Reg Rygus

Yesterday, Edmonton Publics School Board of Trustees chairwoman, Julie Kusiek, announced the appointment of Ron Thompson as Superintendent of Schools. Thompson has served in the Division for 25 years as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and, most recently, assistant superintendent of schools.

As Superintendent, Thompson's experience will be tried and tested as there is a growing list of issues that must be considered and dealt with, not the least being the impending province wide teachers strike.

Children/students are the future and with the student base growing at an unprecedented rate, Thompson will all the support he can get.

What's on in Edmonton this weekend? Enjoy an afternoon on 124 Street & Area filled with live music featuring the Jenesia Band and Don Berner Big Band, explore the cuisines and cultures of the world at the Edmonton Heritage Festival, get a sneak peek of upcoming Fringe productions at Script Salon Fringe Script Tease 2025, and so much more!

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• Former Edmonton City Councillor Michael Walters has announced his candidacy for Mayor in the upcoming October 20th municipal election. Walters, who served on Council from 2013 to 2021, says he’s returning to politics to help unify the city and tackle key issues like housing, affordability, safety, and partnerships with other levels of government. A strong advocate for urban density, Walters believes increased infill is essential but must be implemented with community input. He criticized Council's recent decision to maintain an eight-unit cap on mid-block infill, calling it a missed opportunity. Walters previously worked as a community organizer and was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee medal for his service. He joins a growing field of Mayoral candidates, including current Councillor Andrew Knack, former Councillor Tony Caterina, ex-MP Rahim Jaffer, and others. Walters says he wants to move beyond past divisions and take a collaborative approach to solving the city’s problems.
• Residents of Edmonton’s Parkdale neighbourhood are frustrated after concertgoers for The Weeknd’s sold-out show at Commonwealth Stadium overwhelmed their streets with illegal parking. Despite no-parking signs and a residential permit system, many drivers parked in restricted zones, assuming they wouldn’t be ticketed or towed. A longtime resident filed multiple parking complaints, all of which were dismissed as duplicates, while other locals say they rarely see enforcement vehicles in action. The City issued 167 tickets and towed 30 vehicles during the event, but residents say it's not enough and want designated event parking zones. Many believe the City should better prepare for large events by expanding parking options or improving enforcement. Though public transit was used by about 15,000 attendees, others still opted to drive. Locals are now bracing for more disruption when Morgan Wallen plays two shows in September. Some residents say they are tired of feeling ignored and want more respect for the neighbourhood.
• The Beverly Business Association is appealing Council’s decision to convert the Beverly Motel on 118th Avenue into supportive housing. The Association expressed concern that rezoning a commercial property in the heart of a business district could undermine the area's economic vitality. The project is being led by Native Counselling Services of Alberta, which emphasized that the facility will not be a drop-in centre but rather a supportive, healing environment. Supporters argue the housing will contribute to revitalizing the neighbourhood. The appeal was presented to Edmonton’s Subdivision and Development Appeal Board, which now has 15 days to issue a decision. Before renovations began in December 2023, the motel had housed several long-term residents. 
• Starting today, rehabilitation work will begin on the southbound Low Level Bridge, prompting significant traffic disruptions. The repairs aim to extend the life of the 1949 structure, which last underwent major upgrades in 1994. During construction, all northbound traffic will be detoured to the James MacDonald Bridge, while southbound lanes will occasionally close during off-peak hours, eventually shifting entirely to the northbound span. Two ETS bus stops will be temporarily closed, and several bus routes will be detoured. Pedestrian, cycling, and scooter access will be maintained via the northbound sidewalk. The rehabilitation is expected to continue until the end of 2025. The work is part of a broader plan that includes repairs to the Dawson Bridge and the replacement of the Wellington Bridge, which will also affect downtown traffic over the next two years.
• Construction has begun on Edmonton’s first standalone Islamic school in the city’s south side. The Omar Ibn Al-Khattab Academy will be built on nearly 40 acres of land and is scheduled to open in September 2026. Currently operating out of a smaller facility with 120 students, the new $30-million project will include 22 classrooms, sports fields, a 300-person prayer hall, a community centre, and more. Community leaders say demand for Islamic education is high, with thousands of students on waiting lists and most existing schools located in the city’s north. The new facility aims to provide a welcoming environment for both Muslim and non-Muslim community members, fostering interfaith dialogue and community connection. The project is being funded through private donations and a fundraising campaign. Councillor Keren Tang noted that the school will help ease pressure from population growth in the area.

• Two former UCP MLAs, Peter Guthrie and Scott Sinclair, will join the Alberta Party and attempt to rebrand it as the Progressive Conservative Party, abandoning earlier plans to launch a new PC party from scratch. The shift comes after the UCP sent a legal threat over the use of the old PC name, claiming it violated their intellectual property. But, the Alberta Party offered a partnership, allowing the existing party to apply for a name change - an approach that sidesteps legal issues and accelerates party registration. Guthrie and Sinclair aim to create what they claim is a centrist, moderate alternative to Premier Danielle Smith's UCP, to try and appeal to disillusioned conservatives and former PC voters. UCP officials have criticized the effort, accusing the former MLAs of exploiting the party’s legacy without doing the groundwork.
• Alberta’s Immigration Minister Joseph Schow has raised concerns about the federal government's plan to accept 10,000 applications from immigrants seeking to sponsor their parents and grandparents. He warned that the move could strain Alberta’s health care, housing, and social services, particularly due to the increased needs of seniors. The federal government clarified that this intake is part of a previously announced plan and does not increase overall immigration targets. Ottawa says that there are social and economic benefits of family reunification, noting that sponsored parents and grandparents often provide childcare support. Schow argued that provinces deserve more input in immigration decisions, especially when it comes to local capacity. He also called for reducing national immigration levels to below 500,000 per year. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith echoed concerns about the strain on public services and suggested Alberta should explore creating its own immigration system. The issue was also raised by Premiers nationwide, who urged the federal government to increase provincial input on immigration planning.
• Albertans are drinking significantly less alcohol than they did in the past, with consumption dropping by nearly 2 litres of pure alcohol per person since 2008 - the largest decline of any province. Though Alberta does lead the country in legal cannabis sales, averaging $248 per adult annually, the reduction in alcohol use doesn't appear to be directly caused by rising cannabis consumption. Experts suggest Alberta’s high cannabis numbers are more related to the province’s dense retail network rather than a widespread substitution effect. The decline in alcohol use is likely driven by multiple factors, including changing cultural attitudes, health consciousness, rising prices, and the increasing popularity of non-alcoholic beverages. New guidelines on low-risk drinking and shifting habits among young adults have also contributed to the trend. Alcohol consumption spiked briefly during the pandemic but has otherwise trended downward for over a decade. Cannabis has also become more affordable since legalization, unlike alcohol, which continues to rise in price. 
• Alberta and Yukon have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding to boost economic cooperation by removing barriers to trade, labour mobility, and investment between the two jurisdictions. The agreement, signed during the Council of the Federation meeting, aims to align certification and licensing for regulated occupations and expand opportunities for apprentices and skilled workers. Premier Danielle Smith emphasized the importance of interprovincial collaboration to build a more competitive economy, while Yukon Premier Mike Pemberton highlighted the move as part of broader efforts to reduce red tape. The partnership is expected to benefit businesses in both regions by improving access to markets and simplifying regulatory processes.
• The Alberta government has reinstated presumptive Workers' Compensation Board coverage for registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This means that when these nurses apply for benefits, it will be automatically assumed their PTSD is work-related unless proven otherwise. The change fulfills a promise made during recent contract negotiations with the United Nurses of Alberta. Union officials say this is an important step, as nurses frequently experience trauma, abuse, and moral distress in the workplace. The update reverses a 2021 decision that had restricted presumptive coverage to only first responders. However, the change does not apply to licensed practical nurses (LPNs). The move aims to reduce delays and denials in accessing support for those working in increasingly stressful health-care environments.
• The Province has announced a record high in arts funding, with Budget 2025 allocating $36.1 million to the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA), rising to $43 million annually by 2027. Arts Minister Tanya Fir emphasized the economic and cultural value of the arts sector, which she says contributes over $1.3 billion to Alberta’s GDP and supports more than 18,000 jobs annually. The AFA provides operational, project, and individual grants to support arts organizations and artists across the province. Leaders from groups like Alberta Ballet and the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers praised the funding for supporting both professional and community-based arts and for helping preserve cultural heritage. The government says the goal is to retain local talent and foster a thriving arts ecosystem in Alberta.
• Alberta has appointed Michael Ewenson, the current executive director of ASIRT, as the interim CEO of the new Police Review Commission (PRC). This independent agency will take over police misconduct complaints from municipal departments like the Edmonton Police Service, aiming to reduce the influence of Police Chiefs over disciplinary decisions. The PRC is set to launch in December with around 150 staff and will absorb ASIRT, which Ewenson helped reform by cutting down its case backlog. Ewenson, a career prosecutor, will lead the transition and planning process until a permanent CEO is hired. The move has received support from police unions who say it will improve accountability and reduce conflicts of interest. Critics of the current system have long called for more independence in police oversight. The Commission is expected to play a major role in reshaping how police discipline is handled in Alberta.

ANALYSIS: WHY THOSE ORGANIZING TO CURB INFILL SAY SIZE, PACE, AND ENGAGEMENT ARE TOP CONCERNS

 Stephanie Swensrude

Those organizing to stop, slow, or change infill told Taproot they want new housing in mature neighbourhoods to be smaller, the pace of developments to calm, and for neighbours to have more say in what gets built in their communities.

As part of our ongoing coverage of this year’s municipal election, Taproot is working to explain issues that are dominating election discussions. Infill has taken up a lot of airtime in recent months. Some have said they are angry or sad to see infill housing change their neighbourhoods, while others have urged city council to continue to allow more homes to be built in the city’s core to address climate change and a shortage of housing. Others land somewhere between these positions, supporting infill but being frustrated with how it is being built.

The new zoning bylaw, which made it easier to build infill, went into effect on Jan. 1, 2024. In the bylaw’s first year, the city approved more than 16,500 new dwelling units, a 30% increase compared to 2023. The proportion of housing units approved in the redeveloping area, the part of the city generally within the boundaries of Anthony Henday Drive, increased. In 2024, 40% of approved housing units were located in the redeveloping area. The city’s goal is to add 50% of new housing units through infill in developing areas.

In June, after about 18 months of tracking how the bylaw has changed development in Edmonton, council debated several amendments to it that councillors proposed. The proposed amendments included decreasing the maximum number of units allowed on mid-block lots in the small-scale residential (RS) zone from eight to six and altering the design requirements for rowhouses to make them smaller and have fewer entrances facing neighbouring homes. Council voted to keep the unit maximum the same, but approved the design changes. Coun. Tim Cartmell, who is also running for mayor, introduced a motion calling for a moratorium on development approvals for mid-block properties in the RS zone, which would have been illegal. The motion was ruled out of order.

Taproot spoke with representatives from two groups that voice concerns with infill — Edmonton Neighbourhoods United and the Residential Infill Working Group — to ask what they believe is wrong with Edmonton’s approach and what should be done to fix it.

Public engagement

Both groups said residents were not properly engaged or notified of changes coming to their neighbourhoods.

“With something as big as this new zoning bylaw, there should have been a referendum to engage more people before they just rolled this out,” Dallas Moravec, the treasurer for Edmonton Neighbourhoods United and a resident of Mill Woods, said. “Now they’re trying to do the public engagement piece that they should have done prior to bringing this new zoning bylaw.”

The city engaged residents on the new zoning bylaw starting in 2018. It also engaged residents on the City Plan, which helped shape the zoning bylaw. Council approved the City Plan in 2020.

Jan Hardstaff, a Parkallen resident who spoke on behalf of the Residential Infill Working Group, said that because some of the public engagement for the zoning bylaw took place during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, it was not as effective as the workshops and other engagement opportunities the city held in the past. “You’d come together, there’d be industry people there, there’d be community people there, and residents and councillors would come, and we’d all sit in a big room, and we’d go from table to table and talk about different things,” Hardstaff said. “It was interactive and it was collaborative, but this wasn’t like that.”

Moravec said Edmonton Neighbourhoods United is calling for the former version of the zoning bylaw to be reinstated, as that bylaw wasn’t “broken” and made it easier for neighbours to make appeals against new builds. Moravec also suggested that wards should be divided into quadrants, and those communities should meet to discuss where infill would be best suited. The city did something similar in 2024 with the priority growth area rezoning project, when residents were able to point to specific lots on a map that they thought would be ideal for increased density. The city collected that input, and after Garneau residents asked for some properties to be removed from the project, the city obliged. Moravec said this was a good example of administration listening to residents.

A single-detached infill house in the Strathcona neighbourhood. (Stephanie Swensrude)

At June’s public hearing, some residents aired concerns about the zoning bylaw, and the city later made further changes that aligned with some of the feedback. Administration said in its original one-year review of the zoning bylaw that it did not recommend changing the unit maximum in the RS zone. When that report was presented at a council committee meeting on June 3, residents attended to advocate for the maximum to be lowered. At the June 30 public hearing, administration had changed its position and endorsed lowering the unit maximum. The city also considered design recommendations from the Residential Infill Working Group when creating amendments to the bylaw.

But there are limits to how much the city can scribble around the edges to balance the rights of property owners to build on their lots with the concerns of their neighbours. Under the Municipal Government Act, the provincial legislation that governs municipalities, cities are legally required to approve a rezoning application or issue a development permit if the application complies with the land use bylaw. In other words, even if council agreed that it would be unfortunate for the property’s neighbour to lose sunlight access, without a legal reason to deny the application council must approve it (there is no legal right to sunlight access in Alberta).

‘Monolithic’ infill is too big

Hardstaff said she is not against infill. Instead, she said she wants neighbours to be more accepting of infill in their communities, but that such acceptance won’t happen if the developments are “monolithic” buildings that don’t fit into the neighbourhood and lead to trees being cut down.

She said a fellow advocate purchased a home in a mature neighbourhood and now has an eight-plex on either side of his property. “That’s devastating, and it shouldn’t happen,” Hardstaff said. “They put effort and blood, sweat, and tears into doing the renovation and hoping that this would be a place that they would raise their kids and welcome new infill and people who wanted to move into the neighborhood in, say, a semi-detached (house) or secondary suites and backyard suites. Who would have thought that you would get eight-plexes built on either side?”

Hardstaff also cited a University of Alberta study, which found that lots in McKernan and Westmount typically lost about 50% of their tree canopy coverage if an infill development was built on them. Hardstaff said this not only impacts neighbours but the people who live in the infill development, as they don’t have trees to enjoy in their yard.

Development intensity has ‘backs against the wall’

Moravec said the pace of infill development has moved faster than anyone expected. The city needs to issue about 7,500 building permits for missing middle housing units between 2023 and 2026 to be eligible for the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund. At the end of 2024, the city had already reached 97% of that goal. ”(The city is) moving really, really quickly and, and that’s what’s got everybody with their backs up against the wall and saying, ’Hey, what’s going on here?”

Hardstaff agrees. She thinks that the people living in the new developments will suffer, too. ”(The city was) so focused on building infill to increase density that they’ve kind of forgotten everyone else, not just the neighbours, but who they’re building that density for,” she said. “I want the people who live in these homes to have quality of life, have affordable housing, and be able to adjust and find new housing as they move through their lives and their circumstances change.”

Both Hardstaff and Moravec said that as infill development gets more attention, more people will be empowered to voice their concerns. “This shows that people, now that they’ve been awakened, they’re quite interested — they’re reading, wanting to be engaged, and unfortunately, though, there’s been a huge impact to public trust,” Hardstaff said. “They’re not going to be so easily dismissed.”

As for the criticism that people speaking out about infill are NIMBYs, some said they don’t mind that characterization.

“A NIMBY is really someone who’s just passionate about where they live, and so I don’t think it’s actually a bad thing,” Moravec said. “Sure, call me a NIMBY because I do care about what happens in my community, and if that’s how you want to just label me, by all means.”

Broader infill opposition

As the municipal election on Oct. 20 approaches, Edmonton Neighbourhoods United and the Residential Infill Working Group are just two of the groups organizing to oppose infill, or how it is being built, in Edmonton. There’s also SaveYEG and the Coalition for Better Infill, and dozens of people who regularly attend meetings where council discusses infill development.

Many Edmonton residents have asked who funds these groups.

Hardstaff said the Residential Infill Working Group receives no funding and is run by volunteers. Moravec, meanwhile, first said he preferred not to answer, but then added: “I guess the best way to answer that without revealing too much of our hand, because we’re just getting going and we’re grassroots, but it’s been all donations.”

Correction: This story has been updated to correct Jan Hardstaff’s neighbourhood.

Low key, low energy mayoral race starts to take shape in Edmonton

Dave Cournoyer

There are 87 days until municipal election day in Alberta and Edmonton's sleepy mayoral race is beginning to take shape.

With Mayor Amarjeet Sohi not running for re-election after serving one term in the office, what looks like a fairly open field of current and former city councillors has emerged in the race to replace him.

With the city facing an addictions and mental health crisis, a pitch battle over zoning and infill in mature neighbourhoods, huge population growth that is putting immense pressure on the city’s public services, infrastructure, schools and hospitals, and a provincial government is openly hostile to the current city council, whoever is in the mayor’s chair for the next four years will face a rough and challenging time.

Look who’s running

• Former city councillor Michael Walters is the most recent candidate to enter the race after launching his campaign earlier this week. Walters served two terms on council from 2013 to 2021 and returns to politics after three and half years as a Senior Director of Strategy for Berlin Communications.
• Walters’ political experience predates his time on city council, having worked as an organizer for the Community Action Project and the Greater Edmonton Alliance, and running for the NDP nomination in Edmonton-Norwood in 2001 and carrying the Alberta Party banner in Edmonton-Rutherford in the 2012 provincial election. He backed candidate Michael Oshry in the 2021 mayoral election.
• Two-term south Edmonton city councillor Tim Cartmell is the only mayoral candidate to embrace the financial and organizational advantages of the new municipal political party system. Cartmell has been positioning himself for a mayoral run for most of the past four years.
• Cartmell had a head start in this race but his decision to go on vacation instead of showing up to vote to change the city’s divisive zoning bylaw has some political watchers questioning whether he is mayor material.
• Cartmell’s Better Edmonton Party has appointed candidates in all 12 city council wards. North Edmonton councillor Karen Principe, who recently ran for the federal Conservative nomination in Edmonton Griesbach, is the only incumbent councillor to join Cartmell’s slate.
• Three-term west Edmonton councillor Andrew Knack was the second major candidate in this race. Knack is well-known in political circles for his extensive community outreach work in his ward.
• “So far progressives and centrists seem to have coalesced around Mr. Knack,” wrote AlbertaPolitics.ca columnist David Climenhaga in his description of the race. Before Knack joined the mayoral race he was rumoured to be hoping to win an NDP nomination for the next provincial election.
• Former federal politician Rahim Jaffer was a surprise entry into the race. Jaffer was the MP for Edmonton Strathcona and a rising star in the Reform, Canadian Alliance and Conservative parties from 1997 until 2008 when he lost re-election and saw his political career take an unceremonious nosedive. Sixteen years later, he now runs a restaurant on Whyte Avenue and is running on a platform of reconnecting with Edmontonians and “reviving” the city.
• Jaffer is hosting a series of virtual and in-person town hall meetings to connect with voters.
• Former councillor Tony Caterina is also in the race. Caterina served four terms on city council representing northeast Edmonton before boundary redistribution in 2021 squeezed him out of his former ward and he was defeated in a downtown Edmonton ward.
• Caterina appears to be stepping into the shoes of former councillor Mike Nickel, who was the curmudgeonly right-winger in the last mayoral election.
• Paediatric dental surgeon Omar Mohammad is running a thoughtful and unconventional campaign by delivering his message to Edmontonians through music videos and podcast interviews.
• Abdul Malik Chukwudi is running in his second mayoral race. He earned 0.58 percent of the vote in the 2021 election.

Thanks for reading Daveberta. If you find today’s newsletter interesting, feel free to share it with a friend or colleague.

Who’s on first?

With no public polling released and most Edmontonians likely not paying much attention to the election right now, it’s hard to say who is actually leading the pack. At this point we’ve entered the invisible primary phase of the campaign, with donors, organizers and opinion-makers probably being the groups most interested in the race.

With the exception of Caterina, who has staked out a position as the most right-wing candidate of the race, it’s hard to point out many big policy differences between the pack of moderate centrist (and middle-aged male) candidates running on platforms that mostly focus on affordability, public safety and better city management. At this point the big differences appear to be mostly about style and vibes.

Political parties at city hall

This will be the first municipal election in decades with official political parties on the municipal ballot. Unlike provincial or federal political parties, which are organized around party members and local organizations, the municipal political parties introduced by the UCP government exist mostly as fundraising and organizing entities that allow slates of candidates to pool money and resources.

With no real demand from voters for political parties at the city level, the UCP government was forced to create a structure that gave financial incentive for candidates to form these slates.

The response to the new political party rules can be described as lukewarm at best. Cartmell is the only mayoral candidate to embrace the financial advantages of a slate. Cartmell’s Better Edmonton Party has appointed candidates in all 12 city council wards, including north Edmonton councillor Karen Principe. How united the slate is and whether Cartmell as party leader can actually enforce discipline in its ranks is questionable.

The only other municipal political party, the right-wing Principled Accountable Coalition for Edmonton (PACE), has named a slate of council candidates but has not named a mayoral candidate. The PACE Party is spearheaded by Doug Main, a retired television news anchor who served as the Progressive Conservative MLA for Edmonton-Parkallen from 1989 to 1993. Main’s PACE Party merged with the TapYeg Party created by gondola enthusiast and past federal NDP candidate Jeffrey Hansen-Carlson.

The two slates are running candidates in the election but there appears to be some serious questions if the Municipal Government Act prohibits city councillors from forming formal caucuses like the ones that exist in the provincial legislature and federal parliament.

With Principe running under Cartmell’s party banner, all other incumbent councillors who are running for re-election — Michael Janz, Ashley Salvador, Anne Stevenson, Erin Rutherford, Aaron Paquette, Keren Tang, Jo-Anne Wright, and Jennifer Rice — will be listed as Independent candidates on the ballot.

Read the latest issue of BOYLE MCCAULEY NEWS to be informed of the happenings in that part of our city.

What's on in Edmonton this weekend? Check out Latitude 53’s first-ever summer market, attend Heart Stories at Ociciwan’s New Media gallery for an afternoon of digital and animated storytelling by Indigenous filmmakers from across Turtle Island, attend the opening reception for Woodland Gestures by Lara Felsing and David McGregor at Alberta Craft, enjoy a night of music with Aske Skat and his Psychedelic Country Band, Bobby Tenderloin Universe and Connor Connors at the Lowlands Project Space, take a walk back in time to learn more about the watering holes and gathering spaces that made Edmonton’s history proud and loud at the Wihkwentowin Queer Nightlife Walking History Tour, and so much more!

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Now would be a great time for Naheed Nenshi, the Leader of Alberta's NDP, to come clean on choice in education.

Thanks to everyone who signed our petition calling on NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi to come clean on school choice.

We launched it after he headlined a conference hosted by Public Interest Alberta at the Alberta Teachers’ Association - two groups that want charter schools abolished and independent schools defunded.

But, now that he has won a by-election and is a sitting MLA, it is the perfect time to step up the pressure on Naheed Nenshi to come clean.

We certainly didn’t see him address his views on school choice when facing voters in his by-election in Edmonton-Strathcona, nor did we see anyone in media ask him about it!

Nor was any light shed on the question when the aspiring premier's former campaign manager - Stephen Carter (a vicious opponent of school choice in his own right) - compared him admiringly to Zohran Mamdani - an avowed socialist mayoral candidate in New York City.

We thought it might have come up, as Mamdani has promised to use his powers as mayor to end the tiny amount of school choice offered in America's largest city, while Nenshi has not been clear either way.

Both Carter and Nenshi's ex-chief-of-staff said Nenshi's politics were different, but didn't elaborate on whether that extended to choice in education.

As party leader, he is also responsible for his party's fortunes more generally.

The NDP has a spotty record on education freedom.

They know it's popular, and they want to win elections, so they have been careful not to be too strongly opposed.

But they have shut down a home schooling society (reversed in court), threatened certain independent schools with defunding, and have denied new charter school applications.

And recent polling shows the NDP at risk of losing many seats they currently hold, already a minority.

Clarifying his party's full-throated support for a popular policy, like school choice, might be attractive to Nenshi just about now.

And showing that his New Democrats are more sensitive to actual democracy than labour-union-led special interest campaigns might be a good move with a teacher strike looming.

If Nenshi still refuses to come clean, the government or a back-bench MLA could always force him to take a position by tabling a bill advancing more choice in education.

That's an opportunity any MLA who is a true supporter of school choice will have - now that Nenshi actually has a seat in the Alberta Legislature - an opportunity no one had before to get him on the record.

But we're not here to offer any politician or political party our political advice.

We're here to advocate for families to get more of what they want and less of what they don't want from Alberta's education system.

That's the real reason why a bill advancing more educational freedom would be valuable!

If both parties who currently hold seats could credibly commit not to roll back choice in education, we could focus our efforts on convincing them to expand it!

And if Nenshi won't come clean and tell us where he stands on school choice, that tells us quite a lot too.

If you agree, sign our petition.

After you've signed our petition, please share it.

Let's make the most of this opportunity to say Nenshi must come clean.

SIGN THE PETITION

The more awareness we raise by each of you signing this petition, calling on your friends to do the same, sharing the petition on social media, and so on, the more likely it is that more Albertans will ask him the question directly.

Michael Walters served as a city councillor from 2013 to 2021and has now entered his name to run for mayor. Walters believer division has been an issue with city council and that he can be a unifier that that gets the basics right and restores confidence in bold decisions.

Michael Walters joins Tim Cartmell, Andrew Knack, Rahim Jaffer, Malik Chukwudi, Vanessa Denman, Omar Mohammad, Olney Tugwell and Tony Caterina in the race for mayor.

• A recent Edmonton Police Service (EPS) survey shows that 36% of Edmontonians feel unsafe walking alone after dark, and 72% feel unsafe using transit alone at night. Residents believe crime and social disorder are on the rise, with top concerns including homelessness, drug use, and repeat offenders. While many support police involvement in addressing these issues, there's recognition that broader, coordinated solutions are needed. Public demand for more police visibility is high, especially on transit and in high-crime areas. Despite some resident concerns, most respondents see police as approachable and supportive.
• Edmonton has seen 20 traffic fatalities so far in 2025, prompting concerns from City officials, especially in light of the Province’s decision to limit photo radar enforcement. Councillor Ashley Salvador is urging Alberta’s Transportation Minister to reverse the cuts, arguing that photo radar is an effective, data-backed safety tool. The Province restricted its use to only school, playground, and construction zones, calling it a “cash cow,” while offering funding for alternative safety measures like speed signs and better lighting. Edmonton has since stopped photo radar enforcement in school zones, citing lost revenue from broader restrictions. Interim Police Chief Devin Laforce stressed the human toll of the fatalities and emphasized that speeding plays a role in many of the crashes. While police haven’t taken a position on photo radar, they continue traffic enforcement through traditional methods and public education. Salvador warned that without strong enforcement, the City’s broader traffic safety efforts could fall short.
• Councillor Tim Cartmell apologized for missing a critical City Council vote on infill housing that could have reduced mid-block units from eight to six. His absence - caused by a pre-planned vacation in a remote area with no internet - drew criticism, as his vote might have tipped the balance in favour of the motion, which was narrowly defeated 6-5. Cartmell acknowledged the frustration from constituents and colleagues, including fellow Councillor Michael Janz, who said residents were disappointed. The missed vote follows Cartmell’s failed attempt to introduce a moratorium on infill permits just a week earlier. He said the vacation had been long-planned and emphasized that he hadn’t intended to miss the meeting.
• As debate over infill intensifies in Edmonton, developers with BILD Edmonton Metro are renewing calls for urban expansion to the south, releasing a report that argues sprawl offers long-term financial benefits. They’re urging the next City Council to lift the pause on planning new suburbs beyond 41 Avenue, particularly in annexed lands that have sat undeveloped since 2019. The group claims developers have already invested about $3.2 billion in infrastructure like roads and sewers in areas such as Windermere and Heritage Valley, and that this kind of growth pays for itself over time. They argue that sprawl is not a burden on taxpayers and that Edmonton can grow both outward and through infill. However, the report does not account for major City costs like policing and public transit. As the fall election nears, developers hope to bring the issue of suburban growth back onto the municipal agenda.
• Premier Danielle Smith kicked off KDays 2025 by flipping pancakes at the annual Premier’s Pancake Breakfast at Klondike Park, which drew thousands of attendees. The first 5,000 guests received free admission to the fair. Smith, alongside Explore Edmonton staff and volunteers, greeted families and officially opened the 10-day event, celebrating its role in showcasing Edmonton’s culture and heritage. KDays, which began in 1879, is one of Alberta’s largest annual festivals, attracting nearly 750,000 visitors last year. This year’s event includes new features like a second music stage, international competitions, expanded youth programming, and a showcase for local innovators and artists.
• The Alberta government has paused its plan to demolish the former Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton following public opposition, particularly from an online survey that showed 57% of respondents preferred preserving and repurposing the historic site. Originally, the government cited high maintenance and renovation costs as reasons for converting the site into green space. However, Infrastructure Minister Martin Long announced a final call for development proposals, acknowledging the community’s feedback and the building’s heritage value. Premier Danielle Smith noted that redevelopment interest exists, but financial feasibility will be key. Proposals can be submitted until September 26th. The museum building, opened in 1967, has been vacant since RAM moved to a new downtown location in 2018.

• The first two Alberta Next panels, held in Red Deer and Sherwood Park, drew strong crowds eager to push back against Ottawa’s overreach and assert greater provincial autonomy. Premier Danielle Smith was met with enthusiastic support as she floated the idea of Alberta exiting Canada’s supply management system for dairy and poultry - potentially establishing a provincial alternative. She framed the move as both a sovereignty initiative and a way to challenge federal and Quebec dominance in the system. Smith highlighted Alberta’s inequitable share of national quotas, receiving less than 9% despite making up over 11% of the population. Her remarks come amid growing public frustration, including the recent jailing of an Alberta egg farmer over quota violations. While supply management wasn’t an official agenda item at the panels, it’s quickly becoming a key flashpoint in Alberta’s fight for fairness.
• Also at the Red Deer town hall, Premier Danielle Smith proposed reopening Canada’s Constitution to address long-standing concerns about federal overreach and fiscal fairness, urging other Premiers to consider launching formal constitutional talks. It’s the first serious call for such negotiations since the failed Charlottetown Accord in 1992. Smith acknowledged the risks - warning that constitutional talks could invite unwanted changes from other provinces - but said there’s growing interest in tackling issues like equalization payments and provincial autonomy.
• Alberta is injecting $2.8 billion into its Heritage Savings Trust Fund, bringing the fund's total to a record $30 billion as part of a long-term strategy to reduce reliance on volatile oil revenues. Premier Danielle Smith says the aim is to grow the fund to at least $250 billion by 2050, at which point the Province could use up to $10 billion annually in interest without depleting the principal. The government has also mandated that all fund returns be reinvested, rather than used for immediate spending. A new corporation, chaired by Joe Lougheed, will oversee the fund and pursue strategic global investments. Finance Minister Nate Horner says the plan is the most effective path yet to stabilize Alberta's finances and reduce tax pressure. Alberta is also reforming its broader investment approach, including changes to its pension fund manager. The Heritage Fund’s management team will be based in Calgary and work alongside other global sovereign wealth funds. Despite a recent budget surplus, the Province is now projecting a $5.2 billion deficit, partly due to falling oil prices.
• A new six-month pilot program in Alberta allows 13 casinos to serve alcohol 24 hours a day, aligning liquor service hours with slot machine operations. Launched on July 1st by Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), the trial requires participating casinos to restrict alcohol service to gaming areas and ensure responsible service through the presence of trained staff. Additional safety measures include maintaining overnight incident logs and prohibiting off-sales during extended hours. While AGLC notes that 24-hour alcohol service is already allowed in certain venues like airports, the pilot has raised concerns from MADD Canada, which is calling for more inspections and enhanced staff training. The program’s results will be assessed after six months to determine whether the changes should become permanent.
• Alberta has also expanded its cannabis retail policy to allow sales at public events where minors are present, provided the sales occur in designated minors-prohibited areas. Previously, cannabis sales were only allowed at adult-only events, but the new directive - issued June 25th by the Ministry of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction - broadens that scope. Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) clarified that the new policy only permits sales, not consumption, and any cannabis consumption at events must be approved by municipalities. Events such as Rockin’ Thunder and Country Thunder will feature cannabis sales this summer under the updated rules. Retailers must still comply with provincial and municipal regulations, and event organizers have discretion over allowing cannabis sales. The policy aims to give legal retailers more flexibility while maintaining safeguards to prevent access by minors. Industry stakeholders welcomed the change, calling it a natural evolution for responsible cannabis retail.