Reg Rygus

• The Community and Public Services Committee will meet today at 9:30 am. One of the items on the agenda is a bylaw that would require unsolicited flyers showing images of a deceased fetus to be delivered in a sealed, opaque envelope marked with a content warning and the sender's name and address. Anyone who fails to comply would face a minimum fine of $500 per offence. Council ordered the change on July 4th, 2025, after residents complained to Councillors about graphic flyers with abortion-related messaging left in their mailboxes. Administration acknowledges that the rule would limit the sender's Charter right to freedom of expression, but claims the limit is justified because it is narrowly focused. Because Canada Post is federally regulated, the bylaw would apply only to material hand-delivered to homes, not to flyers sent through the mail. Administration did no consultation beyond notifying Edmonton Prolife, Woman's Health Options, and the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, and the bylaw is ready for all three readings at City Council.
• Also on today's agenda is a one-year review of the Public Spaces Bylaw, which came into effect on May 12th, 2025, along with a set of amendments. The biggest change would ban the use of sound amplification devices within 10 meters of a doorway or bus stop and inside transit facilities, with exceptions for people who keep moving and for uses allowed by a permit. The bylaw's harassment rule would be narrowed to target degrading communication aimed at a protected personal characteristic, after a review found the existing wording was unintentionally overbroad, and a new offence would ban cameras in recreation facilities where signs prohibit them. In the bylaw's first year, transit and downtown peace officers issued 69,564 warnings and 5,068 tickets, up from 54,015 warnings and 4,656 tickets the year before. Complaints to the City's other peace officers rose by more than 350% between May and November 2025, compared with the same months of 2024. Administration recommends keeping the $25 fines for public drug use, panhandling on a roadway, and temporary sheltering, and extending that fine to the related offence for structures. Any further expansion of those nominal fines would wait for a report on a possible Community Court, due to the Committee in the last quarter of 2026.
• The Committee will also receive a report on options for expanding affordable housing into Edmonton's developing neighbourhoods, which lie largely outside the Anthony Henday. Just 1% of housing in those areas is affordable, or 794 units, compared with 6%, or 18,338 units, in the city's redeveloping areas. Administration reviewed claiming municipal reserve land, co-locating housing with civic facilities such as fire stations and libraries, and buying private land, but notes that neither the Municipal Government Act nor the City Charter gives the City a way to acquire land strictly for affordable housing. That leaves buying land at market rates or converting reserve land set aside for parks and schools, which would require public hearings and leave less room for those uses in new neighbourhoods. Since 2019, the City has put $317 million in land value and grants toward affordable housing, and it estimates it has given up $58.5 million in land sale revenue since 2015 by offering land below market value. Its land acquisition budget is expected to be fully allocated under the current 2023-2026 plan, so buying more land would need new funding in the 2027-2030 budget. The report is for information only.
• The Executive Committee will meet on Friday at 9:30 am. Among the items on the agenda is a request, postponed from the Committee's September 2nd meeting, to amend the City's single-source agreement with Azolla Hydrogen Ltd. by increasing its total value and extending its term. Azolla supplies hydrogen for a City fleet fuelling pilot, and already runs a unit at the Ellerslie fleet facility that makes hydrogen from methanol. The amendment covers changes to the design and construction of a second unit at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre, as well as three years of operating the fuelling stations. The size of the increase is not public, because Administration wants the updated terms kept private, citing harm to a third party's business interests and to the City's own economic interests. Administration claims there is no net budget impact, since the cost is covered by an existing fleet capital budget and by up to $6.9 million from Emissions Reduction Alberta toward a project costing about $18 million. Its own report notes that the pilot's climate benefit depends on where the methanol comes from.
• City Administration and the Edmonton Police Service announced last Monday that they will review how the City's community services branch and the police work together on public safety, following closed-door meetings between City Council and the Edmonton Police Commission. The final report, due to Council in late 2027, will set out what it would take to keep the current model, options for closer collaboration, and the risks and costs of each organizational model. It will be reviewed by a third party before it is published, and the City insists there will be no changes to service delivery until then. Police Chief Warren Driechel said the pressures of social issues, crime, disorder, and violence are becoming more acute, and that the service must assess whether its current approach is the right fit. Much of the discussion between Council and the Commission was held in private under sections of the Access to Information Act covering public safety, law enforcement, and intergovernmental relations. City Communications Manager Brent Wittmeier said portions of the report would also stay private, including personal and labour information, legal advice, and security details, while the mandate, timeline, and non-sensitive milestones will be public.

ON THE AGENDA

Stephanie Swensrude

This week, councillors are set to review the first year of the public spaces bylaw, hear an update on the city’s accessibility progress, and consider changes to the planning and business development model.

There is a community and public services committee meeting on Sept. 28, an urban planning committee meeting on Sept. 29, and an executive committee meeting on Oct. 1.

Here are some key items on the agenda this week:

• Transit and downtown peace officers issued 29% more warnings in the year after several bylaws were consolidated to create the public spaces bylaw. During the same period, there was a 9% increase in tickets issued, says a report that is set to be presented community and public services committee. The majority of warnings were related to proof of payment, controlled substances, inappropriate behaviours, and using transit spaces for non-transit purposes. At the same time, the Community Outreach Transit Team, known as COTT, recorded a 59% increase in engagements and interactions, which it attributes to enhanced operational alignment between transit peace officers and outreach teams, as well as increased community awareness following the opening of the Wa’awiyagabi Welcome Space at Central LRT Station. Administration said the data suggests “enforcement officers are using the public spaces bylaw for lawful placement purposes to intervene in problematic conduct, but are exercising discretion to use escalating enforcement and diversion tools as appropriate.” Administration said it does not believe the changes can be attributed solely to the bylaw change, and that changing social programs and services have contributed. Council had requested the analysis after advocates said the new public spaces bylaw would have harsh consequences for vulnerable Edmontonians. Administration has proposed several amendments, including a new definition to distinguish privately owned public spaces, such as malls and lobbies, from municipal public spaces that are directly owned and controlled by the City of Edmonton. The regulation change also applies to the part of the bylaw that regulates temporary sheltering. “Limiting certain regulation to ‘municipal public spaces’ avoids the risk of unintentional overbreadth, provides clarity to the public on the extent of regulation, and ensures minimal impairment of activities that may have expressive or other protected aspects,” the report said.
• Administration highlighted the progress it has made on the accessibility for people with disabilities policy. The city has updated its accessibility design guide, enhanced visibility of benches in four LRT stations, and offered additional employee training. It has also made progress on addressing a backlog on sidewalk maintenance and reviewed nearly 400 pedestrian crossing signals. Administration plans to develop a plan to support adaptive recreation, improve booking and scheduling for DATS, and review service levels for clearing sidewalks and bike lanes of snow and ice.
• Administration has presented options to bring the planning and development business model (PDBM) closer to its target level after years of increased construction activity resulted in a surplus in the reserve. The PDBM is funded by the fees charged for land development applications, development permits, building permits, and other associated services. The projected year-end balance of the reserve is $77.6 million, which is 105% of budgeted operating expenses. Council policy mandates that the balance should not exceed 75%. Administration recommends pausing inflationary fee increases in 2027, increasing staff levels, and investing in technology. It also recommends three actions that would require a policy exception: a one-time, $12-million transfer to the infill infrastructure program; a hold on funds for future growth planning studies; and a revision to the PDBM policy. Urban planning committee is set to review the changes, after which council will make the final decision.

Administration has proposed amendments to the public spaces bylaw to add a new definition to distinguish privately owned public spaces, such as malls and lobbies, from municipal public spaces, such as LRT stations. (Sara Sheydwasser)

Here are some more key items:

• Representatives from the Highlands Historical Society suggested turning an existing unnamed landscaped area into a park to commemorate the neighbourhood’s history after a notable transit stop was turned into a supportive housing site. Last summer, council’s executive committee approved the sale of three sites to Jasper Place Wellness Centre for supportive housing, including a former transit loop that was once the end of the streetcar line that served Highlands, which was then a new suburb. When the sale was approved, councillors had asked for options to honour the neighbourhood’s history.
• Offering an incentive for early payment of parking tickets would cost the city up to $1.15 million in capital costs as well as up to $300,000 annually, says a report that will be presented to community and public services committee. A jurisdictional scan of seven large Canadian cities found that five of them use tiered fines and early payment incentives. Implementing tiers and incentives would require the city to modernize its ticketing process, the report said. It could also reduce revenue by $300,000 to $700,000 annually.
• Building affordable housing on the same site as municipal assets, such as fire stations or libraries, could help get more built in the suburbs, administration said. A report set for community and public services committee says 6% of the total dwellings within the redeveloping area — generally, the area within Anthony Henday Drive — are affordable units, compared with 1% in newer neighbourhoods outside of the ring road. Council has previously considered affordable housing co-location at the Walker Fire Station, but ultimately decided against it due to high planning and design costs. Other options include using municipal reserve land and purchasing private land and offering it to affordable housing developers.
• Administration recommends using the heritage commemoration initiatives in the new heritage places strategy to recognize the heritage design characteristics along 129 Avenue in Calder. A report that will be presented at urban planning committee says council could also introduce a direct control zone to conserve the heritage character, or introduce a special character area zone, as exists in Westmount, Cromdale, Garneau, and Old Strathcona, though either option could limit future development.
• Edmonton Transit Service could add more stops to existing on-demand transit zones after three on-demand neighbourhoods are converted to conventional service next year. A report that is set to be presented to urban planning committee adds that administration is now able to add onboard fare collection to on-demand transit vehicles.
• A partnership between 911 dispatch and social services resulted in customer service training, new call diversion processes, and data sharing, but lacked capacity to make significant improvement to Edmontonians, according to a report to be presented to community and public services committee. The Integrated Call Evaluation and Dispatch (ICED) initiative aimed to “move from a traditional emergency response model toward getting the right response at the first call to Edmontonians,” the report said. Since the program launched in 2022, mental health calls are now automatically routed to 211, a social services helpline, or 988, the suicide crisis helpline. Administration said the partnership is limited because, unlike police, most social services don’t have the capacity to operate 24/7; privacy laws protect an individual’s data but can make it difficult for service providers to share information quickly and develop plans for supporting callers with complex needs; and wage inflation has meant that fewer 911 dispatch workers can be employed within a static budget.
• Executive committee will review a proposal to offer the premium version of the Transit app to all Edmontonians. About 85,000 riders use the third-party app to plan trips in Edmonton, and about 4,300 more people download it each month, a report said. Administration is seeking approval for a four-year contract of up to $2.5 million that would provide free access to the “Royale” version of the app for all Edmonton region riders. The premium version of the app provides access to all route schedules and real-time trip data across the region, allows riders to plan trips in advance, provides more trip options, and gamifies app customization features that make the app more appealing and user-friendly, the report said. The agreement would also let administration access rider feedback submitted through the Transit app. The proposal requires executive committee approval only.
• Executive committee will review applications to designate the Campbell Residence and Reed Residence in Westmount, and the Judge Downes Residence in Strathcona, as municipal historic resources. If committee approves, city council will make the final decision.
• Administration has drafted amendments to the community standards bylaw that would require unsolicited mail containing images of a deceased fetus to be contained in a sealed, opaque envelope with a content warning. A report set to be presented to community and public services committee says the city has heard from residents who have been traumatized by receiving graphic mail with messaging related to abortion. The changes require council approval.
• Administration has proposed a minor change to the city’s ward boundaries to place the entirety of the Glenridding Ravine neighbourhood within Ward pihêsiwin and the entirety of the Chappelle neighbourhood within Ward Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi. About 400 residents in Glenridding Ravine would move to Ward pihêsiwin from Ward Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi once the proposed adjustment came into effect, while the segment of the Chappelle neighbourhood currently has no residential population. City policy requires the returning officer to review municipal boundaries in the year following a municipal election. The population of each ward is supposed to be within 25% of the mean ward population of 103,700 people, and all wards are currently within the acceptable variance. If executive committee approves the proposal, it is ready for first reading; if approved, the final council vote will take place in the future.

• Premier Danielle Smith announced on Tuesday that the Province will suspend its 13-cent-per-litre fuel tax on gasoline and diesel from October 1st until the end of the year. Under Alberta's Fuel Tax Relief Program, the tax is fully removed when West Texas Intermediate crude averages more than $90 a barrel, and it averaged $90.54 during the latest review period. The Province estimates the change will bring the average price of gas from about 175.5 cents to about 162.5 cents per litre, and it warns that businesses caught price gouging face fines of up to $300,000 or up to two years in jail. The move reverses the government's decision in June to keep the tax and instead offer a one-time $100 rebate to households earning $225,000 a year or less, which Albertans can still apply for until September 30th. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation welcomed the suspension, while NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said the government is now implementing a policy it spent months arguing against, only after losing the Calgary-Shaw by-election to his party. The next review period, running from November 17th to December 15th, will set the quarterly rate for January 1st, 2027.
• Premier Danielle Smith is floating a $1,900-per-person fee for temporary residents to access public health care, ahead of the October 19th referendum question on charging certain non-permanent residents a fee or premium for health care and education. Smith pointed to the United Kingdom, where adult visa applicants pay about $1,950 a year for health care, and argued that people who are in Alberta temporarily should pay their own way. She claims Alberta's 246,000 temporary residents cost more than $1 billion a year in health care and education while contributing $150 million in provincial tax revenue, though those estimates have faced scrutiny over how the revenue figure was calculated. Calgary Chamber of Commerce president Deborah Yedlin warned that the fee would add to business costs, with employers likely to cover it for lower-wage workers in thin-margin sectors like hospitality. NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi called Smith "out of touch" and noted that temporary workers already pay taxes. Finance Minister Jason Nixon said the government would consult before deciding whether current temporary residents would be exempt, and that any legislation would likely not take effect until after the 2027 provincial election.
• Premier Danielle Smith also says her government is considering changes to the Municipal Government Act that could let councils in larger municipalities operate more like the provincial cabinet, holding private briefings and then debating issues in public. Speaking at the Alberta Municipalities convention in Edmonton on Wednesday, Smith said constituents have raised concerns about municipal governance and that councils should conduct their business in public, as the Province has to. The issue gained attention after a Calgary Councillor leaked a confidential document from a closed-door meeting that showed a potential 20% property tax increase to cover $510 million in funding requests. Alberta Municipalities president Dylan Bressey pushed back, saying councils use in-camera time judiciously and that he does not think the province has a transparency issue. Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack also said he would prefer not to have private meetings before public discussions. Bressey instead asked the Province for 10% of its $2-billion surplus, about $200 million, for municipal infrastructure, noting that provincial infrastructure funding for municipalities has fallen by 50% over 10 years.
• Education and Childcare Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announced on Tuesday that two new mandatory Grade 10 courses are ready for field testing: a revised Career and Life Management course and a new physical education and wellness course. The revised course puts more emphasis on career planning and financial literacy, and it would replace the existing Career and Life Management 20 course, which was last updated in 2002. Under the proposed changes, sexual health education would move out of Career and Life Management and into the physical education and wellness course. A new junior high science curriculum is also being prepared, adding lessons on artificial intelligence, coding, and machine learning, along with more content on green energy sources, fossil fuel extraction, carbon capture, and critical minerals. Teachers can apply to field test the new drafts starting in October, with updated drafts expected in spring 2027, optional pilots in fall 2027, and the new material becoming mandatory in fall 2028. Alberta Teachers' Association president Jason Schilling warned that the changes add to the workload of teachers already piloting new junior high curricula in four other subjects, and said physical education teachers are concerned that health lessons are cutting into students' active time.
• The Province is working on a potential framework that would let municipalities allow and enforce the use of privately owned e-scooters and other micromobility devices. Privately owned e-scooters are currently not allowed on municipal property in Alberta, while companies like Lime and Bird operate in the bigger cities through a provincial exemption for approved vendors. A spokesperson for the transportation ministry said the framework could be one of several changes to modernize the Traffic Safety Act, but gave no timeline. Premier Danielle Smith said on September 12th that the Province could set limits on speed, where the devices can go, rider age, and protective gear, and invited Albertans to send feedback to the transportation ministry. Alberta Municipalities, which has advocated for a provincial framework for years, hopes to see a change this fall that would take effect by spring. Its president, Dylan Bressey, wants municipalities to decide where e-scooters can be used, though he says he could support provincewide limits on things like speed or weight.

In keeping with the times the latest issue of the BOYLE MCCAULEY NEWS is below.

What's on in Edmonton this weekend? With Alberta Culture Days in full swing, there is so much to see and do! Attend the premiere of FRACTURA, a new work by Edmonton-based artist Deviani Andrea, search for your new favourite artwork at SNAP’s Fine Art Garage Sale, share some laughs with friends at Grindstone’s Improv in the park, check out the exhibitions, performances, and workshops at ArtsHub Ortona, celebrate the 30th anniversary of YouthWrite with a block party at ArtsHub McLuhan House, join the Chamber Orchestra of Edmonton as they open an exciting new season with an evening of live music featuring Rafael Hoekman, and so much more!

SEE ALL UPCOMING EVENTS

• Ward 8 (papastew) Councillor Michael Janz has given notice of a motion that would direct Administration to look at charging residents for permits to park on their own residential streets, with a portion of the revenue potentially returned to the households on that block. The City already collects $13 million a year in parking fees and has about 2,700 street parking stalls, counting both paid spots and residential roads where parking is currently free. Janz argues that ratepayers pay for the upkeep of those roads regardless, and that with upwards of 750,000 registered vehicles in Edmonton even a nominal fee would raise a considerable sum. By his own example, 20 spaces on a block at $2.50 an hour for 10 hours a day would bring in $182,500 a year, or $9,125 per property if split 20 ways. He says about 80% of participants in the City's summer budget tool exercise supported the idea of parking users paying for the privilege, and that a universal permit system would be fairer than the current arrangement in areas like Garneau, where only permitted homeowners can park on the street and apartment residents are excluded. The motion follows a City audit that found Administration manages its parking enforcement contract adequately but has no council-approved strategic vision for parking, and Ward 10 (Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi) Councillor Jon Morgan, who chairs the audit committee, said he wants the ability to audit how contractors handle data on parked vehicles. Council will debate the future of the parking enforcement program during its four-year budget deliberations in December.
• Edmonton's transit peace officers issued 5,748 trespass tickets to people with no fixed address in 2025, according to City data obtained under access-to-information legislation and released last Tuesday by the Criminal Trial Lawyers' Association, the Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness, the Coalition for Justice and Human Rights, and Justice and Equity Alberta. At $600 a ticket that comes to $3,448,800, and it accounts for 86% of the 6,673 transit trespass tickets written that year, the highest annual total since at least 2018. The City also issued 647 written bans from transit property in 2025, nearly half of them for drug use, along with 369 verbal bans, with written bans lasting anywhere from three months to two years. The City says that unpaid tickets are forwarded to provincial registries to be collected when licences or registrations are renewed, but that its systems make it difficult to isolate how much has actually been recovered from people listed as having no fixed address. Mayor Andrew Knack said peace officers take enforcement action in only 7% of their interactions with the public and spend the rest connecting people with social supports, and the City says Administration is now reviewing the transit ban policy. Separately, Ward 10 (Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi) Councillor Jon Morgan's motion to study fare gates at an LRT station passed narrowly last month, and Administration is due to report back to the urban planning committee on November 17th.
• Mayor Knack and Ward 5 (O-day'min) Councillor Anne Stevenson are also pressing the province for a formal reintegration framework, after video showed correctional officers dropping five men and three women onto a Chinatown street at about 8:45 pm on September 11th, a week after a similar video captured a release in a private lot near the Pacific Mall. Knack noted that Edmonton has eight correctional facilities, the most of any city in the country, holding up to 3,405 inmates, which he said is 306% more than would be expected in Calgary, and that about 72% of them are in provincially run institutions. Stevenson said she found it frustrating to watch provincial employees drop people off where no services were available to receive them, and argued that the first days after release shape whether someone reoffends. Knack raised the issue directly with Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis, and a spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Safety said correctional staff work with individuals before release to connect them with services but did not commit to a framework, noting that roughly 80% of people in custody are on remand so release dates are often not known in advance. Police Chief Warren Driechel told reporters last Thursday that the Edmonton Police Service is not directly notified of releases and has to search a database for them, and said there needs to be a genuine handoff to service providers rather than drop-offs near a shelter.
• Amarjeet Sohi, Don Iveson, Stephen Mandel, Bill Smith, and Jan Reimer, five of Edmonton's former mayors, spoke to a packed ballroom of business leaders last Tuesday about the state of the city, and several were sharply critical of where it stands. Iveson, who was mayor from 2013 to 2021, said he remains haunted that the city has not been able to end homelessness, and that the failure has consequences for downtown and for how safe people feel in the community. Smith, mayor from 1995 to 2004, said the operating budget is the easiest one at the City to balance as long as Council is determined to cut things it does not need and cannot afford, while Reimer, mayor from 1989 to 1995, called for stronger relationships with the business and investment communities and with neighbourhoods. Mandel, mayor from 2004 to 2013, was the bluntest, describing the current Council as a mess, saying the arena is the only thing downtown has going for it, and calling downtown a "crap hole". Mandel also said he would bring the several thousand City employees still working from home back to the office. Current Mayor Andrew Knack replied that everyone is going to have their own opinion, that this was one of five mayors' views and the other four did not appear to share it, and that Edmonton has added roughly 250,000 people in the last five years.
• Edmonton Public Schools is considering whether to redraw its electoral map and cut the number of trustees ahead of the 2029 civic election. Ward F Trustee Julie Kusiek introduced a motion last Tuesday asking division planners to prepare options, one keeping the current nine wards and nine trustees and another reducing both to seven, and trustees voted 7-2 to shelve the item until their October meeting. Trustees heard that moving to seven could save money on administrative costs after the province cut the division's system administration grant by 5%, a capped fund that also pays for the board and its elections. Superintendent Ron Thompson said the division typically runs a surplus in that part of the budget and that the cap is not a significant concern, and a spokesperson for the education minister said the grant was reduced to push divisions to find efficiencies and direct more money to classrooms. Edmonton Public is the second-largest division in Alberta and has the most trustees, while other metro boards, including Calgary, operate with seven, and the division has already functioned with six after three trustees resigned during the 2021 to 2025 term. Any change to the total number of trustees would need approval from the education minister, and Ward C Trustee Holly Nichol questioned whether the board should be looking at 10 or 11 wards instead, given how much the city has grown.

• The Alberta government is considering new legislation and two new Crown corporations to expand natural gas pipeline capacity, according to a 46-page cabinet report leaked to CTV News by a government adviser and first reported by The Narwhal. The report, prepared by the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, warns that the province's gas transmission network is constrained, suppressing gas prices, limiting provincial royalties, and driving investment away, particularly from AI data centres. It says the main line, NOVA Gas Transmission, owned and operated by TC Energy, will be full by 2029 with no expansion planned as of 2030, and that TC Energy's future expansion plans are "misaligned" with the province's projected demand growth. The Province is also exploring roughly $6 billion of new capacity at taxpayer expense, funding a pipeline carrying 1 billion cubic feet per day, which the ministry estimates would generate an additional $100 million in royalties by 2034. Premier Danielle Smith, who said on her weekly radio show that the issue is the monopoly TC Energy holds, argued there is enough private sector interest that Alberta would not have to follow the approach used in other provinces. TC Energy counters that it has spent $15 billion on expansion over the past decade with another $1 billion planned, and the report flags potential court challenges from TC Energy and ATCO Gas and Pipelines as legal considerations. Energy and Minerals Minister Brian Jean's office says internal materials do not represent government decisions.
• Premier Danielle Smith said on Wednesday that her government will announce a revised oil and gas royalty framework in November, which Bloomberg reports will resemble the preferential royalty terms Alberta has used in the past. Smith argued the change is needed because the industry spent the past decade being told it would be winding down production rather than ramping it up. The announcement follows Prime Minister Mark Carney's "productivity mega deduction", unveiled at the Canada Investment Summit in Toronto, a measure that would cut taxes on capital investment and extend to the oil industry. Ottawa says the deduction will lower Canada's marginal effective tax rate on new business investment from about 13% to 6.4%, and presents it as central to Carney's plan to attract $1 trillion in investment over five years. Alberta's current royalty framework is covered by a government commitment not to change the rules during the 10-year period that began in 2019, and Smith did not say whether the new framework would take effect before that commitment expires or how much revenue the Province could forgo. Energy and Minerals Minister Brian Jean says Alberta, Ottawa, and the five Oil Sands Alliance producers are working toward final agreements by mid-November.
• Alberta NDP candidate Kyle Campbell won the by-election in Calgary-Shaw, taking 7,461 of the 16,002 votes counted, about 47%, and finishing 582 votes ahead of UCP candidate Mike Derry. It is the first time the NDP has held the riding since the party's 2015 sweep into government, with the UCP winning the seat in both 2019 and 2023. The seat had been vacant since UCP MLA and former cabinet minister Rebecca Schulz resigned earlier this year, and one political scientist described the vote as a test of the government's popularity just over a month before the October 19th referendum. Kyle Joseph of the Progressive Tory Party of Alberta finished third with 978 votes, Alberta Liberal Party Leader John Roggeveen received 602, and Independent candidate Rolly Ashdown took 82. Official results will be confirmed on September 24th.
• The Government of Alberta has temporarily changed the rules governing the province's official voter list, so that copies given to political parties will now show only the number of voters in each voting area and municipality. The list previously carried each registered voter's first and last name, home address and postal code, phone number, and a unique identifier, and Elections Alberta distributes it to parties, legislators, candidates, and constituency associations for campaigning and fundraising. The policy was published on Thursday, expires at the end of the year, and follows the publication in the spring of a database by a separatist group called the Centurion Project that elections officials say contained the private information of nearly three million Albertans. Investigators traced that database to a copy of the list given to the pro-independence Republican Party of Alberta, which has denied any wrongdoing, and a judge ordered the website taken down in April. Justice Minister Mickey Amery's office says the policy is meant to protect Albertans' private information and that permanent changes will be introduced in legislation in the fall. Elections Alberta says it will still use the full list to administer the referendum to ensure the vote's security.
• The Treasury Board and Finance Ministry spent the summer meeting personal injury lawyers about restoring some right to sue under Alberta's new care-first auto insurance model, which takes effect in January 2027. Under the model as it stands, Albertans hurt in collisions can sue an at-fault driver for pain and suffering only where that driver is convicted of a Criminal Code offence or one of a handful of major offences under the Traffic Safety Act, or for costs beyond the maximum benefits they receive. Mark McCourt, one of the personal injury lawyers who met officials, says the discussions covered extending the right to sue to people who suffer life-changing injuries caused by reckless drivers, and that doing so would be an improvement on what is currently proposed. Ministry press secretary Juliana Rodriguez says the Province has heard from Albertans about the importance of court access in life-changing injury cases, but that no decision has been made. The Alberta Auto Insurance Rate Board estimates drivers will save an average of $297 per vehicle under the new model. Aaron Sutherland, vice-president of the Insurance Bureau of Canada, warns that what the lawyers are proposing would substantially erode those savings and could push rates up for drivers.

Community League Day Movie

Movie Night in the Park

Join us for a fun-filled evening under the stars at North Milbourne Community Hall! On September 26, 2026, starting at 6:30pm, we'll be showing How to Train Your Dragon - Live Action. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs, and enjoy this family-friendly event with neighbours. Don't miss out on the popcorn and outdoor fun!

September 26, 2026

Open at 6:30PM

Movie starts at 7PM

Community League Survey

Help shape the future of our Community Leagues! The City of Edmonton and EFCL are conducting a survey to understand which facilities, programs, and services matter most to League members. Whether you use the rink, attend local BBQs, or rent the hall, your feedback will guide decisions on the future. Complete the 10-minute survey between September 3 and September 20!

TAKE THE SURVEY HERE

Saturday Swim Days! 

Nona's Seniors Section

There is a Senior's Resource page on our website. 

Click here http://www.nmclinfo.com/senior-resources/

Also always worth checking out the Millwoods Seniors Association Website MWSAC.

Get Communal To Manage Your Membership Account Online

As mentioned a few months ago we've transitioned our memberships to a new location where you can now actively manage your account and even sign-up for automatic renewals. Going forward, we'll be transitioning volunteer communications through this site as well.

If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to membership@nmclinfo.com and/or promotions@nmclinfo.com

Sign up Today at https://nmclinfo.getcommunal.com/

Don't forget, membership grants you free access to community league rinks and Saturday Swim at Millwoods Rec.

Free membership at the Tool Library http://www.edmontontoollibrary.ca/  Just present your NMCL community league membership

We now accept e-transfers! Reach out to membership@nmclinfo.com for details!

"There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.""

                   - Margaret Wheatley

I’m always thrilled for the opportunity to connect directly with you. Whether you have a specific concern, feedback to pass along or things close to your heart in Ward Karhiio that you want to bring up, I want to hear it.

Book a 1-on-1 coffee with me on October 3. I can't wait to chat with new residents and familiar faces alike!

Date: Saturday October 3, 2026

Time: 9:00AM-12:00 (each coffee is 30 minutes)

Location: Mill Woods Town Centre Area (the final location will be shared once a booking is made)

Link to Book: https://forms.gle/Pi91WhFCad6gVVk6A

If you have questions, please reach out to Team Karhiio at keren.tang@edmonton.ca.

Community League Day is Saturday September 19th

Did you know in Edmonton we have 163 Community Leagues, and 8 right here in Ward Karhiio? Wherever you live, there are neighbours volunteering their time to build better communities.

Community League Day falls on Saturday September 19 this year. It is a day to meet and learn about your local League, get or renew your membership, and hear about programs and volunteer opportunities in your neighbourhood. There are a few events happening this week and next week hosted by our local Ward Karhiio Leagues to celebrate the occasion - check them out:

Horizon Community League

Date and Time: FRIDAY, September 18, 2026 | 7:30 pm- 10:30 pm

Location: Orchards Residents Association (4059 Orchards Drive SW, Edmonton, AB T6X 1A2)

Horizon Community League and Orchards Residents Association are excited to come together to co-host Movie in the Park featuring Zootopia (movie at 7:50PM)! Bring your family, blankets and lawn chairs and join your neighbours for an evening of movies, fun and community. This event is open to all residents of the Orchards community and Horizon Community League members. Horizon Community League members will be asked to show proof of membership upon arrival. Learn more here. 

Woodvale Community League Day

Date and Time: SATURDAY, September 19, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM (approx.)

Location: Woodvale Rink (5904 38 Ave NW) 

From 5:00–7:00 PM, enjoy face painters, mascots, games, and food trucks ($). Then, grab your chairs and settle into the rink for a family movie under the evening sky. The movie starts at 7:00 PM, and popcorn will be provided free for everyone attending the movie. Learn more here.

Millhurst Community League Day

Date and Time: SATURDAY, September 19, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Location: Sakaw Hall & Community Garden (5820 11A Ave NW)

Join the League at the newly renovated Sakaw Hall & Community Garden for an afternoon of family fun and neighbourly connection including a loaded potato bar, fresh-pressed community apple cider (bring apples to donate!), inflatables, face painting & photo booth, nature crafts, local business showcase and more. Learn more here.

Ellerslie Community League

Date and Time: SATURDAY, September 19, 2026 | 12:00 pm- 3:00 pm

Location: Charlesworth Park

Join the Ellerslie Community League for Paint & Popsicles in the Park. 

They will be meeting at Charlesworth Park for a guided Painting session with popsicles for a treat. Please note: painting is limited to the first 40 members to sign up and starts at 1pm. Memberships will be sold on location. Learn more here.

North Millbourne Community League

Date and Time: SATURDAY, September 26 | 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Location: North Millbourne Community League Hall (980 Millbourne Rd E)

Join the NMCL for a Movie Night to celebrate Community League Day. Enjoy popcorn, snacks, and drinks as you sit under the stars. The hall will open at 6:30pm so that you can grab snacks and get settled. The movie will start at 7pm. The movie is How to Train Your Dragon (Live Action). Learn more here. 

Cellular Connectivity across the LRT Network is here!

Phase 1 of the City's Underground Cell Service Project launched in August. Cell service is now available in LRT tunnels and underground stations. This means riders can continue calling, texting and scrolling while they head to their destinations, making riding transit more convenient and connected!

Phase 1 includes TELUS and Bell customers - including their sub-brands - with other major carriers coming online in the near future. All of the major carriers and their sub-brands will be phased in in the near future, as early as October 1, 2026.

Learn more at edmonton.ca/ETSNews.

In Case You Missed It

Sign up for a Waste Management Tour

You’ve dropped your waste in the cart or bin - curious about what happens next? Attend one of the City's free behind-the-scenes tours of the Edmonton Waste Management Centre to find out! You’ll learn how your waste is processed and what happens when you sort your food scraps and recycling. Tours are open to residents over the age of nine. Sign up at edmonton.ca/LearnAboutWaste. 

Properly Dispose of Hazardous Materials and Batteries

Earlier this month, a multi-residential structure fire occurred in Southeast Edmonton, with investigators confirming the cause was a lithium-ion battery malfunction. This was Edmonton’s 20th lithium-ion battery fire this year. Lithium-ion batteries, commonly found in power tools, e-bikes, smartphones, laptops and toys, store significant energy and burn at extreme temperatures if damaged, misused or improperly charged.

Bringing household hazardous waste, batteries and e-waste to an Eco Station protects people and our environment. Drop-off is always free for residents. Learn more about proper disposal at www.edmonton.ca/batteries.

Check out the Sakaw Vision Zero What We Heard Report

The What We Heard report for the Sakaw Vision Zero Street Lab is now complete and available at edmonton.ca/StreetLabs. The Safe Mobility team will now be developing a Street Lab plan over the coming months based on the insights gained through public engagement, collected traffic data, City design and construction standards, engineering expertise, and more. Stay tuned at edmonton.ca/StreetLabs for when it becomes available. 

Participate in the Mill Woods History Project

From September to December 2026, the Mill Woods library will host a Community History Project dedicated to capturing the living history of Mill Woods. Visiting the library once a month on the second Thursday of the month, Catherine C. Cole invites local residents to share memories, stories, and reflections about the people, places, and moments that have shaped the Mill Woods community.

Catherine will be in the library on Thursday, October 15, November 12 and December 10 from 6:30 - 8:30 pm if you'd like to chat with her. Learn more here. 

Join an Edmonton Transit Service Open House

Have you ever wanted to get a behind the scenes look at ETS operations? Attend an ETS Open House! Visit the D.L.MacDonald LRT garage on September 26 from 10am - 3pm and the Ferrier bus garage on October 3 from 10am - 3pm. The open houses offer fun, educational opportunities for Edmontonians of all ages to learn more about the transit system and the people who keep it running. Take a look around a transit garage, peek inside vehicles, sit in the operator’s seat and have all your transit questions answered. Visit edmonton.ca/ETSEvents for more information.

Support the Mill Woods Seniors Association Rummage Sale on Sept 26 and 27

What's on in Edmonton this weekend? Celebrate powerful storytelling from Muslim creatives at the Mosquers Film Festival, join CRIPSiE for a dynamic and compelling dance and theatre experience at Nothing About Us Without Us, check out the offerings at the 21st annual Kaleido Family Arts Festival along the Alberta Avenue Arts District, stop by the Mitchell Art Gallery to see the new exhibition Gleaning the Blue-Green by Kelly Andres, join Northern Lights Folk Club for their presentation of The Gift – An Ian Tyson Tribute, check out Agatha Christie’s greatest literary whodunnit on stage at the Citadel’s production of Murder on the Orient Express, and so much more!

SEE ALL UPCOMING EVENTS

Like clockwork the latest edition of the Mill Woods Mosaic has just been published bringing news of interest to citizens of Millwoods and beyond.

Thanks Arnim & team

• The Audit Committee meets today at 9:30 am, and one of the items on the agenda is the City Auditor's review of how Edmonton runs its parking operations. The Parks and Roads Services Branch oversees about 6,000 parking spaces and collected roughly $13 million in parking revenue in 2025, at hourly rates running from $1.00 to $4.50. The auditor found the Branch has no Council-approved strategic vision and no performance management framework to guide its decisions, and no written guidance on how it sets rates, issues complimentary parking passes, discounts or waives fees during road closures, or restricts residential parking. In the absence of that guidance, the Branch has charged different rates in zones with comparable demand without documenting why, and does not have full oversight of the complimentary, discounted, and waived fees it grants. The auditor did conclude that the Branch is managing its parking payment app contract effectively, and made three recommendations in total.
• City Council holds a public hearing tomorrow at 9:30 am, and one of the 13 bylaws on the agenda would tighten Edmonton's rules for lodging houses, the dwellings where bedrooms are rented out one at a time. Administration wants the threshold lowered so that a dwelling with three or more individually rented bedrooms counts as a lodging house, down from four, and wants features such as individually numbered rooms, locks on bedroom doors, and locked storage in shared areas written into the definition to make enforcement easier. Lodging houses would be barred from row housing and multi-unit housing in the small scale residential zones and from row housing in the small-medium scale transition zone, with bedroom limits applied per lot rather than per site. The City logged 354 lodging house complaints between 2020 and 2025, 74 of them in 2025, and another 50 in the first seven months of this year. Council directed Administration to prepare the amendments on July 7th, and the bylaw can receive all three readings once the hearing closes, though passing it in a single meeting requires unanimous agreement. Community groups and housing non-profits consulted by the City described lodging houses as a vital source of low-cost and transitional housing for students, seniors, people with disabilities, and people moving in and out of supportive housing, while agreeing that enforcement of building codes and community standards is necessary. Renting a whole home to several tenants under one shared tenancy would not be affected.
• The Edmonton Police Commission has barred members of the public from speaking at its meetings for the rest of the year, and the remaining sessions will be held online. Commission Chair Ben Henderson says the decision followed three meetings in which public comment moved beyond criticism of the board and of police oversight into personal attacks, defamation, threats, and intimidation aimed at commissioners, police staff, and other members of the public. Residents can still watch the remaining meetings, set for September 17th, October 22nd, and November 19th, and the Commission will continue to accept written submissions related to its mandate. The Commission calls the suspension temporary and says it will review the decision before next year.
• Council will consider another $114.58 million worth of climate measures in Edmonton's next four-year budget deliberations, as Administration has put forward 27 actions costing $257 million in total. Councillors have also asked Administration to examine a revolving climate fund that would redirect a growing pot of $500,000 in annual energy savings into further projects, and added proposals to spend $5 million on community climate initiatives and $5 million on an Alberta Ecotrust Foundation endowment. Mayor Andrew Knack said it is far more costly to do nothing than to pay for preventative measures.
• Ward 8 (papastew) Councillor Michael Janz plans to bring a motion to Council that would charge developers a fee for every tree cut down while building new neighbourhoods on Edmonton's outskirts. Janz argues that the City currently pays to plant replacement trees elsewhere while developers keep the profit, and that applying the City's existing dollar assessments for removed trees to new development areas would produce millions of dollars worth of habitat value. He says the gap effectively subsidizes sprawl, and that it remains cheaper to build a cul-de-sac on the city's edge than to redevelop vacant downtown parking lots. The motion would not cover trees lost to infill, which a separate proposed bylaw may address. Mayor Andrew Knack has separately put forward a motion to require permits to remove trees from established lots inside the city, in response to concerns raised about infill developments.

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ON THE AGENDA

Mack Male

•   An audit of parking operations found the city lacks a clear council-approved vision and formal guidance for rates, discounts, and residential restrictions. Auditors also found unexplained rate differences between areas with similar demand and inconsistent guest-permit rules. The city manages about 6,000 parking spaces and collected about $13 million in parking revenue in 2025. Administration accepts all three recommendations and plans to address them through its parking program modernization. The parking app contract was generally well managed, but auditors identified gaps in cybersecurity communication, occupancy data, and access to vendor performance data. Enforcement and fines were outside the audit’s scope.
•   Council will consider zoning bylaw amendments that would lower the threshold for a lodging house from four individually rented bedrooms to three. Lodging houses would be prohibited in row and multi-unit housing in the small-scale residential and small-scale flex residential zones, as well as in secondary suites. In the small-medium scale transition residential zone, they would remain allowed in multi-unit housing, with a cap of 12 bedrooms per lot, but not in row housing. Administration says the changes would improve enforcement, though lodging houses can be difficult to identify before occupancy. Since the beginning of 2024, the city has approved 12 permits for new lodging houses with four to eight individually rented bedrooms. Consulted groups said lodging houses can provide affordable, flexible, and culturally relevant housing, while stressing tenant protections and property maintenance. Whole homes rented to multiple tenants under one shared tenancy would remain allowed.
•   Council will consider a rezoning at 11537 University Avenue NW in McKernan, across from the Cross Cancer Institute, to allow a building up to 16 metres tall, or about four storeys. The site is within 400 metres of the Health Sciences/Jubilee LRT station. Administration supports the application because it would allow more housing near transit, employment, and services. All 10 responses to the mailed notice opposed the application, raising concerns that included building scale, loss of sunlight and privacy, traffic, and parking.

Here are some more key items:

•   Council will resume its discussion of public engagement on the 2027-2030 budget and the city services and quality of life survey, after postponing both reports to Sept. 16. The budget engagement report found participants wanted a focus on core services but disagreed on what counts as core.
•   Council services committee will consider three options for the 2027 meeting calendar. One would retain the current structure; another would move executive committee to Mondays and public hearings to mid-week where possible; a third would replace 19 one-day public hearings with 11 two-day hearings. That model would require more Thursday and Friday meetings but create three additional recess days. The final calendar report will go to council’s Oct. 27 organizational meeting.
•   A city audit found that the municipal fleet maintenance program effectively manages maintenance to meet the needs of departments using more than 5,000 vehicles and pieces of equipment. Auditors found one area for improvement: There is no formal process to track feedback on parts suppliers, making recurring problems harder to identify across garages. Administration accepts the recommendation. The program supports vehicles such as snowplows, fire trucks, waste trucks, and DATS buses, but excludes conventional transit buses and LRT vehicles.
•   Audit committee will consider the Office of the City Auditor’s 2027-2030 operating budget, starting at about $3.14 million in 2027, down $111,000 from the adjusted 2026 budget. It would retain 17 full-time-equivalent positions throughout the four years. A separate follow-up report says administration has closed 10 audit recommendations since the last update, leaving 27 outstanding as of Aug. 27, including four that are overdue.
•   Administration will ask council to postpone the report on proposed active transportation network amendments to Dec. 8 to minimize service impacts for applicants at subsequent public hearings. Coun. Ashley Salvador’s motion seeking active transportation funding options and Coun. Thu Parmar’s proposal to examine shifting up to $220 million from neighbourhood renewal to arterial-road renewal remain listed as motions pending on the Sept. 8 selection sheet.
•   Council’s continuation also includes two postponed private discussions: one on public safety involving the Edmonton Police Service and peace officers, and another on an intergovernmental update concerning a provincial pre-budget submission and partnership opportunity.

And here are updates on some of the items we told you about last week:

•   Council gave first reading to the bylaw establishing a tax subclass for derelict non-residential properties. It still requires further readings. Council also passed all three readings of the bylaw expanding the derelict residential subclass citywide, with eligible properties to be included starting with January 2027 assessment notices.
•   Council approved funding for the Valley Line transition management office, supporting the transfer of Valley Line Southeast operations and maintenance from TransEd to the Edmonton Transit Service in 2027. The approved request includes about $7.7 million for the temporary office and $20.5 million for vehicles, tools, equipment, and operating systems for the expanding LRT network, funded from the LRT reserve. It excludes the payment to terminate the TransEd contract.
•   Council approved the updated climate resilience policy and committee recommendations on climate implementation priorities. The policy update adds adaptation targets and a sustainable return-on-investment threshold for new city buildings. New funding for climate actions will be considered through the 2027-2030 budget process.
•   Council approved the updated public art policy and committee recommendations on the heritage places strategy. The art update clarifies the basis for funding, including the collection’s maintenance needs. The heritage update broadens the city’s approach beyond built heritage to include natural, Indigenous, community, and cultural heritage.
•   Council approved committee recommendations on the snow and ice control policy, including requests for 2027-2030 budget options to improve school-zone clearing and continue assisted snow removal.
•   Following its review of the operating and capital financial updates, council voted 12-1 to request options for drawing down the Planning and Development Business Model reserve, along with any recommended changes to the related fiscal policy. Coun. Jon Morgan opposed the motion.
•   Council gave first reading to the municipal tax relief delegation amendment, which would let the city assessor delegate decisions to directors and managers. It also passed the bylaw repealing municipal historic designation for the Arlington Apartments, whose remaining walls were demolished in 2008 after a 2005 fire.

• Alberta will ban solar panels from provincial landfills and charge a $14 recycling fee on every new panel supplied in the province beginning October 1st. Environment and Protected Areas Minister Grant Hunter says the program, which the provincial government calls the first of its kind in Canada, will recover valuable materials and build a recycling industry before dead panels start piling up. The fee applies only to panels supplied on or after October 1st, with no charge on panels already installed, and the government estimates it adds $280 to a typical 20-panel residential installation, or less than 1.5% of the cost. By 2045, more than 95% of the solar panels currently installed in Alberta are expected to reach the end of their lives, generating as much as 72,700 tonnes of material. The Business Renewables Centre-Canada, whose members develop and buy renewable power, says it supports a recycling program but describes the fee itself as a "punitive tax", with director Jorden Dye arguing it is more than double the charge in any other jurisdiction the group examined and ignores the salvage value of recovered materials. Dye says the next-highest fee anywhere is Germany's at $5 per panel, and the group estimates the Alberta charge will add about $1 million in upfront costs to an average 38-megawatt solar project.
• The Alberta branch of the Canadian Bar Association has published an analysis warning that many of the proposals Albertans will vote on in the October 19th referendum would face steep constitutional obstacles if a government tried to act on them. The lawyers' group, which takes no position on how people should vote, examined all 10 questions after its members began fielding queries about them. On the separation question, it notes that a province cannot unilaterally leave Canada, though a clear majority on a clear question would oblige the federal government to enter discussions about secession and its possible terms. The four constitutional questions - a provincial role in appointing superior court judges, abolishing the Senate, opting out of certain federal programs, and giving provincial law priority over federal law - would each require constitutional amendments, with Senate abolition needing resolutions from the Senate, the House of Commons, and every province and territory. On the five immigration questions, the analysis says a unilateral provincial cap could run into federal paramountcy problems, charging non-permanent residents for provincially funded supports could conflict with the Canada Health Act, and a new proof-of-citizenship requirement to vote could draw a Charter challenge on equality grounds. The office of Justice Minister Mickey Amery did not address the specific points but said the government has a duty to uphold its citizen-initiated referendum laws and give citizens a voice.
• Saddle Lake Cree Nation says Alberta's restrictions on gender-affirming care violate its Treaty rights, and it plans to write its own health law regulating health care on its lands. Chief Dale Steinhauer says the Nation's responsibility as a rights holder under Treaty No. 6 is to protect the health, dignity, and life of everyone who comes to its territory, and the Nation grounds the new law in the treaty's commitment to keep a medicine chest for the use and benefit of its people. Under the plan, the First Nation would bring in Canadian-trained clinicians to provide gender-affirming care, primary care, and specialist care to members and visitors, and would exempt those clinicians from any sanctions by professional bodies for providing care the Province has banned. Two-Spirit family doctor James Makokis argues that anti-trans laws fail to uphold the spirit and intent of the medicine chest clause. The provincial government maintains that its policies, which include banning puberty blockers for those under 16, are meant to protect children from making life-changing decisions, and it used the Charter's notwithstanding clause in November to shield the legislation after a Court of King's Bench judge granted a temporary injunction on the grounds that the ban was likely to cause irreparable harm. The federal Ministry of Crown-Indigenous Relations said it is committed to the treaty relationship, while Indigenous Relations Minister Rajan Sawhney did not respond to a request for comment.
• Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally says registries will now accept passports that have been expired for less than a year as proof of citizenship for a driver's licence renewal, along with any citizenship certificate recognized by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada rather than the short list accepted before. The change follows weeks of complaints about the province's new integrated licences and identification cards, which carry a citizenship marker and a health-care number and have drawn criticism from the Opposition NDP. Nally, however, says demand has been far higher than expected, with renewals up 33% and only about 1% of applicants needing a 60-day interim licence because they could not produce the right documents.
• Alberta has launched an online portal for businesses to tell the provincial government how US tariffs and Canadian counter-tariffs are affecting their operations, jobs, and growth. The province says the information will be used to identify sector-specific effects, including changes to costs, investment decisions, market access, competitiveness, employment, and supply chains, and to shape its response across affected industries. A cabinet committee has been set up to coordinate that response across several ministries, and Premier Danielle Smith and Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration Minister Joseph Schow recently hosted a meeting of the Alberta Trade Advisory Council to hear directly from industry and business leaders. The announcement quotes business groups saying retaliatory measures fall hardest on small and medium-sized enterprises, with 60% of them importing goods against 20% exporting. The province says it will keep pressing for free and fair trade with the United States and wants the dispute settled through negotiation.