Elks OT, Beaumont Funding & Mail-in Surge — Edmonton's Week in Review.

🏛️ Government & Politics

1. Province pledges $38.5 million to Beaumont for a new safety training campus. The Alberta government announced $38.5 million on Sept. 25 to build roads, utilities and servicing for the Beaumont Innovation Park and the proposed AMTA Safety Campus on 160 acres south of Edmonton between Highway 625 and Highway 814.

2. Mail-in ballot demand soars ahead of Oct. 19 referendum. Elections Alberta reported 673,000 mail-in ballot requests as of Sept. 24 and said applications close at midnight Sept. 25; completed ballots must arrive by Oct. 16 at 5 p.m., with advance in-person voting scheduled Oct. 13–17.

3. Alberta NDP files court challenge to new voter-list regulation. The NDP launched a court application in Edmonton on Sept. 24 seeking to strike a regulation that limits Elections Alberta to providing parties only voter counts by area, replacing previous access to names, addresses and contact details; the rule is set to expire at year-end, Justice Minister Mickey Amery’s office said.

4. Public safety minister calls downtown detainee drop-offs 'human error.' Mike Ellis told reporters at the Alberta Municipalities convention in Edmonton that two recent incidents of provincial corrections transport vans leaving detainees in the downtown area were caused by “human error,” after video showed releases in the Chinatown neighbourhood and Mayor Andrew Knack pressed the minister for corrective action.

5. Premier Danielle Smith’s referendum includes 10 questions covering immigration and constitutional change. The Oct. 19 ballot asks Albertans whether the province should take increased control over immigration (Smith has cited a target of about 50,000 newcomers per year), as well as measures on Senate abolition, provincial appointment of judges and opting out of federal programs.

💼 Economy & Business

1. Popular smoke-meat bagel pulled as beef prices climb to $17/kg. Beb’s Bagels on Whyte Avenue removed its top-selling smoke meat sandwich after co-owner Lindon Carter said beef prices rose from $10/kg three years ago to as high as $17/kg, and the shop retained consistent staff pay by not accepting tips.

2. Data centres face political headwinds in Alberta as public opposition grows. A recent poll and coverage this week indicate data-centre projects have become unpopular among some Albertans, adding pressure on provincial politicians and municipal councils weighing tax and land-use decisions for large server farms across the region.

3. Alberta municipalities press for provincial surplus to fund infrastructure. Municipal leaders from across Alberta asked at this week’s convention for a share of the province’s surplus to pay for roads and utilities, with local governments arguing community infrastructure needs exceed current municipal budgets.

🏈 Sports

1. Elks beat Hamilton 37-35 in overtime; Blanchard sets nine-field-goal CFL record. In the Sept. 26 Commonwealth Stadium game, Edmonton won 37-35 in OT, kicker Vincent Blanchard converted a CFL-record nine field goals, quarterback Cody Fajardo finished 32-of-47 for 298 passing yards, and the Elks improved to 11-4 on the season.

2. Elks' 6-1 home mark fuels playoff push and fan interest. The team’s 6-1 record at Commonwealth Stadium this season continues a historical pattern of home advantage tied to Grey Cup years, and attendance figures topping 30,000 were cited by quarterback Cody Fajardo as energizing the roster ahead of remaining home dates.

3. Oilers coach Mike Babcock cleared to work amid training-camp controversy. The NHL investigation allowed Mike Babcock to coach the Edmonton Oilers this week; veterans like Zach Hyman said Babcock absorbed media attention so players could focus on the team’s system as camp concluded ahead of the season opener against Vancouver.

🚨 Crime & Public Safety

1. Edmonton man who 3D-printed firearms sentenced to three years. Roy Tucker, 31, was sentenced after police found evidence he printed or attempted to print 16 firearms, assembled three operational guns from parts and stored more than 32,000 rounds of ammunition during a 2023 search of his northside home linked to Project Reproduction.

2. Police warn parents after two youths allegedly stalked via Snapchat location tools. Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams said this week a suspect allegedly tracked two young victims’ locations via Snapchat’s Snap Map, travelled to their family home and coerced sexually explicit videos, prompting investigators to urge parents to review app location settings.

🎨 Community & Culture

1. Meals on Wheels expands to feed Edmonton students at inner-city school. The program partnered with St. Teresa of Calcutta Elementary in Boyle Street to serve lunch to every student four days a week, part of Meals on Wheels’ broader shift from senior meal delivery to community food programs noted by executive director Adam Zawadiuk.

2. Edmonton expands recycling list to include styrofoam and coffee cups. The city announced changes this week to curbside and depot recycling acceptance, officially adding new categories such as polystyrene containers and single-use coffee cups to its accepted materials list to reduce landfill waste.