High Level Bridge to be closed to traffic next spring and summer for urgent repairs

This article is new today!

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-10-30 21:25:54.0
Tags: [Municipal, Alberta, Infrastructure, Transportation, Climate]

The City of Edmonton is advancing 2028 rehabilitation plans for the 113-year-old High Level Bridge to the upcoming spring and summer construction season to address severe south-slope erosion caused by unseasonably heavy summer rainfall in 2026. The bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic for the entire construction season to accommodate structural repairs—including work on bearings, deck surfaces, and drainage systems—while the city postpones planned work on the northbound Low Level Bridge until 2028. The city is exploring accessing the Hazard Assistance and Resilience Program (HARP) fund to help cover repair costs, while the bridge's west pedestrian sidewalk and summer trolley are slated to remain operational when possible.

B.C. North Coast tanker ban to remain in place after Liberals vote down Tory bill

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-28 22:56:24.0
Tags: [National, British Columbia, Alberta, Energy, Resources, Transportation]

The federal Liberal government voted down Conservative Bill C-264 in the House of Commons, maintaining the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act that prohibits crude oil tankers carrying more than 12,500 metric tonnes along British Columbia's North Coast. The defeated private-member bill aimed to repeal the tanker ban to support a private-sector proposal by Calgary-based Strathcona Resources to ship up to 250,000 barrels of Canadian oil daily via rail through Prince Rupert, B.C. Prime Minister Mark Carney's federal government and the British Columbia government previously struck a deal to keep the ban in place, routing a separate proposed pipeline project south to comply with the moratorium.

MLAs open Alberta legislature's fall sitting amid internal UCP pushback

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-10-27 21:47:51.0
Tags: [Alberta, Governance, Education, Technology, Transportation]

The Alberta legislature opened its fall sitting on October 27, 2026, with the governing United Conservative Party (UCP) introducing new legislation aimed at removing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices and bolstering protections against deepfake intimate imagery. Government house leader Joseph Schow stated that 13 to 14 bills are expected this session, covering policies on bike lanes, e-scooters, AI data centres, auto insurance changes, and an overhaul of school report cards. Meanwhile, the UCP caucus is managing internal pushback and separatist pressures, sitting at 47 of 87 seats following the immediate resignation of MLA Shane Getson, with Premier Danielle Smith's office indicating no byelection will be called prior to the scheduled October 18, 2027 provincial election.

Council pushes for new city autonomy, but dissenters warn city will damage its relationship with the province

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-10-27 20:54:45.0
Tags: [Alberta, Municipal, Governance, Housing, Transportation]

By a 9-3 vote, the Edmonton City Council passed a motion introduced by Councillor Aaron Paquette to lobby the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Big City Mayors, and Alberta Municipalities for expanded municipal autonomy and greater local powers. The push comes in response to provincial interventions by the Government of Alberta under the City Charter, including mandates to overhaul zoning bylaws for infill housing and potential alterations to municipal bike-lane and photo radar strategies. Dissenting councillors, including Thu Parmar, warned that the advocacy would damage intergovernmental relations with the province and conflict with public opinion, citing a Leger poll indicating that 54 per cent of Edmontonians were indifferent to the infill dispute.

Smith vows cautious approach after narrow win on immigration, muses about referendum on photo radar

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-10-24 23:03:15.0
Tags: [Alberta, Immigration, Governance, Justice, Transportation]

Premier Danielle Smith announced a cautious legislative approach following narrow victories in an Alberta referendum on immigration questions, indicating a grandfathering approach that exempts immigrants who arrived under old rules. Smith confirmed that legislation requiring proof of citizenship—such as a passport, provincial driver’s license with a citizenship symbol, or equivalent verification—will be introduced for the next provincial election after receiving 58 percent support. Additionally, the government is appealing a court ruling regarding consultation duties on citizen-initiated separation referendums and is considering future referendums on medically assisted death advance directives and municipal photo radar enforcement.

Alberta government to introduce over a dozen new bills as MLAs return Tuesday

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-10-23 17:54:21.0
Tags: [Alberta, Governance, Education, Energy, Transportation, Housing]

The United Conservative Party government of Alberta is set to introduce approximately 14 new bills during the fall sitting of the 31st legislature spanning October 27 to December 3, 2026. Key legislative items include overhauling school report cards, updating the compassionate intervention healthcare program, establishing regulatory protections for data centres to safeguard electricity and water supplies, implementing merit-based public sector hiring, and introducing consumer protections for defective vehicles and event ticket resales. Additionally, the legislative session will feature a debate on a new electoral map required to be tabled by November 2 following recommendations from an advisory panel, while the New Democratic Party opposition intends to introduce private members' bills addressing healthcare, affordability, and education.

Canada Post starting weekend parcel delivery in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa this fall

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-22 19:44:37.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta, Labour, Transportation, Finance]

Canada Post has launched weekend parcel delivery in Ottawa and Montreal, with plans to expand to Toronto in late November 2026 and to Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary the following year, aiming to reach seven million households by the end of 2027. The Crown corporation reported a pre-tax loss of $482 million in the first half of 2026 and continues to rely on federal loans, though parcel revenue grew by 20.7 percent year-over-year in the second quarter. This operational restructuring follows a month-long national strike in December 2024 and the signing of a new collective agreement with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) that remains in effect until 2030.

Alberta feels the diesel squeeze, as report says inflation could spread beyond the pump

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-10-08 11:00:51.0
Tags: [Alberta, Economy, Energy, Trade, Transportation]

Diesel prices in Canada have surged by an average of 70 per cent since January—reaching up to 81 per cent higher for Vancouver truckers tracked by Kalibrate—driven by tightened global supplies, Russian export restrictions, and Chinese export suspensions. Industry analysts from CIBC Capital, Scotiabank Economics, and ATB Financial warn that sustained high diesel costs threaten to spread generalized inflation into food and shelter prices within 12 to 18 months. Cross-border carriers such as 520 Transport Ltd. in Lethbridge and local operators like Constable's Towing in Airdrie report severe operational cost pressures, further compounded by cross-border tariffs and potential U.S. diesel export restrictions.

Why pilots will ignore Alberta's move to permanent daylight saving time

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-10-07 11:05:59.0
Tags: [Alberta, Transportation, Governance]

Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba are transitioning to permanent daylight saving time year-round starting November 1, foregoing seasonal clock changes. Commercial aviation operations handled by carriers like Air Canada and flight training providers at Edmonton International Airport will remain unaffected because flight planning, scheduling, communications, and weather charts universally rely on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) or Zulu time. While airport operations are not expected to experience disruptions, passengers holding pre-booked tickets issued prior to June 18 must verify local departure schedules, as certain airline routes have been adjusted by approximately one hour to maintain connecting hubs.

Urban planning committee approves new on-demand bus stops to be trial run in 2027

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-09-29 22:34:23.0
Tags: [Alberta, Municipal, Transit, Transportation, Seniors, Infrastructure]

The City of Edmonton's urban planning committee voted 5-0 to approve a two-year pilot project starting in 2027 that expands on-demand public transit by adding new drop-off points across three zones: between Westmount and Jasper Place, Bonnie Doon, Strathearn and Capilano, and the west end of Downtown from Corona to Groat Road. The implementation involves a one-time capital cost of $100,000 funded from the Edmonton Transit Service budget to purchase ARC card validators for the on-demand vehicles. The initiative aims to improve transit accessibility and affordability for seniors and local commuters traveling to grocery stores, medical appointments, and workplaces.

Canada’s airports saw record improvements in delays, NAV Canada says

Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-09-28 15:26:44.0
Tags: [National, British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta, Quebec, Transportation, Infrastructure, Governance]

NAV Canada reported that the number of scheduled flights impacted by delays across Canada's four major airports—Toronto Pearson, Montréal-Trudeau, Calgary, and Vancouver International Airports—fell by 85 per cent from May 1 to Aug. 31, 2026, compared to the same period in 2025. Specifically, delayed flights dropped from 4,996 (1.54 per cent) in 2025 to 769 (0.24 per cent) in 2026, while total flight volume across the four hubs increased by 0.9 per cent to handle 394,919 flights. Vancouver recorded the sharpest improvement with delays dropping from 4.42 per cent to 0.64 per cent, Toronto Pearson had the lowest share of delayed flights at 0.04 per cent, Calgary dropped to 0.05 per cent, and Montréal-Trudeau dropped to 0.28 per cent. Additionally, NAV Canada noted that national air traffic controller staffing shortages narrowed from a deficit of 200 staff in the spring to 170 by August. Concurrently, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that the federal government is moving ahead with plans to attract private investment in Canada's four largest airports under a model where the federal government retains ownership of underlying land and assets.

'It was human error': Public safety minister outraged over Chinatown inmate drop-offs

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-09-25 21:34:54.0
Tags: [Alberta, Municipal, Public Safety, Justice, Infrastructure, Transportation]

Alberta Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis addressed recent incidents where former inmates were dropped off in Edmonton's Chinatown by provincial corrections officers, attributing the releases to human error. Deputy Minister Justin Krilker reviewed executive operations and implemented corrective measures to ensure future releases prioritize coordinated reintegration and support services. Additionally, the provincial government announced a $38.5 million investment to build roads, utilities, and municipal servicing for Beaumont's Innovation Park, which will house a safety campus and training hub constructed by the Alberta Motor Transportation Association.

Time zones in Canada are getting complicated. These maps lay them out

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-09-18 18:57:22.0
Tags: [National, Manitoba, British Columbia, Alberta, Governance, Transportation]

Manitoba has become the latest province to adopt permanent daylight saving time, ending semi-annual clock changes and aligning with recent policy shifts in British Columbia, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories. Yukon abolished clock changes in 2020, and Saskatchewan maintains year-round standard time. This regional patchwork has created unique time zone anomalies, such as a small portion of northwestern Ontario around Kenora falling one hour behind both Thunder Bay and Winnipeg during the winter months, while Ontario's previously enacted legislation to end clock changes remains contingent on matching actions by Quebec and New York.

Alberta poised to bring in legislation governing e-scooters, e-bikes

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-09-18 11:00:26.0
Tags: [Alberta, Municipal, Transportation, Public Safety, Governance]

The Alberta government announced plans to introduce legislation this fall amending the province’s Traffic Safety Act to establish a comprehensive provincial framework for personal micromobility devices, including e-scooters and e-bikes. Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen's office stated the regulations will address safety, speed limits, operating locations, age limits, and protective equipment, while allowing municipalities such as Edmonton and Calgary to enforce and choose where these devices are permitted. Currently, e-bikes operating under 500 watts and a maximum speed of 32 kilometres per hour are provincially regulated, whereas personal e-scooters have lacked a formal legal framework outside of municipal rental pilot projects.

Albertans flood new complaint portal with concerns about bike lanes, UCP interference

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-09-13 11:00:56.0
Tags: [Alberta, Municipal, Infrastructure, Transportation, Governance]

The Government of Alberta launched an online public complaint portal titled 'Report Concerns About Bike Lanes' on July 15, 2026, which received over 13,000 total submissions and sparked debate over provincial interference in municipal transportation planning. An early sample of 100 responses obtained via freedom of information showed a near-even split, with 51 respondents expressing opposition to bike lanes due to traffic congestion, parking loss, and costs, while 48 opposed potential provincial limits or removals. Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen stated that the province aims to grow road capacity by preventing bike lanes from cannibalizing driving lanes, with upcoming legislation planned to mandate separated multi-use trails off roadways.

From pipelines, to railways and AI: Ottawa pitches 167 projects ahead of Carney's investment summit

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-09-10 21:20:00.0
Tags: [National, Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Infrastructure, Energy, Transportation, Economy, Technology]

The federal government has released a 66-page prospectus outlining 167 investment projects across eight sectors ahead of the Canada Investment Summit in Toronto, co-hosted by Prime Minister Mark Carney alongside the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Public Sector Pension Investment Board to attract $1 trillion in international capital. Notable infrastructure and energy proposals featured in the document include a $57 billion US expansion of the Port of Churchill, a $44 billion Nova Scotia Wind West offshore wind project, a $35 billion West Coast Oil Pipeline connecting Alberta crude to British Columbia, a $28.5 billion Ksi Lisims LNG terminal project on the B.C. coast, a $10.9 billion Calgary-to-Edmonton high-speed passenger rail line, a $2.1 billion US South Bow Prairie Connector pipeline expansion, and a $14.5 billion data centre near Medicine Hat, Alberta. The pitch aims to diversify Canada's trade and energy export markets amid escalating U.S.-Canada trade tensions while highlighting assets ranging from fully permitted, shovel-ready initiatives to preliminary-stage critical mineral developments.

Alberta's new insurance regime will see savings for 88 per cent of vehicles: rate board

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-09-10 18:23:35.0
Tags: [Alberta, Transportation, Affordability, Finance, Governance]

The Alberta Auto Insurance Rate Board released reports indicating that the province's new "Care-First" auto insurance system, taking effect January 1, will reduce average private passenger vehicle premiums by 13.7 percent, saving drivers $297 per year. The analysis shows that 88 percent of Alberta's 3.1 million insured vehicles will see premium reductions, with about 47 percent (1.47 million vehicles) saving $300 or more, while approximately 10 percent of vehicles—led by a 37 percent increase for motorcycles—will face higher rates. The transition to the care-focused model, which replaces the court-based tort system, has drawn opposition from personal injury lawyers, governing United Conservative Party members who voted against it at an annual general meeting, and Opposition New Democrats who criticize it for prioritizing insurer profits.

Canadian diesel refiners churn out record profit margins, adding pressure on farmers, cost of goods

Source: Alberta - Edmonton Journal (Legislature & Capital)
Date: 2026-09-01 11:00:37.0
Tags: [Alberta, National, Energy, Economy, Agriculture, Transportation]

Canadian diesel refining margins reached record highs, topping an all-time high of 119.4 cents a litre on August 19 according to Kalibrate Canada, driven by supply constraints including knocked-out Russian refining capacity and Strait of Hormuz export disruptions. The price spike adds significant operational cost pressures on key sectors like agriculture—where Alberta farms had harvested only 1.1 per cent of major crops by August 18—as well as rail and trucking freight. Facilities such as the Sturgeon Refinery northeast of Edmonton, jointly owned by the Government of Alberta and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., produce approximately 40,300 barrels of diesel a day, but consumers continue to face retail prices averaging about $2.30 a litre due to fuel selling into global markets.