Speaking Municipally

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Best Cities

• Edmonton makes world's 100 best cities to live in

Stantec Tower

• New safety measures being added after multiple windows fall from Edmonton's Stantec Tower

Aurora Borealis

• Incredibly bright aurora borealis lights up Alberta's night sky

Troy's week

• There's a new Mike Nickel billboard on Gateway Blvd
• Troy's Greg Zeschuk tweet

Disclosures

• Candidate Disclosures - 2021 Edmonton Municipal Election - Taproot Edmonton
• All Edmonton mayoral front-runners promise to publish donor lists before election
• Byron Vass tweet

TransEd Announcement

• Valley Line Southeast LRT delayed again until first quarter of 2022 as a result of COVID-19 impacts, lengthy testing
• Construction delays mean Valley Line Southeast LRT won't open this year
• Opening of Valley Line Southeast LRT delayed again as first train crosses Tawatinâ Bridge

Ada Boulevard Bridge

• Ada Boulevard reopens but some Edmontonians express safety concerns
• 'It looks unfinished and it feels unsafe': Edmontonians concerned about upgraded bridge at Ada Boulevard

Urban Planning

• River valley solar farm not popular among most council candidates
• City aims for Edmontonians to 'live more locally' with 15-minute districts
• Kalen Anderson's tweet
• From the survey
  • How should council bring the 15-minute districts described in the City Plan to life?
  • Do you support the city's current approach to infill?
  • Which statement best describes your opinion of city council's zoning decisions?

Election Rundown

• Municipal election rundown: Oct. 13, 2021
• Mike Nickel and Amarjeet Sohi square off on the issues
• Sohi not committing to property tax freeze if elected mayor
• Mike Nickel's tweet

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

This week we highlighted fellow APN member Quantum Kickflip which features six Edmonton comedians play Slugblaster, a sci-fi tabletop roleplaying game developed in Alberta. We also talked about the Alberta Association of Optometrists which represents almost 800 Doctors of Optometry in over eighty communities across the province.

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!

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Vital Signs

• Single adults struggling to make ends meet: Edmonton Vital Signs report

HBO Filming

• HBO's The Last of Us shooting near Rice Howard Way in mid October

QR Codes

• Alberta rolls out vaccine QR codes without app, will not replace paper records

Downtown Construction

• 2013: LRT Construction Downtown: Short-term pain, long-term gain!
• Jasper Avenue construction completed after 2 years
• City of Edmonton tweet
• Brent Toderian tweet

Campaign Disclosures

• Troy's tweet thread

Housing and Police

• Housing First question
• Police racism question
• Police budget question
• Edmonton police chief contract extended to 2026
• Edmonton police chief commits to addressing crime, social disorder in city's downtown

Election Rundown

• Municipal election rundown: Oct. 6, 2021
• Voter turnout in Edmonton triples since 2017 in first two days of advance polls
• Vanessa Denman: Our ability to choose has been taken away
• NDP denies running Edmonton city council 'slate,' defends endorsements
• Ask YEG Mayoral Candidate Kim Krushell Anything
• Amarjeet Sohi: An Edmontonian Musical

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

This week we highlighted ATB which offers "expert and practical advice in everyday banking, and investment planning expertise and management services with ATB Wealth." We also talked about Rumi which "partners with local Alberta businesses and carefully selected vendors to help deliver homeowner happiness."

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!

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Pickled Garlic

• Mojo Jojo Pickles expanded during the pandemic

Superstore Strike

• Alberta Superstore Employees Vote Overwhelmingly In Favour of Striking

Truth and Reconciliation

• Where the candidates stand on the city's approach to truth and reconciliation
• Edmonton region prepares to observe National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Valley Line West

• Valley Line - West | City of Edmonton
• Troy's tweet thread
• Here's what the mayoral candidates are driving at on transportation issues
• Andrew Knack tweet thread #1
• Andrew Knack tweet thread #2

Transition Memos

• Don Iveson's website
• Home energy labels would lower emissions, reduce mystery for buyers, says Edmonton mayor

Endorsements

• Don Iveson endorses three council candidates for Edmonton's October municipal election
• Keith Gerein: Council's departing captain takes controversial step to keep Edmonton on course
• Jon Dziadyk's tweet
• Tony Caterina's tweet

Economy and Politics

• What do you think the city's main fiscal challenge is?
• Should city council continue to have a code of conduct?
• Take the Taproot Survey
• More ways to have fun with the Taproot Survey

Municipal Rundown

• Municipal election rundown: Sept. 29, 2021
• Aaron Paquette for Ward Dene

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

This week we highlighted Park Power, "your friendly, local utilities provider in Alberta." Park Power offers internet, electricity, and natural gas with "low rates, awesome service, and profit-sharing with local charities." We also talked about Book Women, a podcast about editing, publishing, and writing Indigenous stories.

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!

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Jason Kenney

• Jason Kenney survives caucus meeting with leadership review to come

Buy and Sell

• Edmonton police and Telus announce new buy-and-sell exchange zones across the city

Baby Zebra

• It's a girl! Proud parents Zuri and... - Edmonton Valley Zoo

Roads and Transit

• What should the residential speed limit be?
• Where do you stand on accommodating active transportation?
• Do you support the expansion of major roads?
• What should be done about transit fares?
• What is your position on the bus network redesign? What should be done about LRT expansion?

Mayoral Forum

• Troy's tweet thread

Nominations Close

• PSA - Edmonton Election official candidate list now available
• Six Edmonton Catholic School Board trustee incumbents win election races uncontested following close of nominations
• Nominations close for 2021 municipal election

Federal Election

• Liberal Randy Boissonnault claims victory in Edmonton Centre
• Conservative support sags as Albertans add Liberal, NDP MPs
• Federal election: Conservatives' Uppal re-elected in Edmonton Mill Woods despite close race with Liberals
• 'It has been challenging': Edmonton's mayor concerned about city's potential lack of representation in new Liberal caucus

Vaccine Passports

• Find out which Calgary businesses will require vaccine passports after bylaw OK'd by council
• Announcement of optional passport system spurs uptick in COVID-19 vaccinations
• Most Edmonton region municipalities opt in to proof-of-vaccination program

Municipal Rundown

• Municipal election rundown: Sept. 22, 2021
• 'Disappointing, disheartening': O-day'min candidates condemn racism directed at fellow candidate
• Susan Field's tweet
• Aaron Paquette for Ward Dene

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

This week we highlighted YEGPodfest which takes place online Oct. 1-3. The event features masterclasses with professional podcasters, panel discussions, feature interviews, and more. We also talked about Park Power which offers 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!

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Truth and Reconciliation

• News release: City and EPS to recognize National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Driver Shortage

• Driver shortage causing yellow bus delays for Edmonton schools

Election Signs

• Federal races overshadowing municipal ones, Edmonton election watchers say

Nominations Closing

• PSA: Reminders about running and voting in the Edmonton Election

Vaccines and Masks

• City of Edmonton Vaccination Results
• Not enough City of Edmonton employees fully vaccinated: Iveson
• Edmonton city council to look at granting exemptions to mask bylaw
• Amended Edmonton bylaw clarifies masking use for performers, places of worship

Vaccine Passports

• News release: New vaccine requirements and COVID-19 measures in Alberta
• Local mayors lament letter advocating for vaccine passport in the Edmonton region
• Alberta's 'open for summer' plan set trajectory of COVID's 4th wave, Hinshaw now says
• Alberta introducing printable COVID-19 vaccination card
• 74 per cent of Edmontonians, Calgarians support vaccine passports: survey

15 Minute City

• City aims for Edmontonians to 'live more locally' with 15-minute districts

Election Rundown

• Municipal election rundown: Sept. 15, 2021
• Mayoral candidates asked to remove supervised injection sites 'out of Chinatown'
• Mayor Don Iveson endorses Ben Henderson
• Three tight federal election races coming down to the wire in Edmonton, Iveson endorses council colleague Ben Henderson in Mill Woods riding

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

This week we highlighted The Brief, an Alberta Better podcast series from the Business Council of Alberta. The series explores the big challenges Albertans are facing and celebrates stories of growth, innovation, and prosperity. We also talked about The Well Endowed Podcast from the Edmonton Community Foundation. The podcast 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!

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Guest: Elaine Hyshka

• Elaine Hyshka, BA, MA, PhD
• Twitter
• LinkedIn

Opioid Crisis

• Edmonton doctors band together to battle Alberta's deepening opioid crisis
• Opinion: COVID-19 crisis is likely to blame for Alberta's rising overdoses
• Edmonton opioid crisis: Daily deaths, overdoses overwhelming social services and health-care system
• 'Keeping these people alive': A volunteer team works to reverse overdoses in Edmonton
• Canada's drug policy — not drugs — is killing people at record numbers, advocates say
• Portraits of loss: One hundred lives, felled by an overdose crisis
• Canada's opioid crisis (fact sheet)

Aug. 31

• International Overdose Awareness Day
• Edmontonians march for better outreach, action on opioid crisis on International Overdose Awareness Day
• Elaine's tweet

Supervised Consumption Services

• Why SCS
• At Canada's former busiest supervised consumption site, anxiety over what comes next

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

This week we highlighted YEGPodFest, presented by Edmonton Community Foundation, in partnership with the Alberta Podcast Network and LitFest, Canada's nonfiction festival. YEGPodFest runs online from Oct. 1-3. We also talked about Bessie Box which delivers healthy, naturally raised meat and seafood right to your door! Use the promotion code APN10 to save ten percent off your first order.

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!

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U of A

• The University of Alberta is undergoing a massive structural change — but for better or worse?

WEM Transit

• ETS tweet
• West Edmonton Mall Transit Centre relocates for several years due to LRT construction

Whyte Scramble

• Edmonton adds 2 new pedestrian scrambles to Whyte Avenue

Clean Energy

• Clean Energy Improvement Program
• Definition: Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Loan
• Toronto's Home Energy Loan Program

Mask Mandate

• News Release: Face covering bylaw reactivated; masks required across city
• Edmonton's masking bylaw coming back Friday
• Hospitality industry concerns with enforcement, patron response swirl around reinstatement of Edmonton's indoor mask mandate
• Peak of Alberta's 4th wave could hit 1,500 hospitalizations, modelling warns

City Manager

• Coming up at council: Aug. 30-Sept. 3, 2021

Safe Passing

• Room to move: Edmonton implementing mandatory bike passing distance for motorists Sept. 30
• City of Edmonton tweet

Election Rundown

• Municipal election rundown: Sept. 1, 2021
• Council candidates in Edmonton see signs vandalized, go missing
• Man running for seat on Edmonton city council calls for more police support after attack

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

This week we highlighted the AlbertaBETTER podcast from the Business Council of Alberta. The show is "on a journey to understand what it takes to create a good life here in Alberta and how we, as Albertans, businesses, and governments, can shape our society so everyone prospers." We also talked about the Alberta Association of Optometrists, which represents almost 800 Doctors of Optometry in over eighty communities across the province.

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!

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Flair Airlines

• Flair Airlines expanding operations out of Edmonton airport

Rogers Place

• Fans must prove they're vaccinated — or COVID-free — to enter Edmonton's Rogers Place

Vaccine Encouragement

• Competition to encourage youth vaccinations launched by 4 Alberta universities

Mask Mandate

• 'Something we're looking at very closely:' Iveson supports vaccine mandate for city employees as COVID-19 cases rise in Edmonton
• Andrew Knack's tweet

Tree Protection

• 'More pain getting heaped on:' Edmonton infill developers challenging proposed permit fees tied to city's tree protection bylaw
• City committee agrees to take a stand to protect, preserve trees in Edmonton's public spaces

Clean Energy

• Edmonton city council unanimously approves $12.4-million clean energy program for 100 building retrofits to reduce carbon emissions

Cannabis Licenses

• Chart of the week: Cannabis licences

Election Rundown

• Municipal election rundown: Aug. 25, 2021

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

This week we highlighted C-Suite Unplugged, an AlbertaBETTER podcast series from the Business Council of Alberta. The show "brings you fresh and honest conversations with Alberta's biggest CEOs—from leaders in energy and finance to tech, innovation, and agriculture — and everything in between." We also talked about Bessie Box, which offers healthy, naturally raised meat and seafood delivered right to your door! Use promotion code APN10 to save 10% off your first order.

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!

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Lucy Again

• Animal rights group calls for independent health review of Edmonton's Lucy the elephant

Notable Mansions

• Notable Edmonton mansion gifted to University of Alberta to be demolished
• Concordia University of Edmonton acquires historic Magrath Mansion

Climate Change

• 'It doubled': Alberta power bills soaring along with the temperatures

Barry Morishita

• Brooks mayor to run for leader of Alberta Party

Ben Henderson

• City councillor Ben Henderson announces federal campaign under Liberal banner
• Ward 8 Edmonton Coun. Ben Henderson takes unpaid leave of absence to run for Liberals in federal election

Percent for Art

• Revised Percent for Art program would separate public art funding from capital projects

Holyrood Gardens

• Edmonton city council quashes another bid for bigger Holyrood Gardens

Civilian Pavilion

• City of Edmonton tweet
• Edmonton city hall will be renamed 'Nathan Fillion Civilian Pavilion' for 24 hours

Election Rundown

• Municipal election rundown: Aug. 18, 2021
• City not hosting public forums for 2021 Edmonton municipal election

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

This week we highlighted High Level Hip Hop, a podcast deep dive from CJSR into Edmonton's hip hop scene and the artists helping shape it. Each episode features an interview with a local artist, plus a fresh track they recorded at CJSR. We also 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."

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!

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Guest: Karen Unland

• Twitter
• LinkedIn

People's Agenda

• People's Agenda
• The People's Agenda project enters its next phase
• Another progress report on the People's Agenda
• A first draft of the People's Agenda

C5 Hub

• This social-services experiment is working — could there be more?

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

This week we 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." Episode 101 looks at the return of the Fringe Festival. We also talked about the Alberta Association of Optometrists which represents almost 800 Doctors of Optometry in over eighty communities across the province. The Eye See Eye Learn program provides an eye exam and free glasses, if needed, for kindergarten-aged children.

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!