The Pulse
Nov. 12, 2026
Here's what you need to know about Edmonton today.
Essentials
- 14°C: Mainly cloudy. Wind southwest 20 km/h gusting to 40 becoming light in the afternoon. High 14. UV index 1 or low. (forecast)
- Blue: The High Level Bridge will be lit blue for Uyghur Heritage. (details)
- 3-2: The Edmonton Oilers (14-3-3) defeated the Philadelphia Flyers (5-10-6) on Nov. 11. (details)
Global network puts artisans — and region — on the map
Delavoye Chocolate Maker and Pieorgerie Polish Foods are raising the profile of urban and rural artisans in the Edmonton region with help from the ÉCONOMUSÉE Network Society.
"I think (local artisanship is) not being seen as serious a field across the country, but in Edmonton, there are amazing places to visit and that make amazing food," said Delavoye proprietor Antoine Lavoie.
ÉCONOMUSÉE is a global network of makers who receive experience-building supports and accreditation through the Artisans at Work initiative. A portmanteau of the French words for economy and museum, the network was founded in 1992 in Quebec City and now has members in Canada, Europe, and Haiti. Chosen sites offer artisanal wares and visitor experiences.
Delavoye and Pierogerie were unveiled as the first Edmonton-region members in June, around the same time as the Taste of Place Summit. Francophone economic developer Parallèle Alberta helped make it happen with a 2025 grant of $573,000 from Prairies Economic Development Canada, but Parallèle had been working with ÉCONOMUSÉE to establish a network in Alberta since 2015.
"We signed our first partnership back in 2015, and they came over to Quebec," said ÉCONOMUSÉE's executive director Carl-Éric Guertin. "We trained them, we did scouting trips in 2016 or 2017 or so, and then we started to have members in Alberta." The network now counts 11 members in the province.
Delavoye's Lavoie spent about a year collaborating with ÉCONOMUSÉE on brand materials in English and French for his 124 Street chocolate factory. A French-speaker himself, he is very intentional about being described as a "chocolate maker," which to him is distinct from the French "chocolatier." The team landed on "torréfacteur de chocolat" as the right fit, which Lavoie said demonstrates ÉCONOMUSÉE's meticulous attention to detail and passion for telling authentic stories of artisanship.
Lavoie is also committed to detail and quality when making his ethically sourced products, collaborating with other makers he respects along the way. It doesn't leave a lot of time for tourism marketing, so outside help is vital.
"I think we're just in the day-to-day grind," he said. "It's important to also take the time to look at how we can expand, and make sure that we in Edmonton are recognized as a player in the game in the food industry in Canada."
Minimum Wage isn't enough
At minimum wage, a full-time Edmonton worker earns $268 less each week than the 2026 Living Wage of $22.65. That's nearly $14,000 a year. What would it take to close the gap? Join us Nov. 19 at The Future We Can Afford. Free, and everyone is welcome.
Headlines: Nov. 12, 2026
- Coun. Jon Morgan and Coun. Mike Elliott renewed calls for a south Edmonton hospital after Alberta proposed new urgent care centres. Health economist Braden Manns said urgent care centres cannot replace hospital beds. The province has funded planning and land acquisition, but has not budgeted construction funding.
- The Alberta government changed its criteria for approving speed-on-green photo radar without informing municipalities, according to a City of Edmonton email obtained by CTV News. The City says the province rejected or did not respond to seven applications submitted under the previous guidelines. Edmonton data shows the number of drivers caught travelling more than 30 kilometres per hour over the speed limit rose 128% last year, while Edmonton recorded 32 traffic deaths, its highest annual total since 2015. The province has approved photo radar at one north Edmonton intersection but says the other proposed locations did not meet its exemption requirements.
- Edmonton entrepreneur Colin Campbell is hosting a free three-day festival downtown Nov. 13 to 15, featuring Canadian musicians and performers at three venues. Organized by CIVIQ Labs, Bringing the Nation is part of Campbell's effort to bring arts and cultural events to underused downtown spaces, particularly in The Quarters. The project has received $78,000 in city grants.
- The Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation has donated $100,000 to help victims of the Canadian Forces Base Wainwright fire. The donation went to the CFB Wainwright Support Fund through the True Patriot Love Foundation. It also committed net proceeds from the Nov. 11 game's 50/50 draw to support those affected.
- The Camrose Police Service said it closed its investigation without charges into online messages targeting female students at École Camrose Composite High School. Police said the available evidence was insufficient to proceed with criminal charges. Students said the alleged messages threatened sexual assault and violence.
Connecting the dots: Change management and AI
A message from MacEwan University's School of Continuing Education:
Adopting AI into your operations isn't a simple matter of parachuting in the technology and trusting it will all work out. It requires a proper change management process, led by a new type of change leader.
Today, a successful change manager must bring both technical knowledge and durable skills to the table. These durable skills are core competencies like communication, coaching and resistance management. In other words, the lifelong "soft" skills you use regardless of your workplace and role — and the very skills that separate humans from machines.
This requires a mind shift: from "doing the task" to "directing the tool." The future of effective change management lies in cultivating a new suite of human-centric leadership skills to oversee and guide the AI tools being deployed.
"The rush to implement AI feels like organizational FOMO — the likes of which have not been seen since the Y2K fervour," says Ruth Younie, instructor in the Change Management professional development program at MacEwan University's School of Continuing Education. Many organizations skip basic business practices, like writing a business case, as well as the initial stages in change management: letting go of previous ways and reconciling to a new way. Instead, they leap straight into that whole new way.
But, Younie points out, faster is not equivalent to better. "When an organization introduces change for change's sake like this," she says, "it may be exposing itself to reputational risk, financial loss, process inefficiencies and low morale."
The biggest risk is often a breach of employee trust, says Younie. "People go to work every day believing leadership trusts them to do their job," she says. "Mandating a change — any change — without asking for input or explaining its potential value breaks the trust bond."
Confusion, fear and a loss of productivity result. Younie cites the example of an employee who was asked to highlight tasks in her job description that AI could do. "This approach to implementation is a change management nightmare."
You can minimize these risks by establishing a change management framework that:
- Provides clear direction;
- Incorporates real data (feedback);
- Explains the intended outcomes from the user's perspective;
- Illustrates the value to the organization and its customers.
Now more than ever, sponsorship is critical. Leadership must set the vision and communicate expectations about how to achieve the future state. While curiosity and patience are often overlooked in the workplace, Younie believes these skills are critical to successfully working with AI.
For more on the need to navigate change strategically and how MacEwan's School of Continuing Education can help, read the full article.
Happenings: Nov. 12, 2026
Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.
- Set Up Your Business in Alberta starting at 12pm online
- Motherboard Overload: an E-Waste Extravaganza starting at 2pm at Earth's Refillery Coop
- Startup TNT: Top 6 Finale Night starting at 6pm at Citadel Theatre
- DIY Thursday Workshops: Dress Altering starting at 6pm at City of Edmonton Reuse Centre
- Aunt Hazel's Annual Christmas Party! - A Murder Mystery Event starting at 6pm at The Canadian Brewhouse (Windermere)
- Animal Justice's Film Screening — 2 Films starting at 6pm at Earth's Refillery Coop
- CHiMPROV starting at 7pm at Rapid Fire Exchange
- Book Launch with Joanne Merriam starting at 7pm at Audreys Books
- Broad View International Film Festival: Agatha's Almanac / I Don't Dare Touch starting at 7pm at Garneau Theatre
- Women Be Wise starting at 8pm at Yardbird Suite
And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:
- Nov. 18: Morrison Distillers Tasting with Niel Hendriksz at Whisky Drop
- Nov. 22: National Housing Day of Action 2026 at Alberta Legislature Grounds
- Nov. 25: YWCA Edmonton Rose Campaign Launch at Edmonton City Hall
Visit the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.
The Taproot Mini - No. 327
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.