Reg Rygus

• Ward 1 (Nakota Isga) Councillor Reed Clarke is pushing a proposal to offer businesses a tax credit for expanding within Edmonton rather than relocating to neighbouring counties, an idea he has developed with Administration and hopes to bring forward as a motion. Clarke argues Edmonton is steadily losing industrial and commercial activity to places like Acheson in Parkland County and Nisku in Leduc County, where industrial tax rates can be as low as one-third of the City's. Edmonton's tax base sat at nearly an 80-20 split between residential and non-residential property in 2024, compared with roughly 60-40 in the surrounding counties, shifting more of the burden onto homeowners. The City issued 224 permits for industrial and commercial repair or construction in 2024, its lowest total in a decade and down from 389 in 2021. Mayor Andrew Knack has made keeping businesses in the city a priority. Some in the industry are skeptical, with commercial real-estate broker Bronwyn Scrivens calling the incentive a Band-Aid and arguing the City is trying to spend its way out of a problem caused by overspending, while York Realty president Matt Woolsey said Council needs to address its own spending before businesses will stay.
• The Government of Alberta has launched an online portal for residents to file complaints about bike lanes, part of a provincial push that Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen says will inform legislation this fall giving the Province power to review or remove bike lanes in municipalities. The form asks residents to select concerns such as reduced parking, cost to taxpayers, low usage, or added congestion. The move escalates a dispute that began at City Council this month, when Edmonton redesigned a planned bike lane on 50th Street to preserve 30 street parking stalls at an added cost of $2.5 million. Dreeshen travelled to Edmonton's Capilano neighbourhood on Thursday to meet residents opposed to that project. Ward 10 (Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi) Councillor Jon Morgan, who opposed the redesign, said the concession will fall on taxpayers, noting the extra cost comes when many residents want the City to keep taxes low. Premier Danielle Smith defended the portal, saying some bike lanes are well used while others are barely used and create disruption, while supporters such as Bike Edmonton argue the Province is intervening in a local matter.
• Ward 8 (papastew) Councillor Michael Janz is at the centre of a controversy over social media posts about the war in Gaza, with the Jewish Federation of Edmonton calling on Mayor Andrew Knack to intervene. The Federation says posts Janz shared, including one claiming a newborn anywhere in the world is now more likely to be killed by Israel than to die any other way, demonize Israel and the local Jewish community and create a security risk. Federation CEO Stacey Leavitt-Wright said she wants Janz to stop, arguing the issue falls outside a City Councillor's role. Janz has doubled down, defending his posts as criticism of the Israeli government rather than antisemitism and suggesting the Israel pavilion be removed from the Heritage Festival in August. Mayor Knack said Councillors are free to speak on any issue but must share information that is accurate and factually verified, adding that elected officials should hold themselves to a high standard. Ward 9 (pihêsiwin) Councillor Michael Elliott and provincial Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams both criticized the posts, with Elliott arguing that international conflicts fall outside Council's jurisdiction and risk dividing the community.
• Emergency calls for overdoses at Edmonton transit locations more than doubled last year, according to Alberta Health Services data obtained through a freedom of information request. Edmonton recorded 368 such calls in 2025, up from 154 the year before and about 2.5 times the 146 calls logged in Calgary. Churchill station drew the most calls in the city, with 48 last year and 211 since 2018, while Central and Coliseum stations were the only others to top 100 over that period. The figures track only opioid-related calls. The press secretary for Mental Health and Addiction Minister Rick Wilson acknowledged Edmonton remains an outlier, citing high rates of opioid-related deaths involving carfentanil, even as provincial drug poisoning deaths fell to 1,423 in 2025 from a peak of 2,141 in 2023.
• After a weekend storm flooded Edmonton roads, sidewalks and recreation facilities, the City and utility provider EPCOR are pointing to a long-term plan they say will reduce the damage from future downpours. The two are in the sixth year of a $1.6-billion Stormwater Integrated Resource Plan, a 20-year strategy to slow and redirect storm water away from high-risk areas through measures such as dry ponds, upgraded sewers and water-absorbing features in older neighbourhoods. Ward 6 (Métis) Councillor Ashley Salvador said extreme weather events are becoming more common and that the City needs to be proactive with the infrastructure it builds. EPCOR also offers residents a stormwater rebate, free flood-prevention home inspections and a backwater valve subsidy to improve flood resilience. University of Alberta engineering professor Alireza Bayat said underground pipe and sewer systems across all jurisdictions need more frequent maintenance, but cautioned that replacing them takes time and that heavy rainfall can overwhelm even new infrastructure. The City said it responded to a record volume of fire and rescue calls during the storms and cannot yet estimate the cost of cleanup and repairs.

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HEADLINES by Mariam Ibrahim

• The City of Edmonton said that westbound Yellowhead Trail between 97 Street and St. Albert Trail has reopened after crews completed emergency repairs for flood damage caused during recent heavy rains. The City thanked contractors, municipal crews and EPCOR for their help in completing the necessary work. The recent storms caused about $230 million in insured damage in May and June, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada.
• The City of Edmonton was set to lift its extreme heat response at 9am on July 19 as conditions were expected to improve. Potable water stations will remain open through Sept. 30. Free bottled water and N95 masks are also available at city facilities.
• A meeting between Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen and Capilano-area residents opposing a planned 50 Street bike lane was interrupted by a pro-bike-lane rally as the province gathered input for fall legislation. Meanwhile, the government launched a bike lane concerns portal, which received mixed reviews, CBC reported.
• Trisha Estabrooks said she will seek the Alberta NDP nomination in Edmonton-Strathcona after Naheed Nenshi announced he will run in Calgary in the next election.
• The City of Edmonton is investigating a Grovenor infill property that was being used as an Airbnb rental, Postmedia reported, despite receiving Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation financing for affordable rental housing. Mayor Andrew Knack said properties built under affordable housing agreements must comply with funding rules, while critics called for stronger oversight of short-term rentals.
• The former Italian Bakery site on 97 Street in Edmonton’s Chinatown has been put up for auction with a minimum opening bid of $990,000, less than half its previous $2.3-million listing price. The landmark property, which housed the bakery for more than 60 years before the downtown location closed in early 2025, includes retail, office and residential space. The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce hopes new ownership will help spur redevelopment and revitalize the surrounding area.
• Registered third-party advertisers supporting Alberta separation have raised more than $458,000 ahead of the Oct. 19 referendum, outpacing federalist groups by more than $365,000, according to the latest Elections Alberta figures. Separatist organization Let Alberta Decide is leading fundraising with about $257,000, while Alberta’s Voice is the top-raising federalist group at slightly more than $51,000. Under Alberta’s referendum rules, registered advertisers may spend up to $607,000 on advertising, while individual, corporate and union contributions are capped at a combined $5,000 annually.
• The Alberta government spent about $309,300 on an external agency to develop its official 2026 referendum website, according to documents obtained by Postmedia through an access to information request. The site, which launched in April and later added the question on Alberta separation from Canada, provides information, videos and FAQs on the province’s 10 referendum questions ahead of the Oct. 19 vote. The government said the contract was awarded through a competitive procurement process and that more than 40,000 people have visited the website.
• The Edmonton Elks drew 20,020 fans to Commonwealth Stadium on July 17 for a 19-17 win over the B.C. Lions, a turnout the team framed as a sign attendance is rebounding. “This was the best crowd we’ve seen outside of Labour Day. Full credit to the fans for showing up,” head coach Mark Kilam said.

• The provincial government, Ottawa and five oilsands producers have reached an agreement to advance the Pathways Project, a carbon capture and storage network that would move carbon dioxide from oilsands sites in northern Alberta to an underground storage hub near Cold Lake. Announced last Monday but signed on July 2nd, the deal ties the project to a proposed new West Coast oil pipeline, with both governments committing to fiscal and regulatory policies meant to spur oilsands production growth. Ottawa will extend investment tax credits of 50% on eligible carbon capture equipment and 37.5% on related transport and storage, now valid until 2035, and introduce new credits for enhanced oil recovery. Premier Danielle Smith called it a nation-building partnership, while federal Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson said the producers would ultimately pay for Pathways through taxation incentives and carbon pricing. The project, initially estimated at $16.5 billion, could now cost between $20 billion and $30 billion, with infrastructure targeted to be in service by January 1st, 2032. 
• The provincial government has opened a new online form for Albertans to submit concerns about bike lanes in their communities, such as whether a lane is underused or has taken away parking spaces. The Province says the feedback it gathers will inform future policy decisions. Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen says he wants to hear from residents if bike lanes are creating traffic congestion, hurting businesses or prolonging emergency response times. Dreeshen has said legislation is coming in the fall but has provided few details on what it may include. He has argued that transportation networks need to put people first.
• Premier Danielle Smith says close to 800,000 people have applied for the provincial government's new $100 energy rebate, with the first payments expected to reach bank accounts within days. Applications opened on July 2nd for Albertans in households earning under $225,000, and the government estimates 3.4 million people are eligible before the portal closes at the end of September. Smith said the Province is looking at ways to streamline the process after residents reported trouble with an identity-verification requirement that, for some without online banking, meant submitting a photo of their driver's licence and of themselves. She said the validation steps were added as fraud protection, and that about 35,000 applications were flagged in the first week as potentially fraudulent. Smith suggested a simpler fix could involve cross-referencing a line from an applicant's income tax return with Canada Revenue Agency data, with any changes rolled out in the coming weeks. She also said it is too soon to say whether the affordability payments will continue or whether the government will revert to cutting gas taxes at the pump.
• The provincial government is creating seven regional primary care corporations as part of its continuing health-care restructuring, saying the new bodies will cut administrative work for front-line providers and improve access to family doctors, particularly in rural areas. Justin Wright, the Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services, announced last Thursday that the new corporations will operate under Primary Care Alberta and handle regional planning, funding coordination, reporting and oversight. The government says the model responds to recommendations from its earlier review of primary care, during which providers called for a stronger regional approach. Each corporation will align with one of Alberta's seven existing health corridors, covering Calgary, Edmonton, and the central, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest regions. The regulation creating the corporations takes effect on September 1st, with the organizations expected to begin operating in the spring of 2027. 
• Alberta's regulated online gambling market went live last Monday, opening the province to private sports betting companies and online casinos and making Alberta the second province after Ontario to license private operators. Nearly 50 companies paid $200,000 in registration and permit fees ahead of the launch, though Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally said he expects closer to 20 to be ready for customers. The system stems from legislation passed last year, and the Province will collect 20% of each operator's revenue, which the government forecasts will add $76 million to provincial coffers in the first year. Nally says the aim is to protect bettors who previously used the government-owned platform or unregulated offshore sites, with 1% of gross revenue set aside for problem gambling programs and 2% earmarked for First Nations. Critics note the risks, pointing to a University of Toronto study that found calls to Ontario's gambling helpline from men under 24 rose more than 300% since that province opened its market in 2022. 

The latest issue of the MILL WOODS MOSAIC has just been published and is available below.

What's on in Edmonton this weekend? Sample delicious bites at Western Canada’s largest outdoor food festival at the Taste of Edmonton, enjoy a singer-songwriter triple bill featuring Danny Floyd Cole, Liz Lauer and Melina Sterling at Tavern on Whyte, check out the inaugural exhibition at the Family Drugs Gallery and browse the open studio, spend an electrifying evening with the folk/bluegrass/Americana band The Unfaithful Servants at the Bison Lodge, and so much more!

What's on in Edmonton this weekend? Sample delicious bites at Western Canada’s largest outdoor food festival at the Taste of Edmonton, enjoy a singer-songwriter triple bill featuring Danny Floyd Cole, Liz Lauer and Melina Sterling at Tavern on Whyte, check out the inaugural exhibition at the Family Drugs Gallery and browse the open studio, spend an electrifying evening with the folk/bluegrass/Americana band The Unfaithful Servants at the Bison Lodge, and so much more!

SEE ALL UPCOMING EVENTS

THIS WEEKEND: Check out the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival! July 17-19 at Kinsmen Park!

I hope to see you at the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival this weekend Friday, July 17 to Sunday, July 19 at Kinsmen Park in Edmonton’s beautiful river valley.

You can still get general admission tickets, one-day or weekend passes, or enjoy VIP tables, jokes and vibes! Get 10% off using my code COMEDYLINDORK.

The code expires 11:59 p.m. July 16.

This comedy festival brings some of the biggest comedians to the city!

Mike is looking forward to seeing Pete Davidson and I can’t wait for the July 19 show featuring hilarious comedians Hasan Minhaj, Jimmy O. Yang, and Ronny Chieng.

Learn More & Get Tickets

Thanks to everyone who shared funny jokes to enter my email giveaway for tickets last week! Congratulations to the GOCF ticket giveaway winner Anita C.!!

Here’s a few jokes that were shared that may give you a chuckle lol:

• RIP, boiling water. You will be mist. - Submitted by Anita C.
• I told my suitcase there will be no vacation this year Now it’s dealing with emotional baggage. - Submitted by Jenalee G.
• Why can’t a nose be 12 inches long? Because then it would be a foot. - Submitted by Faye H.
• What did the tomato say to the other tomato during a race? Ketchup. - Submitted by Michelle L.
• What is quicker than an escalator? An esca-SOONER - Submitted by Matt J.
• What do you call cheese that is not yours? Nacho cheese - Submitted by Jenny A.

Thanks to the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival for supporting my small business with this partner message! #GOCF_Partner

Don’t miss The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at The Citadel Theatre! Performances until August 2!

The Tony Award–winning musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee runs Wednesday through Sunday weekly until August 2 at the Citadel Theatre!

This show is a hilarious celebration of words, competition, and growing up. In the high-stakes world of a spelling bee, six awkward adolescent champions face off as emotions run from A to Z. With each word spelled, the pressure rises and more than a trophy is on the line. Packed with clever wordplay, infectious songs, and laugh-out-loud humour, this fast-paced musical races to the finish with heart and charm. Six competitors enter but only one can be crowned champion of the bee!

My talented friend Cynthia Jimenez-Hicks plays Marcy in the show!! Go see it!!! I was supposed to watch it Opening Weekend but the local floods postponed some shows so I’m looking forward to checking it out tonight.

Learn More & Get Tickets

Thanks to The Citadel Theatre for supporting my small business with this partner message! #CitadelTheatre_Partner

Here are more Things To Do This Week:

• K-Days is back July 17 to 26! (Edmonton EXPO Centre & Grounds)
• Edmonton’s summer festival K-Days is back starting Friday July 17 and until Sunday, July 26. 10 days of the best rides, games, shows, and food. We are excited to take Benjimin on rides, try some New Food and favourite old carnival food items, and explore the midway! KDays has also partnered with 55 local businesses to encourage you to support local to get a Pair of FREE General Admission tickets.
• Celebrate The Carrot’s Birthday & Chalk It Up (9351 118 Ave.)
• Take in live music and watch the magic of chalk artists, take in an artisan market and more at The Carrot Community Arts Coffee House’s Birthday & Chalk It Up Party on July 18. Pancake breakfast at 9 a.m. Activities at 11 a.m.
• Don’t miss CLUE, Live On Stage! (Northern Jubilee Auditorium)
• Broadway Across Canada’s CLUE, Live On Stage! is in Edmonton at the Northern Jubilee Auditorium until July 19 and it’s a fantastically fun, funny, and fast-paced show inspired by the classic board game and 1985 movie! 🔪 (I was invited to Opening Night. 🙏🏻) A few things I loved about this production: The pace of the show! including no intermission. How hard the set works! Love the many doors and pull-out rooms of the mansion. The chandelier scenes and slow motion effects. The way in which they ran around to explore the house. The butler and his wild and impressive recap. All the physical comedy and perfect timing with sound and light effects! Arrive early and try to solve clues at the auditorium + take photos with some whodunit props too!
• There’s a few markets you may be interested in:
• The Hazeldean Artisan Night Market is July 17 from 4-9 p.m.
• Decades Summer Night Market is also July 17 from 6-11 p.m.
• There’s a few more arts events you may be interested in:
• The Wild Rose Old Time Fiddle Festival is July 16-19 in Fort Saskatchewan.
• Once, a Tony-Award winning musical is at Walterdale Theatre until July 18.
• Sisters Trapped in Time: The Musical is on July 18.
• Join a Sun Printing workshop at Hawrelak Park on July 18.
• Teatro Live!’s Cocktails at Pam’s runs until July 26 at the Varscona.
• The Edmonton Arts Council x City of Edmonton’s FREE Green Shack Shows take place twice a day, five days a week, all summer, at parks across the city.
• Check out a video I did to help promote the shows! (#EAC_Partner)
• You may also be interested in these events:
• The 2026 Alberta Summer Games is on in Strathcona County July 16-19.
• Edmonton City As a Museum Project launches Sensing the City exhibit at KDays this Friday, July 17.
• The Leduc Art Walk runs 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 18.
• The Neon Skies Music Festival is in ICE District July 17 & 18.
• The first-ever Corgi Derby is on at Century Mile Racetrack Saturday, July 18.
• The 5th Annual Currents Car Show takes place Saturday, July 18.
• The 2026 World Triathlon Cup is in Edmonton July 18 & 19!
• Disney Morning Movies at the Capitol run every Saturday in July! Grab a movie-only ticket or do the movie then explore Fort Edmonton Park.

• City Council has approved a new reserve fund to chip away at Edmonton's $10-billion infrastructure maintenance deficit, and Edmontonians will pay for it through property tax increases built into future budgets. Money in the fund can only be spent on maintaining existing City infrastructure. Residents will see a property tax increase of 0.5% for the first three years, rising to 0.75% for the following three years, and then 1% every year from 2033 onward, on top of regular budget increases. Ward 6 (Métis) Councillor Ashley Salvador, who championed the fund, said residents want assurance the City is taking care of what it already owns. Administration estimates the reserve will cover nearly $1 billion in maintenance costs per year by 2050, though that would still account for only about a third of Edmonton's total renewal needs.
• Council also voted on Tuesday to change the plan for new protected bike lanes on 50th Street between 102nd Avenue and 109A Avenue, choosing a more expensive design in order to keep street parking. Administration's original plan would have removed curbside parking to install the lanes at a cost of $2.4 million, but a motion from Ward 6 (Métis) Councillor Ashley Salvador directed the City toward a $4.9-million alternative that reallocates part of the 10-metre-wide centre median to retain about half the existing parking. A City memo noted that roughly 30 vehicles currently park along that stretch, most of them served by rear alleys and garages. Councillors Erin Rutherford, Jo-Anne Wright and Jon Morgan voted against the alternative on cost grounds, with Ward 10 (Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi) Councillor Jon Morgan questioning spending an extra $2.5 million for 30 stalls given the City's limited funds. Mayor Andrew Knack described the outcome as a "win-win" that avoids picking one mode of transportation over another. City Manager Eddie Robar said he is hearing growing concerns from councillors about bike lane plans across the city, and that adjustments come at a cost to designs already completed.
• Mayor Andrew Knack put forward a motion at City Council declaring the City's support for Alberta remaining in Canada, ahead of the October vote in which Albertans will decide whether the province should begin the legal process toward a separation referendum. Knack said he wished the motion did not have to happen and that it felt odd to be having the conversation, but argued Council should provide clear direction that national unity matters to the City. He told reporters that any conversation about Alberta separating from Canada is harmful and warned against complacency, saying the City needs to send a clear message to the business community and residents. The motion comes as Elections Alberta officials begin verifying signatures on a pro-independence petition.
• The City says its problem properties initiative has saved millions of dollars while cleaning up derelict sites across Edmonton, three-and-a-half years after the fire-department-led team began proactively targeting properties that pose a risk to their communities. Since 2023, the team has inspected more than 2,300 properties, issued 1,800 tickets, removed nearly 2.5 million pounds of debris and garbage, and secured more than 700 vacant properties considered a fire risk. Ward 6 (Métis) Councillor Ashley Salvador, who has driven the effort since she was first elected five years ago, said owners can be required to board up, fence off, and in some cases pay for 24/7 on-site security, with those costs charged back to the property owner. The City also claims to have influenced nearly 500 demolitions by owners, with many of those lots now redeveloped. Officials say the savings come from collected fines and from fewer calls to bylaw and emergency crews, and that problem properties can be reported through 311.
• Blake Desjarlais is leaving his role as Mayor Andrew Knack's chief of staff just three months after taking the position in April. In a statement shared by a City spokesperson, Desjarlais said the decision to step down followed careful reflection and discussion with the Mayor, calling the move mutual but not specifying a reason or his next steps. Desjarlais served as the Member of Parliament for Edmonton Griesbach between 2021 and 2025 before joining the Mayor's Office. Knack said he was proud of Desjarlais's service and had no doubt he would continue to serve Edmontonians. The City did not indicate who would take over the role.

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Edmonton is recovering after a severe thunderstorm caused power outages and flooding. More than 13,000 customers lost electricity, but power has since been restored to most. EPCOR crews continued clearing debris and repairing damage. Major roads including Yellowhead Trail and 97th Street were temporarily closed but have since mostly reopened. Several recreational facilities, including the TELUS World of Science - Edmonton and Peter Hemingway Aquatic Centre, remain closed due to flood damage. The sudden storm sent organizers of several summer festivals, including the Whyte Avenue Art Walk, scrambling.

The Edmonton Police Service sought an injunction to prevent the screening of a documentary about Mathios Arkangelo’s 2024 shooting, fearing it could identify officers under a publication ban, Postmedia reported. The John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights (JHC) premiered the film on June 28 but re-edited it to blur faces after police concerns. “While some in the community view this rapid legal maneuver as an attempt by police to suppress the film, JHC chose to approach this friction with direct dialogue and immediate accountability,” Renee Vaugeois, the centre’s executive director, told Postmedia. “Chief Driechel reached out to personally clarify that the action was intended to ensure officer safety amid active threats, rather than to censor the documentary.”

North-south vehicle access across 102 Avenue in downtown Edmonton will shift as part of Phase 2 of Valley Line West LRT construction. Starting about July 15, access on 105 Street will close, while 104 Street access will open. Access along 104 Street will be closed on Saturdays for the Downtown Farmers’ Market. The construction is expected to continue until the end of 2026, with north-south access remaining open on 109 Street and 101 Street.

Emergency calls regarding overdoses at Edmonton transit locations more than doubled in 2025 compared to the previous year, amounting to 368 calls, significantly surpassing Calgary’s 146 calls. Churchill LRT Station had the highest number of calls in Edmonton since 2018, with 211 incidents. Despite a dip in 2024, the increase reflects ongoing challenges in the city, especially with carfentanil-related deaths.

The City of Edmonton is inspecting residential waste carts to ensure proper sorting, focusing on compliance with its green bin program. City officials are doing daily checks and are leaving tags on bins to provide feedback on sorting practices. The effort is intended to improve waste management efficiency and educate residents about appropriate disposal methods.

The Edmonton International Street Performers Festival concluded with attendance reaching pre-COVID levels, organizers said, noting it has been “a slow build” to reach these numbers. The 10-day festival featured 38 performers from eight countries.

As concerns mount over Meta’s $13-billion data centre in Sturgeon County, Premier Danielle Smith defended the project and assured Albertans it will not hike utility bills or deplete water resources. She said the centre’s water use will match that of a typical golf course through a closed-loop system. The centre will draw energy from Alberta’s grid, with plans to later use power from the forthcoming Greenlight Electricity Centre.

Alberta has experienced a significant rise in tornado activity, with 23 tornadoes already recorded this year, compared to 15 in 2025. Environment Canada meteorologist Brian Proctor highlighted that the tornado season remains active, with six weeks left. The most recent struck Dillberry Lake Provincial Park, injuring three people. David Sills of the Northern Tornadoes Project said that this could be the most active tornado season on the Prairies since the 1980s. Researchers suggest that consistent atmospheric conditions and the interplay of heavy rainfall and fire weather patterns are contributing to the increase.

The Edmonton Oilers have signed St. Albert native Colton Dach to a two-year contract extension worth $1.2 million annually. Dach was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline last season. The 6-foot-4 forward appeared in eight games for Edmonton after his March debut and played in five playoff games.

• Premier Danielle Smith and Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a proposed 3,300-kilometer pipeline on Monday that would carry western Canadian oil from Hardisty, Alberta, past Regina and Winnipeg to refineries in Sarnia, Ontario. The line, part of what the Premiers call the Northern Shield Energy Corridor, would move an estimated 500,000 barrels a day with possible expansion to 800,000, and would let Ontario stop routing its western oil through pipelines that cross the United States. The project is still in its early stages with no price tag or timeline, and it builds on an earlier energy-corridor agreement among Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan, with an Ontario feasibility study that has cost $11 million so far and is expected to finish by the end of the year. Ford said the Ontario government could own the pipeline and cover construction costs if needed, and Smith said the line could eventually open Alberta oil to European markets. Manitoba has declined to join, with Premier Wab Kinew saying nation-building projects must begin with Indigenous partnership rather than after-the-fact consultation. The proposal comes days after Alberta formally advanced a separate oil pipeline to the British Columbia coast in partnership with Trans Mountain Corp. and Pembina Pipeline Corp.
• Meta announced that the company will spend $13 billion to build a data centre in Sturgeon County, just north of Edmonton, in what the Premier called one of the largest private-sector investments in Canadian history. Meta claims the project will employ 3,000 people at the peak of construction and about 300 full-time staff once operational, and the provincial government says it will generate roughly $250 million a year in royalties, taxes, levies and fees. Meta is also putting about $60 million into local roads and water infrastructure, and the Government says the electricity to power the site will come from a separate $4.6-billion natural gas generation facility that it says will cut the transmission portion of Alberta ratepayers' bills by about 6%. Meta also confirmed that the facility will use a closed-loop water cooling system that draws no water from the surrounding area. Critics remain wary, with environmental activists calling for a moratorium on large data centres until there are legislated environmental protections. Smith said the site was chosen because Alberta's Industrial Heartland has been zoned for heavy industry for four decades.
• The provincial government announced that it is accelerating 41 school projects through its Schools Now program, which it says will deliver more than 39,000 new and upgraded student spaces across the province. Of the 41 projects, 19 are approved for construction funding, and 22 are moving from planning into design, with the Government saying the accelerations cut more than nine months off project timelines. Calgary accounts for 16 of the projects and Edmonton for 11, with the rest spread across communities including Airdrie, Brooks, Chestermere, Red Deer, Sherwood Park, St. Albert, Fort McMurray and Grande Prairie County. Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said a school in the community lets students learn and grow close to home, while Infrastructure Minister Martin Long said getting schools built faster matters to Alberta families. The $8.6-billion Schools Now program launched in September 2024, and the Government says it will deliver roughly 200,000 new or modernized student spaces by the 2031-32 school year.
• Alberta's new Auditor General, Phil Peters, says he expects his investigation into a health-care contracting scandal to be complete by the end of the year, calling it a top priority for his office. Peters took over in late April after Premier Danielle Smith's government opted not to extend the contract of the previous auditor general, Doug Wylie, who had offered to stay two more years to finish the probe he had worked on for more than a year. The review, announced in February 2025, focuses on deals for private surgical facilities, pain medication from Turkey, and COVID-19 personal protective equipment, and is one of several investigations, including by the RCMP, that followed corruption allegations from the former head of Alberta Health Services. Those allegations have not been proven in court, and a government-commissioned report by retired judge Raymond Wyant found no evidence of wrongful interference by Smith, her ministers or staff. Peters said his mandate lets him dig deeper than that review, with the authority to compel records and subpoena witnesses under oath. The former health executive, Athana Mentzelopoulos, alleges she was fired for investigating questionable contracts, while the Government says she was dismissed for incompetence, and the Opposition NDP has called the matter the biggest government scandal in the province's history.
• The provincial government announced Wednesday that it is committing $50 million over 5 years to the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute to expand the use of artificial intelligence across public services and the wider economy. Premier Danielle Smith said Alberta has spent two decades building a world-class AI sector and is now putting that advantage to work, with Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish saying the Province's early bet on AI research had paid off. The funding is drawn from five ministries, with Technology and Innovation and Advanced Education each contributing $15 million, Assisted Living and Social Services $10 million, and Primary and Preventative Health Services and Education and Childcare $5 million each. The Government says it has invested roughly $100 million in the institute since 2002, and notes it is one of three national AI institutes in Canada alongside Mila and the Vector Institute. Institute CEO Cam Linke described artificial intelligence as one of the defining technologies of our time. The Government says the money will fund AI applications in areas including health care and worker training.

What's on in Edmonton this weekend? Catch the ultimate 1960s party of a play with the return of Cocktails at Pam’s at the Varscona Theatre, browse original works and take home unique pieces at the Whyte Avenue Art Walk, join Latitude 53 for the opening reception of Passing Through by Jason Purcell, learn the basics of traditional hand embroidery in this beginner-friendly workshop with Darcy Hoover, head to O‑day’min Park for a killer lineup of indie music at the Found Festival’s Music Series, and so much more!

SEE ALL UPCOMING EVENTS

Things to Do This Week

• Check out the Whyte Avenue Art Walk (Old Strathcona/Whyte Ave.)
• The 30th Whyte Avenue Art Walk, Alberta’s oldest and largest non-juried visual arts festival located in the heart of Old Strathcona, runs July 10-12 in Old Strathcona from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. FREE to attend! Featuring hundreds of artists who line the streets to showcase their art (also for sale).
• Experience YEG Greek Fest (10450 116 St.)
• The annual YEG Greek Fest put on by the Hellenic-Canadian Community of Edmonton and Region runs July 11 & 12 at the Edmonton Hellenic Community Centre. All are invited for authentic Greek food, live entertainment, traditional dancing, shopping, and more!
• Take in a FREE Green Shack Show (various locations)
• The Edmonton Arts Council x City of Edmonton Green Shack Shows are back for the summer! These are FREE concerts and performances from talented local musicians that happen daily (morning and afternoon shows) at Green Shack locations across the city through to the end of August.
• Find theatre, music, poetry, visual arts and more at Found Festival
• The Common Ground Arts Found Festival runs July 9-12 in various locations across the city. Found Festival helps you find theatre, music, dance, poetry and visual arts in unexpected places.
• There are a few festivals wrapping up this weekend! Don’t miss:
• The 7th Annual Grindstone Comedy Festival which runs until July 12.
• The FREE Edmonton StreetFest 2026 which runs until July 12.
• The FREE Annual Historic Festival and Doors Open which runs July 12.
• Freewill Shakespeare Festival which runs until July 12.
• You may also be interested in these events:
• The final Edmonton area Wild Rose Shows pop-up carnival is July 9-12 at Sherwood Park Mall! Benjimin and I went when it was at Mill Woods Town Centre last weekend and had a blast. The unlimited rides pass is well worth it if you are intent on going on as many rides as possible (hardly any line-ups when we went!)
• The FREE-to-attend Enoch Cree Nation 32nd Annual Powwow Competition running July 10-12.
• The 3rd Annual Western Canada Steel Bands Showcase is July 11. FREE!
• RSVP for FREE to The Edmonton Arts Council Public Art Walking Tour: ÎNÎW River Lot 11 with Tiffany Shaw running July 11 & 12.
• Rockin’ Thunder Music Festival runs July 11 & 12.
• Family Fishing Weekend is July 11-12, where anyone in Alberta can fish without a license.
• Edgemont Community League presents Dog Days of Edgemont on July 11.
• The World Rugby Nations Cup 2026 is in Edmonton this July 11.
• Disney Morning Movies at the Capitol run every Saturday in July! Grab a movie-only ticket or do the movie then explore Fort Edmonton Park.
• The FREE Edmonton Love & Unity Gospel Festival is on at Louise McKinney Riverfront Park on July 12.
• The family-friendly Mary Burlie Day is on Monday, July 13, a celebration of community, history, culture and connection that honours the legacy of Mary Burlie and her impact.
• This summer you may be interested in participating in the FREE Root for Trees Planting program! Gather a group to plant trees, do drop-in tree planting or special tree events.
• And if you want to do a little day trip!
• The annual Vegreville Medieval Faire & Artisan Market runs July 10-12! Enjoy medieval entertainment, artisan craftsmanship, food, music, and family-friendly fun in the Alberta foothills. Vegreville is just an hour drive east of Edmonton!! I hope to attend this next year!
• In Wetaskiwin, just an hour drive south east of Edmonton, Reynolds-Alberta Museum’s one-day only Ultimate Car Show is on July 11, with more than 650 vehicles! General museum admission includes access to the Ultimate Car Show and this would be a great excuse to try Dirty Water Dogs, the INCREDIBLE museum restaurant.

Welcome to the inaugural edition of the Edmonton Neighbourhoods United newsletter.

Our goal is to keep residents informed about planning decisions, neighbourhood redevelopment, City initiatives, and opportunities to become involved in shaping the future of our communities.

This newsletter will be published approximately every 3–4 months and will focus on education, awareness, community stories, and practical resources for residents.

Sincerely,

Edmonton Neighbourhoods United

www.edmontonneighbourhoodsunited.ca

AT ISSUE

Residential Infill Safety & Development

Edmonton continues to experience increasing concerns related to residential infill construction. According to the City's Infill Compliance Dashboard, resident complaints increased from 196 to 514 in a single year.

Residents have reported concerns including:

• Emergency access being obstructed during construction.
• Excavation and shoring issues affecting neighbouring properties.
• Construction site safety and cleanliness.
• Blocked sidewalks and public right-of-way concerns.
• Questions surrounding the implementation of Edmonton's Blanket Zoning Bylaw and redevelopment in mature neighbourhood.

 Learn more 

KNOW YOUR BYLAW

Each newsletter we'll simplify one section of Edmonton's Zoning Bylaw and explain it in plain language.

We'll answer questions like:

• What does this rule actually mean?
• How does it affect my property?
• Why was it created?
• What should residents know?

Our goal is to make planning information understandable and accessible for everyone.

 Learn More 

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

Redevelopment can be confusing. Knowing your rights and understanding the process can make a significant difference.

Future editions will provide practical guidance on:

• Development permits
• Appeal timelines
• Construction safety concerns
• Reporting bylaw violations
• Who to contact
• Helpful City resources

COMMUNITY STORIES

Neighbourhood experiences matter.

If you have photos, construction concerns, safety issues, or redevelopment stories you'd like to share, we'd love to hear from you.

Community input helps identify recurring issues and strengthens our ability to advocate for practical solutions.

ON THE AGENDA

Mariam Ibrahim

This week, council will debate rezoning applications and a design change for active transportation during its last week before going on summer recess.

There is a public hearing scheduled for July 6 and a council meeting scheduled for July 7 and 8.

Here are some key items on the agenda this week:

• Westrich Pacific has applied to rezone two properties in Wîhkwêntôwin. The developer has proposed rezoning a lot at 10004 112 Street from a direct control zone that allows for a 35-storey building to the mixed use zone, which allows for a 12-storey building. Westrich has also applied to rezone three lots at the corner of 100 Avenue and 111 Street from a direct control zone that allows for an 18-storey building to the medium-scale residential zone, which allows for an eight-storey building.
• Yorkton Equity Group has applied to rezone the Pacific Mall site and an adjacent parking lot in Chinatown to allow for an 18-storey building and a six-storey building, respectively. The current zoning allows for buildings up to 38 storeys high. Administration said it supports the application because the proposed buildings would align with Chinatown’s economic development plans.
• Coun. Ashley Salvador will move to direct administration to pause the current plans for active transportation infrastructure along 50 Street NW through Capilano, Gold Bar, and Fulton Place. The design would remove street parking to make way for a protected bike lane. Salvador said there is an alternative design that would maintain parking.
• Edmonton city council’s infrastructure committee has approved the creation of a Dedicated Renewal Fund to help ensure long-term infrastructure repair work can happen. Mayor Andrew Knack said the city needs to ensure consistent funding instead of relying on fluctuating external sources. The fund will be financed by raising the property tax levy from 0.5% to 1% by 2033. It is intended to address Edmonton’s $2.7 billion annual infrastructure renewal needs by 2046.
• The Edmonton Valley Zoo has reopened its Nocturnal Wing after extensive habitat enhancements for its Jamaican fruit bats. Director Gary Dewar highlighted new features such as a rock wall and specialized lighting that improve bat well-being and visitor experience. “We hope the experience encourages people to learn more about bats and the conservation challenges they face,” Dewar said.
• More than a year after the disappearance of 14-year-old Samuel Bird in west Edmonton, his mother, Alanna, is channeling her grief into a film project to honour his life and shed light on Indigenous youths’ experiences in Canada. Samuel’s mother has partnered with Indigenous filmmaker Corben Bowen on Every Day Gets Closer to Winter, which is still in development and seeking funding. Bryan Farrell is charged with second-degree murder in connection with Samuel’s death, with court proceedings adjourned to November.
• A $4.6-billion power station has received approval to supply energy to a planned data centre near Edmonton, potentially achieving Alberta’s data centre investment goal. The facility is slated for completion by mid-2030. The station will be built in an industrial area owned by Pembina, which is funding the project along with Morgan Stanley and Kineticor. Scott Burrows of Pembina said the project has received all necessary regulatory approvals and that construction will begin soon.
• St. Albert officials are urging residents to avoid the Sturgeon River after high water levels submerged sidewalks, signs, and park areas, after a record 255 millimetres of rain in June. St. Albert has closed several trails, including the Ray Gibbon Drive and Boudreau Road underpasses, and implemented flood mitigation measures.
• Elections Alberta rejected Corb Lund’s ‘Water Not Coal’ petition, which is aimed at banning new coal mining in the Eastern Slopes. Although the petition initially gathered more than 196,000 signatures, only 172,088 were verified, which is below the required 177,732.
• The Edmonton Oilers have extended contracts for defencemen Shakir Mukhamadullin and Spencer Stastney. Mukhamadullin, acquired from San Jose, signed a two-year extension with an average annual value of $1.75 million. Stastney secured a one-year deal with an average annual value of $1.525 million after joining from Nashville.

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• There will be a City Council Public Hearing today at 9:30 am, with eight planning and rezoning bylaws on the agenda. One proposal would rezone a vacant lot at 10004 - 112 Street in Wîhkwêntôwin for mixed use development up to 40 meters, or roughly 11 storeys, with the City hearing concerns during public notification that the proposed height is too tall for an area that already has enough high rises. Other items would allow medium scale housing on 111 Street in Wîhkwêntôwin and in the Prince Rupert neighbourhood, medium and large scale mixed use development in McCauley, and light industrial and small commercial businesses in Pembina. Council will also take up three related Rossdale items postponed from the June 23rd hearing, which would amend the Rossdale Area Redevelopment Plan, add a new River Crossing Special Area to the City's zoning rules, and rezone a set of riverside properties near 102 Street and 96 Avenue for medium and large scale development. Administration supports all eight bylaws, and each could receive final approval at the same meeting.
• City Council will meet tomorrow at 9:30 am, and two of the items on the agenda deal with how the City will pay to fix its aging infrastructure. Council will decide whether to formally create a Dedicated Renewal Fund Reserve, a step the Infrastructure Committee recommended at its June 24th meeting in response to a renewal funding shortfall projected at $2.8 billion over the 2027-2030 budget cycle and $10 billion over the next decade. Even if all available unconstrained funding went to renewal, Administration projects only 30% of the ideal investment in the City's $39.8-billion infrastructure portfolio would be funded over the next ten years. The report also details a proposed "enhancement" that would add a 0.5% tax increase every year from 2029 to 2036 dedicated to renewal - and even then, dedicated tax levies would cover only 60.7% of the projected renewal need in 2048. A companion report lays out Administration's draft priorities for renewing arterial roads, bridges, facilities, open spaces, and transit assets, with renewal of existing infrastructure prioritized over new growth projects in the next budget cycle. The 2027-2030 budget itself will be deliberated by Council in December.
• Ward 2 (Anirniq) Councillor Erin Rutherford is targeting amplified noise in Edmonton's public spaces, with the Community and Public Services Committee passing her motion on June 29th to draft amendments to the City's public spaces bylaw aimed at reducing unnecessary noise from amplification. Committee chair Ward 12 (Sspomitapi) Councillor Jo-Anne Wright said the push stems partly from concerns voiced by downtown businesses, including about an individual who regularly uses a megaphone and amplifier near Churchill Square at lunch time to spread his religious views. City solicitor Michael Gunther cautioned that any such bylaw must be carefully prepared to avoid violating the Charter of Rights and Freedoms' guarantee of free expression, though he noted municipalities may legally regulate amplification to prevent noise pollution. Administration had recommended tailoring noise limits to the distance from a doorway, but the Committee set that idea aside following a private session. Other options under consideration include requiring a permit to use amplification in public, designating specific "speakers corners", and defining disruptive noise in the bylaw itself. Calgary, Vancouver, and Toronto already have rules on where and when amplification is allowed, and the proposed changes will come back for review on September 25th before any public hearing.
• The same June 29th Committee meeting also took up fireworks, where John Adria, the owner of Uncle John's Fireworks, told City Council's Community and Public Services Committee that putting restrictions on fireworks has created far more problems than it has solved. Adria argued there were no issues before the regulations changed in 2019, and that permit conditions are now so tough that community groups have no legal path to holding the displays they safely ran for decades. He pointed to Saskatoon, which allows fireworks use by all adults without restrictions on several days each year, and suggested Edmonton's red tape is contributing to racism against southeast Asian communities, who he says get blamed whenever fireworks are used illegally. Chief bylaw enforcement officer David Jones told the Committee that fireworks complaints to 311 have increased 1,400% since 2020. After a home burned down during Diwali last year, the City is trying to chart a path that allows fireworks during the November holiday while ensuring fire safety, with Administration proposing to contribute $20,000 from the City's anti-racism fund toward one or more community-based celebrations. A representative of the Edmonton Diwali celebration steering committee urged members to proceed with a celebration at Mill Woods Park, which they declined to do, and Committee chair Ward 12 (Sspomitapi) Councillor Jo-Anne Wright said she was disappointed there was no bylaw review - though the Committee will review the City's fireworks rules in September.
• The City of Edmonton has opened a new impound lot near 122nd Street and 124th Avenue to help clear a backlog of hundreds of abandoned vehicles left on streets, alleys, and parking lots. The City and Edmonton police stopped towing cars earlier this year after the main impound lot filled up, and an overflow parcel is unavailable until December because construction crews are using it as a staging area for the Yellowhead Trail freeway conversion. The new lot can handle about 150 vehicles, but almost 400 are on the list to be towed. Ward 2 (Anirniq) Councillor Erin Rutherford says requests for parking enforcement have risen 45% in the last two years, and she doubts the new lot will solve the problem in the long term. As of June 26th, 362 abandoned vehicles were in the towing queue, down from 693 a month earlier, with crews moving 10 to 15 vehicles a day. Rutherford wrote to the Edmonton Police Commission in April urging it to relocate the tow lot to a larger site as a capital project in the next four-year budget, but the Commission says the current lot provides "suitable functionality" for the foreseeable future.

• The provincial government submitted its application for the West Coast Oil Pipeline to the federal Major Projects Office last Thursday, seeking to have the project listed as being in the national interest. The proposed pipeline would carry more than one million barrels of oil per day from Bruderheim to a deep-water port on BC's southwest coast, largely following the existing Trans Mountain corridor, a southern route the government says is the fastest and most cost-effective option and one that avoids the federal oil tanker ban on BC's north coast. The government says the project would help meet its goal of doubling Alberta's oil production to eight million barrels per day over the next 10 years, and the province will partner with Trans Mountain Corporation and Pembina Pipeline to build it, answering questions about who would construct the project after months with no private proponent identified. Indigenous communities wishing to partner in the project will be offered equity opportunities through the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation and the federal Canadian Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program. Under the memorandum of understanding signed with Ottawa in the fall, the federal government has committed to a timely review, with the goal of a national-interest listing by October 1st and construction receiving permission (though not actually starting) as early as September 1st, 2027. Prime Minister Mark Carney has said Ottawa's support for the pipeline is linked to building the Pathways carbon capture and storage project, and the province says it is finalizing a tripartite agreement with the federal government and the Oil Sands Alliance on regulatory reforms and growth incentives to expand oilsands production, with details expected in the coming days. British Columbia Premier David Eby said the deal does not require BC to support any pipeline proposal from Alberta, but he acknowledged that pipelines are federal jurisdiction and that the province will not go to court to fight a pipeline project.
• Meanwhile, separatist group Stay Free Alberta has secured a partial win at Alberta's top court in its fight to put its own independence question to voters. Last Monday, Court of Appeal Justice Alice Woolley ruled that the chief electoral officer can resume verifying signatures on the group's referendum petition, which the group says gathered more than 300,000 signatures, and can report the results to the public. However, the judge stopped short of allowing the results to be reported to the justice minister and referred to the lieutenant governor, a step that could trigger a constitutional referendum, saying a full stay risked the petition proceeding to a referendum before the appeal is decided. In May, Court of King's Bench Justice Shaina Leonard quashed the petition, finding the provincial government neglected its duty to consult First Nations and the chief electoral officer made an error in law in approving it. Both Stay Free Alberta and the provincial government have appealed that ruling, and Premier Danielle Smith has since announced a different question for the October 19th referendum, asking Albertans whether they want to remain in Canada or hold a second, binding vote on separation in the future. A date for the appeal has not been set, and Woolley declined to order an expedited hearing.
• The provincial government is directing $100 million toward supporting complex classrooms across Alberta by hiring more teachers, educational assistants, and support staff. Much of the funding will go toward creating 221 new classroom complexity teams, including 158 for grades 7-12 and 63 for kindergarten to Grade 6, with every school district in the province receiving at least one new team. Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said $75 million will go toward hiring the complexity teams, with the remaining $25 million directed to staff support, including a portion set aside to help rural and remote school divisions bring specialized staff to their communities. The teams for grades 7-12 will include one teacher and one educational assistant, with school boards able to hire two additional specialized staff as needed. The money was earmarked for classroom complexity in Budget 2026 and builds on the Province's commitment to hire more than 1,400 teachers, along with the 476 complexity teams for the younger grades announced in February. Alberta Teachers' Association president Jason Schilling called the funding welcome but long overdue, saying classroom complexity was one of the key issues behind the teachers' strike last October.
• The Legislature committee overseeing the panel redrawing Alberta's electoral boundaries voted last Tuesday to let the panel bring on a political scientist and a pollster to offer expertise on voting behaviour. UCP committee members also approved allowing panel chair Brian O'Ferrall, a retired judge, to enlist a lawyer for legal advice. Opposition NDP committee member Kathleen Ganley argued that drawing the map based on how residents might vote would harm Albertans' right to vote, and said the advice will be kept under "the dome of secrecy" after the UCP shut down NDP efforts to make it public. UCP committee member Garth Rowswell countered that the committee is simply approving the panel's ability to hire the people it wants to consult, and accused the NDP of intruding on the panel's independent work. The dispute follows the government's decision earlier this year to set aside most of a report from a previous independent public commission and restart the boundary process, saying it wants to ensure fair representation for rural areas as the province's population shifts to urban centres. The NDP contends the UCP is using rural representation as cover to redraw ridings in its favour ahead of the next election, set for October 2027.
• Elections Alberta rejected musician Corb Lund's Water Not Coal petition last Friday, saying it failed to meet the requirements for a citizen initiative petition. The petition, which called on the province to ban all new coal mining in the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains, needed 177,732 verified signatures, representing 10% of electors in the last provincial election, and while organizers submitted more than 196,000, Elections Alberta says only 172,088 could be verified. The agency says it found duplicate signatures and others with invalid dates or incomplete information during validation, while some signatories later could not be reached or were unable or unwilling to verify their information. Lund said he had "grave concerns" about the fairness of the process, pointing to provincial changes to electoral legislation that quashed his original petition application last year and forced him to reapply. The premier's office said it respects the integrity of the verification process, and that the government is finalizing a new coal development policy that will require new mining projects in the Eastern Slopes to use underground mining techniques to keep selenium out of rivers and will ban new open-pit mine projects.