Reg Rygus

The site of a new stand-alone Stollery Children’s Hospital was announced to be on the University of Alberta’s South Campus, at the northeast corner of 122 St. and 51 Ave. The site has room for expansion and is close to the University Hospital.

Further details will be forthcoming

Bew is the latest from the BOYLE MCCAULEY NEWS.

At Common Sense Edmonton, we’re always encouraging more people to get involved in shaping our city - whether that means running for office, supporting a campaign, or simply paying attention to what’s happening at City Hall.

But anyone who has been around politics knows the truth: it’s not easy to put your name forward, and it’s even harder when things don’t go your way.

That’s why we’re sharing an upcoming event from our friends at the Doing It Right Women’s Initiative that highlights the real experiences of political participation.

Their "After the Race" will bring together a variety of women who ran in the last municipal election but didn’t win.

Instead of glossing over the experience, they’ll share what actually happens when you take the risk, face the pressure, deal with setbacks, and decide whether to try again.

While the event is put on by a women’s organization, everyone is welcome.

If you’ve ever thought about running for office yourself, or you simply want a better understanding of what local politics demands from ordinary citizens, this is an opportunity to hear real stories, ask questions, and learn from experience.

When: Thursday, November 27th from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Where: Hudsons Canada's Pub on Whyte - 10307 82 Ave NW (18+)

Tickets ($24.99) include a drink ticket, appies, and plenty of engaging conversation - a great way to spend an evening learning about campaigns.

Edmonton benefits when more people are willing to step up, share ideas, and get involved.

Whether you’re thinking about running yourself or just want an honest look behind the scenes, this evening will surely be interesting!

Click here for tickets.

Hope to see you there!

- Common Sense Edmonton

UPDATES | The latest project updates to keep you in-the-know

Heritage Places Strategy

The City's new Heritage Places Strategy will reimagine how we identify, commemorate, and preserve the places that matter most to Edmontonians. 

Until November 30, visit engaged.edmonton.ca/heritage-places-strategy to share your feedback on the draft Guiding Principles and Pillars as part of the project's second phase of engagement. Your input will help refine the Principles and Pillars and inform full draft of the strategy. The full draft strategy will be shared in early 2026 as part of the final phase of engagement. 

Transportation

We’re reviewing traffic flow in the Belgravia neighbourhood to better understand the challenges people may experience moving through the area.

There are several ways to get involved and share your experiences:

• Provide feedback directly on the Engaged Edmonton webpage between November 24 and December 21
• Participate in the Online Q&A session on December 10 at 7 pm.
• Sign up for a walking tour or a Chat with a Planner session

Visit engaged.edmonton.ca/belgraviatrafficreview to learn more and participate.

Feedback will be used, along with technical and policy considerations, to help assess potential short- and long-term neighbourhood traffic and shortcutting improvement measures which will be brought to City Council's Urban Planning Committee for information. Further Committee direction and funding would be required to implement any future improvement measures.

Edmonton Urban Design Awards The Polykar Manufacturing Facility won the People's Choice Award

Edmonton has some amazing architecture, parks and art and the Edmonton Urban Design Awards celebrate the best our city has to offer. Now in its 20th year, the EUDA takes place every two years and hands out honours to architects, landscape architects, planners, designers, artists and up-and-coming students of those fields.

The 2025 Edmonton Urban Design Awards were handed out November 30. See the full listing of the award winners and learn more about their projects. Visit edmonton.ca/urbandesignawards.

Waste Services

The City is currently engaging with the non-residential sector, also known as the Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (ICI) sector. The goal is to gather input on proposed future actions that could advance waste reduction and diversion in this sector.

In Edmonton, about 70 per cent of waste generated comes from non-residential sources, such as businesses and institutions. Up to 80 per cent of that waste could be reduced or diverted from landfill through approaches like reuse and salvage, recycling and composting. This presents both a significant challenge and a major opportunity. 

If your business or organization (like a grocery store, restaurant, food processor, developer or demolition company) generates non-residential waste, specifically food scraps, surplus edible food, construction waste or demolition materials, we want to hear from you. 

Your feedback will help to further shape waste reduction and diversion actions into recommendations that will be presented to City Council as part of the first ICI waste roadmap. 

For more information, to take part in a survey or to register for a digital engagement session, visit edmonton.ca/nonresidentialwaste

 Growth Analysis

The 2024 Approved Net New Dwellings Report and Redeveloping Area Infill Report are now available at edmonton.ca/growthanalysis.   

These reports examine building permits issued for net new homes in Edmonton and provide analysis on Edmonton’s residential growth patterns. The reports show that areas of the Southwest, Ellerslie, and West Henday districts experienced significant new home growth. 

Residential growth since 2021 generally aligns with the vision described in The City Plan, which anticipated that the most significant growth would occur in the developing area (outside the Anthony Henday and north of 41 Avenue SW) for the first several years following the Plan’s adoption in 2020. Growth is expected to shift to a greater proportion of net new homes in the redeveloping area (roughly inside the Anthony Henday) as the city moves towards a population of 1.5 million and new land development policies, initiatives and regulations take full effect.

Read the annual reports or check out the ongoing, regularly updated residential building permits dashboard to learn more about the types of new housing and growth happening in your neighbourhood.

Valley Line West LRT

Elevated guideway along 87 Avenue near West Edmonton Mall

Major construction on the Valley Line West LRT project will soon begin to wind down for the season, although some work will continue through the winter months.

Significant progress was made on the project this year, with the main focus being the 2025 accelerated roadwork plan. Road and trackwork were completed at several major intersections along the VLW alignment. This work was all completed on or ahead of schedule.

This year also marked the completion of the elevated guideway structure along 87 Avenue and the arrival of the first Light Rail Vehicle. To stay informed on Valley Line West construction through the winter, sign up for the City's newsletter and Marigold Infrastructure Partners' construction notices.

Bike lanes along 103 Avenue at 109 Street

To accommodate Valley Line West LRT construction, the bike lanes on 102 Avenue have been temporarily relocated to 103 Avenue.

In early November, protected bike lanes opened along 103 Avenue between 103 Street and Railtown Park Trail (110 Street). The bike lanes along 102 Avenue are now closed and drainage work is underway. The 103 Avenue bike lanes are integrated into the larger downtown cycle network, including bike signals, signs and pavement markings. To access 103 Avenue, cyclists can use the existing north-south bike infrastructure along Railtown Park Trail, 106 Street or 103 Street.

The 103 Avenue bike lanes are expected to be in place until the end of 2027. As part of the Valley Line West project, new, permanent bike lanes will be built on 102 Avenue. More information can be found here.

This week, council will get its first look at the fall budget adjustment and will continue with orientation.

There is an orientation meeting scheduled for the mornings of Nov. 24, 25, and 26, and a city council meeting scheduled for the afternoons of Nov. 24, 25, and 26.

Council will review the fall budget adjustment at the afternoon meetings. Administration has proposed a 6.4% tax increase for 2026, which is in line with what the previous council approved in the spring.

Administration has identified a $52.3-million gap in the city’s operating budget. City staff moved money around internally to address $13.4 million of the gap, and the remaining $38.8 million will “be addressed through specific action plans, which include fee increases, program reviews, and adjustments to service levels,” the budget report said. Administration has proposed reducing the budget of the city’s anti-racism office by $430,000. Other proposed service reductions will be discussed in private.

Council will debate budget service packages that are currently not funded, including $1.9 million to staff transit stations with safety attendants during periods of lower ridership, $95,000 to support expanding the derelict residential tax subclass beyond mature neighbourhoods, $2.7 million to make a temporary enhanced transit cleaning program permanent, $9.9 million to improve snow clearing and sidewalk repair, $555,000 to reinstate the infill liaison team, and a $2.9-million funding increase to improve service levels with DATS.

Meanwhile, three capital projects require more than what was already approved in the four-year budget cycle. The estimated cost for the 137 Avenue and Anthony Henday Ramps project has more than doubled, from $6.6 million to $14.3 million. Construction of the Athlone Fire Station is now expected to cost $28 million, or $10 million more than its original allocation. Construction of the Walker Fire Station has increased, too, from $19.9 million to $32.8 million.

Council will debate purchasing 25 new buses, for $25.22 million, to transition three On Demand Transit zones to scheduled service. This change would result in a $420,000 operating budget increase in 2026, and about $7.4 million annually starting in 2027, the year the buses are expected to be put into service.

The budget report also includes an update on the Old Strathcona Public Realm Strategy. Council had asked administration to establish a reserve fund so that parking revenues from the ePark lot across Gateway Boulevard from the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market would be used to support the upgrades identified in the strategy, including design and construction of upgrades to End of Steel Park. Administration forecasts that the parking revenues will be able to fund the design of the park, but not the construction or any other upgrades in the strategy.

The carbon budget report said the proposed adjustments aren’t expected to significantly change the city’s emissions. The city is still forecast to deplete its community carbon budget in 2036 and its corporate carbon budget in 2032. Its stated goal is to be carbon-neutral by 2050.

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• Today, at 8:30 am, there will be special meetings of the Community and Public Services Committee, the Executive Committee, and the Urban Planning Committee. The Committees will each elect a Chair and Vice-Chair, but there is little else on the agenda. At 9:30 am, City Council Orientation continues, and Councillors will receive presentations from Administration on Supporting Financial Sustainability. Tuesday’s orientation session will focus on Economic Development, on Wednesday Council will hear about Service Delivery and Advancing Safety and Security.
• Council budget meetings will also begin today, at 1:30 pm, and continue on Tuesday at 1:30 pm and Wednesday at 1:30 pm, as well as December 1st to 4th beginning at 9:30 am each day. Edmontonians are facing a 6.4% property tax increase, which Administration says is needed to address the City’s growing fiscal pressures from inflation, population growth, declining provincial grants, and debt limits. Many planned capital projects, including new buses and road expansions, have been left unfunded, though $6.5 million is allocated for the Rossdale Power Plant roof. Officials warn that any reductions to offset the tax hike would likely come at the expense of service levels. The budget marks the final year of the current four-year cycle, with the new Council expected to draft a fresh budget in 2026.
• Edmonton is facing a rise in traffic fatalities, with 30 deaths so far this year, up from 26 in 2024 and 24 in 2023. Nearly half of these collisions involved speeding, and excessive speed violations over 50 km/h above the limit are up 19%. Street racing and reckless driving are also reportedly contributing to the problem. Police stress that automated enforcement could reduce dangerous driving, but high-risk intersections remain a concern. Most fatal crashes occur on arterial roads and during darkness, with speed being the key factor. The City is targeting priority areas, such as 118 Avenue near Highlands School, using measures like flashing beacons, which have cut average speeds by 14%. Despite these efforts, officials warn that speeding and traffic fatalities continue to pose a serious threat to public safety.
• Edmonton Ward Dene Councillor Aaron Paquette is proposing to turn the City’s ED Tel Endowment Fund into a sovereign wealth fund to reduce reliance on property taxes and attract more development. The fund, currently worth $1 billion, generates about $48 million annually for property tax relief, but Paquette aims to grow it to $6 billion over 10-15 years to fully offset tax increases. He argues the City has already squeezed all efficiencies from its budget and needs alternative revenue streams. Concerns have also been raised that businesses are moving just outside Edmonton to avoid high taxes, leaving the City to shoulder rising costs. Paquette suggests the City offer incentives and better infrastructure support to attract developers while including safeguards to protect taxpayers.
• Former Mayoral candidate Tim Cartmell has announced he is leaving the Better Edmonton Party, which he co-founded during last year’s municipal election. Cartmell said he decided to step back after a period of reflection but praised the remaining team for continuing to push core issues and potentially prepare for the next election. The party saw three Councillors elected in October, though two of them recently left the party as well. Cartmell expressed pride in the campaign’s accomplishments and in his eight years of service on City Council, calling it an enriching experience despite the recent departures.

• A court hearing is underway in Edmonton to determine whether a proposed referendum on Alberta separating from Canada is constitutional. The referendum question, submitted by Mitch Sylvestre of the Alberta Prosperity Project, asks voters whether “Alberta shall become a sovereign country and cease to be a province in Canada.” Arguments involve lawyers for Sylvestre, the Province’s Chief Electoral Officer, five First Nations intervenors, and two amicus curiae lawyers tasked with objectively examining constitutionality. The amicus lawyers argue the referendum would conflict with multiple constitutional provisions and remove protections for residents if Alberta became independent. Sylvestre’s lawyer contends Albertans should have the right to debate separation under the Citizen Initiative Act. First Nations groups argue the referendum would violate Aboriginal and Treaty rights. Court of King’s Bench Justice Colin Feasby is expected to issue a ruling at a later date.
• Alberta’s government released the report from its “Aggression and Complexity in Schools Action Team,” a 25-member group formed to address rising behavioural and learning challenges in classrooms. The report identifies factors such as academic struggles, behavioural issues, socioeconomic pressures, language barriers, and mental-health concerns as contributors to classroom complexity. It recommends developing class-size criteria, improving cross-ministry coordination to help families navigate supports, and restoring expanded early-childhood funding that had previously been cut. The government says detailed class-size and composition data - being collected throughout November and released in January - will guide future decisions. Premier Danielle Smith and Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides also committed to hiring 1,500 additional education assistants and 3,000 more teachers over the next three years. Cross-ministry collaboration, involving mental health, children’s services and social services, will shape the next phase of planning. Some immediate steps are still undefined, as Nicolaides said the report must first go to a cabinet committee before resources are allocated. 
• The Alberta government has invoked the notwithstanding clause to shield three laws affecting transgender youth and adults from ongoing and future court challenges. Premier Danielle Smith argues the move is necessary to protect children, particularly provisions that restrict puberty blockers and hormone therapy for those under 16 and ban gender-affirming surgeries for minors. The laws also require parents to be notified if a child under 16 changes their name or pronouns at school, and restrict female sports divisions to individuals born female. Supporters of legal challenges argue the government is avoiding judicial scrutiny and spreading misinformation. Smith counters that long court delays would put children at risk and says the government is reflecting the will of most Albertans. Despite the clause, advocacy groups plan to continue their legal fight.
• A new report from Alberta’s Auditor General concludes the Province wasted about $125 million on failed efforts to privatize community lab services through Dynalife. The investigation found major breakdowns in procurement, financial analysis, and governance, with the health ministry inserting itself into decisions that should have been made by Alberta Health Services. When Dynalife took over in late 2022, patients - especially in Calgary - faced long waits, reduced access, delayed test results, and a spike in diagnostic errors. The deal collapsed within months as Dynalife warned it was nearing bankruptcy, forcing the government to buy out its assets and return lab work to the public system. Wylie’s report also criticizes poor record-keeping, restricted access to information, and destroyed documents that hampered the investigation. Opposition MLAs say the findings show the dangers of health-care privatization, while the government insists it acted quickly once service problems became clear. The Auditor General is conducting additional probes into other recent procurement issues, even as the government has chosen not to renew his contract.
• Speaking of the healthcare system, Premier Danielle Smith has confirmed plans to let doctors work in both the public and private systems under a new “Dual Practice Surgery Model,” which she says will reduce wait times by allowing surgeons to perform required public surgeries while taking on additional private procedures in their off-hours. The government argues the change could help retain physicians and address the backlog of more than 80,000 people waiting for elective surgeries. Medical organizations, however, warn the move could deepen inequality, lengthen public wait times, and force patients to pay twice for care. Alberta’s medical students say a two-tier system would disadvantage those unable to afford private treatment, while some physicians question whether burned-out staff have capacity for extra work at all. Critics also warn the plan may violate the Canada Health Act, risking federal penalties or legal challenges. Supporters say the model aligns Alberta with countries like Sweden and Australia.

What's on in Edmonton this weekend? Experience a gripping gothic melodrama at The Castle Spectre, join artist Michelle Campos Castillo for a piñata-making workshop at Latitude 53, catch a free screening of three episodes of Telus StoryHive funded docuseries The Only Girl In The Gym, transport yourself to the mid-1950s in David van Belle’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol at the Citadel, support immediate relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Melissa at the Rise for Jamaica – Benefit Concert, join the WindRose Trio for their concert So Happy I Could Dance at the Highlands United Church, and so much more!

SEE ALL UPCOMING EVENTS

As regular as the changing of the months is the publishing of the Millwoods Mosaic, The latest issue is posted below.

This week, Edmonton’s new city council is scheduled to hold its first public hearing of the term to consider rezoning applications, and discuss partnerships with the private sector.

There is an orientation meeting scheduled for Nov. 17, a council meeting scheduled for Nov. 18, and a public hearing scheduled for Nov. 19.

• Administration is scheduled to give presentations on the following topics on Nov. 17 and 18: The city structure, city culture, and City Plan; the fundamentals of finance, taxation, and reporting; and growth planning.
• The Canada Palestine Cultural Association’s Edmonton chapter has applied to rezone its building located in the Peter Lougheed Multicultural Village to allow for childcare, food and drink services, and limited retail. The CPCA building is located at 13312 142 Street NW, next to several other community centres such as the Italian Cultural Centre, the Sri Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara of Alberta, the Hindu Society of Alberta, the Jain Society of Alberta, and Chrysalis: An Alberta Society for Citizens with Disabilities.
• Council will consider a report that proposes more city partnerships with the private sector to build future infrastructure, including arenas and libraries, on Nov. 18. The strategy aims to address the city’s growing population and challenges in maintaining and expanding needed facilities. Administration identified the Woodcroft Library renewal, Cumberland Fire Station, Windermere North Transit Centre, and various arenas as potential collaboration projects.
• MJD Childcare has proposed to rezone a site that’s home to Elks Lodge No. 11, which the Elks of Canada fraternity organization established around 1959. The lot is located at 11823 129 Avenue NW, kitty-corner to a commercial area. MJD Childcare proposes to rezone the lot from the small-scale residential zone to the neighbourhood mixed-use zone, which would allow for a multi-unit, mixed-use building of up to four storeys.
• Council is scheduled to review a rezoning application for two houses located at 10421 and 10417 70 Avenue NW, respectively, in the Allendale neighbourhood. Polar White Investments has proposed the land be rezoned as the medium-scale residential zone, which would allow for a building of up to four storeys and limited community and commercial uses. Three people expressed opposition to the application, suggesting a four storey building would be too tall, and that the development would lead to parking and traffic congestion. Administration said it supports the application because a four-storey building would act as a transition at this location.
• A landowner has applied to rezone a property in Belvedere at the corner of 66 Street NW and 134 Avenue NW to allow for a building of up to four storeys. Administration said it supports the application because it will add additional density on a corner of an arterial and collector roadway. Twelve residents expressed opposition to the application, noting the potential impacts on the long-term residential rental tenants who live on the existing site, the report said.
• Council will receive a private update on intergovernmental relations and on procurement at a meeting on Nov. 18.

Meetings stream live on YouTube on the Chamber channel and River Valley Room channel.

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• City Council will meet on Tuesday at 9:30 am. On the agenda is a report suggesting the City could consider more public-private partnerships to help build future infrastructure, including new arenas, a renewed Woodcroft Library, the Cumberland Fire Station, and the Windermere North Transit Centre. City Administration says these partnerships may help Edmonton keep up with growth while managing rising costs. Former Councillor Tim Cartmell argued private partners can design, build, and finance projects, with the City leasing only the portion it needs. He says combining uses, such as adding retail or housing alongside an arena, could make projects more affordable. Cartmell also suggested using existing vacant retail or City-owned space instead of building entirely new structures. Councillor Michael Janz says he is open to reviewing proposals but cautioned that private profit should not override public interest, noting the City often borrows at lower rates than private companies.
• Council will also review the process for the 2025 Fall Supplemental Budget Adjustments, which cover Capital, Operating, and Utilities budgets for the 2023-2026 cycle. Budget reports will be released on November 20th with presentations being made to Council on November 25th and 26th. Final deliberations and amendments will occur during the December 1st to 4th meeting. The process includes a structured amendment procedure, using a randomized order for Council members to propose changes, starting with budget decreases followed by increases. Capital budget amendments are considered first, followed by Operating and then Utilities. The Office of the City Clerk and Budget Office will provide templates, guidance, and a drop-in session to help Councillors with amendment preparation. The 2025 adjustments mark the last fall review of this budget cycle, with planning for the 2027-2030 budgets beginning in 2026.
• Two City Councillors elected under the Better Edmonton banner are stepping away from the party after it decided not to go dormant as previously indicated. Ward Nakota Isga Councillor Reed Clarke announced he will no longer participate or coordinate with Better Edmonton, while Ward pihêsiwin Councillor Mike Elliott said his focus on serving his ward independently. Both Councillors cited the party’s continued operations and fundraising plans as the reason for their departure, though Clarke stressed there is no bad blood and he remains on friendly terms with the party. Their exit leaves Karen Principe as the lone elected Better Edmonton Councillor. The party’s new chair, Cameron Johnson, said Better Edmonton will continue to operate, shadow Council decisions, and release policy options while allowing its elected members to act independently. 
• Primary Care Alberta has declared a tuberculosis outbreak in Edmonton’s inner city after lab tests confirmed local transmission between at least three people, including two with the same strain identified in October. PCA says 12 tuberculosis cases this year have been linked to individuals experiencing homelessness in Central Edmonton, with communal living spaces such as shelters increasing the risk of spread. Tuberculosis is a lung infection that can spread through coughing or sneezing but is treatable with antibiotics. Health officials say the current outbreak does not pose a risk to the general public. Contact tracing is underway, and anyone potentially exposed will be notified directly. PCA and provincial medical officers are meeting regularly with inner-city organizations to share information, support screening efforts, and monitor the situation.
• Edmonton is developing a new standardized design initiative to speed up approval for infill housing. The City plans to offer 12 pre-approved building designs so developers can pick a model and receive permits in weeks instead of months, with the goal of helping Edmonton meet its City Plan target of making half of new housing infills, while positioning builders to access federal Housing Accelerator Fund dollars. Infills remain contentious; recent architectural controls and debates over multiplex size have divided neighbourhoods, but most Council incumbents supportive of infills were re-elected. City staff say concerns about neighbourhood character are understandable but emphasize that infills are needed to meet housing demand. Developers welcome faster approvals but warn that designs must remain affordable for renters and flexible enough to fit local communities. The City says it will avoid overly uniform “cookie-cutter” models and allow for some customization.

• Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled a second group of major projects being considered for fast-track federal approval, and Alberta’s premier signalled support despite her own priorities not making the list. The new slate includes mines, a hydro project, a transmission line, and an LNG proposal, but does not include the bitumen pipeline Alberta continues to push. Premier Danielle Smith said negotiations with Ottawa over the pipeline and the removal or overhaul of federal laws she believes hinder investment are still underway. She indicated the talks are reaching a critical point, while the Prime Minister said more time is needed to finalize details. He stressed that Alberta must commit to investments that prepare its energy sector for a lower-carbon future. British Columbia’s Premier criticized Alberta’s pipeline idea, saying no real project exists and warning of massive taxpayer costs. 
• Alberta is moving to formalize early-years math and reading assessments by writing them directly into the Education Act through Bill 6. The proposal would require school boards and early childhood service operators to screen all kindergarten to Grade 3 students and report results to both parents and the province. The Education Minister says legislating the assessments will ensure consistency, help identify learning needs earlier, and keep future governments focused on literacy and numeracy. Critics, including the NDP and the teachers’ union, argue the change is unnecessary, time-consuming for already stretched classrooms, and not matched with adequate funding. The Province has allocated $11 million to support implementation, though opponents say it falls far short of what schools need. If passed, the requirements would take effect in fall 2026 and apply across all publicly funded and accredited independent schools. Regulations determining how often screenings occur and possible exemptions will be developed later.
• More than 1,200 local officials gathered in Calgary for the 2025 Alberta Municipalities Convention, where one key debate focused on who should collect the provincial education property tax. A resolution from Rocky Mountain House called for the province to take over tax collection, arguing that rising education requisitions confuse residents and unfairly place blame on municipalities. Supporters said local governments shoulder the administrative burden and the public frustration despite the Province driving the increases. Calgary’s Mayor backed the push for reform, saying residents deserve transparency about where their money is going. The Province noted that municipalities have long collected these taxes but confirmed it is exploring whether a new provincial tax agency could assume the role. This is the fourth time since 2011 that municipalities have debated similar reforms.
• Alberta has already allocated all 1,200 megawatts of its temporary large-load power capacity to two major data centre projects near Edmonton, leaving 37 other proposals without access to the provincial grid. The remaining projects must now either build their own on-site power generation or wait years for new grid infrastructure, as experts warn that transmission upgrades alone can take a decade. This bottleneck poses a challenge to the province’s goal of attracting $100 billion in AI data-centre investment, with electricity demand from proposed facilities far exceeding available supply. Premier Danielle Smith has directed the Utilities Minister to fast-track projects that bring their own power, reflecting the government’s push to ease pressure on the grid. AESO data shows developers have requested nearly 20 gigawatts of load but proposed less than five gigawatts of new generation, prompting the cap and the launch of a second phase of the integration program. Phase 2 will focus on long-term solutions and clearer pathways for “bring your own generation” models, with industry consultations beginning later this month. The Province says it supports AESO’s cautious approach, emphasizing reliability and affordability for Albertans while still pursuing leadership in North America’s data-centre sector.
• The Alberta NDP has started a full-scale relaunch of party leader Naheed Nenshi nearly a year and a half into his leadership, releasing a polished new ad focused on his personal story and Albertans’ struggles with affordability, health care and education. The reintroduction comes with heavyweight outside help: the party hired the US-based Fight Agency, known for high-profile progressive wins in places like New York and Pennsylvania, to craft the ad. Party officials say the agency specializes in speaking to working-class voters in right-leaning regions, a weakness critics identified in the NDP’s 2023 campaign. At the same time, Nenshi has stacked his senior team with former federal Liberal strategists rather than traditional New Democrats, drawing from the orbit of Mark Carney and Justin Trudeau. The ad avoids specifics on policy and downplays Nenshi’s academic pedigree, aiming instead to present him as a champion of “ordinary Albertans.” 

What's on in Edmonton this weekend?Embark on a shopping adventure at the Carrot Christmas Arts Bazaar, A Very Indigenous Holiday Market, or the Fall Métis Market,

join Concrete Theatre for their kid-friendly public performances of Celestial Being, attend a special artist talk and reception at Gallery@501 for Dan Xu’s Ink Horizons: East to West, catch a screening of The Edmonton Storyteller - The Life and Times of Tony Cashman at the Broad View International Film Festival, kick off the season with a night of winter celebration at All Is Bright 2025, join Wild Skies Press for the Edmonton launch of Kim Mannix’s debut poetry collection, Confirm Humanity, and so much more!

SEE ALL UPCOMING EVENTS