Regional Roundup
April 8, 2026
Leduc and Fort Saskatchewan are among the municipalities in the Edmonton region that are updating their land use bylaws. The City of Leduc will hold in-person engagement sessions on April 15, 18, and 21 on proposed changes that would move from lot-based to neighbourhood-scale zoning to enable a greater mix of housing diversity. The city may reduce the minimum number of parking stalls in locations supported by transit and where there is sufficient on-street parking. Fort Saskatchewan, which is accepting feedback until April 10, is proposing seven residential districts and a mixed use district, among others. Administration said the draft creates custom regulations for different areas, moving away from "one size fits all" zoning. A report summarizing feedback from all neighbourhoods is expected by mid-2026.
St. Albert recently wrapped up engagement on changes to its land use bylaw, and Beaumont is in the early stages of its own updates. The changes in St. Albert and Leduc are linked to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation's Housing Accelerator Fund, which provides federal money for municipalities to spur construction. In return, municipalities are required to make transformational changes to permitting processes and zoning to accelerate housing construction and increase housing diversity.
The federal government ended its $12-million HAF agreement with Red Deer after its city council refused to make zoning changes to allow four units per residential lot as-of-right throughout the city. The Alberta government responded by threatening to withhold approval of further housing agreements until Red Deer's funding is reinstated. St. Albert, Leduc, Stony Plain, and Edmonton also have HAF agreements. On the CMHC's progress report, Stony Plain is marked as having made moderate progress on its agreement, and the other three municipalities are marked as having made good progress.
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Economic development
- Plantae Technologies is raising $140,000 through Goparity Canada, a crowd-lending platform to raise capital outside of traditional investment means. It's part of a $280,000 goal to scale production of its sustainable materials for industrial applications.
- Prairies Economic Development Canada has invested more than $7 million through the Regional Tariff Response Initiative to strengthen operations amid tariff pressures for Alberta businesses. Apollo Machine and Welding Ltd. received $1 million to adopt machine learning into its business, while the Alberta Chambers of Commerce received $3.5 million for trade missions and supply chain support.
- Hydrogen needs as much attention as bitumen as Alberta and Ottawa chart the course for developing energy, wrote Rebecca Goldsack of Diesel Tech Industries and Maike Althaus of the Canadian Hydrogen Association. "If Alberta limits its ambition to bitumen, it risks missing a chance to diversify exports, hedge against long-term oil demand uncertainty, and leverage its skilled energy workforce to anchor next-generation hydrogen and industrial value chains as global markets shift," they wrote in an op-ed for Postmedia.
Municipalities
- The provincial government introduced Bill 28, which would give the Minister of Municipal Affairs broad new powers over municipalities, including a universal councillor code of conduct, restrictions on development levies, and new rules for what materials children can access in public libraries. Alberta Municipalities president Dylan Bressey supported some of the changes but raised concerns about provincial directives aimed at locally elected councillors. The Coalition of Alberta Public Libraries issued a statement condemning Bill 28 as an act of censorship.
- The federal government will invest $28 million into wastewater, stormwater, and water system expansion in northeast St. Albert. "This federal funding represents a major milestone in enabling the infrastructure required to support the needs of our growing community, ensuring St. Albert remains one of the best places to live and raise a family in Canada," St. Albert Mayor Scott Olivieri said.
- Sturgeon County council approved $75 million for infrastructure improvements in the Industrial Heartland.
- Sturgeon County council approved a $25,000 investment in a new public notification system following one of 52 recommendations from the review of the 2025 Redwater Recreation Area wildfire. Residents will need to sign up to receive alerts by phone, text, or email, and the system is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026.
Headlines
- St. Albert Mayor Scott Olivieri issued a statement on community safety after three homicides in less than two months, including the deaths of Ayla Egotik-Learn and her infant daughter Braylee, and pediatric dentist Mai Diab. Olivieri described the crimes as isolated, targeted incidents and said St. Albert remains one of the safest cities in Alberta and Canada.
- St. Albert's Zander Greco won gold at the 2026 Men's Canadian Skeleton Championship in Whistler, BC, becoming a national champion after fewer than two years competing in the sport.
- Foyer Lacombe Hospice in St. Albert celebrated the addition of 11 new specialized Centrella beds, a roughly $200,000 investment funded by community donors and the Covenant Foundation. The beds are designed to help caregivers reposition residents and monitor their well-being more easily.
- Jimmy John's is holding a grand opening event at 653 Wye Road in Sherwood Park on April 9. The American sandwich chain is offering free sandwiches and drinks on its opening day, among other deals during its first week operating in the region.
- The Devon Historical Society Museum will open for its summer season on May 7. The society is marking its 10th anniversary with an open house on April 10 at the historic 1949 School Building.
- Edify paid a visit to The Coffee Shop in Devon, highlighting its freshly baked bagels and whimsical cream cheese flavours, such as rosemary honey and spicy dill pickle.
- Soul Fuel Kitchen is celebrating its grand opening in Beaumont on April 11.
Happenings
Here are some events coming up over the next seven days:
- April 9: Understanding Arthritis starting at 7pm at St. Albert Public Library (Downtown)
- April 10-12: Orchid Fair Annual Show & Sale at the Enjoy Centre
- April 10-12: Great Canadian Trade Fair at Millennium Place
- April 11: Easter Fun at the Fort Heritage Precinct starting at 1pm at Fort Heritage Precinct in Fort Saskatchewan
- April 12: High Flying Brunch: Yoga & Brunch starting at 11am at Halo Bar and Bistro at the Edmonton International Airport
- April 12: Arts Devon Market at 12pm at Devon Community Centre
- April 12: Barbra Lica at 7:30pm at Maclab Centre for the Performing Arts
- April 13: Silent Book Club starting at 7pm at St. Albert Public Library (Downtown)
- April 14: Shaun Majumder starting at 7:30pm at Dow Centennial Centre
And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:
- April 23: City of St. Albert Business Breakfast at Servus Place
- April 25: Volunteer Recognition & Retention at City of Leduc Civic Centre
- April 28: Becoming Conscious Allies: An Introduction to Sexual and Gender Diversity and Inclusion at 2pm at City of Leduc Civic Centre
Visit the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.
This roundup was sponsored by Park Power.
Park Power is your friendly, local utilities provider, offering electricity, natural gas, and internet throughout Alberta. Park Power offers low rates, awesome service, and through their Community Partners program, shares 10% of electricity profits with some awesome Alberta charities. Their Green Power program supports the production of renewable energy in Alberta and their Solar Club helps Albertans gain more value from their investment in solar power.