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Regional Roundup
June 24, 2026

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Hope ahead as most of region ends water advisories

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Rainfall of between 50 and 100 millimetres tested the water systems in the Edmonton region over the weekend, but the proverbial dam is holding — at least for now. The City of Edmonton called off a request to limit water use for things such as laundry and dishwashing on June 22, as did St. Albert and Stony Plain.

Mayor Andrew Knack thanked citizens for their compliance in an email release: "These actions matter, and help reduce the strain on the system at a critical time," he wrote. "I would also like to thank all the crews that have worked diligently over the weekend to ensure Edmontonians' safety." But Beaumont's water-use alert remained in place as of the afternoon of June 23. "There's a lot going on underground at the moment, so we're going to need people to keep up with their efforts," Beaumont spokesperson Mike Berezowsky told CBC Edmonton's Radio Active. Stormwater and wastewater typically go in separate places, but heavy rain can overwhelm these systems and cause them to intertwine, University of Calgary professor Kerry Black told CBC's Edmonton AM. That's why limiting water use matters. "The minute you turn on the tap, everything that comes out of that tap is making its way into the wastewater system, which is already being pressured by the stormwater system that is already at capacity," Black said.

The incessant rain caused other damage, with flooded basements throughout the region. Residents of the Jubilee Landing mobile home community in Sherwood Park expressed fears about whether emergency services could access them after a storm pond overflowed. A number of roads were closed in Leduc County, and some St. Albert residents suddenly found themselves with lakefront property. Environment Canada forecasts hot, sunny days through June 25, though the rain is expected to return from June 26 to at least June 29.

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Economic development

Municipalities

  • The province has paused its procurement strategy for transitioning integrated fire and ambulance services to provincial delivery, giving affected municipalities — including Leduc, St. Albert, Strathcona County, and Spruce Grove — until 2028-29 to align their service models with provincial EHS costs. Health Services Minister Adriana LaGrange said the extension allows communities time to plan and adapt. St. Albert and Strathcona County had voted in May to maintain the integrated model and absorb extra costs, while Leduc and Spruce Grove had voted to end the integrated model.
  • Gibbons council highlighted achievements made during its viability review process — including a balanced budget, reorganized operations, and a debt reduction plan — as residents prepare to vote on the municipality's future on June 24 and 25.
  • The City of Leduc completed a growth management study confirming it will need 2,209 hectares beyond its current boundaries to support 50 years of projected growth. The findings are to inform annexation negotiations with Leduc County. A survey about the proposed annexation is open until July 15.
  • St. Albert held an open house to gather feedback on expanding housing options under the federal Housing Affordability Fund, focusing on "missing middle" housing types like duplexes, triplexes, and townhouses. A senior planner said the city is seeking a "made in St. Albert solution" rather than following Edmonton's approach of allowing buildings with up to eight units.
  • Spruce Grove city council approved its 2026-2029 strategic plan, which centres on building community, communications excellence, economic opportunity, and strategic partnerships. Priorities include a community safety strategy, a new outdoor aquatics facility, and a long-term transit strategy.
  • Beaumont released its 2025 report to the community, highlighting a reduction in the commercial vacancy rate from 14.5% to 6.5%, a Covenant Health partnership on a health facility feasibility study, and a new grant program to attract health practitioners.
  • Strathcona County released its 2025 annual report, in which it highlighted progress on supporting the local economy, building a healthy and safe community, planning for growth, and delivering high-quality services.
  • Parkland County highlighted the Cleanfarms program, a national non-profit offering free pickup and drop-off sites for recyclable agricultural plastics and hazardous chemicals, as part of efforts to reduce farm waste and divert materials from landfills.
  • The City of Leduc's communications team received a silver and a bronze award at the Canadian Public Relations Society Awards of Excellence. This is the second consecutive year that the team has earned national recognition.

Headlines

  • The Western Canadian Baseball League voted unanimously to allow the Energy City Cactus Rats to play home games at the partially finished Energy City Metro Ballpark in Spruce Grove, but no fans will be permitted until safety measures are in place. The $50-million ballpark has been under construction since 2022.
  • St. Albert RCMP has rolled out body-worn cameras to about 40 officers. It is one of the last detachments in the province to do so, having been delayed by construction at the main detachment building. Cameras must be activated before arriving at calls for service and include a 30-second buffer that records automatically.
  • The St. Albert Gazette is celebrating its 65th anniversary, having grown from a black-and-white community newsletter founded in 1961 into a digital-first news platform.
  • Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools is honouring First Nations and Métis high school graduates with beadwork medallions made by an Alexander First Nation artist and Métis sashes from the Otipemisiwak Métis government.
  • Applications are open for Mashup Lab's free Dream Business entrepreneurship program in Sturgeon County. The online, six-week program offers support to entrepreneurs at all stages of their journey.

Happenings

Here are some events coming up over the next seven days:

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

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

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