- A City of Edmonton audit found widespread problems with its gift card program, including nearly $459,000 worth of cards issued with improper codes since 2017. Auditors identified nearly 800 cards that were both issued and redeemed by the same employees, raising concerns about potential misuse. The review also found weak controls over the gift-card registry, including access by inactive staff and unauthorized users.The City is reviewing user access and working to strengthen controls, training and software safeguards.
- The City of Edmonton is seeking about $75 million in provincial funding ahead of Budget 2026, Mayor Andrew Knack said, calling the request modest given Alberta's projected deficit. Key priorities include industrial infrastructure, transit safety, addiction recovery housing, and restoring full tax payments on provincial buildings. Knack said municipalities are struggling to keep up with growth after years of declining infrastructure support. Alberta Municipalities also called for increased provincial investment to address infrastructure and rising policing costs.
- A fire destroyed a home under construction in central Edmonton's Spruce Avenue neighbourhood on Feb. 25. Edmonton Fire Rescue Services responded just before 5am to the blaze near 103 Street and 102 Avenue, which was declared under control by 6:07am. The fire also spread to a neighbouring building, though the extent of that damage remains unknown. No injuries were reported, and investigators are working to determine the cause.
- The Alberta government pledged $10.8 billion for education funding in Budget 2026, representing a $722 million increase from the previous year. Premier Danielle Smith and Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announced the investment on Feb. 25, one day before the provincial budget is set to be tabled, saying that it addresses inflationary costs and enrolment growth. The funding is intended to support the hiring of 1,600 teachers and 800 support staff for the 2026-2027 school year, with a goal of 5,000 new teachers over three years. Jason Schilling of the Alberta Teachers' Association praised the investment for meeting government promises.
- Justice Wayne Renke dismissed a family's request for a judicial review regarding a decision from the Edmonton Police Service not to charge a man in the February 2025 stabbing death of 13-year-old Eric Omeasoo. Omeasoo died on the MacEwan LRT Station platform in Edmonton. While police ruled his death a homicide, they said that charges would not be laid because evidence suggested the killing was in self-defence. Renke also rejected a review of Crown prosecutors involved in the case.
- The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, representing more than 2,900 licensed practical nurses and healthcare aides, ratified a new collective agreement with Covenant Health. The deal, retroactive to April 1, 2024, and expiring March 31, 2028, includes a 12% wage increase over four years and "significant market adjustments" for nursing-care staff across Alberta.
- The Alberta government introduced Bill 16, the Traveller Protection and Destination Development Act, to protect consumers from misleading hotel fees. The legislation aims to ensure destination marketing fees, typically 3-6% of a room's cost, go entirely to designated organizations like Explore Edmonton or Tourism Jasper, preventing businesses from keeping them for profit. Tracy Douglas-Blowers of the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association supports the framework, which also requires full-price disclosure at booking. A transition period is allowed until Dec. 31.
Headlines: Feb. 26, 2026
By Mariam Ibrahim