- The Alberta Teachers' Association, representing 51,000 striking teachers across the province, will resume negotiations with the provincial government's bargaining team on Oct. 14. This marks the first meeting since the province-wide strike began on Oct. 6, affecting 740,000 students in 2,500 schools. The dispute centres on wages, overcrowded classrooms, and student support. A mediator will join the upcoming talks. A provincial lockout order came into effect, preventing rotating job action and allowing school boards to lay off other staff, such as educational assistants, and custodians, with some Canadian Union of Provincial Employees (CUPE) members in High Prairie and Lethbridge already receiving notices.
- Edmonton Police Service homicide Det. Jared Buhler announced on Oct. 9 that new information has led officers to search a rural area near Carrot Creek, about 160 kilometres west of Edmonton, for the remains of missing 14-year-old Indigenous teenager Samuel Bird. Samuel, last seen on June 1, is presumed dead, and his disappearance has been a homicide investigation since he was reported missing on June 6. Police, a cadaver dog, and trained searchers are working in the mixed terrain to find him.
- Global News profiled six top mayoral candidates in Edmonton's upcoming Oct. 20 election: Tim Cartmell and Andrew Knack, both current councillors, former councillors Tony Caterina and Michael Walters, former MP Rahim Jaffer, and pediatric dentist Omar Mohammad. Cartmell, running with his Better Edmonton party, emphasizes fiscal responsibility and safer streets. Independent candidates Knack, Caterina, Jaffer, Walters, and Mohammad prioritize similar themes, including tax control, public safety, efficient core services, and housing affordability for Edmontonians.
- Edmonton's 102 Avenue bike lanes will temporarily relocate to 103 Avenue due to Valley Line West LRT construction. Work to install protected lanes on 103 Avenue, from 103 Street to Railtown Park Trail, will begin around Oct. 14 and is expected to take three weeks. These temporary lanes will remain until the end of 2027, with new permanent lanes on 102 Avenue planned as part of the LRT project, anticipated to be complete in 2028. On-street parking on 103 Avenue will be limited during this period.
- Edmonton restaurant workers are raising alarms about food safety risks due to Alberta's regulation requiring only one staff member per establishment to hold a food safety certificate, Postmedia reported as part of an investigative series in collaboration with the MacEwan University journalism program. Edmonton staff reported limited or no training, often paying for courses themselves. Industry veterans Pamela Apsassin, with 25 years' experience, and Nick Young, with 20 years, highlighted declining standards, inexperienced hires, and a post-pandemic exodus of "Red Seal" cooks, resulting in a 20-25% drop in staffing.
- The Edmonton Oil Kings will hold their third annual food drive during their game on Oct. 13 for Edmonton's Food Bank. Kevin Radomski of the Oil Kings said the team hopes to surpass the 2024 donation of 2,500 pounds during this year's drive.
- Stingray Security's software, which identifies risky website links and blocks potential threats in real time, won the ScamShield: Investor Protection Challenge. The Edmonton Police Service and the Alberta Securities Commission jointly presented the award for the product's effectiveness in online fraud protection.
- A panel released recommendations on Oct. 9 for Alberta post-secondary institutions, following its appointment in November 2024. The report suggests a new funding model, more student aid, and institutional neutrality in policies and practices, especially regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The panel raised concerns about silenced perspectives and institutions taking political positions. "We hope the recommendations in this report will serve as the starting point for transformational changes in how post-secondary education is funded," the report said.
Headlines: Oct. 10, 2025
By Mariam Ibrahim