The Pulse: May 21, 2026

A group of people stand with garbage bags in front of the Walterdale Bridge.

Grassroots group seeks a cleaner Edmonton through community

May 21, 2026
By Sara Sheydwasser

Fed up with the abundance of trash they've been seeing, some like-minded Edmontonians have organized to do something about it.

"Once you see the amount of garbage, you cannot unsee it," said Lazina Mckenzie, co-founder of Litter Pickers. "It makes our city look really filthy, and for me personally, it's kind of embarrassing."

Litter Pickers began as a series of conversations between Mckenzie and her friend Dana Bradley. Their "trash talk" led to action with a monthly meetup at parks or neighbourhoods that could use some care. Their next cleanup is on June 14 at Concordia University from 2pm to 4pm.

Mckenzie had prior experience with community cleanups through a fitness community called the November Project and an ambassadorship with Lululemon. She created an event called the Trash Dash that got up to 100 participants in 2024.,

"It was a way for runners and walkers to come together under the umbrella community of Lululemon and pick up trash together," Mckenzie told Taproot.

The first Litter Pickers pickup in Kinsmen Park in April filled 22 garbage bags in just a few hours. The May cleanup at Wilbert McIntyre Park in Old Strathcona yielded another 17.

"We group all the garbage together so we can just see the impact of what we've done," Mckenzie said. "Hopefully we'll be able to accumulate these numbers and see through this little group ... how much garbage we actually picked up."

Downtown has too many overflowing garbage cans and littered sidewalks, Bradley and Mckenzie said, emphasizing the need for the community to chip in and not just rely on the city.

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Headlines: May 21, 2026

May 21, 2026
By Mariam Ibrahim

Edmonton's outdoor pools began opening for the summer 2026 season on May 20. Residents must pay in advance for reservations at any of the five outdoor pools. The City of Edmonton will not operate concessions this year, instead encouraging patrons to bring their own food and sealed drinks. Vending machines will be available at Mill Creek Pool, Queen Elizabeth Pool, and Borden Pool. Spray parks are also being prepared, dependent on weather and air quality.
Due to high demand, the City of Edmonton's compost giveaway at Ambleside and Kennedale Eco Stations is set to end on May 24 or until supplies last. More than 8,000 residents participated, a 40% increase from last year. To ensure fair access, the city implemented a 100-litre limit per vehicle.
Advanced sorting technology is being implemented in Edmonton's new recycling facility. The state-of-the-art technology aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of waste sorting, enabling better separation of recyclable materials and reducing the amount going to landfills. The facility is set to open by the end of 2026, and is part of the City of Edmonton's broader plans to enhance sustainable waste management. Enhanced sorting capabilities are expected to significantly increase the recycling rate.
The Multilingual Language Program at the University of Alberta, developed by professor Andrea MacLeod, helps Edmonton's immigrant families preserve home languages and cultural ties. The initiative, in partnership with the Multicultural Health Brokers Cooperative, focuses on children aged three to nine through interactive group sessions involving storytelling, music, and crafts. The program addresses language loss experienced by newcomers, encouraging early language use for stronger family connections and cultural identity. It is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Edmonton Council for Early Learning and Care.
Edmonton's 24/7 crisis diversion team has launched a pilot data dashboard to improve its service amid rising call volumes. Developed by PALcares and led by Sasha Lyuber, the tool visualizes monthly data on a map, showing where and why responders are called. It aims to enhance public transparency and operational efficiency by highlighting peaks in demand and staffing needs. Mina Ghoreishi from 211 noted that calls span beyond central Edmonton, including Parsons Road and the southwest. Operating since 2015, the team uses this data to optimize emergency response activities.
Edmonton Elks fans can use game-day tickets for free Edmonton Transit Service rides to and from Commonwealth Stadium home games, starting May 29. Park and Ride services begin two hours before game time and include locations such as Eaux Claires, Lewis Farms, and Nakî Transit Centre. Additional routes and LRT services will assist game-day travel. Parking restrictions apply in local neighbourhoods, and bike parking is available. Fans are advised to arrive early for security checks.
Alberta will soon replace the "Welcome to Wild Rose Country" signs at its border crossings with new signs proclaiming "Welcome to Alberta. Strong and Free". Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen said the update reflects Alberta's identity and coincides with a new licence plate slogan of "Strong and Free." Costing $3.5 million, the signs will be installed this fall at 22 border points with British Columbia, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, and Montana.
Alberta's Finance Minister Nate Horner and Hospital and Surgical Health Services Minister Matt Jones have resigned from Premier Danielle Smith's Cabinet, signalling they will not seek re-election. Horner emphasized his commitment to serving two terms, while Jones cited plans for an "orderly transition." Smith expressed her gratitude for their service. Both exits come ahead of a Cabinet shuffle expected on May 21, when new ministers will be sworn in.
An Alberta legislative committee experienced procedural chaos over a pro-Confederation petition after the UCP caucus prematurely issued a news release presuming a vote outcome. The committee chair, Brandon Lunty, was quoted in the release, despite no vote having taken place. NDP members, including Christina Gray, criticized the release and called for Lunty's recusal and Speaker Ric McIver's intervention. The vote on the "Forever Canadian" petition, advocating for Alberta to remain in Canada, was postponed.

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A sculpture of a person with slumped shoulders, surrounded by tributes to people who have died due to homelessness

ECOHH marks 40 years of fighting for a basic human right

Sponsored May 21, 2026

A message from the Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness:

As the Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness prepares to mark its 40th anniversary, its members desperately wish their organization didn't have to exist at all.

ECOHH was formed in 1986 in response to the federal government's retreat from decades of investment in non-market housing. Community organizations working with people in poverty and social housing needed a way to share information, analysis, and planning. Four decades later, the situation has only deteriorated, said longtime member Jim Gurnett.

"Despite the work of organizations like ECOHH and similar organizations across Canada, situations have become worse and worse and worse," Gurnett said. "We now have in Edmonton 50,000 households that live in what's called core housing need — that is, in danger of not being able to afford their rent or losing their housing."

Based on the by-name list compiled by Homeward Trust, about 4,000 Edmontonians are without anywhere to live, and that's probably an underestimate. Such numbers dwarf what ECOHH saw in its early years, and it's frustrating to see the deterioration, Gurnett said.

"I would say that housing security in Canada, in Alberta, in Edmonton, is one of the most spectacular failures by all the governments we've had over those years," he said. "And the stupidity of it is that the price of it is gigantically larger in dollar terms than if we had continued to keep the kind of investments that we had in the '50s and '60s and '70s."

The coalition's 40th anniversary event on June 13 is called Housing is a Human Right. The title reflects ECOHH's core message over four decades, one that is internationally recognized yet remains unmet in Canada.

"It's the idea that to be able to have a reasonable quality of life, any person needs a place that's safe, secure, appropriate, affordable," Gurnett said. "ECOHH is trying to say that all of us in the community — all of us, even the people that have decent housing — will do better if we make sure we don't leave some of our neighbours and fellows living in those kinds of conditions."

The June 13 event will be emceed by Rhea March with performances by Lloyd Cardinal, Emmet Michael, Stephanie Burlie, Maria Dunn, and Tzadeka. ECOHH hopes to honour the people who have contributed to the organization's achievements over the years, such as the Edmonton Homeless Memorial, where the annual service of remembrance for those lost on the streets is held (it's on June 4 this year).

The anniversary event is meant to be both a reunion and a celebration.

"We need each other's company to boost our spirits," Gurnett said. "The memories of successes and the memories of good things that have happened give us a kind of an energy … a kind of a strength to take the next steps and to remind ourselves that it really is worth it, and that a city where nobody is struggling for decent housing is a city where we'll all be happier with our lives."

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