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Headlines: Sept. 29, 2026

· The Pulse
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  • The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce released a 56-page plan calling for Edmonton's next four-year budget to prioritize fiscal responsibility, core services and investments aimed at economic growth. Its recommendations include limiting neighbourhood renewal to basic repairs, selling surplus land, expanding private partnerships and sponsorships, and protecting businesses from construction disruptions through better coordination and communication. The Edmonton Construction Association pushed back on the proposal to pause the growth of neighbourhood renewal, saying infrastructure continues to age and delaying work will increase future repair costs.
  • Construction has begun on a shared Francophone school in Edmonton that will host both public and Catholic high schools. The Alberta government invested $91 million to create spaces for 1,260 students, with the schools named École l'Odyssée and École l'Envolée, respectively. Although each will maintain its distinct identity, they will share amenities such as a library, gymnasium, and classrooms for career and technology studies. The schools will serve students from Grades 7 through 12.
  • Edmonton is reviewing its public spaces bylaw due to concerns that it may unjustly target homeless individuals. Critics argue that the bylaw, which regulates outdoor public areas, disproportionately impacts those lacking permanent shelter. Joshua Goldberg of the Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness said he hasn't seen evidence the bylaw is making public spaces safer. "What I see is that it's contributing to life getting harder for unhoused people," he said.
  • The City of Edmonton is exploring lower parking-ticket fines for people who pay early. In a report to city council's community and public services committee, administration estimated that a tiered system would require about $1 million in upgrades and reduce annual revenue by $300,000 to $400,000. According to the report, five of seven large Canadian cities already used a tiered system in which fines for early payment are reduced and late payments are increased.
  • Edmonton's new integrated stabilization centre has recorded 98 admissions since it opened less than a month ago, with 12 people transferred directly to the Addiction Recovery Centre at Alberta Hospital Edmonton, Postmedia reported. The 18-bed facility, located inside the Edmonton Police Service headquarters, provides people arrested or in crisis with time to stabilize and connect with addiction and mental health services. Police Chief Warren Driechel said the centre gives officers an alternative to moving people between streets and shelters without connecting them to longer-term supports.
  • The City of Edmonton has received a Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs award for its approach to managing wildfire risk where urban areas meet wildland vegetation. Edmonton's Wildland-Urban Interface Wildfire Risk Strategy, introduced in April, combines emergency planning, environmental management and technology to protect neighbourhoods around the River Valley and ravines. Measures include thermal drones, environmental sensors and an AI forecasting tool to detect and assess wildfire risks. The City is also managing vegetation, training employees for emergencies and providing FireSmart education to residents.
  • About 658,000 Albertans have requested special ballots for the Oct. 19 referendum, about 11 times the 2023 election total. Elections Alberta said it still needs more officers in northern and southern Alberta.
  • The Alberta government is preparing to launch a process for private-sector proponents to submit proposals for high-speed rail between Edmonton, Red Deer, and Calgary, while Ottawa has agreed to refer the corridor to the federal Major Projects Office. The province said trains travelling up to 320 km/h could get passengers between downtown Edmonton and downtown Calgary in under two hours.