Here are the relevant links for this episode:

New Kitten

• Atlas & Addie on Tik Tok

Noisy Speeding

• Edmonton police cracking down on traffic noise and speeding

University Growing?

• Incoming University of Alberta president wants 10,000 more students by 2025

Cannabis & Libraries

• Edmonton library will go to court over distance between cannabis stores and branches

Relaunch Updates

• A number of changes as City continues to phase relaunch plans

Capital Budget

• Council Roundup: May 22, 2020
• Adjustments
• Subsequent motions
• Iveson warns of possible in-year cuts to $2.8-billion infrastructure plan for 2020 without help from senior governments
• Mike Nickel's tweet
• Budget in the time of COVID-19: Edmonton council ponders project priorities
• Council approves $12.7-million city hall grounds renewal project despite concerns over finances
• Mike Nickel's tweet

Economic Recovery

• Council Roundup: May 22, 2020
• City unveils Economic Recovery Program to support local businesses
• Edmonton launches $5.3-million grant program to support business recovery amid COVID-19 pandemic
• Coronavirus: City of Edmonton announces economic recovery program for businesses
• Road to recovery: Edmonton launches $5M grant program to help business

Ward Boundaries

• Council Roundup: May 15, 2020
• Report and maps
• Council approves $12.7-million city hall grounds renewal project despite concerns over finances
• Edmonton's 2021 election could turn into a horse-race with new Ward boundaries
• Keith Gerein: New ward map offers a boost to suburban south, conundrum to incumbents

NHL Hub City

• NHL announces plans to return to play; could Edmonton play host?
• Canada's quarantine restrictions significant hurdle for 3 cities hoping to be NHL 'hubs'

Speak to us!

• Voicelink.fm

Speaking Municipally is a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. This week we talked about Straight from the CPA's Mouth, a new podcast series from Alberta’s Chartered Professional Accountants, which explores topics ranging from "leadership skills and achieving career potential, to financial literacy and how to make your tax refund bigger." We also highlighted Inventures Unbound which runs June 3-4 online. The conference promises live-stream experiences, expert content, pitch events, and the chance to "engage in a vital, growing community of innovators, investors, and service providers."

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a home for curiosity-driven stories about our city, cultivated by the community. In addition to this podcast, Taproot publishes the Council Roundup every week. Sign up to get it delivered by email for free.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Speak to us!

• Voicelink.fm

EIA Layoffs

• COVID-19: Workforce reductions announced at Edmonton International Airport

Park Drinking

• Council decision on allowing alcohol consumption in Edmonton parks this summer delayed indefinitely

Border Closed

• Canada-US border to remain closed for another month as provinces slowly reopen

Addie Wins!

• Troy's tweet
• Election Results

Relaunch

• City proceeds with relaunch efforts
• Administration Update: May 21
• Edmonton playgrounds and zoo to reopen, paid parking coming back as relaunch continues

Summer Transit

• Edmonton could shut down public transit for the summer, mayor says
• Don Iveson's tweet
• GUNTER: Mayor's public transit gambit backfires
• Aaron Paquette's tweet
• Mike Nickel's Facebook post

Municipal Funding

• Edmonton-area mayors ask Alberta government to lobby feds for COVID-19 recovery funds
• 'Time for us to grow up': Big city mayors say Battle of Alberta unhelpful in economic future
• Don Iveson's tweet

NHL Hub City

• Edmonton Oilers pitch joint bid with city, province to host NHL games
• Edmonton Oilers believe they’re leading contenders in NHL hub city bid
• JONES: Edmonton ‘the safest place’ for NHL, says Premier Kenney
• Part of Edmonton Oilers hub city pitch involves plethora of entertainment options for teams

Speaking Municipally is a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. This week we talked about Inventures Unbound which runs June 3-4 online. The conference promises live-stream experiences, expert content, pitch events, and the chance to "engage in a vital, growing community of innovators, investors, and service providers." We also gave a Pod Power shoutout to Let's Get Lit, a poetry podcast from the Writers' Guild of Alberta. "In each episode, hosts Rayanne Haines and Matthew Stepanic interview poets based in Alberta and Western Canada about the power of poetry to support and promote arts and literacy."

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a home for curiosity-driven stories about our city, cultivated by the community. In addition to this podcast, Taproot publishes the Council Roundup every week. Sign up to get it delivered by email for free.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Speak to us!

• Voicelink.fm

Army & Navy

• Edmontonians disappointed at loss of Army & Navy store

AGLC

• Alberta to continue with alcohol sales in takeout, delivery orders when COVID-19 restrictions ease

Snowbirds

• Snowbirds set to fly over northern Alberta this week for Operation Inspiration
• UPDATE: Capt. Jenn Casey of Nova Scotia died on Sunday when the jet she was in crashed shortly after takeoff in Kamloops, B.C.

Dog Election

• Mill Creek Off-leash Presidential Election
• Mill Creek Off Leash Dog Park President Campaign Fund
• Fetch the ballots: Meet the 9 dogs and 3 cats in ravine race for off-leash president
• Addie's Reddit AMA
• Troy's tweet
• Another tweet from Troy
• Rachel Notley's tweet

Innovation Entity

• Tech Roundup: May 12, 2020
• Council Roundup: May 8, 2020
• Mack's Twitter thread
• Council approves expanded tourism role for EEDC, could include running K-Days and other events from Northlands
• Edmonton approves new economic development entity. What does that mean for Northlands?

Relaunch

• News release: Alberta is ready for relaunch
• News release: Relaunch activities begin for the City of Edmonton
• Andrew Knack's Facebook post

Speaking Municipally is a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. This week we highlighted NorthwestFest which has gone completely online. Films are streaming until May 17. We also talked about Inventures Unbound which runs June 3-4 online. The conference promises live-stream experiences, expert content, pitch events, and the chance to "engage in a vital, growing community of innovators, investors, and service providers."

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a home for curiosity-driven stories about our city, cultivated by the community. In addition to this podcast, Taproot publishes the Council Roundup every week. Sign up to get it delivered by email for free.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Speak to us!

• Voicelink.fm

Peter's Drive-In

• Popular drive-in burger joint opens in Edmonton to 25-car lineup

Photo Radar

• COVID-19: Number of photo radar tickets issued in Edmonton up 17 per cent in 2020 as city calls for ability to seize vehicles

Regional Transit

• Leduc County leaves Regional Transit Services Commission

Assessment and Taxation

• Guest: Cate Watt - Branch Manager, Assessment & Taxation
• Guest: Anton Szabo - Director, Integrated Business and Customer Solutions section within Assessment and Taxation
• City Sets 2020 Municipal Property Taxes
• Property Assessment and Taxation White Paper

Property Taxes

• Property Taxes
• Property Tax Breakdown
• Assessment of Properties

Speaking Municipally is a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. This week we highlighted The Loop, a new podcast from CBC Edmonton that takes you behind the scenes. We also talked about Unit B Coworking, located in the historic McKenney building on 104 Street downtown.

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a home for curiosity-driven stories about our city, cultivated by the community. In addition to this podcast, Taproot publishes the Council Roundup every week. Sign up to get it delivered by email for free.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Speak to us!

• Voicelink.fm

Shared Streets

• News Release: Food truck changes and shared streets latest City measures to protect public safety

Everything Cancelled

• News Release: Chief medical officer of health COVID-19 update – April 23, 2020

TLC 4 LRT

• News Release: TLC for LRT: Major maintenance & revitalization projects set to begin

2020 Taxes

• News Release: City Council confirms updates to 2020 Operating Budget
• Mayor Don Iveson: Tax Relief for Residents and Businesses during COVID-19
• COVID-19: Edmonton giving businesses a two per cent property tax break, residences to make up the difference
• New No tax increase for businesses this year, Edmonton council votes Business property owners in Edmonton
• Edmonton city council shifts tax break from homeowners to business
• Survey Results Show That Businesses are Struggling to Hang On

Budget Adjustments

• News Release: COVID-19 Pandemic leads to further temporary layoffs
• COVID-19: City of Edmonton temporarily laying off additional 900 employees, property tax increase set to be lowest in two decades
• Keith Gerein: City's COVID-19 budget a mix of undesirable, uncertain and inescapable options

Alberta Relaunch

• News Release: Alberta’s safely staged COVID-19 relaunch\
• News Release: City responds to provincial relaunch plans
• News Release: City announces additional sport fields and court closures

Mike Nickel

• Edmonton councillor posts second attack graphic, this one targeting Mayor over property taxes

COVID-19 in Edmonton

• Taproot's microsite
• COVID-19 Timeline

Speaking Municipally is a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. This week we talked about Back to School Again, a podcast about midlife learners hosted by Katrina Ingram. The first episode of this season is about the future of online learning. We also highlighted The Well Endowed Podcast from the Edmonton Community Foundation. Episode 69 looks at the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on people who experience homelessness in Edmonton.

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a home for curiosity-driven stories about our city, cultivated by the community. In addition to this podcast, Taproot publishes the Council Roundupevery week. Sign up to get it delivered by email for free.

A Taproot reader submitted a question to the COVID-19 in Edmonton site asking whether people were thinking about the pandemic response in relation to the climate crisis.

This seemed like a job for Chris Chang-Yen Phillips of Let's Find Out, and he obliged, gathering three perspectives on this question in audio form. Now his story is easily accessible to listeners of Speaking Municipally.

For more on Chris's interviewees — Miranda Lucas, Shelley Boulianne, and Chad Park — see the full story on Taproot Edmonton.

This story is part of Covering Climate Now's week of coverage focused on Climate Solutions, to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Covering Climate Now is a global journalism collaboration committed to strengthening coverage of the climate story.

To support the creation of more original journalism like this, become a Taproot member.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

West Edmonton Mall

• Jarring aerial photo shows empty West Edmonton Mall
• Reddit thread

Folk Festival

• Cancellation of the 2020 Edmonton Folk Music Festival – Edmonton Folk Music Festival August 6-9, 2020

House Cats

• 2 New York cats test positive for coronavirus, first pets in U.S.

GUEST: Tim Querengesser

• Lesson from Toronto: Dismiss Mike Nickel at your peril
• @timquerengesser on Twitter

Mike Nickel

• Mike Nickel's "fed up" tweet
• Mike Nickel's "campaign" tweet
• Staffer who "took full responsibility" for Mike Nickel's rape joke is still managing Mike Nickel's Facebook page
• Andrew Knack: Facts Still Matter
• Edmonton council dustup could lead to a code of conduct investigation

Jon Dziadyk

• Jon Dziadyk's firefighter post
• Jon Dziadyk's letter
• Mack's tweet re: emergency powers
• Mack's tweet re: unanimity

Bonus Episode

• Coming to your feed on April 28!
• What the pandemic can teach us about the climate crisis
• Covering Climate Now

COVID-19 in Edmonton

• Taproot's microsite
• COVID-19 Timeline

Speaking Municipally is a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. This week we talked about Park Power, "a provider of electricity and natural gas in Alberta that offers low rates, awesome service, and profit-sharing with local charities." We also gave a Pod Power shoutout to the Alberta Queer Calendar Project "which features monthly Podcast Dramas by queer, Albertan writers throughout 2020."

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a home for curiosity-driven stories about our city, cultivated by the community. In addition to this podcast, Taproot publishes the Council Roundupevery week. Sign up to get it delivered by email for free.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

ID Scanners

• Thefts down at Edmonton liquor stores with ID scanners: Alcanna

Speaking Moistly

• Edmonton musician riffs on Justin Trudeau's cringe-worthy 'speaking moistly' gaffe

No E-Scooters

• Natasha Riebe's tweet

COVID-19 Updates

• City continues to introduce measures to ensure the safety of Edmontonians

EEDC Layoffs

• EEDC's tweet
• Cheryll Watson's tweet
• Maggie Davison's tweet
• Don Iveson's tweet
• COVID-19: Almost 90 per cent of EEDC employees have been or will be temporarily laid off due to pandemic
• Edmonton Economic Development Corporation lays off staff due to COVID-19 - Ryan Jespersen Show

COVID-19 Financial Impacts

• COVID-19: Iveson sends $2.1-billion infrastructure project wish list to the province
• COVID-19: Iveson warns of further temporary layoffs, delayed construction projects as Edmonton faces $109.8 million shortfall by September
• Budget Update Presentation
• Edmonton spends $2M on PPE for essential and front-line workers

Edmonton Motors Redevelopment

• Greek Orthodox Community plans to build 'gem' of a building on 114 Street and Jasper Avenue
• April 2018: Ripe for redevelopment: Downtown Edmonton dealership plans to move

Festival Cancellations

• Sometimes it simply isn't possible for the show(s) to go on
• 'Hard to imagine an Edmonton summer without Fringe': Theatre festival cancelled over COVID-19
• See you on the flat side

PSA

• Residents urged to stay off the North Saskatchewan River

COVID-19 in Edmonton

• Taproot's microsite
• COVID-19 Timeline

Speaking Municipally is a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. This week we talked about The Shared Mic, "Edmonton’s first unscripted, intergenerational podcast." It's hosted by Age Friendly Edmonton, a partnership between the City of Edmonton and the Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council. We also highlighted Unit B Coworking, located in the historic McKenney Building on 104th Street, close to everything downtown.

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a home for curiosity-driven stories about our city, cultivated by the community. In addition to this podcast, Taproot publishes the Council Roundupevery week. Sign up to get it delivered by email for free.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Speaking Moistly

• Trudeau cringes at his own ‘speaking moistly’ tip for coronavirus masks

Off-Leash Parks

• Private dog parks get boost as Edmonton closes fenced off-leash parks

Recyclables

• COVID-19: More recyclables headed to city landfills due to reduction in sorting staff

COVID-19 Financial Impact

• How will the City of Edmonton be impacted financially by the pandemic?
• Burning through the savings: City looks to cut costs as coronavirus takes toll on finances

Road Adjustments

• News Release - Road use and pedestrian signals adjusted to promote community safety
• Road lanes closing to give walkers, cyclists more room to keep their distance

Online Complaints

• City continues to support the community as COVID-19 evolves
• COVID-19 General Complaint Form
• COVID-19 Physical Distancing Concern

Restaurant Relief

• Edmonton Independent Hospitality Community
• April 7 Food Roundup: Local restaurants launch "save hospitality" campaign
• 95,000 restaurant employees in Alberta have lost their jobs due to COVID-19: survey
• Restaurant industry, like most, grappling with what post-COVID-19 looks like
• February 2019: ‘Somebody’s foot on our throat’: Alberta restaurant industry says it’s lost 10,000 jobs in 4 years
• February 2019: Edmonton food shops clarify positions on minimum wage after backlash over Restaurants Canada campaign

Economic Future

• Tech companies may leave Alberta over Kenney's devotion to oilpatch
• An open letter to Canadians from oil and gas workers
• Alberta Innovation Corridor
• Kenney warns Alberta headed for 25% unemployment
• Tiny Digital Businesses Play Key Role in Local Economies, Study Says

COVID-19 in Edmonton

• Taproot's microsite
• COVID-19 Timeline

Speaking Municipally is a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. This week we talked about The Loop, a new behind-the-scenes podcast from CBC Edmonton. We also highlighted the Edmonton Community Foundation which "acts as a bridge between donors and charities to create a strong vibrant community for generations to come."

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a home for curiosity-driven stories about our city, cultivated by the community. In addition to this podcast, Taproot publishes the Council Roundup every week. Sign up to get it delivered by email for free.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Fitness Industry

• Potential for Massive Closures & Bankruptcies to Fitness Industry Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Connor McDavid

• Connor McDavid staying put in Edmonton during pandemic

Education Cuts

• Schools will hire back all workers laid off during pandemic, education minister says

Corona Station

• Guest: Erik Backstrom, Senior Planner, City of Edmonton
• Erik's tweet thread
• Councillor Aaron Paquette's tweet
• Troy's tweet

EEDC CEO

• EEDC's tweet
• Business Roundup: April 3, 2020
• Cheryll Watson named one of two Canadians on Startup Genome Advisory Board

ERIN Funding

• Edmonton Regional Innovation Network
• Previously: Edmonton denied $4.2M in tech innovation funding

E-Scooters

• E-scooters returning to Edmonton streets this spring
• Ready to roll: E-scooters spring back to Edmonton, new company looking to launch
• Here's How Bird Laid Off 406 People in Two Minutes
• Kaelin's tweet
• Lime: Healthy People = Healthy Cities
• Bird: A Message To Our Riders

COVID-19: Layoffs

• Recreation centre and library closures lead to temporary layoffs
• City of Edmonton, public library laying off nearly 2,100 employees
• 'Our community is in crisis': Edmonton business survey says nearly half don't think they'll survive
• Oilers, Flames announce temporary staff layoffs linked to COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19: Closing Streets

• Physical distancing in Alberta: a tale of 2 cities
• Don Iveson's tweet

Speaking Municipally is a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. This week we talked about Park Power which has introduced flexible payment plans and options to help customers deal with the COVID-19 outbreak. We also highlighted What on EARTH can we do?, a podcast about combating climate change from the Alberta Emerald Foundation.

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a home for curiosity-driven stories about our city, cultivated by the community. In addition to this podcast, Taproot publishes the Council Roundup every week. Sign up to get it delivered by email for free.