The Pulse
Oct. 9, 2026

This week's roundup of calls for public engagement begins with a reminder to get your special ballot in the mail or get ready to vote in person in the Alberta referendum.

The referendum asks 10 questions — five regarding immigration policy, four about constitutional matters, and the final about whether Alberta should start the legal process to hold a binding referendum on leaving Canada.

The Alberta government is officially advocating for a yes on the immigration and constitution questions, and the "remain" option on the separation question, though the existence of the referendum in the first place has led the Alberta NDP and advocacy groups like Alberta's Voice to question the UCP's commitment to Canada. Groups such as Let Alberta Decide, Stay Free Alberta, and the Alberta Prosperity Project are urging voters to support separation.

If you are among the 650,000+ Albertans to request a special ballot to vote by mail, you're advised to send it by Oct. 9 to ensure that it arrives by the Oct. 16 deadline. The package must include a photocopy of the front of your driver's licence or ID card with your name and current address showing, or photocopies of two pieces of identification, both of which include your name and one of which shows your current address.

If you don't mail it in time or didn't get a special ballot in the first place, you have two options for voting in person. Advance voting will take place from Oct. 13 to 17. You can cast a vote at any voting location within your electoral division; here's how to find your location.

On Election Day, Oct. 19, you must vote at your assigned location. Polls will be open from 9am to 8pm, and anyone who is still in line when the polls close will be allowed to vote. You should have received a "Where to Vote" card in the mail, but if not, the information is available from Elections Alberta.

Sen. Paula Simons, a vocal critic of the referendum, told Taproot she fears that some Albertans will refrain from voting because they question the legitimacy of the referendum and the intentions of Premier Danielle Smith. "Please don't think, 'It doesn't matter how I vote because the questions aren't legitimate, she'll do whatever she wants, they're totally non-binding," Simons said. "That is all 100% true — and that is not a reason to give up."

Political blogger Dave Cournoyer agreed. "Yes, it's confusing why we're even having to vote on this — a lot of people are still kind of confused and maybe just tuning into this, but I think it's so important to make sure that the turnout is very high for Option 1, staying in Canada, to send a very clear message to this government to stop fooling around with this separatist stuff," Cournoyer told Taproot earlier this year.

Taproot's Karen Unland will further explore these issues with Patrick Lennox, author of the book On Treason, at a LitFest event on Oct. 15.

• The Alberta government plans to force Edmonton to revert to its pre-2024 zoning bylaw and restore minimum parking requirements that were eliminated in 2020, arguing current rules have enabled inappropriate infill development. Mayor Andrew Knack criticized the directive, warning it could cost the city millions of dollars, complicate budget planning and undermine housing affordability. Edmonton's current zoning rules have supported increased housing construction, including permits for 5,187 five- to eight-unit buildings in mature neighbourhoods. University of Alberta housing scholar Damian Collins warned the reversal could create uncertainty for developers who have made investment decisions under existing regulations.
• The People's Choice Award at Edmonton Startup Week was presented to 7 Summits Snacks, which makes chocolate bars formulated for athletes. "It's truly an honour, especially because this is such a tech-focused group of startups at a tech-focused event," co-founder Kristyn Carriere told Taproot during Launch Party, the signature event of the weekat Edmonton Unlimited. "To have a food innovation company in Edmonton be the people's choice winner truly pleases my heart, and it shows the power of our community."
• The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team watchdog is investigating the case of a 54-year-old man who died three days after being arrested in northwest Edmonton on Sept. 16. The Edmonton Police Service responded to reports of a man acting erratically near Rapperswill Drive and 173A Avenue, where he was allegedly attempting to enter homes and damage vehicles. An officer handcuffed the man after ordering him to the ground, and bystanders reportedly helped restrain his legs as he struggled. The man lost consciousness shortly afterward, received CPR from an off-duty nurse and was taken to hospital in serious condition.
• Edmonton educators Sandra Chaulk, Hawra Khalaf, Uswa Riaz, Fizzah Aleem and Angeline Gagnon are among the recipients of the 2026 Prime Minister's Awards. Chaulk, who teaches at Ignite Centre for eLearning, received a Certificate of Achievement for Teaching Excellence, while Khalaf, Riaz and Aleem were recognized for STEM education at Al Mustafa Academy. Gagnon, of Edmonton Northwest Early Learning and Child Care Centre, received a Certificate of Achievement for excellence in early childhood education. The awards recognize educators for their teaching practices and contributions to student learning. Nominations for the 2027 awards are open until Jan. 13.
• Former Edmonton Police Service civilian employee Yasin Cetin has been acquitted of child luring and sexual assault charges involving a 14-year-old boy in December 2023. Court of King's Bench Justice Kent Teskey ruled the Crown had not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Cetin was the man who sexually abused the teen, citing problems with the police investigation and identification process. The case centred on a meeting arranged online, but video footage was inconclusive and facial recognition software did not identify Cetin as the suspect.
• Leduc-area school boards added suicide and traumatic-event response procedures to a violence threat risk assessment protocol first created in 2014. Black Gold School Division student services director Niki Gill said the change formalized the protocol into three parts.
• Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has declined to specify what level of support would constitute a strong mandate for nine proposed immigration and constitutional changes in the Oct. 19 provincial referendum, CBC News reported. Smith said the government would consider voter turnout and the results before outlining its next steps on Oct. 20. While she has identified 50% plus one as the threshold for a vote on whether Alberta should remain in Canada or hold a second referendum on separation, she offered no firm benchmark for the other questions.

Here are some events happening this weekend in the Edmonton area.

• Oct. 9: The Great Canadian Chili Cook Off starting at 4pm at Canadian Icehouse (Ice District)
• Oct. 9: After the Credits: A Film Screening of John Ware Reclaimed starting at 7pm at Citadel Theatre
• Oct. 9: Live at The Carrot presents: Dr. Blu starting at 7pm at The Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse
• Oct. 9: Connections // Collisions starting at 7:30pm at Mile Zero Dance
• Oct. 9: Julie Dexter starting at 8pm at Yardbird Suite
• Oct. 10: The Wonderful Worlds in Edmonton starting at 1pm at City of Edmonton Archives
• Oct. 10: 3rd Year of Genocide March starting at 1pm at Dr. Wilbert McIntyre Park
• Oct. 10: Lasso Your Love starting at 4:30pm at Rogers Place
• Until Oct. 10: Canadian Finals Rodeo at Rogers Place
• Oct. 10-11: India Film Festival of Alberta at Festival Place
• Oct. 11: Food For Thought: A Culinary Book Club starting at 10:30am at Edmonton Public Library (Stanley A. Milner)
• Oct. 11: Fall Clothing Swap starting at 11am at Earth's Refillery Coop
• Oct. 12: Gaurav Kapoor Live starting at 6pm at Horowitz Theatre

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Oct. 18-25: Edmonton Games Week at various locations
• Oct. 22: Resource Connect 2026 at Edmonton Convention Centre
• Oct. 23: The Bootlegger's Ball at Edmonton Hotel & Convention Centre

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

Test your crossword prowess and deploy a little of your Edmonton knowledge. Complete the puzzle.

For more on 13-Across, see this story.