Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Mayor Don Iveson has decided that taxpayers need a break, even if it means scrapping the neighbourhood renewal levy for three years. There are clearly some politics at play here, with Council looking to the other orders of government for more money. This strategy feels risky though. Should make for some interesting budget discussions in the weeks ahead.
• The 42nd Canadian Finals Rodeo wrapped up at Rexall Place today and Northlands says it and Farmfair were both big successes. A total of 183,564 people visited over the five days.
• A new group loosely affiliated with the Save Our Footbridge group launched this week. Called ERUPT (Edmontonians for Responsible Urban Public Transit), the group has issues with the Valley Line LRT and would like to see Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) explored instead.
• YEG People had a big launch event on Friday that seemed to go well judging by the social media posts I saw. The site features profiles of interesting Edmontonians. You know, like the half dozen or so similar sites that have already come and gone. I’ll be impressed if YEG People manages to last longer than a handful of profiles.
• Paul Moulton announced his retirement as Executive Director of the Edmonton Arts Council this week, a position he has held since April 2013.
• Edmonton’s Karen Smith is this year’s recipient of the Inspiration Award for Lifetime Achievement. The Inspiration Awards “recognize individuals for their outstanding commitment and leadership in family violence and sexual violence prevention.”
• Be sure to spend some time reading this excellent article in the Journal on domestic violence.
• I haven’t watched it yet, but here’s a 90 minute documentary called Standing Alone that is a “fascinating tale about the decision of a Guelph, Ontario rock act to relocate to Edmonton, Alberta in 1980 in order to move forward in their music business careers.” Sounds intriguing!
• The Edmonton Police Commission and Edmonton Police Service have released their 2015 Third Quarter Report to the Community.
• The use of e-cigarettes is now prohibited from all public places where smoking is currently banned.
• Make Something Edmonton reports that 1000 projects have been posted on the website. That’s quite the milestone!
• I am enjoying Make Something Edmonton’s profile series called Made in Edmonton. The latest entry features Bro Brick (a product I use myself).
• The University of Alberta is hoping a new $40 million residence that would accommodate 520 first-year students could be open by 2018. The project is known as Lister Hall Five.
• Have your say on urban hens, Edmonton’s transit strategy, bike safety, and much more in the latest Edmonton Insight Community survey.
• Here are the latest urbanism headlines from Spacing Edmonton.
• The Journal is once again hosting a Christmas Lights Map so you can find all of the wonderful lights around the city!
• This year the Bissell Centre is encouraging Edmontonians to turn their Christmas event into a Giving Tree Party.
• Here is Premier Rachel Notley’s statement on the Paris attacks.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

For Paris, photo by Jeff Wallace

Upcoming Events

• Metis Week in Edmonton kicked off today and runs through Saturday.
• There are workshops taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday this week to help determine transit priorities in Edmonton.
• Now that CFR is done, the Oilers are back at home. They host the Blackhawks on Wednesday, and the Devils on Friday.
• The National Housing Day Luncheon takes place on Thursday.
• Indie Handmade takes place starting Friday at The Enjoy Centre in St. Albert and runs through Sunday.
• Taking place Saturday and Sunday is The Vixens of Vintage Holiday Market at the Prince of Wales Armouries.
• All is Bright returns to 124 Street on Saturday!
• Also taking place on Saturday is Santa’s Parade of Lights, an outdoor parade taking place downtown.
• Latitude 53 invites you to The Fine Art of Schmoozy on Saturday.
• If you haven’t already checked it out, here is my Winter 2015/2016 Festivals & Events listing. I think it shows just how many great things happen in Edmonton, even during the winter months.
• Starting next week you can see the Magna Carta at the Alberta Legislature!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Canadian Finals Rodeo, photo by IQRemix

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Amarjeet Sohi was named Canada’s new Minister of Infrastructure and Communities this week. This is great news for Sohi of course, but also for Edmonton and indeed for cities across the country! Here’s Premier Notley’s statement on the news.
• Now attention turns to Ward 12 – who will run in the by-election to replace Sohi on Council?
• The City says that 90% of its road projects for 2015 are complete or on-track to finish by the end of the year. “Since April, we’ve completed approximately 595 lane kilometres, which is the equivalent to paving two lanes all the way from Edmonton to Calgary,” said Dorian Wandzura, General Manager for Transportation Services. Now attention turns to winter with an improved neighbourhood blading schedule and plow map.
• It’s official: President Barack Obama has rejected the Keystone XL pipeline. Premier Notley’s statement is here: “Though I am not surprised by the news coming from the White House this morning, as we have anticipated this announcement for some time, I am disappointed by the way the U.S. government chose to characterize our energy exports.” Prime Minister Trudeau also said he was disappointed.
• The Province has introduced Bill 5, the Public Sector Compensation Transparency Act. “Bill 5 will result in salary disclosure primarily for those earning more than $125,000 per year, putting the focus on higher-income earners and managers.”
• Air Canada has decided to drop its non-stop route between Edmonton and London Heathrow for 2016. At this point, who cares? We’ve got better options now with Icelandair, KLM, and soon WestJet.
• It’s particularly ridiculous that Air Canada cited the economy as the key factor in their decision when Edmonton’s economy is in better shape than Calgary’s, according to Statistics Canada.
• Want to dig into the 2016-2018 Operating Budget? The City has launched a new tool to make it easy to do just that. It’s powered by the Open Data Catalogue which means you can download all the data behind it too.
• Congratulations to everyone involved in this year’s Extra Life Edmonton – the marathon raised more than $165,000 for the Stollery Children’s Hospital!
• Here are some thoughts from Robin on improving the pedestrian experience in Edmonton. I agree that we have a ways to go. Here’s a recent New Yorker article on the same topic. The City is also reminding motorists and pedestrians (and presumably cyclists) to watch out for one another.
• And this is why I cross wherever I please after making sure it’s safe to do so: “From 2010 to 2014, 1,535 pedestrians were struck by vehicles in Edmonton. That is an average of six pedestrians per week. The majority of these pedestrians (66 per cent) were in intersections or crosswalks with right-of-way when the collision happened.“
• The Canadian Mental Health Association (Edmonton Region) has joined together with The Support Network as one organization. “All of the programs that you’ve been accessing through CMHA-Edmonton Region and The Support Network will stay the same. It’s just that together we’ll be stronger.”
• Former Edmonton Oilers GM Glen Sather will be honoured in a series of events on December 10 and 11, culminating with a banner raising ceremony at the December 11 home game against the New York Rangers.
• From Lincoln: How to Fix Transit Immediately.
• PCL Construction, one of Edmonton’s largest companies, has announced its CEO succession plan.
• Walk Edmonton is running an online survey on existing pedway signage and graphics. A consultant has been engaged to develop a concept plan for wayfinding throughout the pedway network.
• The University of Alberta has retained its top 5 spot in the annual Maclean’s ranking of Canada’s universities.
• November was proclaimed Family Violence Prevention Month by Mayor Iveson on Monday.
• I really, really like Taylor Hall and agree that he is too often overlooked. “It’s deeply surprising to me when I see his name casually floated in trade proposals, as though the Oilers would do just fine without him.” It’s absurd!
• ICYMI: Here’s my take on all the changes happening at the City of Edmonton.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Premier Rachel Notley delivered her State of the Province address on Wednesday. Here’s a recap from AlbertaPolitics.ca.

Upcoming Events

• This week is Rodeo Week! The launch takes place at City Hall on Monday.
• There’s an interesting CEO education event taking place on Tuesday at the Shaw Conference Centre called It Will Be Live.
• Wednesday is of course Remembrance Day. Edmonton’s big ceremony takes place at the Butterdome as usual, but there are other events happening throughout the city as well.
• Farmfair International and Canadian Finals Rodeo both kick off on Wednesday at the Edmonton Expo Centre and Rexall Place, respectively.
• Friday night is the launch of YEGpeople at Edmonton City Centre.
• The City is hosting Edmonton’s Community Energy Forum on Saturday at the Shaw Conference Centre. It’s “a one-day forum to discuss issues of energy transition, climate change and building a sustainable future.”
• I’m looking forward to the Christmas on the Square Holiday Light Up in Churchill Square on Saturday evening!
• Miss Rodeo Edmonton takes place on Saturday evening at The Ranch Roadhouse.
• The Shine Lifestyle & Yoga Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday at the Enjoy Centre in St. Albert.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Have a great Rodeo Week!

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• The first 16 pay machines for the new EPark system have been installed around City Hall. The new system is being installed downtown, on Whyte Avenue, and in the Kingsway area.
• Deron Bilous has been sworn in as minister of the newly created ministry of Economic Development and Trade. “The new ministry will bring under one umbrella work that is currently spread between several departments but is primarily concentrated in Innovation and Advanced Education and International and Intergovernmental Relations, and will be supported by several agencies, including the Alberta Innovates corporations.”
• Council approved a series of changes to the Zoning Bylaw that will allow for more urban agriculture and local food production activities within city limits.
• Council has also approved the Northern Circumpolar Secretariat initiative which partners the City with the University of Alberta, EEDC, the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, and Edmonton Regional Airports Authority.
• Starting Monday, the North Saskatchewan River near the Walterdale Bridge will be closed to river traffic. The closure is expected to last until November 30. Let’s hope the giant arches make their way safely into place!
• It seems that Edmonton Tourism has been experimenting with bringing bloggers from other cities to Edmonton. Here’s a write-up by London-based travel blogger Mollie Bylett. And I expect we may see something soon from one of Vancouver’s most popular bloggers, Rebecca Bollwitt aka Miss604, who is in Edmonton right now. Looking forward to it! And wondering if this kind of tourism marketing is working. Thoughts?
• The aquatics area at the Meadows Community Recreation Centre will remain closed until Spring 2016 to allow warranty work to be completed.
• Higher Universe Pictures, a new effort from Brandon Rhiness and Adam Storoschuk, has launched a crowdfunding campaign to make a film called “I’m in Love with a Dead Girl”. They are looking to raise $4,000 in the next few weeks and your support will help Edmonton filmmakers. “The film will feature a cast of Edmonton actors, so any locals friends who donate will be helping the Edmonton acting community. The same goes for crew. There are many talented filmmakers in Edmonton and we want to work with them. Your donation will help us pay them the wages they deserve.”
• I love this kind of thing – an unexpected adventure underneath downtown Edmonton.
• From EPS: “The Edmonton Police Service is marking a milestone of sorts, as dispatched calls for service have increased by more than 10,000 compared to the same time last year. These calls have been answered and evaluated, and a police officer has been sent to a location to investigate.”
• The City is working on the Active Recreation & Sport Strategy, which will guide Edmonton’s approach to “supporting the active recreational and sporting needs of all Edmontonians” from 2016 to 2026. You can help shape the strategy by filling out this survey by November 8.
• If you haven’t already read the EndPovertyEdmonton strategy that was released a month go, there’s no time like the present to do so! Be sure to fill out the related survey before Halloween to help shape the work of the task force.
• It’s that time of year: the City’s municipal golf courses are now closed.
• From Transforming Edmonton: how public involvement helped determine the Valley Line route.
• The police are looking for assistance in locating David Leblanc, a 35-year-old Edmontonian who has been missing since October 15.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

One Chance, photo by Jeff Wallace

Upcoming Events

• Knifewear has moved down a few doors on Whyte Avenue and are hosting a re-opening party on Monday evening!
• The City is hosting an open house on Tuesday regarding proposed zoning changes in Glenora.
• The Edmonton Literacy Coalition is hosting an event on Tuesday at the Abbottsfield Recreation Centre on planning to meet Edmonton’s literacy needs.
• Check out the Sherwood Park Farmers’ Market on Wednesday evening at the Sherwood Park Community Centre.
• Head over to Unit B on Thursday for the 100th Anniversary of the McKenney Building.
• The Oilers host the undefeated Canadiens on Thursday, and the Flames on Saturday.
• Saturday is Halloween! Like horror films? There are lots to see this week!
• The Eskimos host the Montreal Alouettes on Sunday at Commonwealth Stadium.
• We’re starting to see a bunch of winter-themed events appearing now! The annual MEC Snowfest takes place on Sunday.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Fort Edmonton Park Footbridge, photo by Dave Sutherland

Be sure to get out and vote! Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• According to Elections Canada, an estimated 3.6 million people voted during advance polls, a 71% increase over advance polling in 2011. The general election is tomorrow of course, and Mayor Iveson and other big city mayors across Canada want to make sure cities are a focus as you make your decision about who to vote for.
• The new Edmonton Live Music Initiative is a collaboration of musicians, venue owners, industry professionals, and politicians who want to strengthen the live music scene in Edmonton.
• Wednesday marks two years since the last municipal election. Here are the results of the Edmonton Sun’s survey on Council’s performance.
• A proposed overhaul of the Royal Alexandra Hospital would cost $4.5 billion and would take place over 16 years and involve up to 20 buildings.
• Writing in The Walrus, Omar takes a look at the hype around Connor McDavid and determines that we as a city need him.
• Smart Bus Technology debuted on ETS routes 8, 9, and 512 today. More than 300 buses have now been equipped with the technology, with about 600 still to go.
• Starting Tuesday, the City will begin sending out “plain-language” development permit notification letters. The new letters are based on feedback from Edmontonians and should make it easier to understand nearby proposed developments.
• Joseph Doucet, Dean of the University of Alberta’s School of Business, has been named chair of the new Premier’s Advisory Committee on the Economy. “The 10-member Committee will provide independent, expert advice to the Premier and government as it works to support Alberta’s job creators, entrepreneurs and business leaders.”
• I was really sad to see the historic Leamington Mansions destroyed by fire this weekend. The cost of the damage is estimated at $2.65 million, but more importantly it’s another piece of Edmonton’s history lost.
• The Edmonton Catholic School Board will now be working with an expert advisor, appointed by Education Minister David Eggen, to improve board governance.
• A new state-of-the-art IMAX projector has been installed at the Telus World of Science. It’s the only one in Western Canada!
• You have until Tuesday to fill out this survey on proposed changes to row housing setbacks in small-scale infill developments.
• This news is from a couple weeks ago: Northlands let go of all of its parking lot cashiers after two separate audits showed that employees skimmed more than $1 million per year in parking fees.
• Back on Saturday, October 10 the Edmonton Eskimos clinched a home game in the playoffs! “Commonwealth Stadium will be the site of either the Western Semi-Final on November 15 or the Western Final on November 22.”
• Three Edmontonians were among those named to the Alberta Order of Excellence at the investiture ceremony this week.
• It sounds like Toronto-based Oliver & Bonacini Restaurants are coming to Ice District thanks to a partnership with the Katz Group.
• McDavid had a big night against Calgary yesterday! Too bad the first home game featuring the “Orange Surge” wasn’t as successful.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Fall, photo by Dave Sutherland

Upcoming Events

• LitFest continues all week at venues throughout the city.
• Startup Edmonton is celebrating Edmonton Startup Week! I’m looking forward to Mega Meetup Night on Monday and Launch Party 6 on Thursday, just two of the great events taking place all week long.
• This week is Small Business Week in Edmonton also! The Small Business, Big Vision Luncheon takes place on Tuesday. Here’s a statement on Small Business Week from Premier Notley.
• On Wednesday at the University of Alberta, The Local Good is hosting a special Green Drinks event for Sustainability Week.
• The City is hosting three open houses on the EndPoverty Edmonton strategy this week, on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
• The Oilers have three home games this week: against the Red Wings on Wednesday, the Capitals on Friday, and the Kings on Sunday.
• The Art Gallery of Alberta hosts Berlin Noir Nocturne on Saturday night.
• There’s a Thriller Flash Mob taking place somewhere on Saturday!
• FC Edmonton hosts Jacksonville Armada FC on Sunday at Clark Stadium.
• The next Homeless Connect Edmonton takes place Sunday at the Shaw Conference Centre.
• Already thinking ahead to Halloween? Here are some of the events taking place around the city.
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Edmonton Fall Season, photo by IQRemix

I’m on vacation at the moment in Europe, so I likely won’t be blogging much until I get home in a couple of weeks. But I am today! Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Bridget Stirling was elected as the EPSB representative in Ward G on Monday, winning the by-election to replace Sarah Hoffman with about 47% of the vote.
• The City has released its 2014 Report on the Environment. Among the report’s findings: Edmontonians, on average, used 195 litres of water per day per person, a reduction from 204 litres in 2013.
• Alberta’s minimum wage increased on October 1 to $11.20. Approximately 38,000 individuals in Alberta earn minimum wage.
• Although traffic impacts due to the Metro Line were not as bad as expected, Council is said to be considering moving NAIT Station. Sounds pretty wasteful, especially considering such a move would only be temporary.
• Crestwood, Ormsby Place, Ottewell, and Newton have all been selected to participate in the City’s Traffic Shortcutting Pilot Project. Each will have “a variety of traffic calming measures installed to dissuade drivers from speeding or shortcutting through the neighbourhoods.”
• The City is also working to convert most of its traffic signals to a new wireless control system.
• A new survey suggests that Uber has quite a bit of support in Edmonton and that its popularity is only going to grow.
• Here’s a great overview/history of Edmonton’s video game industry from Shayne Woodsmith.
• Want to join the Community Infill Panel? The panel will provide feedback to the City on infill-related initiatives. You can apply online to become a member.
• Mayor Iveson on the latest federal election debate: “If this ends up being the niqab election, I will be among the many millions of disappointed Canadians.”
• EPS recently deployed the Community Action Team (CAT) for the 50th time. “The longevity of the CAT initiative not only demonstrates its effectiveness in fighting crime, but our continued commitment to fighting crime in all city communities,” says EPS Deputy Chief Tony Harder.
• Speaking of fighting crime, it sounds like Spider-Mable had a great day on Monday!
• Roughly 80,000 to 90,000 vehicles use Highway 2 between Calgary and Edmonton every day, and now the provincial government is going to study what should be done to deal with the volume. High speed rail could be one option that is considered.
• Here’s a recap of the 2015 Edmonton Expo from Linda.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Having a cigarette at the End of the World, photo by Dave Sutherland

Upcoming Events

• The Edmonton International Film Festival kicked off on Thursday and runs through Saturday at Landmark Cinemas in City Centre.
• A public engagement session for Alberta’s royalty review takes place in Edmonton on Tuesday at MacEwan.
• One Book One Edmonton encourages Edmontonians to read the same book, discuss it, and participate in book-related programs and events. The launch takes place on Tuesday at the Stanley Milner library downtown.
• Talk #elxn42 on Wednesday evening at the next interVivos event, taking place at Hawkeye’s Too.
• Also taking place on Wednesday and also focused on the federal election is the next Green Drinks event at the Yellowhead Brewery.
• The Edmonton Comedy Festival kicks off on Wednesday and runs through Saturday.
• The final 124 Grand Market of the year takes place on Thursday!
• The third annual Up+Downtown Music Festival takes place from Friday through Sunday at ten venues throughout the downtown.
• It’s the Thanksgiving Weekend and that means there’s just one more City Market on 104 Street left before the vendors move to City Hall for the winter.
• This year’s Litfest starts on October 15!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Nuit Blanche Edmonton, photo by IQRemix

This week’s update comes to you from London, UK where I’ll be for the next ten days or so before heading to Paris and Amsterdam with Sharon. Yay vacation! Also, today is our one year anniversary!

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Be on the lookout tomorrow for your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Mable! Six-year old Mable was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2013 and her Children’s Wish Foundation wish was to fight crime with Spider-Man. She’ll meet with the mayor and EPS, search for a villain at West Edmonton Mall, and will rescue a “prominent Edmontonian” at the Valley Zoo.
• Did you check out Nuit Blanche on Saturday evening? I was sad to miss it, but Fish says it was “the most confident and engaging large-scale art happening this city’s ever seen.” The pictures look pretty amazing – here are some from the Sun. I hope this year was successful for the organizers and that it returns next year!
• City Council voted to move forward with the draft Vehicle for Hire Bylaw this week, after making some amendments. It’ll come back in November and could come into effect for December, with a subsequent report expected early next year. A few days after the drama at City Hall, Mayor Iveson met with Toronto Mayor John Tory to see how the two cities could work together on Uber.
• The City announced this weekend that Wi-Fi is now available at six LRT stations: University, Health Sciences/Jubilee, McKernan/Belgravia, South Campus/Fort Edmonton Park, and Century Park. Full rollout along the Capital Line is expected by the end of 2015.
• A by-election in Ward G to replace Sarah Hoffman will take place on Monday. There are eight candidates hoping to win. You can learn more here.
• Speaking of Alberta’s new political reality, here’s a feature on who holds the power now.
• The Province announced more progress on the ongoing effort to revamp the Municipal Government Act. They have committed to introducing the updated MGA in the Legislature in the spring of 2016.
• It was a fun weekend for fans of comics, superheroes, and everything else that is included in the Edmonton Comic & Entertainment Expo these days! Here are some recaps from The Journal and Gig City.
• A new bronze monument called “The Visionaries” on the University of Alberta campus “depicts Henry Marshall Tory, the U of A’s founding president, talking with Alexander Cameron Rutherford, Alberta’s first premier and later a university chancellor.” It is a gift from the Alumni Association to mark its 100th anniversary in 2015.
• Robin writes about his experiences with racism in Edmonton and asks how we can have a more meaningful, productive conversation about the issue.
• The empty lot at Whyte Avenue and 105 Street could soon disappear if the proposed Raymond Block goes ahead.
• Do you like the new orange Oilers jersey? You can get yours at the Oilers Store during any home game. The team will wear it seven times this year, including for opening night on October 15.
• David Staples asks: Which federal party is best for Edmonton?
• Jason Blower’s HelloYEG Kickstarter blew past its original goal plus a stretch goal too. You can back the project until Tuesday.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Crane Migration, photo by RemotelyBoris

Upcoming Events

• I wish I could attend the free talk on Monday night with Taras Grescoe, the award-winning author of Straphanger, at the Art Gallery of Alberta. If you can’t make it but want to provide input into the City’s transit strategy, fill out the survey here.
• In NHL preseason action, the Oilers host the Coyotes on Tuesday and the Canucks on Thursday at Rexall Place.
• On Thursday evening, Edmonton’s NextGen presents an evening with Charles Montgomery, author of Happy City.
• There are only a couple weeks left for outdoor markets, so make the most of them! Check out the 124 Grand Market on Thursday and the City Market Downtown on Saturday.
• Edmonton Oktoberfest takes place at the Edmonton Expo Centre on Friday and Saturday!
• It’s that time of year again! River Valley Clean Up takes place on Saturday. Can’t make it? Try this instead: the 15-to-Clean Challenge runs October 4 to 11.
• The fall edition of the Edmonton Reptile & Amphibian Show takes place on Saturday and Sunday at the Sands Hotel.
• Edmonton Fire Rescue Services is holding its annual Recruitment Open House on Saturday.
• Coming up in ten days is the Edmonton Comedy Festival!
• For more upcoming events, check out ShareEdmonton.

Nuit Blanche at City Hall, photo by Geoffrey Rockwell