The Pulse: Jan. 22, 2026

City takes opportunity to enhance evacuation plan

Jan. 22, 2026
By Stephanie Swensrude

Now that Edmonton city council has approved changes to the municipal emergency plan, administration is working on improving the city's processes should it ever be necessary to evacuate.

"We have had a plan, but we are going to take the opportunity in 2026 to... look back through it and enhance it," said Kristi Baron, manager of corporate communications at the City of Edmonton.

While worst-case scenarios are part of such planning, it's more likely that Edmonton would evacuate residents from one part of the city to another if disaster struck.

"(An evacuation plan) sounds like, 'Oh my gosh, we're going to pick up the whole city and move it,' but the truth is, in real life, there are very few things that would affect the whole city and cause the whole city to be evacuated," Baron said, noting that the north side could take in people evacuated from the south side, for example. "We have, as a large municipality, the ability to do that."

The municipal emergency plan that council approved in December includes the evacuation route options for every neighbourhood in the city, sorted by districts as designated in the City Plan. Unless otherwise stated, the evacuation muster point for displaced people is at the Rapid Emergency Support Terminal at 10908 120 Avenue NW.

City council approved changes to the municipal emergency plan to align with Bill 49, which, among other things, amended the Emergency Management Act to incorporate lessons learned from past wildfires and floods as recommended by the Public Health Emergencies Governance Review Panel. (The panel was struck to review the legislation that guided Alberta's response to COVID-19, but its recommendations on how to improve the handling of future public health emergencies also touched on wildfires and floods.)

City council increased the budget for the Office of Emergency Management by about $927,000 during the fall operating budget adjustment in December 2025, because the updated plan and its supporting legislative framework required six more frontline employees to sustain its core operations and comply with the new legislative responsibilities, a city report said.

The changes passed in December are also expected to make it easier for Edmonton to be reimbursed for sheltering evacuees from other municipalities, Baron said. In 2023, Edmonton spent $16.9 million to support 12,420 evacuees from Drayton Valley, Edson, and the Northwest Territories during three separate out-of-control wildfires. In 2024, the city spent $11.64 million to support 4,700 evacuees from Fort McMurray and Jasper. The province reimburses municipalities for these costs, and the new emergency plan is expected to make that easier, Baron said. The 2023 wildfire season was especially complex because it involved several different municipalities and Indigenous communities, and the city is only now fully recouping costs from 2023 and 2024.

Headlines: Jan. 22, 2026

Jan. 22, 2026
By Mariam Ibrahim

The City of Edmonton will begin snow clearing and removal in its 3,000 cul-de-sacs starting Jan. 22, as residential roadway clearing nears completion, it said in an operational update. This work, expected to take up to six weeks, will largely happen after the parking ban lifts on Jan. 23. Crews will work daily from 7am to 7pm, including weekends, first stacking then removing snow. Localized "no parking" signs will be placed at least 24 hours in advance in identified areas, with tickets possible for those who don't move their vehicles. Residents are advised to use driveways or garages and avoid large snow piles.
The City of Edmonton activated its extreme weather response on Jan. 21, effective until Jan. 28. This action comes as temperatures are expected to drop to around -30 C with the wind chill on Jan. 22. The response, triggered when temperatures are forecast to be -20 C or lower for at least three consecutive days, includes opening more shelter spaces, making city facilities like recreation centres and libraries available for warming, and providing shuttles to emergency shelters.
Edmonton city council's executive committee voted 5-0 on Jan. 21 to implement a new place branding framework for the city. Mayor Andrew Knack said the refresh aims to attract people and businesses, foster civic pride, and boost economic development. "Strong place brand helps Edmonton compete nationally and globally," said Tracy Bednard of Explore Edmonton. The framework will run on a four-year cycle, aligning with council's budget.
The University of Alberta unveiled a $27-million exterior renovation plan for its iconic Universiade Pavilion, better known as the Butterdome, on Jan. 21. Primarily funded by the province, the project will give the Edmonton landmark a greener look while retaining gold accents. The design updates include new windows, a river-shaped LED light feature, and solar panels, addressing deterioration, safety hazards from falling ice, flooding, and efficiency issues.
Edmonton city council's executive committee recommended providing $6.5 million in funding for the Winspear Centre expansion project, to compensate for anticipated losses in parking revenue. The project originally included plans for 142 parking spots, but that number was reduced to 67 to accommodate a district energy plant on the site.
Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack addressed harassment against city workers, including shovels thrown at city vehicles. The incidents happened during ongoing snow clearing operations and a parking ban. Knack condemned the behaviour, urging residents to respect municipal staff as they perform essential winter maintenance duties.
Coun. Erin Rutherford spoke out about alleged harassment from former election opponent Jesse Watson, following an Instagram story Watson posted showing a truck belonging to her partner and implying that it was illegally parked during a snow removal ban. Rutherford, who defeated Watson in the 2025 municipal election for Ward Aniriq, said the post created a "reckless risk" to her family's safety and privacy. Watson told Postmedia he shared a photo from a follower to raise "public interest questions" without identifying individuals or addresses, viewing it as "civic accountability."
ATCO announced that it will relocate its Edmonton offices from 10035 105 Street to 10303 Jasper Avenue, the former Canadian Western Bank building, starting in 2028. This move involves about 1,200 employees and aims to support downtown revitalization, enhance connections with other businesses, and offer improved amenities like better parking and pedway access.
A new survey of Alberta teachers revealed record-high levels of stress, warning of widespread burnout across the province's education system. The findings indicate teachers are facing significant challenges that could impact student learning and teacher retention in Edmonton and surrounding communities. The survey highlights concerns about workload, student needs, and a perceived lack of support for educators. The Alberta Teachers' Association said 10% of teachers in the province took the survey, conducted by Pulse Research.
The Edmonton Police Service charged a 28-year-old man with three counts of sexual assault in connection with incidents in November 2025 at West Edmonton Mall, HomeSense on Mayfield Common, and Costco on Winterburn Road, where an unknown substance was squirted onto women. Police said similar incidents may have happened at other locations on additional dates. The man was released with conditions, including a ban from all shopping malls.
Alberta set a record for housing starts in 2025, with more than 50,000 new homes, comprising one quarter of Canada's total, a 14% increase from 2024's record high. The province said Alberta's average rent is $400 lower than the national average. Edmonton's average two-bedroom rent was $1,590 in the first quarter of 2025. Janis Irwin, housing critic for the Alberta NDP, urged the province to prioritize affordable housing for low-income Albertans.
Alberta's UCP government said it would not declare a health care emergency or recall the legislature for debate, despite calls from doctors, the provincial NDP, and CUPE. This comes after a public fatality inquiry was ordered into the Dec. 22, 2025, death of Prashanth Sreekumar, an Edmonton father who died of cardiac arrest after an almost eight-hour wait at Grey Nuns Community Hospital emergency department. Doctors reported six other deaths and 30 "near-misses" across the province due to crowded waiting rooms.