, showing the spending could instead pay for 150 family doctors, 188 teachers, 794 educational assistants or two new schools, among other options.
• Canada will open the 2027 World Junior Hockey Championship against Switzerland on Dec. 26 at Rogers Place in Edmonton. The tournament, scheduled from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2027, will take place in Edmonton and Red Deer. Canada's Group B matches also include Latvia, Norway, and Czechia. Group A comprises Sweden, Finland, Germany, Slovakia, and the United States.

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Community Coffee starting at 9am at Edmonton Unlimited
• Southwest Edmonton Farmers' Market starting at 3:30pm at Booster Juice Recreation Centre in Terwillegar
• Tech For Good Alliance Working Group starting at 4pm at Arcadia Brewing Co.
• Tech Wednesdays starting at 5:30pm at The Pint Public House
• Alberta Business Awards of Distinction starting at 6:30pm at Maclab Centre for the Performing Arts
• WorkFirst Alberta Summit at Edmonton EXPO Centre
• Lab2Market Summit at University of Alberta
• Microfluidics and Energy Symposium 2026 at Interface Fluidics

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Oct. 4: The Menopause Summit at DoubleTree by Hilton Edmonton (Downtown)
• Oct. 13: The Strategists Live: Pre-Referendum Edition at Horowitz Theatre
• Oct. 14: ERINnovation Meetup at CAMS: Where Health Innovation Meets Simulation at NAIT (Feltham Centre)

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.

Need some help with 1-Down? You'll find it in the Arts Roundup.