Speaking Municipally

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ESO

• Edmonton Symphony Orchestra musicians set to serenade boaters on a lake on Canada Day

High School

• Most Edmonton high schools switching to quarterly system next year

Homophobic Tweet

• Eskimos release receiver Christion Jones for posting homophobic tweet

E-Bike Rebates

• Edmonton backpedals on e-bike rebate program
• Edmonton city council to reconsider e-bike rebate if motion passes
• E-bike rebate program sells out in days
• News Release: City launches environment rebates to help stimulate economy
• Mike Nickel's tweets
• Energy Transition Strategy Update

Andrew Cowan

• Twitter
• Northern Chicken

EPSB Redux

• School resource officer program to stay in public schools until at least September

Affordable Housing

• City votes to sell land to Homeward Trust to build housing to help end homelessness
• Don Iveson's tweets
• Mike Nicke's tweets

Speak to us!

• Voicelink.fm

Speaking Municipally is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network: locally grown, community supported. This week we talked about Shift, a podcast from Alberta Innovates that "showcases the work being done in the province’s innovation ecosystem - everything from health to clean energy." We also highlighted World on Fire, a new five part series from CBC Edmonton that "takes you to the front lines of out of control wildfires in Canada, Australia, and California."

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:

NHL Hub City

• Kenney pushes Edmonton as NHL hub with video showing off Alberta’s Rocky Mountains
• Jason Kenney's tweet

Canoe Commute

• Edmonton doctor canoes to work: ‘My commute is the best part of my day’

Poplar Fluff

• Poplar fluff piles up on Edmonton trails and parks

Bill 29

• News Release: Levelling the playing field in local elections
• Election bills give Albertans more democracy, less transparency and accountability.
• UCP says Bill 29 will level playing field for local elections, NDP says it opens Alberta’s democracy up to ‘dark money’
• New bill removes limits on donations to trustee, municipal candidates in Alberta

Guest: Barry Morishita

• LinkedIn
• Statement from AUMA President Barry Morishita: AUMA is committed to fair local elections

EPSB Racism

• Edmonton school trustee resigns over comments about refugee students
• Motion to remove police resource officers from Edmonton public schools narrowly defeated

Parking

• News Release: Edmonton first major Canadian municipality to eliminate parking minimums
• News Release: City reinstates EPark fees

Other

• News Release: Turf maintenance to improve citywide
• Edmonton city council to reconsider e-bike rebate if motion passes

Speak to us!

• Voicelink.fm

Speaking Municipally is a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. This week we talked about World On Fire, a new podcast from CBC Edmonton "that takes you to the front lines of out of control wildfires in Canada, Australia, and California." We also highlighted Storylines, a podcast from Women in Film and Television Alberta that "highlights some of our province’s most successful women in film and television, both behind the camera and in front of it."

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:

Drive-Thru Masks

• News Release: Non-medical masks available to Albertans

Mowing Greenspaces

• Frustrated residents team up to mow park city can't afford to maintain

Passenger Rail

• News Release: Assessing rail service between Calgary and Banff

Sahr Saffa

• @sahrsjunior on Instagram
• Sahr Saffa on LinkedIn
• LIBI Podcast: Sahr Saffa
• Avenue Edmonton profile of Sahr Saffa
• Mode Models: Behind The Scenes with Sahr Saffa

Bias in Tech

• Sahr's post about algorithms
• Sahr's post calling out Edmonton's tech sector
• Kick Point: We Can, We Will, We Must.

Edmonton Police

• Edmonton police chief says defunding would hinder diversity initiatives
• Edmonton police offer avenue of reconciliation for complainants
• Edmonton city council to consider reducing 2021 police budget by $16.3 million for reallocation to community programs
• Tech Roundup: Edmonton Police tech accelerator questioned amid Black Lives Matter protests
• Regina Police Association says tweet about defunding wasn't meant as threat to cultural unit

Black Lives Matter

• Sahr's post about sustaining the movement

Prairie Sky Gondola

• Board Members
• Sahr's bio

C-Tribe Festival

• C-Tribe Website
• Instagram
• C-Tribe Fashion

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 gave a Pod Power shout out to A Tale of Two Weeklies, "a documentary podcast series that digs into the rise and fall of Edmonton’s SEE Magazine and Vue Weekly, two alt-weeklies engaged in a newspaper war that neither survived."

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:

Pride Flag

• 'Disingenuous at best': UCP raises and lowers flag for Pride Month in 24 hours

Solar Energy

• Edmonton Convention Centre begins harnessing its own renewable energy
• Rehabbing and retrofitting buildings generates energy, conserves money in Edmonton

E-scooters

• E-scooters hit Edmonton streets for a second season with tight COVID-19 regulations

Black Lives Matter

• Where Taproot stands, and the work ahead
• Don Iveson's tweet
• Light the Bridge
• Dale McFee's statement
• Edmonton police chief orders investigation of 'humiliating' photo of drug arrest
• 'Start by changing your team name': Inuk MP responds to Edmonton Eskimos post referencing racism
• Why has the Corporate Services budget within EPS increased 24% since 2013?
• Policy C604: Edmonton Police Service Funding Formula

SOLE Ends

• State of Local Emergency will expire in Edmonton

LRT Priorities

• Council Roundup: May 29, 2020
• Southbound Capital Line extension gets nod from Edmonton city council
• Report snubs LRT extension into northwest Edmonton
• Federal funding fast track ‘not new money’ for Edmonton’s COVID-19 recovery: Iveson
• Don Iveson's tweet

Environmental Rebates

• City launches environment rebates to help stimulate economy
• Environmental Financial Incentives
• 'Bad use of taxpayers money': Edmonton offering $600K in rebates for e-bikes and chargers

Speak to us!

• Voicelink.fm

Speaking Municipally is a proud member of the Alberta Podcast Network, powered by ATB. This week we talked about The Well Endowed Podcast from the Edmonton Community Foundation. Troy was on episode 72 to talk about millennial activism and engagement. We also highlighted 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."

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:

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.