Edmonton Daily Digest — 2026-03-26

Daycare families in Ardrossan are panicking after Where It’s at Country Daycare was told on March 20 it has 90 days to leave its space at Holy Redeemer Catholic School — owner Loraine Durocher says about 30 families are currently enrolled and new families were already signed up. This means parents like Brianna Morris and Shannon Sawatzky, who both work full time, must scramble to find care before the end of the school year.

There’s renewed talk of another Alberta‑to‑B.C. oil pipeline as Trans Mountain nears full capacity, possibly by April, with TMX CEO Mark Maki and Enbridge CEO Greg Ebel noting rising demand after global supply shocks. B.C. officials like Minister Adrian Dix and Coastal First Nations, led by Marilyn Slett, remain opposed or skeptical, while Alberta Premier Danielle Smith plans to submit a pipeline proposal in June and a 2025 MOU with Prime Minister Mark Carney is cited.

Edmonton councillors voted to create a new tax subclass targeting derelict commercial properties, with owners facing tax increases up to 57 percent if they don’t fix or demolish rundown buildings. City staff flagged 20 problem properties worth between $194,500 and $8.5 million (combined $29 million assessment), and the city hopes notices could go out in about two years after implementation work.

James Hjelmeland, 31, of Red Deer was sentenced last week to 17 years in a U.S. prison after pleading guilty in November to attempted enticement of a minor and child sexual abuse material offences in a Florida sting. Court records say he was arrested at Orlando airport in January 2025 after responding to an undercover detective; his lawyer David Haas says he will appeal.

Alberta’s Electoral Boundaries Commission recommends adding two seats to the legislature, taking MLAs from 87 to 89, with new ridings in Calgary and Edmonton and several boundary changes across the province. Notable proposals include three new Calgary ridings such as Calgary‑McKenzie (projected pop. 62,772) and a consolidation in Edmonton; the commission held 30+ public hearings and received nearly 2,000 written submissions since it began March 28, 2025.

The UCP government says it will soon introduce a provincewide Councillor Accountability Framework to police municipal conduct, with Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams proposing changes to the Municipal Government Act and third‑party oversight of ethics complaints. Alberta Municipalities welcomes independent investigators, while NDP leader Naheed Nenshi warns the plan could be self‑serving.

Canadian Army commander Lt.‑Gen. Michael Wright says CFB Suffield, a nearly 2,700‑sq‑km training area near Medicine Hat, will see more use this summer as a testing and training hub under an agreement with the U.K. The U.K. has committed about £17 million (C$31 million) for maintenance, and officials say modest investments will be needed to support increased activity.

Alberta tabled Bill 21, the Interprovincial Trade Mutual Recognition Act, to implement a November trade pact that should start this summer and ease rules so goods from other provinces can be sold more easily. The agreement excludes items like alcohol, cannabis and food, lets Alberta keep exemptions such as rules for pesticides and gift cards with no expiry, and aims to help small and medium businesses scale up, said Jobs Minister Joseph Schow.

A MEI report says the Trans Mountain expansion narrowed the price gap between U.S. and Alberta crude by 37.5 percent, giving the oilsands sector a US$16.7‑billion revenue boost from June 2024 to November 2025 and fuelling calls for more pipelines. Clean Prosperity’s analysis also finds oilsands producers could more than offset a higher industrial carbon price (from $95 to a proposed $130 per tonne) and projects billions in added profits and nearly $1 billion more in provincial royalties over 15 years.

Drumheller’s 25‑metre T. rex, Tyra, passed a structural checkup but has problems like water retention and surface damage; initial repairs are estimated at $154,000 with ongoing maintenance costing much more. The attraction, owned by the chamber and on town land, draws about 150,000 visitors a year and its lease runs until 2029, so the town is weighing next steps while Mayor Tony Miglecz and local leaders plan a maintenance roadmap.