Regional Roundup
March 25, 2026
There are zero emergency shelter beds open permanently to the general public in the municipalities surrounding Edmonton, a report from the City of Edmonton's administration indicates. Staff reached out to 12 municipalities after an Edmonton councillor inquired about the number of day spaces, emergency shelter spaces, and affordable housing units in the region.
The analysis found there are 30 emergency shelter beds in Spruce Grove that are only open during extreme cold weather, and there are no other such beds in the 12 municipalities. Morinville and Strathcona County each have 35 beds for people fleeing domestic violence, while St. Albert has two day spaces for people experiencing homelessness. The report said some municipalities offer temporary warming or cooling spaces during extreme heat or cold. Meanwhile, Edmonton had about 2,000 shelter spaces available during the day and night as of December 2025. In July 2024, Leduc city council rescinded support for an emergency winter shelter, instead opting to send unhoused people to Edmonton. Global News reported that Spruce Grove and St. Albert also refer their homeless population to services in Edmonton.
The report also compiled the number of affordable housing units in the region. All of the surveyed municipalities have affordable units, ranging from 10 in Parkland County to 839 in Strathcona County, the most populous municipality in the region outside of Edmonton. Administration said Alberta Municipalities and Rural Municipalities of Alberta are advocating to the province for more shelter support across the region and the province.
Regional Roundup Sponsors
Thank you to our sponsors for helping to make our work possible:
Economic development
- Exceed Oilfield Equipment has made its final investment decision to expand in Nisku. The $16.1-million investment will create 19 permanent full-time jobs and approximately 100 temporary positions, Edmonton Global noted, with the project supported by a $500,000 grant from Alberta's Investment and Growth Fund.
- Siwin Foods received more than $1.8 million in provincial tax credits after a multimillion-dollar expansion that more than doubled production capacity and created more than 100 jobs. The company, which produces products such as dumplings and ginger beef, now turns out roughly 150,000 dumplings per hour.
- Edmonton and Calgary will co-host the World Cup of Hockey 2028, a "best-on-best" international hockey tournament. Prague will be the European host city. Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack and Explore Edmonton CEO Traci Bednard emphasized the event's potential for economic activity. Rogers Place will host the semifinals and championship.
Municipalities
- At a special council meeting on March 23, Gibbons administration presented the town's preliminary 2026 operating and capital budget, which is described as "a financial reset designed to stabilize the municipality and create a foundation for long-term sustainability." The proposed budget includes a 4.89% property tax increase and significant spending reductions. Administration's recommendations include shutting down the community's arena for the summer, restructuring the recreation and parks department, and reducing road maintenance and weed spraying. Council directed administration to make adjustments and will vote on the budget at a future meeting.
- Spruce Grove Mayor Jeff Acker delivered the 2026 State of the City address, celebrating the city's 2025 accomplishments and its 40th anniversary as a city. The address was delivered at the State of the Region event, hosted by the Greater Parkland Regional Chamber of Commerce. Parkland County Mayor Rod Shaigec also reflected on the county's resilience and future in an address, and Stony Plain Mayor William Choy delivered his address in the style of Family Feud.
- Stony Plain council approved its 2026-2029 strategic plan, establishing four key commitments: civic responsibility, collaborative leadership, community building, and economic opportunity.
- Parkland County is collecting feedback on the Acheson industrial area structure plan as it updates the policy to improve development opportunities. There is a survey open until April 24 and there will be in-person engagement sessions throughout April.
- Fort Saskatchewan broke ground on a new aquatics facility at the Dow Centennial Centre. Construction is expected to take 28 months.
- Leduc city council directed administration to make repairs at the Leduc Skate Park, which an assessment found is near the end of its useful life. The park's bowl section will be closed indefinitely, and council will consider funding for design and construction of a new skate park as part of 2027 budget discussions later this year.
- Sturgeon County is holding information sessions about new transportation projects in April and May.
Give the gift of Taproot
Would someone in your life appreciate reliable intelligence about what's happening in the Edmonton region? Would they also enjoy a chance to win free tickets to events and access to members-only experiences? Buy them a Taproot membership, and guarantee they'll be informed, connected, and empowered the whole year through!
Headlines
- The Alberta Council of Women's Shelters has released a report finding that rural transportation gaps prevent many domestic violence survivors from reaching safety. During a 14-month pilot project, more than $113,900 was distributed to 22 shelters, helping provide transportation to more than 3,400 survivors.
- A 110-year-old white spruce fell during a windstorm at the St. Albert Botanic Park. The tree was planted in 1916 and designated a Heritage Tree of Alberta in 2008. Park members are working with the city on removal and plan to replace it with a more climate-resilient species.
- Spruce Grove is reminding residents of how to identify and treat black knot, a fungal disease affecting species such as mayday and chokecherry trees. The city prunes infected trees on public property each season, while property owners are responsible for trees on private land.
- The Art Gallery of St. Albert is currently showing Ephemeral Language/Langue éphémère, an exhibition of paper sculptures and aluminum works by Montreal artist Sébastien Gaudette. The exhibit runs until April 30.
Happenings
Here are some events coming up over the next seven days:
- March 26: Alberta Women Entrepreneurs Connect Event starting at 4pm at The Links at Spruce Grove
- March 26: Parkland Poets starting at 7:15pm at Stony Plain Public Library
- March 26: Glass Tiger Acoustic starting at 7:30pm at Dow Centennial Centre
- March 26: Hairball starting at 8pm at River Cree Resort and Casino
- March 28: Sturgeon County Country Living Expo starting at 10am at Morinville Community Cultural Centre
- March 29: Freestyle Band – "It's About Time" starting at 7pm at River Cree Resort and Casino
And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:
- April 12: Arts Devon Market at Devon Community Centre
- April 14: Shaun Majumder at Dow Centennial Centre
- April 15: Food Fair at Heritage Park Hall
Visit the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.
This roundup was sponsored by Park Power.
Park Power is your friendly, local utilities provider, offering electricity, natural gas, and internet throughout Alberta. Park Power offers low rates, awesome service, and through their Community Partners program, shares 10% of electricity profits with some awesome Alberta charities. Their Green Power program supports the production of renewable energy in Alberta and their Solar Club helps Albertans gain more value from their investment in solar power.