Regional Roundup
May 20, 2026
St. Albert voted unanimously on May 19 to maintain its integrated ambulance service, which comes with an estimated 1.2% tax increase. "The prudent approach, in my view, is to continue the integrated model while watching the experiences and outcomes in other municipalities that have transitioned away from these services over the coming years," said Coun. Sandy Clark when introducing the motion that kept the status quo. "We do not need to be first." In March, the provincial government told several municipalities — Leduc, St. Albert, Strathcona County, Spruce Grove, Wood Buffalo, Lethbridge, and Red Deer — that it would be changing the way it funds the integrated model of ambulance services, in which municipalities hire first responders to work as both firefighters and paramedics instead of using provincial ambulances. The province told these municipalities that there is a benchmark price they should be spending on ambulance services, and if the municipalities wanted to continue with the integrated model, they would have to pay the difference themselves.
Strathcona County also voted to accept that difference at an estimated 0.73% property tax increase. "Every option and its impact on residents was taken into serious consideration," said Mayor Rod Frank. "Maintaining locally delivered ambulance service through our integrated Fire-EMS model best supports the safety and well-being of our community." In a 6-3 vote, Red Deer also voted to keep the contract and absorb roughly $3 million in additional annual costs.
Meanwhile, Spruce Grove council voted against absorbing the additional costs of the contract, saying it aligns with the city's belief that healthcare is a provincial responsibility. "We are not in the business of absorbing open-ended provincial health care costs on behalf of local taxpayers, nor should we be," said Mayor Jeff Acker. "The province has committed to maintaining service levels for our residents, and we take that commitment seriously." Leduc also voted to transition out of the agreement, and said that while ambulances will provide the same level of care, firefighters will only provide immediate, life-saving care at a primary care paramedic level until an ambulance arrives. Lethbridge city council voted not to absorb the costs, but it also voted to enter negotiations with the province instead.
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Economic development
- Government officials marked the official groundbreaking for the International Cargo Hub at the Edmonton International Airport on May 13. The airport described the project as a long-term trade and logistics investment, but it may also result in more defence presence here, Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon told a Chamber of Commerce luncheon. "The Edmonton airport will, in turn, play an important role in the Canadian Armed Forces going forward," he said. "I think an entire squadron will be based there. That means maintenance, that means hangars, that means people in uniforms, that means people in logistics and other kinds of roles who will be added to the complement of what's already an important part of the Canadian Armed Forces."
- Calgary-based Keyera Corp. completed its $5.3-billion acquisition of the Canadian natural gas liquids business of Plains All American Pipeline, which would merge two of the three NGL processors in Fort Saskatchewan. The federal Competition Bureau has challenged the deal, alleging it will harm energy producers in Fort Saskatchewan, but Keyera says it disagrees and will respond through the tribunal process.
- The recent energy agreement between Premier Danielle Smith and Prime Minister Mark Carney is heading in the right direction, but policy gaps remain that are preventing investment in the kind of carbon capture projects that Varme Energy is trying to build, the company wrote in a letter to the federal government. "We must fix carbon pricing and incentives, and flow capital to build major carbon capture assets like Varme's shovel ready Heartland Waste to Energy with Carbon Capture project," the company said, urging both levels of government to meet with the bio-CCS sector to improve carbon economics.
- AIRMarket is part of an effort to build a 1,500-kilometre drone corridor across nine communities and two aerodromes in northern Alberta. The Alberta HUB Skyways project is meant to make it easier for drones to fly and potentially deliver cargo in remote areas. "We're working with (regulators) to say, 'Here's the framework that can be actually delivered and used,'" AIRMarket CEO Lindsay Mohr told Be Giant, noting that he expects to make significant progress in 2026. "We'll have multiple agencies flying."
- RUNWITHIT Synthetics is working with the University of Waterloo on a synthetics lab accessible to students, government, private sector, and community, co-founders Myrna and Dean Bittner told Taproot during a Health Cities networking event on May 13. Dean demonstrated the company's synthetic twin of the Waterloo region during an unveiling of the Health Innovation Network by Health Cities. The company has also been accepted into the inaugural MaRS Adaptech Accelerator to further its work on climate change adaptation.
- Agereh Technologies, an AI-enabled transportation and logistics company, has joined the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries after presenting at the Alberta Aviation, Aerospace and Defence's May summit.
- The Global Economic Diversification Council held a summit in Edmonton on May 14 and 15, focusing on strategies to advance inclusive growth.
Municipalities
- St. Albert council passed first reading of an $88.25-million borrowing bylaw for the Northeast Servicing Project, which would deliver water, wastewater, and storm infrastructure to open up the city's northeast for development. If approved in full, the bylaw would be the city's largest ever, though key funding depends on a $28.1-million federal grant still awaiting provincial approval.
- St. Albert council approved nearly $2 million in servicing for the new Fire Hall No. 4, which is expected to begin construction in summer 2026 at a total cost of about $26.5 million. Council is also set to consider adding $4.7 million in projects to its 10-year growth plan, including a second floor for the fire hall, an expanded parking lot at the Nakî transit hub, a server room, and a transit network improvement plan.
- Spruce Grove approved a 3.99% property tax rate increase for 2026, which is lower than originally anticipated due to strong community growth.
- Leduc Mayor Lars Hansen outlined the city's 2026 construction plans, which include a new ball diamond at Corinthia Park, a playground replacement at Caledonia Park, and a new scenic outlook at Telford Lake. Infrastructure work includes a water-main replacement in Linsford Park and stormwater upgrades on 54 Avenue.
- The Town of Devon is inviting residents to participate in a survey about community wellbeing and social services. Other calls for public engagement in the region include a rezoning in Sturgeon County and a series of "county chats" in Parkland County.
Headlines
- Ali Wahed Noor, who was allegedly assaulted in a hate crime in St. Albert, has received widespread support from communities across Canada, including a May 8 event at the Muslim Association of St. Albert attended by Mayor Scott Olivieri and MLA Marie Renaud. A GoFundMe has been set up for Noor and his family while he recovers; the accused, Ryan Richard Lacasse, is scheduled to appear in court on June 8.
- The province is delivering seven new modular classrooms to four St. Albert schools — Neil M. Ross Catholic School, Wild Rose Elementary, Joseph M. Demko School, and École Muriel Martin Elementary — as part of Alberta's $600-million modular classroom program. St. Albert Public Schools currently relies on more than 117 portables and modular classrooms to accommodate over 2,700 students, with the new units expected for the 2026-27 school year.
- A monthly group called the Men's Hub will launch in St. Albert on May 22, aiming to help men and teenage boys socialize through shared activities. The group is a partnership between Neutral Ground and the St. Albert Seniors Association, with meetings running monthly until at least August.
- The City of St. Albert has commissioned architect-artist Tiffany Shaw to create public art installations along Red Willow Park Meadowview Trail as part of a multi-year project exploring stories from the river lots along the Sturgeon River.
- Mixed-media artist Tania Kristensen spoke about her piece called Home, which is part of the annual Common Ground exhibition at Gallery@501, which continues its exploration of connection and shared experience until June 24. "I really wanted to see if I could make something soft hold its form," she told the Sherwood Park-Strathcona County News. "It started with the nest, and then it led me to think about what nests represent."
- The Leduc Black Gold Pro Rodeo returns to the Leduc Recreation Centre, running from May 28 to 31. It will be followed by the Extreme Cowboy Competition on June 7.
Happenings
Here are some events coming up over the next seven days:
- May 20: Night Market at Downtown St. Albert
- May 20: Leduc Music Festival starting at 7:30pm at Maclab Centre for the Performing Arts
- May 21: From Point A to Point Care: Creating Seamless Paths to Support for Rural Caregivers starting at 1pm online
- May 21: Brianna Lizotte starting at 7:30pm at Maclab Centre for the Performing Arts
- May 21: More! Ticket to Hollywood starting at 7:30pm at Dow Centennial Centre
- May 22: MLA Ministers Fireside Chat: Shaping Alberta's Economic Future starting at 9:30am at Dow Centennial Centre
- May 22: Witnessing the Middle Distance starting at 12pm at Art Gallery of St. Albert
- May 23: Horizons in Unison - Across Generations starting at 1pm at University of Alberta Botanic Garden
- May 24: Japanese Tea Ceremony starting at 11:15am at University of Alberta Botanic Garden
And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:
- May 27: Alberta Women Entrepreneurs Connect Event at Heavy Metal Place in Spruce Grove
- May 30: Community Garage Sale at Downtown Stony Plain
- June 10: Business@Lunch at St. Albert Curling Club
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.