Let’s hope the cold snap is now over! It was so cold that two LRT rails cracked.

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Manulife Place is getting a $30 million makeover complete with "a major modernization of the exterior façade with multi-level transparent glazing and bright, new signage." The news came just days after Holt Renfrew closed after 70 years.
• The New York Times wrote about Edmonton’s winter strategy. "For the past eight years or so, Edmonton has been rolling out an official strategy to encourage its residents to embrace winter rather than hibernate."
• Yardstick has announced it is merging with ProctorU to form Meazure Learning. "Yardstick’s management team and headquarters will continue to be based in Canada, with planned expansions for its locations in Ottawa, Toronto and Edmonton."
• What should we look for in a new City Manager? Keith Gerein argues we need an innovator. While I agree, I don’t think’s the main area to focus on. I talked about that in the latest episode of Speaking Municipally.
• The Realtors Association of Edmonton is forecasting modest growth for 2020 and says the mortgage stress test "has absolutely killed and stolen the equity from homeowners and it has killed the market here."
• Fire & Flower announced this week that it now has 46 open and operating cannabis retail stores. They plan to continue growing in Alberta and Ontario as licenses are made available.
• Prairie Sky Gondola thinks they’ll have 637,000 customers and more than three million trips in the first year of operation. They have the money to move forward, according to director Jeffrey Hansen-Carlson.
• The City of Edmonton has won a global Smart 50 Award for its AI-based solution for safety codes inspections.
• Voting is now open for the 2020 Hockey Helps Kids contest which raises awareness and funds for local charities in partnership with the Edmonton Oilers. Cast your vote by Feb. 19.
• An 11-year-old red panda named Pip died recently at the Edmonton Valley Zoo, apparently from natural causes.
• The Edmonton Eskimos have announced their coaching staff for the upcoming season. Scott Milanovich was named head coach last month.
• MacEwan University is cutting 10 positions due to provincial funding cuts. They’re also planning for an additional 6.5% cut this spring.
• Get the latest on Media, Tech, Food, Health Innovation, the Region, Music, Arts, Business, and Council with Taproot Edmonton’s latest roundups.

Upcoming Events

• GO WEST 2020 runs until Tuesday evening at the Edmonton Convention Centre.
• Young Professionals in Energy is hosting OneSoft: Story of an Edmonton Tech Startup to $70M Public Company on Tuesday evening at Enbridge Centre.
• The Edmonton Coalitions Creating Equity Team is hosting a stakeholder gathering on Wednesday afternoon at the Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre to explore "the trends and statistics in the reporting of hate crimes and incidents in our community."
• Alexisonfire performs at Rogers Place on Wednesday evening.
• Tony Brar, Oilers TV Reporter, is speaking about his story and experience at NAIT on Thursday afternoon.
• Dark Matters: Superhuman takes place Thursday evening at the TELUS World of Science.
• Winterruption YEG, the new winter music festival, runs Thursday to Sunday at various downtown venues.
• The 2020 Leading with Literacy Breakfast takes place on Friday morning at The Westin Edmonton.
• The Edmonton Renovation Show runs Friday to Sunday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
• The 2020 Alberta Student Leadership Summit takes place on Saturday at the SU Building at the U of A.
• The Edmonton Pet Expo runs Saturday and Sunday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
• The Harlem Globetrotters perform at Rogers Place on Saturday evening.
• The University of Alberta Annual Round Dance takes place on Saturday evening at the Van Vliet Main Gym.
• Poppy Barley is hosting its annual sample sale on Saturday and Sunday at the Poppy Barley Warespace (10226 111 Street).
• Kingsway Mall’s annual Lunar New Year Celebration is on Sunday afternoon.
• Swing ‘n’ Skate is on at City Hall every Sunday until Feb. 23.

Thanks for reading! Want to support my blog? Buy me a coffee!

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• "More than 2,300 people filled the Saville Community Sports Centre at the University of Alberta to cherish the lives of 13 Edmonton community members and 163 others killed last Wednesday when Ukrainian Airlines International Flight PS752 was shot down by a missile shortly after takeoff from Tehran’s airport," reports the Edmonton Journal. The memorial service held today at the University of Alberta can be watched online.
• It’s going to be cold all week, so bundle up and stay safe! There were nearly 200 collisions over the weekend and numerous complaints about pets being left out in the cold. The temporary emergency overnight shelter at Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre had to expand its capacity to accommodate demand.
• Edmonton finished 2019 with the highest unemployment rate of any metropolitan area in Canada at 8%, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada. That’s in contrast to the national trend of increasing employment. “We still see this as us being on the road to recovery,” said City of Edmonton senior economist Felicia Mutheardy.
• Holt Renfrew has closed its Edmonton store, ending a 70-year run amid a shift in strategy for the large-format retailer, reports Retail Insider. Here’s a photo essay of the store’s final days.
• Edmonton’s NextGen is taking over "sole management of the Make Something Edmonton platform," according to a statement posted to the site. The website will be "repurposed" and the social media accounts will "transition into sunset and no longer be active" so it’s not clear what NextGen is going to have in the end.
• In hiring Tom Anselmi, "the Oilers hope to bring a little MLSE to Alberta," reports The Globe and Mail. His mandate is to see through construction of the $2.5 billion Ice District which covers 25 acres on Edmonton’s downtown.
• This year "will be a year of significant change for Edmonton, where we will receive both long awaited answers to lingering issues along with new challenges," writes Keith Gerein at the Edmonton Journal. He mentions the economy, winter roads, election politics, and transit overhaul among the major issues Edmonton will face in 2020.
• Earlier this week Mayor Don Iveson met with Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland to discuss the new NAFTA, but also homelessness. “The minister had seen some of the social disorder in the city and was curious about what actions we’re taking to deal with addictions and mental health issues here and homelessness and social disorder here,” the mayor said.
• Joan Hertz has been named interim president and CEO of NorQuest.
• Sweet Convenience, a candy store in west Edmonton, is offering a cold-weather discount on all bulk candy. “Whatever the temperature is outside — including the wind chill — you get that discount on your candy,” owner Laurie Radostits said.
• Edmonton’s Christmas Market plans to return this year after about 20,000 people attended the first one.
• ETS fare changes start Feb. 1. The single cash fare remains the same with most changes made to seniors passes.
• Get the latest on Media, Tech, Food, Health Innovation, the Region, Music, Arts, Business, and Council with Taproot Edmonton’s latest roundups.

Upcoming Events

• Chinatown Dining Week runs until Sunday, Jan. 19. Don’t miss it!
• The Ice Castles are on at Hawrelak Park, if you’re willing to brave the cold.
• The Oilers are back from their road trip. They’ll host the Predators on Tuesday and the Coyotes on Saturday at Rogers Place.
• The next Alberta Podcast Meetup will address promoting your podcast on social media. It’s on Tuesday evening at the ATB Entrepreneur Centre.
• Amii’s next AI Meetup is on Wednesday evening at Startup Edmonton.
• The Edmonton Whisky Festival is on Wednesday evening at the Delta Marriott Edmonton South.
• Opera 101: The Marriage of Figaro is on Wednesday evening at CKUA.
• CSC Edmonton is offering a tour of the Brighton Block on Thursday morning.
• Green Drinks: New Year’s Revolutions takes place on Thursday evening at a new location – Polar Park Brewing!
• Anthony Johnson, James Makokis & Janice Makokis will address Truth & Reconciliation on Thursday evening at the next Lougheed College Lecture at TELUS Centre.
• The Edmonton Motorcycle Show runs Friday to Sunday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
• Kevin Smith will be in Edmonton on Saturday for the Jay & Silent Bob Reboot Roadshow at the Myer Horowitz Theatre.
• Bridal Fantasy is on Sunday afternoon at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
• Swing ‘n’ Skate is on at City Hall every Sunday until Feb. 23.

Thanks for reading! Want to support my blog? Buy me a coffee!

Happy New Year! I had a wonderful break, and am feeling refreshed and ready to tackle 2020.

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Edmonton’s chief economist expects our city’s GDP will grow by about 1.4% this year, which is much better than 2019’s 0.5% but is still "sluggish" compared to historical growth rates.
• Property assessment notices for 2020 are in the mail. Property values are down 0.1% across the city compared to 2019, reports the Journal. Property tax bills will be mailed to property owners in May.
• The City will start collecting natural Christmas trees on Thursday, Jan. 9. Trees will be picked up before the end of the month. Apartment and condo residents can take natural trees, free of charge until Jan. 31, to an Eco Station or recycling depot.
• Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will represent the Oilers at the 2020 NHL All-Star Weekend which takes place Jan. 24-25 in St. Louis. No surprise there!
• Two Edmontonians, Mathew Baldwin and Steve Hrudey, were named Members of the Order of Canada on Dec. 28, 2019.
• Edmonton’s New Year’s baby for 2020 is seven pound, four ounce Madilyn, born 36 minutes after midnight at the Grey Nuns Community Hospital.
• Sanjay Shahani, executive director of the Edmonton Arts Council, says Edmonton "values arts and culture in a different way than other cities" and strikes a positive tone about the future of arts in a new interview.
• Papaschase First Nation is now running the Petro Canada gas station on Calgary Trail just south of 34 Avenue. "The station, which was not for sale, had been a corporate asset owned by Petro Canada but the company sold it to the First Nation in an act of reconciliation."
• Edmonton had 26 homicides in 2019, the lowest annual total in a decade. I wrote a lot about our city’s homicide rate back in 2011.
• The brand new $210.7 million Kathleen Andrews Transit Garage will be home to about 275 buses and 700 staff starting next month.
• ICYMI: Troy and I did Edmonton Jeopardy again to wrap up 2019 on Speaking Municipally! Thanks to Councillors Andrew Knack, Sarah Hamilton, and Aaron Paquette for competing.
• Get the latest on Media, Tech, Food, Health Innovation, the Region, Music, Arts, Business, and Council with Taproot Edmonton’s latest roundups.

This great photo of the NYE fireworks was shared on Instagram by Subrata Patra:

Upcoming Events

• The Ice Castles are now open at Hawrelak Park!
• Three of the City’s five public events to solicit input on the ward boundaries take place this week, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings.
• YEG Fitness is hosting its 2020 launch party on Tuesday evening at Browns Socialhouse (West Henday).
• Deep Freeze Festival takes place on Saturday and Sunday along Alberta Avenue. One of my favorite festivals of the year!
• There’s a protest planned for 11am on Saturday at the Legislature to "demand that Premier Jason Kenney and the governing United Conservative Party legislate a bill to hold a referendum on the lawful secession of the Province of Alberta from the Confederation of Canada."
• The Wedding Fair takes place at the Edmonton Convention Centre on Sunday afternoon.
• Swing ‘n’ Skate is on at City Hall every Sunday until Feb. 23.

Thanks for reading! Want to support my blog? Buy me a coffee!

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Council approved a 2.08% property tax increase for 2020. While it wasn’t the 0% increase that some were hoping for, the City says it is the lowest rate in more than 20 years. Check out the latest Council Roundup for more on this.
• This week we witnessed the beginning of the end for EEDC as Council decided to create a new innovation-focused entity, move business retention & expansion work to the City, and move all remaining trade and foreign direct investment work to Edmonton Global. When the dust settles, EEDC will be left with tourism and convention centres, which means the consolidation that took place in the 90s has been completely undone.
• A revised construction schedule obtained by CBC News projects a six-month delay to the start of service for the Valley Line LRT. It was supposed to open on Dec. 15, 2020.
• The grand opening for the renovated Stanley A. Milner Library downtown has been pushed back from Valentine’s Day next year until sometime in the spring. "The complexities involved in a renovation project of this size have meant things are taking a little longer than anticipated," said CEO Pilar Martinez. Who could have seen that coming?! 😀
• ATB Financial is projecting growth of 0.9% in 2020 for the province. Royal LePage forecasts "modest home price gains" for Edmonton in 2020.
• Adam Laughlin has been named Interim City Manager at the City of Edmonton, effective Dec. 28. Council is actively recruiting a permanent City Manager to replace the retiring Linda Cochrane.
• The Oilers had not lost three games in a row this season, but that changed this week. Meanwhile, the crowds are looking thinner and thinner at Rogers Place.
• In other Oilers news, David Staples reports that the team’s value has gone up by $405 million USD since Daryl Katz bought it in 2008.
• The Edmonton Eskimos have named Scott Milanovich as the team’s 22nd head coach in franchise history. He’s currently the quarterback coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
• I though it was pretty cool that Ryan Reynolds added captioning to his new commercial at the request of Crystal Jones, a local artist and deaf advocate.
• In Episode 66 of Speaking Municipally, Troy and I talked all about the EEDC decision and the BRT vs. LRT nonsense at City Hall.
• Get the latest on Media, Tech, Food, Health Innovation, the Region, Music, Arts, Business, and Council with Taproot Edmonton’s latest roundups.

Upcoming Events

• Celebrate the Season is on now at the Legislature grounds until Dec. 23. Here’s the performance schedule.
• The new Edmonton Christmas Market is on at ATB Place. It runs every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday until Dec. 21. Here’s some more information about the event.
• Christmas Glow continues at the Edmonton EXPO Centre until Jan. 4.
• Candy Cane Lane is now open! Check put the lights every evening until Jan. 1.
• This year’s Christmas Bureau Breakfast is being held on Tuesday morning at The Westin Edmonton.
• The final Edmonton Innovation Ecosystem Community meeting of the year takes place on Tuesday afternoon at the JW Marriott.
• The next Edmonton Job Fair takes place on Tuesday afternoon at the Edmonton Convention Centre.
• Alberta’s NDP Caucus is hosting a mix-and-mingle on Wednesday evening at the Federal Building.
• InstagramYEG is hosting a holiday celebration on Wednesday evening at Little Brick.
• Holiday movies continue at Metro Cinema! They’re showing National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation on Thursday evening.
• Paths for People is hosting Solstice Coffee Outside on Friday morning at Constable Ezio Faraone Park.
• The Oilers host the Penguins on Friday and the Canadiens on Saturday at Rogers Place.

Thanks for reading! Want to support my blog? Buy me a coffee!

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• This is the week Council will vote on the 2020 budget adjustments. At last week’s public hearing, community and recreation groups asked for funding while the business community called for restraint.
• Edmonton has been named Canada’s Most Open City for the fourth time. "Edmonton’s overall score was 98.82 per cent, ahead of second-place Winnipeg’s score of 74.94 per cent. The average score for municipalities in the index was 29.4 per cent."
• The Edmonton International Airport has announced that Condor Airlines will offer non-stop service to Frankfurt, Germany starting June 1 for the summer season.
• The City’s 28 photo radar vehicles are now bright neon with the words "DRIVE SAFE" emblazoned on the side.
• The Exhibition Lands plan is moving ahead and the Coliseum will be demolished but when that’ll happen remains unknown.
• After 40 years with Edmonton Fire Rescue, chief Ken Block has resigned to pursue an opportunity in Australia.
• It wasn’t what they were hoping for, but the High Level Line project will move ahead with $85,000 in funding and an endorsement by Council.
• Interstellar Rodeo has announced it will not return in 2020.
• The Alberta Branded gift shop inside the Federal Building is closing. Apparently it hasn’t made any money in five years.
• In Episode 65 of Speaking Municipally we discussed the budget ahead of this week’s vote on the tax increase for 2020.
• Get the latest on Media, Tech, Food, Health Innovation, the Region, Music, Arts, Business, and Council with Taproot Edmonton’s latest roundups.

Upcoming Events

• Celebrate the Season is on now at the Legislature grounds until Dec. 23. Here’s the performance schedule.
• The new Edmonton Christmas Market is on at ATB Place. It runs every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday until Dec. 21. Here’s some more information about the event.
• The next interVivos mentorship program launch takes place on Tuesday evening at The Pint Off Whyte.
• The Oilers host the Hurricanes on Tuesday and the Maple Leafs on Saturday.
• Homestead Coworking is hosting its holiday party on Thursday afternoon.
• The next Dark Matters takes place at the TELUS World of Science Edmonton on Thursday evening.
• There’s still time to visit Alberta Branded before it closes! They’re hosting a winter market on Friday.
• Shumka’s Nutcracker runs Saturday and Sunday at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.
• Metro Cinema is showing Die Hard on Saturday. One of my favorite Christmas movies!

Thanks for reading! Want to support my blog? Buy me a coffee!

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Council voted 8-5 in favor of the bus network redesign this week. "The reduction in the number of routes — under the new network, the routes will go from about 240 to 140 — is the biggest concern cited by councillors."
• According to the latest progress report on the Valley Line Southeast LRT, the project continues to trend well behind schedule. TransEd Partners doesn’t have an updated timeline.
• Edmonton fared well in the latest CBRE report on tech talent in Canada. "The Alberta capital snagged the 10th spot overall," reports BetaKit. "Top performing drivers for Edmonton included tech quality to cost, tech pool labour size, and quality of labour, which received an A."
• While it has been open for a little while now, the new security screening area at the Edmonton International Airport was officially unveiled this week. We got to use it on our trip to Chicago and had a very efficient, pleasant experience.
• Edmonton Destination Marketing Hotels, which represents 57 hotels in the city, has launched a campaign against short-term rentals like Airbnb.
• The Edmonton Eskimos have fired Jason Maas, "ending the four-year run of a hot-tempered, heart-on-his-sleeve head coach who inspired his players but delivered results that, while good, were never good enough."
• The City and Gold Sports, which owns the Edmonton Prospects, have reached an agreement for a one-year extension which means baseball will return again next summer.
• Edmonton has been awarded the 2020 championship weekend for the Canadian Elite Basketball League. "As such, the Edmonton Stingers will receive a host berth into the four-team title showcase on their home floor of the Hive, at the Edmonton Expo Centre Aug. 13-16."
• Aurora Cannabis has opened a flagship store at West Edmonton Mall that it describes as the "largest experiential and retail cannabis store in Canada."
• PSA: Edmonton Transit introduced its winter schedule adjustments today!
• There will not be a Santa Claus parade in Edmonton this year. The organizers blame a major drop in sponsorship and lack of interest.
• In Episode 64 of Speaking Municipally we discussed the bus network redesign and noise about bus rapid transit.
• Get the latest on Media, Tech, Food, Health Innovation, the Region, Music, Arts, Business, and Council with Taproot Edmonton’s latest roundups.

Upcoming Events

• The Enjoy Light Festival continues this week at The Enjoy Centre, and Christmas Glow is on at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
• The Edmonton Screen Industries Office is hosting an information session about the Edmonton Screen Media Fund on Tuesday at The Orange Hub.
• The new Edmonton Christmas Market is on at ATB Place. It runs every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday until Dec. 21. Here’s some more information about the event.
• The Oilers are at home three times this week: Wednesday against Ottawa, Friday against Los Angeles, and Sunday against Buffalo.
• The Yards is hosting its Winter Launch Party on Thursday evening at the Royal Alberta Museum. The magazine is also celebrating its 5th anniversary.
• The Royal Bison Art + Craft Fair is on again from Friday to Sunday at the Old Strathcona Performing Arts Centre.
• Luminaria 2019 (sold out) runs Friday to Sunday at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden.
• #boombagsYEG is hosting three workshops on Saturday at ATB Place at the Christmas Market!
• Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the John Humphrey Centre on Saturday at the St. John’s Cultural Centre.
• The Oil Kings Teddy Bear Toss takes place on Saturday evening at Rogers Place.
• The ATB Financial Oil Kings Hockey Clinic will take place on Sunday afternoon at the Ice Palace at West Edmonton Mall.
• Metro Cinema is showing Fight Club on Sunday!

Thanks for reading! Want to support my blog? Buy me a coffee!

Just a month to go until Christmas!

We’ve had a busy month, with a trip to Chicago, Sharon’s recognition as a Top 40 Under 40, and a bunch of other stuff. Time to get back into it though.

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• This week’s big debate on transit fares and ridership resulted in Council deciding against free transit and looking for service improvements to boost ridership. Troy and I discussed this in the latest episode of Speaking Municipally.
• According to the latest update from the City, the Valley Line Southeast LRT continues to trend behind schedule and is currently about 30% behind where it was expected to be.
• The final edition of StarMetro Edmonton will be published on Dec. 20, Torstar announced this week. The company plans to launch a digital bureau.
• In other media news, Harvard Broadcasting has lost its fight to use the POWER 107 branding for CJNW-FM.
• Mayor Don Iveson says the provincial government is "not doing enough to support ending homelessness in our communities" and says it is partially responsible for Edmonton’s "tent city" problem.
• A new report says that while the number of street checks conducted by Edmonton police is down, officers "need to be better educated on how to describe race and physical descriptors."
• Our city now has three indoor farmers markets. Can they all thrive?
• According to a new report, insolvencies in Edmonton have increased 23% since 2018, ahead of the provincial average of 19.9% and nearly twice the rate in Calgary.
• A new exhibit called Sketching History, which "uses the visual impact of art to draw attention to the importance of preserving Edmonton’s architectural heritage and green spaces," is now on display at the City of Edmonton Archives.
• The CRA is investigating the Ghermezian family "alleging one family member in Toronto was wired millions of dollars in unreported income around the time she was collecting unemployment insurance benefits."
• The 2019 ETS Stuff a Bus campaign runs November 27 to November 30. This year is the campaign’s 25th.
• Get the latest on Media, Tech, Food, Health Innovation, the Region, Music, Arts, Business, and Council with Taproot Edmonton’s latest roundups.

Upcoming Events

• The Enjoy Light Festival continues this week at The Enjoy Centre.
• Rainforest Edmonton is hosting the 4th Rainforest Summit on Tuesday at Polar Park Brewing.
• EFCL and the City of Edmonton are hosting a workshop on Thursday for community leagues on climate adaptation at DECL.
• The new Edmonton Christmas Market starts on Thursday at ATB Place. It runs every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday until Dec. 21. Here’s some more information about the event.
• The Mighty Mo’ Social, a Movember wrap-up party, takes place on Thursday evening at Mercer Tavern.
• The 2019 Festival of Trees runs Thursday to Sunday at the Edmonton Convention Centre.
• Christmas Glow kicks off on Thursday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre. It runs until Jan. 4, 2020.
• This year’s Zoominescence gets underway on Friday evening at the Edmonton Valley Zoo.
• Collective Christmas, organized by YEG Boss Babes and The Virtual Effect, takes place on Saturday at the Nook Cafe.
• The Hand2Hand Christmas Market is at the Terwillegar Community Church on Saturday.
• A Very Indigenous Holiday Market runs Saturday and Sunday at the Alberta Avenue Community Hall.
• Let’s Find Out: How We Make Nature takes place on Sunday at 2pm at The Almanac on Whyte.

Thanks for reading! Want to support my blog? Buy me a coffee!

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• Avenue Edmonton’s Top 40 Under 40 for 2019 were released this week. Congratulations to everyone recognized but especially to Sharon! I’m thrilled for her, and very proud.
• The City is looking at how to deploy 5G wireless technology here in Edmonton, and Executive Committee this week encouraged the notion of a partnership with a telecom company like TELUS. A progress report is due back in April.
• Council will discuss a number of borrowing bylaws on Tuesday. These are things they’ve already looked at during the budget discussions, but now they’ve got the provincial budget impacts to contend with. See the latest Council Roundup for all the details.
• A clause in the UCP’s Bill 20 could allow the provincial government to end a funding agreement with Edmonton for the Valley Line West LRT with just 90 days notice, "without cause." Mayor Don Iveson called the provisions "concerning" and said "they create uncertainty".
• Edmonton police could be out $9 million thanks to the new provincial budget. “EPS is working with the city on managing the overall impacts of the provincial budget,” spokeswoman Carolin Maran said in an email to Postmedia on Friday.
• Colder weather and snow means e-scooters were put away for winter this week, though Lime’s are now back and will return again weather-permitting.
• Opening day for the Marvel: Universe of Super Heroes exhibit at the TELUS World of Science saw more than 2,300 visitors and presales are setting records. I’m excited to check it out!
• The Edmonton International Airport has signed an agreement with Drone Delivery Canada Corp. to establish the world’s first airport drone delivery hub.
• The first phase of the Blatchford renewable energy utility is online at the former City Centre Airport lands.
• Joseph Doucet, dean of the University of Alberta School of Business, and Cory Janssen, co-founder and CEO of AltaML, published an op-ed this week that argues artificial intelligence could be Alberta’s oilsands 2.0. "The opportunity for massive economic growth and prosperity is there for cities and regions that act quickly and decisively. Alberta could be such a region, and Edmonton could be such a city. It is uniquely positioned to develop into a global AI powerhouse."
• From the Edmonton Journal, here are 10 rising central Edmonton projects to watch.
• In Episode 60 of Speaking Municipally, Troy and I discussed the municipal impacts of the provincial budget.
• Get the latest on Media, Tech, Food, Health Innovation, the Region, Music, Arts, Business, and Council with Taproot Edmonton’s latest roundups.

Upcoming Events

• The National Conference on Ending Homelessness takes place from Monday to Wednesday at the Edmonton Convention Centre.
• The Oilers host the Coyotes on Monday night, the Blues on Wednesday night, and the Devils on Friday night at Rogers Place.
• Farmfair International runs Wednesday to Sunday at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.
• The City is hosting a stakeholder workshop on urban trees on Thursday morning at the Kinsmen Recreation Centre.
• GreenSpark YEG takes place on Thursday evening at The Common.
• Here’s Nina, presented by ATB, is an annual fundraiser and awards ceremony supporting the Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts. It takes place on Thursday evening at the Italian Cultural Society.
• The Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival runs Friday and Saturday at the Edmonton Convention Centre.
• HackED Beta 2019, an event aimed at beginner programmers and hackathon newcomers, takes place on Saturday and Sunday at Startup Edmonton.
• The City’s next Touch the Water Promenade engagement event is on Saturday morning at the Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre.
• Poppy Barley is celebrating its 7th birthday fiesta-style on Saturday at the flagship store in Southgate.
• The A Dance to Remember Gala in support of the No Stone Left Alone Memorial Foundation takes place on Saturday evening at the JW Marriott.
• Jann Arden performs on Saturday night at the River Cree Resort & Casino.
• Heads up: The 2019 C-Tribe Festival runs Nov. 12-16 at locations throughout Edmonton.
• Heads up: Green Drinks: Carbon Neutral City is on Nov. 13 at Yellowhead Brewery.

Thanks for reading! Want to support my blog? Buy me a coffee!

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• City Manager Linda Cochrane announced her retirement from the City of Edmonton this week. “I’m grateful to the Mayor and Council for giving me the opportunity to serve Council, the people of Edmonton and our employees,” she said. Cochrane has worked at the City for more than three decades. Her last day will be Dec. 31, 2019.
• The Conservatives nearly swept Alberta in Monday’s federal election, leaving Edmonton without a seat in the federal government for the first time since 1980.
• The UCP government unveiled its first budget this week which will scrap the city charters with Edmonton and Calgary. The budget cuts will take a toll on Edmonton and the public sector, which means Council is being forced to take a hard look at how to deal with the impacts.
• Local cloud migration startup Mover was acquired by Microsoft on Monday. Separately, Microsoft announced a collaboration with Startup Edmonton to help local startups scale.
• Thanks again to Councillor Sarah Hamilton and Councillor Andrew Knack for joining us for the Speaking Municipally live show on Thursday! We discussed the intersection of tech and politics.
• The downtown farmers market opened inside the GWG Building this weekend. "We’re open and awestruck. Absolutely wonderful. It’s better than I ever expected," said market board member Sherry Horvath.
• Two Sergeants Brewery has announced it is permanently shutting down, blaming "zoning and bureaucratic delays" for making it financially impossible to continue operating.
• According to the City, "the draft network map for the Edmonton Bike Plan is almost complete." They’re hosting a series of workshops to gather feedback starting on Saturday.
• The new Marvel exhibit at the TELUS World of Science has already set a record for ticket sales, with just under 11,000 in presales and more than 2,300 visitors on opening day.
• You probably saw the crazy video – a worker had to be rescued from the Stantec Tower on Friday when the wind got out of control.
• Get the latest on Media, Tech, Food, Health Innovation, the Region, Music, Arts, Business, and Council with Taproot Edmonton’s latest roundups.

Upcoming Events

• It’s Halloween this week! There are tons of spooky events taking place around the city. From Raising Edmonton, here are ten places you can go trick or treating indoors.
• DARK 2019 continues at Fort Edmonton Park until Friday.
• Emissions Reduction Alberta presents Spark 2019 from Monday to Wednesday at the Edmonton Convention Centre.
• The Future of Leadership Summit is on Tuesday at the Edmonton Convention Centre.
• The next Indigenous Business Panel takes place on Wednesday evening at the ATB Branch for Arts & Culture.
• Pecha Kucha Night 35 is on Wednesday night at the Timms Centre for the Arts.
• Let’s Find Out Book Club: Crow Planet takes place Wednesday evening at Mill Creek Cafe.
• The Edmonton Rum Festival takes place on Friday evening at the Delta Edmonton South.
• Extra Life Edmonton Game Day starts on Saturday afternoon at the Ice Palace in West Edmonton Mall.
• The Edmonton Downtown Farmers Market has moved indoors at the GWG Building on Saturdays (not Sunday until further notice).
• Green MEAET takes place on Saturday at noon.
• Heads up: Green Drinks: Carbon Neutral City is on Nov. 13 at Yellowhead Brewery.

Thanks for reading! Want to support my blog? Buy me a coffee!