Speaking Municipally

It's cat week in Edmonton! Plus, additional funding for day shelter spaces, more turnover at the City of Edmonton, and new provincial additions to the paw-lice commission.

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Extreme weather

• PSA: Extreme weather response activated

Dog parks

• PSA: City announces sites for Pop-up Dog Parks

Cat Fest

• Edmonton International Cat Festival
• Save The Dates: Edmonton Cat Fest Week Schedule
• Linda Hoang

EFRS culture

• Edmonton fire struggles with discrimination, bullying and diversity; trust in leadership broken

Day shelters

• Edmonton approves funding to keep day-shelter spaces open
• Edmonton pays $4 million for day shelter spaces, lobbies province for bridge housing

City of Edmonton

• Stephanie McCabe's post

Police Commission

• Province's election-season appointment of two unnamed Edmonton police commissioners prompts concerns

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!

Edmonton Unlimited CEO Catherine Warren joins us — more than a hundred episodes after her first appearance — for an update on Edmonton's innovation sector. Plus, the City of Edmonton solar rebate launches.

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Grants audit

• Audit: Edmonton spends hundreds of millions on grants and subsidies without tracking results

Oilers fingers

• Edmonton Oilers fan reportedly almost bit someone's finger off during a watch party

Meat Me Downtown

• News Release: Meet Me Downtown! New campaign and vibrancy funding encourage Edmontonians to enjoy the heart of the city
• Marvin the Meatball: Internet has a field day over Edmonton's new mascot

Catherine Warren

• LinkedIn
• Episode 109

Edmonton Unlimited

• News Release: Edmonton Unlimited Achieves Milestones in 2022 Annual Report & Announces New Board Directors in Preparation for Unboxing Edmonton's Newest Innovation Destination
• Impact — Edmonton Unlimited
• The Importance of Place — Edmonton Unlimited
• Our Space — Edmonton Unlimited

Solar rebate

• News Release: City Takes Action on Budget Climate Commitments

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!

We catch up with Chris Buyze, the outgoing president of the Downtown Edmonton Community League. Plus, airtime for airports.

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Coronation

• PSA: Edmonton recognizes the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III

Fire bans

• Edmonton weather: Record-setting heat to start May
• Fire Bans — City of Edmonton

Chappelle complaints

• Southwest Edmonton neighbourhood leads in snow-on-walk complaints for second straight winter

Chris Buyze

• @chrisbuyze
• LinkedIn
• Chris's post about finishing his term
• Downtown Edmonton Community League

Airports

• Airport projects 90% passenger recovery by end of 2023
• Sturgeon County continues push for development of Villeneuve Airport Area

Summer streets

• PSA: Summer Streets return to create safer spaces for Edmontonians to enjoy the outdoors

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!

Calgary is now the favourite child of the UCP, with arena funding. Plus, the Edmonton Police Service announces that violent crime is up, and we take a closer look at what that might mean.

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Oilers paint

• Ferrell rocks face paint while cheering on Kings in Game 3
• An Oilers fan trolled Kings fan Will Ferrell by copying his elaborate face paint
• NHL's tweet

Grass fire

• Cause of Edmonton grass fire still under investigation

Welcome penguins

• Vancouver Aquarium penguins are moving to Alberta

Solar rebates

• Solar Rebate Program

Affordable housing

• News Release: CANADA SUPPORTS THE REPAIRS OF OVER 1,955 HOUSING UNITS IN EDMONTON
• More than 90% of Edmonton-owned Civida social housing needs repair
• News Release: HomeEd acquires 248 rental units from developer, while partnering on new NetZero development project

Crime statistics

• EPS releases 2022 crime analysis, data on offenders' post-release involvement with police in wake of calls for bail reform
• Edmonton police release data on violent crime increase amid calls for bail reform
• Co-ordinated, multi-sector approach needed to tackle rising crime
• Downtown communities respond to police crime stats
• Google Search for violent criminal incidents
• Downtown Branch Beat boundary re-zoning

Trees at risk

• More than 700 trees at risk in Edmonton's Hawrelak Park renewal report
• Committee report

Calgary's arena

• Provincial money for 'infrastructure' not an arena: Smith
• Sohi wants to talk about money for Edmonton after Calgary arena deal
• Edmonton councillor questions Calgary arena funding, Smith hints at Ice District Phase 2 dollars
• Notley, Smith grilled on arena deal as election call looms
• Why Alberta Is Bullying Its Cities

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!

The province announces new funding for the HELP initiative that pairs social workers with police, and the city budget has been finalized so your tax bills will arrive soon.

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Talus Dome

• Talus Dome has an escape hatch after all

Spaghetti intersection

• City considers closing 'spaghetti intersection' near downtown Edmonton

Harper endorsement

• Harper's UCP endorsement falls short of inspiring

HELP funding

• News Release: Helping people in need, keeping Edmonton safe

Police Commission

• Edmonton city council moves to improve relationship, accountability with police commission
• On the agenda: Budget adjustments, police accountability, and encampment response
• April 17 agenda item

Spring SOBA

• News Release: City Council finalizes 2023 property taxes

Bike Plan

• April 17 vote

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!

Let's Find Out has joined Taproot — we speak with host Chris Chang-Yen Phillips and producer Trevor Chow-Fraser to learn more. Plus, the Talus Dome incident has breathed new life into the discussion about interactive public art.

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Pothole repair

• News Release: City's pothole repair is in motion

EPS FOIP

• Information and Privacy Unit expanding, launching online system to address demand

Urban coyotes

• Inside the den: Edmonton's urban coyotes rear their young close to human habitat, study finds

Let's Find Out

• Let's Find Out
• Let's Find Out joins Taproot Edmonton
• Episode 63 – A Park for All Seasons

Talus Dome

• Man who became trapped inside Edmonton public art charged with mischief
• Man charged with mischief after becoming stuck inside Talus Dome
• Man stuck inside Talus Dome 'just wanted to go on an adventure'
• Video of the event
• 10 of Edmonton's most iconic pieces of public art

Esports

• New game plan: Edmonton aims to host big esports events
• Andrew Knack: Becoming an Esports and Video Game Industry Hub

Encampment response

• Edmonton could maintain small encampments as part of city's strategy, research group says
• Responding to Homelessness in our Communities
• Gang violence among threats to safety for Edmonton homeless population, says researcher
• As Edmonton eyes new approach to dealing with homeless camps, mayor calls on province for support

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!

The province announces a plan to recruit 100 extra cops to clean up transit, and the city talks about what YOU can do to help with that. Or maybe just take a scooter instead. They’re back.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Alberta Podcast Network

• That's it for the Alberta Podcast Network

100 cops

• News Release: Transit safety and violent crime: Enough is enough
• Alberta government pushing to add 100 more police officers between Calgary and Edmonton
• Province promises more cops to tackle transit safety, crime in Edmonton
• My Statement on Today's Provincial Transit Safety Funding Announcement | by Office of the Mayor Amarjeet Sohi
• Councillor Erin Rutherford's tweet

One Strong Voice

• News Release: City's new bystander awareness campaign aims to create safer public spaces
• One Strong Voice
• Intervene or just call police? Edmonton, premier offer differing advice on transit violence
• Councillor Aaron Paquette's comment

LRT expansion

• Edmonton's Blatchford LRT stations set to open in 2024, shortlisted Capital Line South builders to make final pitch
• Keith Gerein: Edmonton's next LRT line shaping up to be a train to nowhere — Blatchford
• On the agenda: A new park, esports, and transit safety

Off-peak transit

• Boost to off-peak transit service promised by September

Micromobility

• Drivers, Start Your Earnings. Lyft Coming Soon to Edmonton
• Electric scooters arrive in Edmonton with expanded operation areas

Communications dept.

• Catrin Owen's post
• Kimberly Armstrong's post
• Two high-ranking City of Edmonton managers leave positions, more leadership shakeups may follow

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!

Another driver crashes into a Valley Line train, and we're starting to lose count. Plus, Boyle Street gets a new permit, and we get details on the city's podcast spending.

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Water and zombies

• Lead-reducing chemicals now flowing in Edmonton's water: Epcor
• Edmonton is where you want to be when the zombie apocalypse comes, study finds

Transit App

• Third-party transit planning app no longer free for Edmonton riders

Zellers

• 'Nice little nod to nostalgia': Edmontonians line up to shop Zellers grand reopening

Making Space

• Edmonton paid $70K for zoning podcast 'Making Space'

Boyle Street

• Boyle Street Community Services gets development permit for new facility
• 'You belong here': City reissues permit for new Boyle Street building
• Ritchie 'health hub' gets approval from City of Edmonton

Federal budget

• Edmonton Mayor Sohi welcomes federal budget cash, but housing investments aren't enough
• Trudeau and Freeland up the ante on a clean economy

On-Demand Transit

• On-demand transit launched in Edmonton 2 years ago. Here's how it's going

LRT and cars

• Mill Woods red light LRT intersection timing needs changes: residents
• Illegal right turns have led to 5 crashes involving vehicles and Valley Line Southeast LRT trains: TransEd
• Taxi collides with Valley Line LRT

Two million trees

• City targets 2030 for two million new trees

Speaking Municipally is a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network: locally grown, community supported.

This week we talked about Park Power, your friendly, local utilities provider in Alberta. Offering Internet, Electricity, and Natural Gas with low rates, awesome service, and profit-sharing with local charities. We also highlighted The Well Endowed Podcast from the Edmonton Community Foundation, which explores the impact of passionate people who are working to make Edmonton a strong, vibrant city to live in.

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!

In the wake of a tragic police incident, we cover other policing news that happened this week. Plus, an update on trains, and affordable housing.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Juno protester

• Topless protester who crashed Edmonton Junos stage makes brief court appearance

Alberta is calling

• News release: Alberta is calling again

ECSD fraud

• Employee defrauds Edmonton Catholic Schools of over $200K through invoice, credit card scheme

Police deaths

• Edmonton police devastated by shooting deaths of 2 officers, chief says

Body cameras

• News release: Ensuring transparency between police and public
• Body-worn cameras to be mandatory for all police officers in Alberta, province says
• Alberta to mandate police body cameras — but who's paying?
• 2021: RCMP body cameras to costs $131 million over five years: budget officer
• 2020: Edmonton police chief discusses oversight, body cams and budget with city council
• 2020: Council report on body worn video

Transit safety

• Violent crime calls on Edmonton transit up 53% in one year, police say
• Transit Camp aims to mobilize bus and LRT champions

Valley Line LRT

• Roadmap to opening infographic

Affordable housing

• News release: Edmonton submits plans for supportive housing

Speaking Municipally is a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network: locally grown, community supported.

This week we talked about Park Power, your friendly, local utilities provider in Alberta. Offering Internet, Electricity, and Natural Gas with low rates, awesome service, and profit-sharing with local charities. We also highlighted The Well Endowed Podcast from the Edmonton Community Foundation, which explores the impact of passionate people who are working to make Edmonton a strong, vibrant city to live in.

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!

Newly minted Taproot Edmonton reporter Colin Gallant joins to talk about the demise of NextGen. Plus, budget surpluses, meetings with the premier and, of course, parking.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Colin Gallant

• Colin Gallant at Taproot Edmonton
• Meet Taproot Edmonton's new reporter

Birth control

• Alberta NDP promise free birth control if elected

DATS strike

• Strike vote 'likely' for Edmonton DATS bus drivers next week: union

Pain medication

• Children's pain reliever imports to Alberta cost $80M

Edmonton's NextGen

• Edmonton's NextGen reaches the end of the road

2022 surplus

• Edmonton finishes 2022 with $81.5M surplus

Sohi and Smith

• Edmonton mayor asks for social services funding during first meeting with Premier Danielle Smith
• Edmonton's mayor optimistic after first meeting with Alberta premier
• Edmonton City Council requests provincial support for community safety and well-being

Police attrition

• Edmonton Police Service sees jump in departing officers in 2022

Ottewell parking

• Ottewell residents fear parking pressures following neighbourhood renewal

Speaking Municipally is a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network: locally grown, community supported.

This week we talked about The Well Endowed Podcast from the Edmonton Community Foundation, which explores the impact of passionate people who are working to make Edmonton a strong, vibrant city to live in. We also highlighted Park Power, your friendly, local utilities provider in Alberta. Offering Internet, Electricity, and Natural Gas with low rates, awesome service, and profit-sharing with local charities.

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!