- Chinatown businesses urged Edmonton city council to restore street parking on 101 Street, describing the bus lane conversion as "bike lanes on steroids," and arguing that it significantly harms businesses. Rizwan Mohiuddin, representing the businesses, emphasized difficulties for seniors with mobility issues, who must use unsanitary alleyways for parking. Ward Karhiio Coun. Keren Tang confirmed that a review is slated for a March 23 committee meeting, which could overturn the decision. Mayor Andrew Knack proposed restricting parking during peak hours only. Businesses also called for better cleanup from social services.
- The Edmonton Police Service financial crimes unit kicked off fraud prevention month on March 4 at the Central Lions Seniors Recreation Centre in Edmonton, warning about the growing threat of AI-powered scams. Edmontonians lost $58 million to fraud in 2025, primarily to investment schemes, according to the police service, but only 5-15% of incidents are reported.
- Curtis Wright, a Canadian-born U.S. permanent resident from Edmonton, has been held in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centre in Texas since November after returning from a trip to Mexico. Authorities cited decades-old misdemeanor convictions to launch deportation proceedings, despite Wright having renewed his residency and crossed the border without issue in recent years. His family says he has been moved between multiple facilities and faces poor conditions. They have filed a habeas corpus application seeking his release while he fights the case. A deportation hearing is scheduled for March 6.
- The Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA) was in Court of King's Bench in Edmonton on March 4 to seek a temporary injunction against the province's "Back to School Act" (Bill 2). The ATA argues the legislation, which forced striking teachers back to work using the notwithstanding clause, violates its constitutional rights. If granted, the injunction would pause Bill 2, potentially allowing teachers to resume strike action after a three-week pause. Justice Douglas Mah is scheduled to issue a decision on March 13, with a full constitutional challenge slated for September.
- Alberta MLAs adopted new legislative rules after government house leader Joseph Schow introduced changes to standing orders on Feb. 24. Schow said the updates aim to increase debate time, but Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi argued that they limit discussion and consolidate government power. Passed 43-16, the changes include a new programming motion for debate allocation and restrict Opposition written questions to three at a time, extending government response deadlines up to 120 sitting days.
Headlines: March 5, 2026
By Mariam Ibrahim