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Regional Roundup
Sept. 9, 2026

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Ardrossan woos Edmonton workers with throne stunt

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Is it cringe to post throne on main? Apparently not, as Berlin Communications is planning to erect a nine-foot throne in the lobbies of several downtown Edmonton office buildings through Oct. 9, starting with Commerce Place this week. It's a continuation of the marketing firm's campaign for Strata Developments, dubbed The Kingdom of Ardossan, which aims to attract Edmontonians to "pay like a pauper to live like royalty" in the Strathcona County hamlet.

"The pop-up installation highlights that Ardrossan is only a 28-minute commute from Edmonton's downtown core, offering a convenient option for people who work downtown but want a relaxed and spacious environment to enjoy after work," an emailed release reads. To highlight the benefits of working in Edmonton while residing outside of it, the campaign includes a giveaway for a $2,414 gas gift card, which Berlin estimates is the annual cost of commuting between the hamlet and the city's core. "We embraced a playful, royalty-themed approach, emphasizing the freedom to live like royalty with more space and lower taxes," reads Berlin's case study for the campaign, which says home sales in the area have doubled since 2023.

BILD Edmonton Metro named Ardrossan the best community in the region earlier this year, rating it above three Brookfield Residential neighbourhoods in south Edmonton and Rohit Group's Cambrian in Sherwood Park. Berlin itself was recently recognized as one of Canada's top small agencies for work it has done for clients such as Sea Change Brewing Co., which operates a taproom in the similarly growing suburb of Beaumont.

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Economic development

Municipalities

  • The City of Leduc made Deer Valley Dog Park a permanent, year-round off-leash area after a two-year pilot attracted strong use and positive feedback. The west-side park has a pet drinking fountain and benches.
  • The City of St. Albert signed a 2.5-year ground ambulance contract extension with Alberta's Emergency Health Services, maintaining current funding and service through 2029. The agreement avoided a previously announced 1.2% municipal property-tax increase in 2027. The city is also participating in a third-party review of emergency medical services ahead of discussions about a contract beginning in 2029.
  • St. Albert city council approved eight advocacy priorities for 2026 to 2027, led by municipal financial sustainability, transportation and infrastructure funding, and northeast servicing to support housing growth.
  • FortisAlberta plans to replace aging poles and equipment in Devon to support a TELUS fibre-optic network upgrade. Weather-dependent work runs in six stages through Dec. 17, with brief planned outages and 48 hours' notice for affected customers.
  • Stony Plain has opened a non-denominational cemetery, featuring a work of art called Perpetual by Hooman Mehdizadehjafari. The cemetery offers traditional and cremation plots, columbarium niches, green burials, a scattering garden, and a veterans' Field of Honour.
  • St. Albert city council approved nearly $4,000 for 25 Canadian and military-themed banners along Veterans Way outside the Legion's Remembrance Day display period. The motion passed 4-3 amid concern that the additional banners could dilute the Legion program's impact.
  • After a youth was injured in an electric dirt bike collision, St. Albert city council began reviewing stricter micromobility rules and enforcement. Private e-scooters and electric or gas dirt bikes are already illegal in the city.
  • St. Albert Mayor Scott Olivieri criticized regional shelter comments from Edmonton Coun. Michael Janz as short-sighted. Janz cited a memo showing no permanent public emergency-shelter beds outside Edmonton and urged nearby municipalities to add shelter and addiction services. Olivieri said St. Albert follows provincial funding guidelines and is preparing for additional pressure on local services.
  • Alberta Municipalities joined Rural Municipalities of Alberta to host western municipal associations in Edmonton in late August. A joint news release called for federal tariff exemptions for municipalities, stronger trade-corridor investment, and predictable emergency funding. The associations also sought municipal input on federal AI guidance and early negotiations on RCMP contracts expiring in 2032.
  • Strathcona County is accepting applications until Sept. 30 for its Community Initiative Grants, which support projects addressing community needs. Residents, informal groups, and community leagues can seek up to $2,000, while non-profits and social-service groups can apply for up to $25,000.
  • Sturgeon County invited residents to apply for nine boards and committees, including a new naming task force and advisory groups on agriculture, economic development, transportation, and youth. Applications close Oct. 5.
  • Alberta Municipalities president Dylan Bressey and Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack met to discuss shared municipal priorities, including off-site levies, infrastructure funding, federal housing-infrastructure advocacy, and the next phase of the association's property-tax reform work.

Headlines

  • Beaumont RCMP responded to 361 calls for service in August, including assaults, break-ins, fraud, missing-person reports, traffic collisions, and well-being checks.
  • Elk Island Public Schools reappointed Colleen Holowaychuk as board chair and Krista Scott as vice-chair as it launched a four-year education plan. The plan focuses on student engagement, real-world learning, and career pathways, while trustees said class size and complexity remain priorities.
  • Cooking Lake Airport will mark 100 years of regional aviation history on Sept. 12 with a public festival and evening gala. Organizers describe it as Canada's oldest operating public airport. It is home to about 200 aircraft and 100 hangars, records more than 30,000 annual movements, and remains volunteer-operated.
  • RCMP data from the first months of Alberta's Highway 2 pilot raising the speed limit to 120 km/h show collisions fell from 85 to 71 compared to the same period the previous year. Tickets on the stretch of road south of Leduc fell 16%, but road-safety and industry experts said a few months of data were insufficient and urged longer comparisons and infrastructure improvements.
  • The St. Albert Community Hall closed indefinitely after tests confirmed three types of mould following a basement flood. The community league cancelled September bookings and began air-quality testing, displacing hundreds of users while it assessed repairs. No related health effects had been reported.
  • St. Albert Food Bank and Community Village said its shelves are nearly empty as it serves 600 to 700 families each month. It had spent as much by August as in all of 2025 and is seeking non-perishables, pulses, garden produce, and cash.

Happenings

Here are some events coming up soon:

And here are more to keep in mind:

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

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