- Alberta Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen plans to meet with Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi next week to discuss concerns about new bike lanes on the city's north side. Dreeshen suggested the province could intervene in planned bike lanes if they consider them "problematic."
- According to data obtained by Postmedia, more than 20% of patients at Edmonton's Royal Alexandra Hospital emergency room left without being seen in 2025, nearly double the provincial average. Warren Thirsk, emergency medicine president of the Alberta Medical Association and an ER doctor at the Royal Alex, said Edmonton's hospitals are under strain, with all beds full and patients being seen in ambulance hallways.
- The first light rail vehicle (LRV) for Edmonton's Valley Line West LRT arrived in the city on Aug. 6, after travelling from Hyundai Rotem Company's facility in South Korea, via the Port of Tacoma in Washington. The LRV was transported to the Gerry Wright operations and maintenance facility in southeast Edmonton for final assembly. According to Brian Latte, director of the Valley Line West with the City of Edmonton, the delivery is "a sign of momentum" for the project. Hyundai Rotem is contracted to supply 46 LRVs, with deliveries expected to continue into 2027. Testing will occur on the Valley Line Southeast tracks without impacting passenger service. Construction on the Valley Line West LRT, which is being carried out by Marigold Infrastructure Partners, is slated for completion in 2028.
- The Edmonton International Airport hosted an Indigenous artists market on Aug. 6. The market included clothing, art, and jewelry.
- Alberta Health Services issued a public health alert on Aug. 6 after a person with measles visited several locations in Edmonton while infectious. The locations include the IHOP on Calgary Trail, the Pure Casino Yellowhead, and the Costco on 149 Street. Anyone who was at these locations during the specified times is advised to monitor themselves for symptoms of measles until Aug. 28. Anyone who develops symptoms should stay home and call 811 for assessment.
- The REALTORS Association Of Edmonton reports that the number of homes listed for sale surged in July, with nearly 4,400 homes hitting the market, down 7.8% from last year, while the number of homes sold dipped about 0.5% from June. According to Erick Yip of RE/MAX Elite, the increased competition gives buyers more power in the housing market. The average price for a home dipped slightly in July to just more than $460,000, which is still about 5% higher than July 2024.
- Alberta Wildfire reported 68 active wildfires in the province as of Aug. 6, with 16 out of control, mainly in northern Alberta, including the High Level and Peace River forest areas. The Lac La Biche forest area has 21 active fires, though the fire danger there is low to moderate. An evacuation order remains in effect for the Chipewyan Lake area in the Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17, which was issued in late May. Firefighters from other provinces and countries, including a new team from Australia that arrived at Edmonton International Airport on Aug. 5, are assisting.
- The Edmonton Police Service is asking for help locating Maverick Moser, a 14-year-old last seen on July 29. He often uses public transit and is known to spend time around Northgate Mall, the Coliseum, Westmount, and Londonderry Mall. Maverick is described as Indigenous, 5'7", 140 lbs, with brown hair and eyes, and was last seen in a blue and white jacket, black shorts, and black sneakers. Anyone with information is urged to contact police or Crime Stoppers.
- Alberta is introducing new rules and fines to combat predatory tow-truck drivers, with Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen announcing that starting Aug. 8, tow trucks must maintain a 200-metre exclusion zone around accident scenes unless requested by police or drivers, or face a $1,000 fine. Edmonton Police Service Insp. Angela Kemp noted an increase in reports of predatory towing in recent years. The new rules are similar to a Calgary bylaw, though the province's fine is lower.
- Jasper is advocating for a rail connection to Edmonton, following a unanimous vote at council on Aug. 5. The municipality will ask the province to include the rail link in the earlier stage of the province's railway master plan to boost tourism, relieve traffic, and ensure Jasper's future prosperity following wildfires last summer.
- Alison McBain, a writer from Gibbons, Alberta, wrote 34 books in 34 weeks as part of her "Author Versus AI" project. McBain undertook the project to demonstrate that humans can still write quickly and produce better, original stories, even if they cannot match the speed of AI.
- The Edmonton International Fringe Festival is still recovering from a $3 million loss incurred from cancelling the festival during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite fundraising efforts last year. According to Megan Dart of Edmonton Fringe Theatre, the arts industry recovery will take time. The festival is launching a new fundraising campaign, seeking monthly donations from Edmontonians. The 44th annual Fringe Festival in Old Strathcona kicks off on Aug. 14.
- Alberta has outlined payout amounts for its new "care-first" auto insurance system, set to launch Jan. 1, 2027, with benefits indexed annually for inflation after implementation. Medical and rehabilitation benefits will be unlimited until maximum medical recovery. Payouts for permanent impairment could reach $298,520 for catastrophic and $189,055 for non-catastrophic injuries. In the event of death, funeral costs could be covered up to $10,308, and grief counselling up to $4,310 per person. Income replacement will cover up to 90% of net income, capped at a gross annual income of $125,000 until age 65. Initial benefits will be set at Manitoba levels, except for income replacement, which will be $5,000 higher.
Headlines: Aug. 7, 2025
By Mariam Ibrahim