The Pulse
May 1, 2025

While the unofficial results for Edmonton's 2021 municipal election were ready by 8:30pm on voting day, voters should not expect similar in 2025.

"We had all the results before people went to bed on election night, and that will not be the case this time," Aileen Giesbrecht, the returning officer and city clerk for the City of Edmonton, told Taproot.

The reason is changes to election rules that the United Conservative Party government created with Bill 20 in 2024. Giesbrecht said specifically the law's ban on vote tabulation machines means the count will take at least an extra day, and that manual counts for municipal votes will take longer than the recent federal election, which itself spilled over into an extra day, because of the added complexity of municipal ballots. Bill 20, or the Municipal Affairs Statute Amendment Act, includes multiple changes to the Local Authorities Elections Act and the Municipal Government Act. Alberta Municipalities criticized the bill immediately when it was tabled. Municipal politicians did the same, including Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi (who will conclude his term but not seek re-election now that he lost a race for a seat in the federal election).

In October, just after the new rules came into effect, the City of Edmonton estimated the changes would mean holding the 2025 election would cost $4.8 million more than holding the 2021 election. In 2021, the municipal election cost just more than $7.3 million, though the City of Edmonton only spent a bit more than $3.2 million due to a provincial grant and cost sharing with Edmonton's school boards.

Giesbrecht said the $4.8 million estimate is likely in the right ballpark but that the actual amount could still change.

"Sometimes legislation changes right up until the last minute," she said. "Right now, the information (we're working with) is what was passed in the legislature for Bill 20, and then any other changes that might be coming."

In April, the UCP government introduced further changes to municipal elections with Bill 50, which is also called the Municipal Affairs Amendment Act. That bill tweaks recount procedures, and adds requirements to offer private voting areas for voters with disabilities. The bill makes many further changes outside of election processes.

Giesbrecht said the city worked on analyzing the 2021 election process to improve it, only to now need to start over. The biggest cost that the new rules create boils down to extra staff hours, which are needed given that manual counting takes longer and requires more workers. She added that the city will have to hand count four types of ballots — for mayor, councillor, public school trustee, and Catholic school trustee — and pay for those ballots, too.

"We purchase a ballot for every single elector in Edmonton, whether they show up or not, because, obviously, it's your right to vote," Giesbrecht said.

In October, Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver told reporters that mandating manual counts by banning tabulators will improve voter trust in the election process. Giesbrecht, meanwhile, said there have been "no issues with tabulators," and that the city doesn't know for sure when the last time it hand-counted ballots. Her office later provided Taproot with a scan of an Edmonton Journal article from 1968 that announced the adoption of tabulators.

• Edmonton city council officially set the final property tax rate for 2025 at 5.7%, down 0.4% from what was approved in the fall. Homeowners will pay approximately $763 for every $100,000 of assessed home value, up $51 from 2024. The Alberta government has also increased its education tax requisition, which in Edmonton will account for $98 or 25% of the total tax bill of the average single-detached home. The City of Edmonton will mail tax notices to property owners on May 23 and taxes are due June 30. The City's website has more information about property taxes.
• Some Edmonton city councillors are questioning a rezoning request from Fulton Creek Business Park, which would allow the park to expand its footprint but require removing more than 6,000 trees and relocating part of Fulton Creek. Administration supports rezoning the land for industrial purposes, despite "considerable ecological risks." Coun. Aaron Paquette suggested Edmonton has enough industrial land waiting to be developed, but a business park representative said only 2% of that industrial land is shovel-ready.
• Some Conservative Party candidates who won in Edmonton ridings told the media that affordability, crime, and a desire for change were the primary factors behind their success. MacEwan University professor Chaldeans Mensah suggested Conservative candidates stuck to the party platform, while the first-past-the-post system doesn't reflect the diversity of political views in Edmonton. Vote-splitting between the Liberal and NDP candidates may have led to a Conservative win in Edmonton Griesbach but doesn't appear to be a factor in other ridings, CBC reported.
• A growing number of people say they are waiting for refunds from Foundry Room, an Edmonton event curator that ran out of the Oliver Exchange building and then a venue next door. Hyphen Group, the property manager, said it terminated its leases with Foundry Room due to "repeated and uncured defaults." The company's founder Jody Seremet said the business "went under" and denied scamming customers.
• The University of Alberta's Clare Drake Arena was recently the site of filming for the upcoming movie Smudge the Blades. The film, a coming-of-age story about a Triple-A Treaty Six hockey team, is co-written by actor Cody Lightning and stars Lightning alongside Paulina Alexis and Ed Helms. It is expected to be in festivals in 2026.
• Edify published an interview with Danni Okemaw, co-founder of Nimihtotân, a grassroots initiative to promote Indigenous dance and support dancers who participate in the annual Ben Calf Robe Pow Wow event. This year's event takes place May 10 at the Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre.
• In a piece for Ricochet Media, journalist Stephen Maher explored the state of Alberta separatism on the eve of the Liberal Party's fourth consecutive win. In April, an Angus Reid Institute poll found about 30% of Albertans would vote to separate if the Liberals were re-elected, although the sentiment was concentrated in rural areas.
• The Globe and Mail examined Alberta's efforts to position itself as a major hub for AI data centres, with an aim to attract $100 billion in data centre investment.
• The Edmonton Oilers, after a slow start, are starting to resemble their playoff form from last year. After defeating the Los Angeles Kings in Game 5, the Oilers now lead the series 3-2. Goaltender Calvin Pickard is 3-0 since replacing Stuart Skinner, while Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have amassed 20 points in the five games. The Oilers, who are now 14-1 all time when leading a series 3-2, will head to Rogers Place for Game 6.
• Edmonton Elks draft pick Darien Newell was given a one-year suspension for a doping violation. In a statement, the club said it will support Newell through the process.
• The Edmonton Elks announced three transactions, signing offensive lineman Will Marotta and releasing wide receiver Frederik Antoine and offensive lineman Patrick Lavoie.

Here are opportunities to inform municipal decisions about renewals, developments, budgeting, and more. Please only answer surveys from the municipality where you live.

• Kingsway Business Improvement Area Alley Renewal and 114 Avenue Renewal — The City of Edmonton has started planning alley renewal in the Kingsway Business Improvement Area and on 114 Avenue NW, west of 119 Street NW. Residents can share their feedback about alleys in the area through an online survey until May 4.
• West 240 Neighbourhood Area Structure Plan — The City of Edmonton has shared its draft of the proposed Neighbourhood Area Structure Plan within the University of Alberta Farm area, referred to as West 240. The plan envisions a new neighbourhood with residential and non-residential development. Residents are invited to review the draft, ask a question, or share their thoughts on a discussion board until May 5.
• Budget Survey — Strathcona County is running its annual survey to better understand the priorities residents have for the county budget. The survey report will be presented to the public in July.

More input opportunities

• Until May 4: Menisa Alley Renewal (City of Edmonton)
• Until May 11: West Jasper Place Rezoning — 155 Street (City of Edmonton)
• Until May 12: Villeneuve Hamlet: Future Possibilities (Sturgeon County)

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• The Capital Conversation: Building a Better Edmonton starting at 11:30am at Edmonton Convention Centre
• Women's Wisdom Circle starting at 1pm at Devon Public Library
• Startup TNT YEG Summit XI Finale starting at 5pm at Amii (Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute)
• Sustainability Social: Expert Panel, Networking, and Activities starting at 6pm at The Bell in Scona
• Urban Mushrooms with Martin Otis starting at 6pm at St. Albert Public Library (downtown)
• Poetry Launch: Amy LeBlanc starting at 7pm at Audreys Books
• The Taste and Silent Auction starting at 7pm at Devon Community Centre
• Son of Dave starting at 8pm at Yardbird Suite
• Public Risk Conference at Evario Events Centre (until May 2)
• 2025 Primary Care Strategic Forum (until May3)

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• May 8: Refill with Infill: Build & Bowl at Plaza Bowling Co.
• May 11: The NorthwestFilmFest Banned Book Fair at Metro Cinema
• May 20: The Power of Sleep at St. Albert Public Library (downtown)

Visit the beta version of the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.