Speaking Municipally

We dive into how much money candidates have raised and been forced to declare. Plus, we paid a visit to the mayor's office for an exit interview. 

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Bike lanes

• Valley Line West: 102 Avenue bike lanes temporarily moving to 103 Avenue

Campaign disclosures

• Voters told Taproot they want campaign contributions disclosed before the election
• Disclosures show Cartmell pulled i...

This week, we're excited for the new Warehouse Park, and scared about the impact of the postal strike on the election. Plus, we bring you the scariest audio of all: candidate soundbites!

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Warehouse Park

• Warehouse Park, other incentives spur up to 1,800 housing units downtown
• Warehouse Park - City of Edmonton

Postal strike

• City elections office forms contingency plan f...

We dive into the candidate responses to Taproot's election survey, which are now available at taproot.vote. Plus, we discuss the new police chief, a mandate letter for the municipal affairs minister, and Nomination Day.

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Darren Markland

• Darren Markland obituary
• Video featuring Darren Markland

New police chief

• 10 years later, documents shed new light on EPS steroid sca...

Enjoy this episode of The Well Endowed Podcast from our friends at Edmonton Community Foundation. The Well Endowed Podcast shares the stories of people and organizations who make our city thrive. That seems right up the alley of Speaking Municipally listeners!

This episode, called Second Skin, is about a tattoo removal program run by enCompass that helps give people with troubled pasts a second chance.

If you like what you h...

We dive into all the last-minute motions that council squeezed in during its final week of meetings this term. Plus, we talk about construction woes on the west end, inconsistencies between different rezoning applications, and a candidate's proposal for free transit.

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West end construction woes

• Reddit thread
• Michael Walters video

Rezoning inconsistencies

• Sept. 15 Publ...

Executive committee has approved the sale of land to build supportive housing, but not everyone is happy about it. Plus, urban planning committee wants more red tape for short-term rentals, and we hop on the bike bus.

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Bridge housing

• Bridge healing project in Highlands moving ahead
• City goes ahead with Highlands bridge housing project despite residents' concerns

Short-te...

This week, we talk about infrastructure, incumbency, and infill developments. Plus, a promised update on spray parks, and we talk about where you can find Taproot at some upcoming events.

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Spray parks

• Spray Parks
• Coun. Cartmell's Instagram post

Infrastructure policy

• Bridges, Roads and Results: Tim Cartmell's Plan to Fix Edmonton's Infrastructure and Rebuild Public Trust
• Ep...

City council has approved the contentious master agreement to build a new event park at ICE District. Plus, even though it's hot outside, we talk about snow, and bike lanes. All your favourite things.

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Fringe festival

• Record-breaking year for Edmonton Fringe Festival

Event park

• News Release: Master agreement approved for event park and Village at ICE District
• Edmonton...

Council decided to keep meeting times as is, but it recommends a shorter summer vacation for future councils. Plus, there was heated discussion about river valley development, incentives for student housing, and what to do about Edmonton City Centre.

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Council calendar

• Council says no to longer meetings but does reduce summer break

Social media

• Report: Aug. 19, 2025 - Soc...

This week, we drive into the wonderful world of transit memes aboard route #4. Plus, the push to close 76 Avenue to cars, the latest efforts to address noisy vehicles, and the need to repair community league facilities.

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Police blotter

• 'Unleashing': Politicians Say Ex-Police Watchdog's Insults Go Too Far

Transit love

• How two transit movements take similar routes to h...

Edmonton is building fewer parking spaces than housing units, St. Albert is trying to grow its downtown population, Hawrelak Park could open by the end of the year, and we look at the City's new mowing map.

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Downtown St. Albert

• Why St. Albert's downtown could be welcoming a lot more residents

Parking

• Edmonton building fewer parking stalls than infill housing units

El...

Taproot co-founder Karen Unland returns to the show to talk about how we are approaching the 2025 municipal election and the impact we hope to have. We've also got clips from an interview with Coun. Michael Janz about infill.

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Karen Unland

• Karen on LinkedIn
• Speaking Municipally: Episode 127

Election project

• What issues do you care about as you consider who to vote for...

We're back with a discussion about changes we are making for election season. Namely, Troy will take a hiatus from the show. We discuss why and what that means for the show going forward.

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Troy Pavlek

• TroyPavlek.ca
• troypavlek on TikTok
• troypavlek on X

Rapid fire

• Pickle-dusted doughnuts, pb&j chicken among new KDays food creations
• 'F--k you, Jo-Anne': Tempers flare in ci...

Council is about to start its summer break, but not before making a bunch of decisions that could shape the future of Edmonton. Infill and the zoning bylaw changes are the big item again this week, but we also talk about the Downtown CRL extension, the Winspear Centre expansion, road widening, a proposal for free parking, and more.

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CRL

• Edmonton council extends Downtown CRL...

We discuss the proposed moratorium on infill development, the extension of the Downtown Community Revitalization Levy, and the return of former MP Rahim Jaffer to municipal politics. We also look at how changes to vote counting will affect the 2025 municipal election, and the end of photo radar in playground zones.

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Infill moratorium

• Cartmell to call for moratorium on new i...

Council is looking to reduce the maximum number of midblock infill units to six per lot from eight. Plus, entertainment districts are exempt from the single use plastic bylaw.

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Midblock infill

• Edmonton may revise zoning bylaw to reduce mid-block multi-family units
• Edmonton council votes to reduce maximum homes on RS zone lots to six from eight

Street design standards

• ...

We talk with Edmonton Unlimited CEO Tom Viinikka about his first year in the role, measuring the city's innovation sector, what separates entrepreneurs from the rest of us, and what's next for the organization.

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Tom Viinikka

• Edmonton Unlimited Welcomes New CEO, Tom Viinikka
• Edmonton Unlimited hires new CEO from within city ecosystem
• Tom Viinikka at LinkedIn

Edmonton Unlimited

We discuss the potential removal of a community-built bridge in Jackie Parker Park, the launch of the Better Edmonton party, the Capital Line South LRT extension, and the latest on wildfires in the Edmonton region. Plus, we dig into the zoning bylaw update.

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Zoning Bylaw update

• Missing Middle Housing In Edmonton More Than Doubles After Zoning Overhaul
• 'No respect for the people'...

Council decided against selling the naming rights for recreation centres and other facilities, at least on the outside. The Edmonton Elks is the official name, but it is returning to the old name on the inside. Plus, we discuss the relationship between police and the city, speeding enforcement, and upzoning.

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Naming facilities

• City council turfs business naming deals for rec ce...