- Edmonton’s new City Council, led by Mayor Andrew Knack, was sworn in Wednesday during a ceremony at City Hall. Knack, joined by eight returning Councillors and four newly elected members, thanked outgoing officials and pledged to serve all Edmontonians, regardless of their support for his campaign. Following the ceremony, Council held its first organizational meeting, approving committee assignments, meeting schedules, and seating arrangements. Knack said he plans to work with regional municipalities on shared priorities such as infrastructure and housing and confirmed a motion on day shelters will be brought forward soon. Council will begin meeting on November 18th, with budget discussions set for early December.
- The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce has released its detailed State of the Economy report, which provides a snapshot of the City’s fiscal and labour conditions. It calls on Mayor Andrew Knack and the new Council to create a Mayor’s Fiscal Task Force within 120 days. The report highlights strengths such as affordability, a skilled workforce, and steady population growth but notes challenges including slower job creation, weaker labour participation, and declining real household incomes. The Chamber urged collaboration between civic, business, and financial leaders to restore fiscal confidence and ensure Edmonton remains regionally competitive. While Calgary continues to dominate in corporate head offices and capital flow, Edmonton’s role as Alberta’s administrative and industrial hub remains vital, supported by immigration-driven growth and a strong working-age population. The Chamber said municipal focus and fiscal discipline will be key to sustaining long-term prosperity.
- With winter approaching, Edmonton has launched its annual snow and ice control program, hoping to improve communication with residents about parking bans and snow removal schedules. City officials said the goal this year is to make information clearer and ensure residents play their part by moving vehicles during bans and clearing sidewalks promptly. Major roads, bus routes, and key corridors will be plowed within 24 hours of major snowfalls, with secondary and residential routes completed over the following days according to priority. The City will maintain last year’s snow removal budget and continue to use real-time online maps so commuters can track plowing progress. Parking bans will be announced with at least eight hours’ notice and enforced in two phases, while property owners who fail to clear sidewalks could face fines up to $100.
- A new poll shows that over half of Edmontonians believe newcomers are not having a positive impact on the city. While Alberta’s population has surged past five million, many residents feel immigration is straining local services, with 59% blaming high immigration levels for crowded hospital emergency rooms and 64% citing it as the main cause of the housing shortage. Nearly 70% think foreign worker permits are making it harder for young Edmontonians to find jobs, and 80% believe businesses hire foreign workers mainly to cut labour costs. Despite this, 63% still support maintaining or modestly expanding immigration, prioritizing skilled and business immigrants over refugees or temporary workers. Views are split on which level of government should manage immigration, with 41% favouring federal control and 33% preferring shared jurisdiction. Opinions also vary on whether Edmonton receives enough funding for newcomers, with 28% saying it does not and 31% believing too much is provided.
- Many Edmonton residents will cast their ballots in new or redrawn constituencies during Alberta’s next provincial election, following recommendations from the Electoral Boundaries Commission’s interim report. The 214-page report proposes increasing the number of provincial ridings from 87 to 89 to reflect population growth. Edmonton is set to gain two brand new seats, but also lose one through other boundary changes for a net increase of 1. The new seats in Edmonton would be Edmonton-South East and Edmonton-West-Enoch, a hybrid riding linking parts of west Edmonton with Enoch Cree Nation. Six existing Edmonton ridings would be consolidated into five due to slower population growth in central areas, forming a new Edmonton-Glenora-Riverview constituency. The commission, made up of one justice and four appointed members, cited the need to balance population while ensuring fair representation. However, it noted strong opposition to hybrid ridings that mix urban and rural areas. Written submissions on the proposed changes are being accepted until December 19th, with the final report expected in March 2026 to shape the map for the 2027 election.