Edmonton city council has voted to fund daytime shelter spaces for another winter after a city report found that more than 6,600 people visited such spaces last season. Mayor Andrew Knack's first motion of this term directed administration to allocate $1 million to expand access to day shelter spaces and asked administration to report back with an evaluation of the options to build out the service. The report said the funding allowed hours at four sites to increase from 99 per week to 252; the sites recorded 38,000 visits, a 169% increase over the previous winter.
The decision came a few days after the Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness marked its 40th anniversary. "Homelessness is a phenomenon we have allowed to occur in our time, totally unnecessarily," longtime member Jim Gurnett said at the June 13 event, encouraging all levels of government to ensure that everyone has decent housing. "Hope means that we don't believe things have to be the way they are … The power of the people should not be underestimated." Council will debate funding permanent year-round day spaces or a community service hub during four-year budget deliberations in the fall, though a report is also expected this month outlining a way to transition the city out of providing such services.
Fedora Pharmaceuticals has expanded its scientific advisory board with three new members — Michael Dudley, Keith Micetich, and Jürgen Bulitta — to strengthen its drug development expertise as it advances its lead antibiotic candidate, FPI-2119, toward clinical trials.
The Dianne and Irving Kipnes Foundation has made a $5-million donation to Partners in Health Canada, bringing its total contributions to $10 million and making it the largest individual donor in the global health organization's 15-year history. The gift supports oncology and maternal and child health programming in Rwanda. "Money goes a lot further in the places where Partners In Health works," said Irving Kipnes.
MacEwan University is awarding an honorary doctorate to Diane Bergeron, head of global strategies for CNIB, for her decades of advocacy for people with disabilities. "I went to MacEwan, my daughter went to MacEwan, my stepson went to MacEwan — having something like this come forward is just amazing to me," she told CBC's Edmonton AM.
University of Alberta pharmacy PhD graduate Fadumo Isse — who grew up in Somalia and pursued education through Jordan before reaching Edmonton — has begun a postdoctoral fellowship focused on women's health research. "They recognize that I am going to get educated no matter what, and circumstances will not deter me," she said.
The Women in Leadership and Entrepreneurship podcast spoke to Stephanie Liu, a family physician who founded By Dr. Mom. She developed a hypoallergenic skincare line using beta-glucan technology from the University of Alberta to treat her patients' eczema.
NAIT's Advancing Health Care Through Simulation podcast featured Sharla King, a University of Alberta professor, on the evolution of interprofessional education, from classroom-based models to experience-based learning in simulation and clinical environments.
Future of Good took a look at the $2-million Faith Lands Affordable Housing Incentive, which helps faith-based charities explore converting underutilized properties into affordable housing, covering pre-construction costs such as feasibility studies, design, and zoning planning, with grants of up to $135,000 per applicant. "A lot of faith groups don't even necessarily own their land," said Ryan Young, executive director of impact investment at the Edmonton Community Foundation. "Their denomination or their diocese, whatever body they work under, often owns land in trust for them … So there are a lot of issues like that that (churches) need to explore to see what is possible."
The Bissell Centre has opened the Den of Willows in Delton to support people living with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. The facility helps residents in recovery from addiction and chronic homelessness, offering 24/7 support for life skills, employment readiness, and cultural connections. It is funded by an anonymous donor and the Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction, and houses five residents.
Zetna Collective's report Queering Black Prairie Futures documents the experiences of Black queer Edmontonians. The majority of participants reported low-to-moderate feelings of belonging, citing feeling "too Black" for queer spaces or "too queer" for Black spaces. Founder Dawn Susan Carter told CBC she hopes the findings will guide policymakers to create better community supports.
Craft for YEG, a group that donates handmade items to local charities, is growing its community of crafters who contribute blankets, hats, and mitts to Edmontonians in need. The organization recently turned five and has donated around 20,000 hats, 5,000 blankets, and 4,000 toys, alongside fostering close to 5,000 pets.
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The Risky Restaurants investigation by Postmedia and MacEwan University won the Gold CAJ Award for Data Journalism at the Canadian Association of Journalists' annual ceremony in Ottawa. The project, led by MacEwan professor Steve Lillebuen and involving 15 journalism students, exposed significant issues in Alberta's restaurant inspection system. The effort included more than 200 interviews and extensive data analysis, leading to increased provincial action on food safety.
Leduc Mayor Lars Hansen addressed resident concerns about the city's plan to stop operating ambulances on behalf of the province after the provincial government changed funding agreements for integrated ambulance services. Two 24-hour advanced life support ambulances will remain stationed in Leduc under the provincial system, and every fire engine will include at least one paramedic.
Premier Danielle Smith defended changes to Alberta's disability support programs during her radio show on June 13. Some recipients of Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped will be transitioned to the Alberta Disability Assistance Program, where they will receive less money but have more flexibility to earn income. Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi called the shift "unspeakably cruel."
Adriana LaGrange, the minister of hospital and surgical health services, has directed Emergency Health Services to halt its rebranding less than a month after it was announced, returning to the previous name and logo until further engagement with Albertans and contracted providers can take place.
This roundup was sponsored by Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation.
API is one of Canada's largest not-for-profit life sciences commercialization organizations. We catalyze growth in the life sciences sector by addressing key challenges that hold companies and innovators back.
