The Pulse
Oct. 13, 2026

This week, council will discuss its autonomy, look at outcome reports from municipal funding, and consider several rezoning applications.

There is a public hearing on Oct. 13, a non-regular council meeting on Oct. 14, and a special city council meeting on Oct. 16.

Here are some key items on the agenda this week:

• Council will hold a special meeting on Oct. 16 to discuss the Oct. 8 directive from the provincial government ordering Edmonton to revert its zoning bylaw to parameters that were in place before 2024 and restore minimum parking requirements to where they were before 2020. Smith said at a news conference on Oct. 8 that the current bylaw has led to "irresponsible" infill development, pointing to multifamily complexes in neighbourhoods dominated by single-family homes. "Let me be clear — the goal should not simply be more housing, but more housing that is planned and integrated in a way that works for both existing residents as well as future families," Smith said. The city has been given three months to amend its bylaw and 18 months to conduct a comprehensive review of its land-use bylaw. Mayor Andrew Knack urged the province to pause the directive, which he called "chaotic," noting that it will result in higher taxes and reduced affordability. Knack told Ryan Jespersen the special council meeting is to see if council is in agreement about municipal autonomy: "I think we'll need to have a clear discussion … do we want to make a public statement as a council on local autonomy?"
• Administration will report on the outcomes of $262.8 million provided to 1,351 recipients, including $137 million in operating subsidies to civic agencies, boards, and commissions, as well as $125.8 million supporting individuals and other external organizations. This is only the second year that the ABCs, individuals, and organizations have been required to report on outcomes, and many are still developing processes and performance measurements, the report said. Council-directed funding, which usually arises from a report to council, through advocacy by a non-profit, or as a solution to complex issues, nearly tripled from $7.4 million in 2024 to $20.1 million in 2025. This stream of funding does not go through the city's internal program funding process to ensure consistency, accountability, equity, and transparency, administration said. More than $10 million of council-directed funding went to Qualico for its publicly accessible private spaces in its Station Lands development.
• A landowner has proposed rezoning a lot in Ritchie at 9905 80 Avenue NW from a direct control zone that allows for a 20-storey building to a standard zone that allows for a four-storey building. Administration said the proposed rezoning would facilitate new development in a primary corridor close to bus routes and bike networks.
• Administration said it does not support a rezoning application for a property that is partially in the boundary of the Westmount Architectural Heritage Area. The site at 11038 126 Street NW was consolidated from three separate lots, two of which were zoned for four-storey residential development with no architectural controls, and the third zoned for 2.5-storey residential development in line with the architectural controls of the Westmount area. Residents who oppose the rezoning said the heritage area is a historically significant area that should be preserved.
• BM Homes has proposed rezoning a property in McKernan at 11302 75 Avenue NW to allow for a three-storey residential building that is taller than what is currently allowed. Administration said it supports the application because the property is a corner lot near the McKernan-Belgravia LRT station and the 76 Avenue secondary corridor. Some residents oppose the rezoning because they believe infill properties are being used for lodging houses or short-term rentals, and that the development would increase pressure for on-street parking.
• Council will receive a private update from the city manager.

• The City of Edmonton completed Stage 2 of the Terwillegar Drive Expansion, reopening construction areas and adding roadway, transit, pathway, pedestrian and cycling improvements in southwest Edmonton, the City said in a release. One westbound lane on 122 Street is expected to remain closed until late October while crews repair embankment erosion; landscaping and site restoration will continue in 2027. Stage 3 of the project is already underway and is expected to be complete by 2028.
• The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is investigating the death of a man who was found unresponsive in police cell on Sept. 17 after spending about 24 hours in custody. The Edmonton Police Service said the man was arrested the previous evening and was later ordered released by a judge following a bail hearing. (ASIRT) said video footage showed the man moving around his cell until about 6:40pm before lying down, and that an officer found him unconscious during a check shortly after 7pm. He received emergency treatment from an on-site paramedic but died before he could be taken to hospital.
• Advance voting for the Alberta referendum begins Oct. 13 at 9am, with 310 polling stations available across the province. The 10 questions cover immigration policy, constitutional reform and whether Alberta should remain in Canada or pursue a second, binding separation referendum. Elections Alberta projects voter turnout of 80-85%, well above the average of just over 55% in the past five provincial elections, raising the possibility of long lineups.
• Alberta Native News profiled Edmonton photojournalist Paula Kirman, who has spent more than 20 years documenting social movements and Indigenous events, expanding into journalism, video, film and digital storytelling. Her work began around 2005 when she photographed a peace march and recognized the lack of media coverage of such events. She has since documented movements including Idle No More and initiatives raising awareness of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, while building an online archive of her work.
• Federal Justice Minister Sean Fraser appointed Court of King's Bench Justice Thomas Rothwell to the Alberta Court of Appeal in Edmonton and Alberta Deputy Justice Minister Malcolm Lavoie to the Court of King's Bench. Rothwell replaces retired Justice F. Slatter, while Lavoie fills the seat Rothwell vacated, the federal government said.
• In an opinion piece published in the Globe and Mail, Capital Power CEO Avik Dey argued Alberta businesses should support remaining in Canada, warning the separation debate could deter investment. Dey cited the Calgary Chamber of Commerce's estimate that a Brexit-scale decline in investment could cost Alberta as much as $15 billion in one year.
• An obituary in the Globe and Mail chronicled some of the achievements of Alberta Chief Justice Ritu Khullar, who died Sept. 3 at the age of 62. Khullar advocated for others throughout her legal and judicial career, from disability-rights cases to leading the province's courts.
• Prime Minister Mark Carney urged Albertans to remain part of Canada in a Thanksgiving address from his former Edmonton high school, one week before the province's Oct. 19 referendum. The ballot includes a non-binding question asking whether Alberta should remain in Canada or hold a second, binding separation referendum. Carney cited federal housing initiatives, a proposed Edmonton-Calgary high-speed rail line and a proposed pipeline to the West Coast as examples of what Canadians can achieve together. The premier's office referred Albertans to the government's referendum website for information on the 10 ballot questions.

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Form & Future: Exhibition by the Student Design Association starting at 9am at Edmonton City Hall
• ECAMP's Sensing the City starting at 9am at Edmonton Public Library (Stanley A. Milner)
• Designing with Stone & Masonry starting at 1pm at Scorpio Stone
• Edmonton Queer History Project Downtown Walking Tour starting at 4pm at NorQuest College
• So You Want To Be An Architect? starting at 4pm at Edmonton Public Library (Stanley A. Milner)
• Thoughtful Tuesday - All The World Is Green starting at 6pm at Earth's Refillery Coop
• Jeremy Appel 'Dark Phoenix' Book Launch starting at 7pm at The Aviary
• Premier Event: MADE Launch Party! starting at 7pm at The Cobalt
• Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour starting at 7:30pm at Arden Theatre
• The Strategists Live: Pre-Referendum Edition starting at 7:30pm at Horowitz Theatre

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Oct. 22: Resource Connect 2026 at Edmonton Convention Centre
• Oct. 25: Edmonton Blues Hall of Fame Annual Induction Ceremony and Celebration at Yardbird Suite
• Nov. 6: 37th Annual ASTech Awards Gala and Innovation Showcase at Westin Edmonton

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

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