Добавил публикация
- The Government of Alberta has announced a $30-million expansion of addiction services in the Edmonton area, the centrepiece of which is a new secure facility inside Edmonton police headquarters where officers will be able to detain intoxicated people for up to 24 hours. Under the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act, police will be able to hold people they believe are high on drugs or alcohol and pose a risk to themselves or the public, in an 18-bed Integrated Stabilization Centre scheduled to open later this summer. The province describes the centre as a secure but non-criminal space, and Edmonton Police Deputy Chief Derek McIntyre says the aim is to divert people away from the justice system and connect them to voluntary treatment once they have been stabilized. The funding also adds more than 400 treatment, housing and stabilization beds across the region, including 25 new beds at the Lakeview Recovery Community in Gunn and new recovery communities at Enoch Cree Nation and the Métis Nation. The province is separately building compassionate intervention facilities in Edmonton and Calgary for involuntary addiction treatment, which are expected to open in about 18 months. Mayor Andrew Knack said he might not have supported the stabilization centre on its own, describing it as one of a host of tools in the announcement.
- A coalition of downtown business advocates is calling on Edmonton City Council to treat downtown economic stabilization as an immediate priority after more than half a dozen restaurants announced permanent closures this summer. The Downtown Revitalization Coalition, chaired by Cheryll Watson, has put forward a Downtown Economic Stabilization Plan and wants Council to direct the City Manager to act rather than let the issue wait until the fall. Watson argues that construction is necessary but that the way it is being managed is placing an unsustainable burden on businesses already dealing with public safety concerns, reduced foot traffic and rising costs. Heather Thomson, vice-president of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, says the downtown is currently seeing two businesses close for every one that opens, and that many of the closures have been close to the large LRT construction sites. Mayor Andrew Knack acknowledged that more construction is under way this year but pointed to a motion he brought forward last year that he claims sped up some intersection work, and he said he expects further discussion of downtown funding when the next four-year budget is debated in December.
- Meanwhile, Edmonton City Council has approved changes to the way it regulates lodging houses, tightening rules meant to stop them from being run as short-term rentals like Airbnbs and adjusting the zoning bylaw to limit them in most residential areas. Under the change, approved at Council's July 7th meeting, lodging houses would generally be restricted to row housing, multi-plexes and garage or basement suites. Ward 5 (O-day'min) Councillor Anne Stevenson has questioned the approach, warning that it would remove the option of student and lodging housing in many newly built row houses and cut off important lower-cost options where they are most needed. The University of Alberta Students' Union says affordability is its members' central concern, pointing to students taking on part-time work and graduating with more debt alongside the need to keep housing safe from exploitative rent schemes. A public hearing will be scheduled before the changes take effect.
- Alberta's municipalities have been told they cannot campaign for or against separation in the province's October referendum, even as individual Mayors and Councillors continue to take sides. Elections Alberta has issued a bulletin clarifying that under the Elections Finances and Contributions Act, municipalities are treated as prohibited corporations and cannot register as third-party advertisers or spend to support either outcome. The restriction follows a motion Edmonton City Council passed earlier this month, backed by Mayor Andrew Knack, declaring that Alberta should remain part of a united Canada. Knack argues the referendum question is a distraction and says he has had to reassure investors and employers worried about the uncertainty. Political scientist Brendan Boyd notes that elected officials can still voice opinions and pass motions, but that municipalities themselves have to be careful about how far they go.
- Finally, the Telus World of Science Edmonton will remain closed until at least November after severe flooding during a recent storm forced it to evacuate and shut its doors. Chief Executive Constance Scarlett said the science centre has temporarily laid off 147 employees, about 68% of its staff, because it relies on admissions for roughly 80% of its budget and cannot sustain its usual staffing without visitors. Current assessments suggest restoration could take months, with flooring, cabinets and drywall needing replacement in many areas, though the centre says it is exploring a partial reopening earlier in the fall. Refunds for camps, tickets and events scheduled up to the end of September are being processed automatically. The nearby Peter Hemingway Aquatic Centre was also closed by flooding and a power outage, but the neighbouring Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre remains open apart from its running track.