Speaking Municipally Taproot Edmonton

Boyle Street has had the permit for its site revoked…again. Plus, the police have declined a public audit, and we'll talk about Sohi's polling numbers. Is it really that time already?
Here are the relevant links for this episode:
Guest: Jack Farrell
@_jack_farrellJack Farrell at St. Albert GazetteBoyle Street / CPTED
Boyle Street denied permit to build south Edmonton overdose prevention sitePermit denied for Wolf Den overdose prevention site in EdmontonJack's tweet threadHow EPS got involved in city planning — The YEG YellerEPS CPTED trainingPolice audit
Edmonton police commission refuses to release audit plan to city councilMichael Janz's tweet threadFrom the Taproot newsroom
Tim Querengesser, managing editorPadmanadi and Seoul Fried Chicken tackle Calgary expansions differentlyCouncil to decide if U of A's proposal to redevelop farmland into housing can start planningTaproot Edmonton's roundupsWhat are you curious about? Let us know at hello@taprootedmonton.caLRT music
News Release: Travel to the tunes of Tchaikovsky and more in downtown LRT stationsStephanie's tweetSohi trouble
Edmonton heading in 'wrong direction,' Sohi on the ropes: Leger pollPoll results show Edmonton city council faces a tough re-election roadCivic Matters: Downtown Edmonton during the Oilers' playoff runDistrict planning
Edmonton district planning decision could be weeks away, signals plans may be sent back for changes'Citizens are abandoned and angry': Public speakers distrustful of Edmonton district planningRapid fire
Increase in Edmonton's paper, reusable bag fee takes effect July 1Taste of Edmonton announces presale tickets ahead of 40th anniversary'We are at risk of running out': Calgarians asked to use 25% less water than yesterdayThis episode is brought to you by the Edmonton Public Library which is hosting another instalment in its Forward Thinking Speaker Series. Don't miss Dr. Marie Wilson in conversation with Chief Wilton Littlechild on June 19. The Truth and Reconciliation Commissioners will discuss what we can do to further reconciliation across Canada. Tickets are now available for this EPL fundraiser.
Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!


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A conversation at the summer institute of the Canadian Housing Evidence Collaborative about what Edmonton can and should do to contribute to the alleviation of the housing crisis.
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Guests
Joshua Evans, associate professor of human geography at the University of Alberta and director of the Affordable Housing Solutions LabEric Rice, a writer and researcher working with Taproot to better understand Edmonton's housing ecosystemHousing links
Canadian Housing Evidence CollaborativeEpisode 265: An Accelerated discussion on housingEdmonton Affordable Housing Maintenance FundProtect, Enhance, Grow: Investing in Edmonton's Community Housing Sector'Damned If We Do, Damned If We Don't': Examining the Municipal Problematization of Homelessness in Edmonton, Canada During COVID-19Books
Homelessness is a Housing ProblemThe Tenant ClassNote: The series of Q&A interviews by Rice to be published in the fall by Taproot Edmonton is made possible through funding from the Alberta Real Estate Foundation.
Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!


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We're joined by Christel Kjenner, director of the housing action team at the City of Edmonton, to get an overview of what the city is doing about the housing crisis.
Here are the relevant links for this episode:
Christel Kjenner
Christel Kjenner on LinkedInNovember 2021: The future of affordable housing according to our Christel ball (Episode 154)Housing at the city
Affordable Housing StrategyHousing Accelerator FundFeb. 21, 2024: Building more homes that Canadians can afford in EdmontonHousing context
Calgary population surges by staggering 6%, Edmonton by 4.2% in latest StatsCan estimatesLack of clarity in district plans could erode trust, councillors sayEdmonton mayor names 16-member task force to tackle housing and homelessnessHousing advocates say big money is transforming rental markets. And Alberta could be a poster childNew standard could help shift Edmonton's growth patternFifteen years after the original strategy, Edmonton has a new plan for homelessnessRapid fire
The 'Redmonton' party no more: Alberta NDP's base has shifted to CalgaryEdmonton Fringe raises $100,000 in donations, unveils 2024 themeTroy's tweetSee us in person!
May 30: Speaking Municipally Live: Untangling the housing knot at the Foundry RoomThis episode is brought to you by Park Power, your friendly, local utilities provider (and title sponsor of Taproot's Regional Roundup). Park Power offers electricity, natural gas, and internet to homes, businesses, and farms throughout Alberta. Learn more at parkpower.ca.
Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!


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There's a new task force on housing and homelessness. Plus, everything is a district, recreation centres will soon be sponsored, and we discuss police accountability.
Here are the relevant links for this episode:
Housing task force
Edmonton mayor names 16-member task force to tackle housing and homelessnessState of the CityClean energy retrofit
Edmonton finalizes clean energy retrofit loans programLauren Boothby's threadPolice accountability
Edmonton mayor disturbed by images of police response to pro-Palestinian protestersMessage to the U of A community: Update on encampmentProtesters attend Edmonton city hall meeting after police teardown of U of A pro-Palestine campDisruptive meeting could trigger security changes at Edmonton city hallTweet about commission meetingDistricts
Rice Howard Way to become Edmonton's new entertainment districtDowntown Edmonton 'education district' could spur revitalization, school leaders sayExperience Edmonton's Arts District2015: Coffee Bureau and Lock Stock Coffee have revived Edmonton's coffee districtNaming rights
Edmonton's Terwillegar rec centre to get a new, sponsored name2022: Jumpstart Inclusive Playground now open in EdmontonRapid fire
PSA: Have fun in the sun in Edmonton's spray parks, opening this weekendNews Release: New EPark App launches todayCanada's 100 Best restaurants list snubs Edmonton; three bars crack top 50See us in person!
May 21: Don't let the pink slime get you: AI's role in a healthy media ecosystem at Work Nicer Beaver House.May 25: Edmonton International Cat Festival at the Robbins Health Learning Centre at MacEwan.May 30: Speaking Municipally Live: Untangling the housing knot at the Foundry Room.Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!


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Summer is here, and it comes with the sale of a riverboat, scooters, and summer streets. Plus, council writes a very sternly worded letter to the province. It'll work this time, they promise!
Here are the relevant links for this episode:
Tim Querengesser
Tim's workLinkedIn profile@TimQuerengesserEdmonton Riverboat
Meet the new owners of the Edmonton RiverboatSummer streets and scooters
PSA: Summer Streets gives Edmontonians safer spaces for outdoor funWhere are Edmonton's e-scooters?Bill 18/20
Bill 20 offers power to accelerate housing through property tax breaksEdmonton city council asks Alberta to scrap Bill 18 and Bill 20 for consultationChanges to city charters, Municipal Government Act meant to bolster housing, cut costs: McIverEdmonton mayor, Alberta government meet to talk about Sohi's 6-page funding letterSohi sends 6-page letter to Smith detailing ways Alberta can help EdmontonFederal government and Boyle Street Community Services invest in vital community building in downtown EdmontonCalgary's single-use items bylaw repealed, businesses no longer required to charge bag feeEdge Fund
Edmonton grants $4.7M to 17 organizations through Edge FundEdmonton's biggest rec centres face name change in new sponsorship dealRapid fire
The City of Edmonton finally has a 'Nathan Fillion Civilian Pavilion' & it's here to stay (for now)Premier Danielle Smith's tweetEdmonton fire chief Joe Zatylny resigns effective May 10See us in person!
May 21: Don't let the pink slime get you: AI's role in a healthy media ecosystem at Work Nicer Beaver House. Taproot CEO Mack Male and Ethically Aligned AI founder Katrina Ingram will discuss the uses and abuses of AI in media. Generative AI is flooding the world with "pink slime journalism," but it's also helping responsible companies like Taproot carry out our work more deeply and efficiently. We'll explore those realities at this community event associated with Upper Bound, Edmonton's annual AI conference. Tickets to our event are free.May 25: Edmonton International Cat Festival at the Robbins Health Learning Centre at MacEwan. We're thrilled to be a media sponsor for this 10th annual celebration of all things feline. We've asked our friends at Zoe's Animal Rescue to share our booth, so come by to meet some members of the Taproot team, and give a kitty a skritch while you're there. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door, and kids get in free.May 30: Speaking Municipally Live: Untangling the housing knot at the Foundry Room. Our civic affairs podcast is recording live during the Canadian Housing Evidence Collaborative's summer institute, and you're invited. Hosts Troy Pavlek and Mack Male will discuss how the City of Edmonton can help alleviate the housing crisis; their guests are Joshua Evans of the Affordable Housing Solutions Lab and writer/researcher Eric Rice, who is working on a project with Taproot to help us better understand the housing system. Tickets are free.This episode was brought to you by Inventures, the breakthrough innovation event from Alberta Innovates that is happening in Calgary from May 29 to 31. Inventures will bring more than 4,000 entrepreneurs, startups, scale-ups, academics, investors, and industry leaders together to cultivate relationships, showcase emerging technologies, and capitalize on Alberta's innovation advantage.
Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!



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We speak with Eddie Robar, the interim city manager at the City of Edmonton, about what he plans to do for the time he'll be in the role.
Since recording this episode, the Alberta government reversed its decision to cut its share of funding for low-income transit passes in Edmonton and Calgary following public backlash and discussions with the cities’ mayors.
Here are the relevant links for this episode:
Eddie Robar
Eddie Robar on LinkedIn2015: Halifax Transit Manager Eddie Robar latest city executive to leave for greener pastures2016: Back on track: Edmonton hires new transit managerNews Release: City Council names Eddie Robar as Interim City ManagerEddie Robar named interim City of Edmonton manager while permanent replacement soughtNew interim Edmonton city manager Eddie Robar focusing on improving work culture after tense labour disputeLow-income transit pass
Alberta government cuts funding for Edmonton, Calgary low-income transit pass, mayors sayProvince reverses decision to cut funding for low-income bus passes in Calgary and EdmontonRapid fire
News Release: Alberta's vision for passenger railNews Release: New EPark mobile payment in effect todayBrett Kissel curse? Radio host starts petition to stop singer from performing anthem at Oilers playoff gamesSpeaking Municipally Live
May 30: Speaking Municipally Live: Untangling the housing knotThis episode is brought to you by NAIT. Celebrating the impact of its grads on the community, NAIT announces this year's award recipients who are visionaries, community-builders, trailblazers and more. See their impact at nait.ca/celebrate.
Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!


★ Support this podcast ★