Speaking Municipally

We look at reaction to the Alberta government's directive to roll Edmonton's zoning bylaw back to its pre-2024 rules. Plus, advance voting is open for the referendum, and we examine the impact of agencies, boards and commissions in 2025.

(00:00) - Introduction

(01:15) - Ad: Inclusive Transportation with Veronica O. Davis

(01:53) - Zoning bylaw directive

(04:33) - Legal challenges and council's response

(10:48) - Councillors react

(14:38) - Business uncertainty

(16:27) - Referendum advance voting

(19:26) - Paula Simons on why voting matters

(25:07) - Agencies, boards and commissions

(26:53) - Council-directed funding and Station Lands

(30:18) - ABCs by the numbers

(34:39) - Close

Here are the relevant links for this episode:
Zoning and municipal autonomy
On the agenda: Municipal autonomy, funding outcomes, rezonings
Keith Gerein: Premier Smith's edict is in — Edmonton is not allowed to be Edmonton
Edmonton could be taking province to court over infill decree
City of Edmonton may challenge provincial infill order in court
Reaction to the infill directive
Coun. Erin Rutherford's reaction on Bluesky
Coun. Ashley Salvador's reaction on Bluesky
Coun. Karen Principe's statement on Facebook
Coun. Thu Parmar's statement on Facebook
Coun. Thu Parmar's provincial infill update
Coun. Mike Elliott's statement on Facebook
Edmonton Neighbourhoods United's post on Facebook
Alberta referendum
Elections Alberta: 2026 referendum voter information
Your turn: Referendum mail-in ballots due, advance polls open soon
Elections Alberta: Notice of voting location closing time changes
Vote on Alberta's future brings together former premiers who once sparred in legislature
Carney to attend 'Forever Canadian' rallies in Alberta days before referendum
ABCs
Oct. 14 council agenda: Municipal Funding Arrangements Outcome Reporting — 2025
Station Lands
This episode is brought to you by the Office of Councillor Michael Janz. Join Veronica O. Davis, author of Inclusive Transportation, on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. to explore how transportation can connect communities and what better transit could look like in Edmonton's next four-year budget. Proceeds will go to Edmonton Transit Riders. Get your ticket today.
Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton. We deliver reliable intelligence about the Edmonton region. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!
Reach the Edmonton region with Taproot. Explore advertising and sponsorship opportunities to connect your organization, opportunity, or message with people who choose Taproot to stay informed and connected.

★ Support this podcast ★

The provincial government is forcing Edmonton to amend its zoning bylaw and restore minimum on-site parking requirements to appease infill critics. Plus, a study found that apartment and condo dwellers are only sorting a third of their waste correctly.

(00:00) - Introduction

(01:00) - Ad: Citadel Theatre

(02:22) - Zoning and parking rollback

(10:41) - Infill and municipal democracy

(20:17) - Edmonton's response and next steps

(26:40) - Waste sorting in apartments and condos

(32:10) - Single-use items and the bag fee

(35:50) - 2027-2030 budget process

(38:28) - Bike plan funding

(41:39) - Sidewalk cycling and the public spaces bylaw

(45:11) - Edmonton's car-free mayor

(47:09) - Close

Here are the relevant links for this episode:
Zoning and parking
Growing neighbourhoods responsibly — provincial announcement
Growing responsibly — Oct. 8, 2026 news conference
2026 Q3 Edmonton building permit report — Jacob Dawang
Open Option Parking — City of Edmonton
Municipal autonomy and accountability
Councillor Accountability and Recall Advisor job posting
Modernizing municipal legislation across the province
Waste sorting
City council agenda and attachments for the waste characterization study
Apartment and condo waste collection — City of Edmonton
On the agenda: Waste, budget process, city manager's power
Single-use items and the bag fee
Bag fee for Edmonton businesses kept alive by narrow council vote
Budget planning
Edmonton's budget and finances, including the 2027-2030 budget
Cycling and public spaces
Edmonton Bike Plan
Public Spaces Bylaw — City of Edmonton
This episode is brought to you by Citadel Theatre. Our Little Secret is a new musical based on Noam Tomaschoff's true story: a DNA test revealed that he had dozens of siblings. After hits at the Toronto and Edinburgh fringes, the show comes to the Maclab stage from Oct. 15 to 25. Get your tickets today.
Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton. We deliver reliable intelligence about the Edmonton region. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!
Want to reach the smartest, most-engaged people in the Edmonton region? Learn more about advertising with Taproot Edmonton!

★ Support this podcast ★

The new owners of Edmonton City Centre proposed strict security measures at each entrance of the downtown mall, and councillors endorsed changing the definition of public space. Plus, an American company has a vision to turn an industrial park in northeast Edmonton into one of the largest data centre campuses in North America.

(00:00) - Introduction

(02:43) - Ad: Edmonton Startup Week

(04:11) - Public spaces bylaw review

(10:37) - Defining public and private spaces

(13:42) - City Centre security plans

(20:03) - Northeast Edmonton data centre proposal

(22:38) - Edmonton's industrial investment

(25:59) - Horse Hill, sprawl and land speculation

(28:47) - Data centre regulation and impacts

(34:49) - Transit Royale proposal

(40:57) - Close

Here are the relevant links for this episode:
Public spaces bylaw
Councillors endorse changes to public spaces bylaw
City reviews public spaces bylaw amid concerns it unfairly targets homeless residents
Proposed public spaces bylaw amendments, including the definition of municipal public space
Parveen Parmar addresses councillors on bylaw fines (video)
Edmonton City Centre
50-storey towers, new security approach part of developer's plans for Edmonton City Centre
City Centre security discussion on Instagram
Data centres
Data centre campus proposed in northeast Edmonton
Edmonton Energy and Technology Park AI data centre amendment — learn more and share feedback until Oct. 25
Walton's proposed area structure plan amendment (PDF)
Northeast Edmonton could become one of North America's largest data centre districts
Mack's 2013 reflections on the Horse Hill area structure plan and sprawl
Transit app
Executive committee agenda: ETS Transit App Single Source Procurement
City report on the proposed Transit Royale and rider research agreement
Transit Royale FAQ, including free community subscriptions for riders who cannot afford it
Support local news
Become a Taproot Edmonton member
This episode is brought to you by Edmonton Startup Week. From Oct. 5 to 9, founders, innovators, investors, students, and big thinkers will come together for workshops, panels, showcases, social gatherings, and more. The week includes a kickoff showcasing this year's top 10 companies and a farm-inspired "Coming Home" launch party at Edmonton Unlimited on Oct. 8. Pick sessions that match your interests, and leave room for something unexpected. Explore the full calendar

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton. We deliver reliable intelligence about the Edmonton region. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!
Want to reach the smartest, most-engaged people in the Edmonton region? Learn more about advertising with Taproot Edmonton!

★ Support this podcast ★

Stephanie is back! We chat about some of the big and small municipal news you might have missed in the past month. Plus, we hear all about Stephanie's travels and her fresh reflections on cities and how Edmonton stacks up.

(00:00) - Introduction

(01:59) - Ad: Shadow Theatre

(03:58) - Europe through an Edmonton lens

(08:58) - Bike infrastructure

(10:40) - Patios and pedestrian life

(13:45) - Bridges

(17:31) - Street-level trains and transit

(21:46) - Ad: Wills Week

(23:50) - Former mayors and downtown

(30:01) - Downtown traffic and construction

(36:02) - Referendum

(37:15) - Pit Tour and close

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Europe through an Edmonton lens
Old Strathcona Public Realm Strategy
Council decides against pause in patio fees
Patios on Public Space
Margaret Bridge refurbishment in Budapest
High Level Bridge Rehabilitation
Low Level Bridge Rehabilitation
Downtown Edmonton
Former Edmonton mayors discuss downtown, homelessness, and the city budget
Warehouse Park and surrounding street construction
Imagine Jasper Avenue
Referendum
Referendum information updates from Elections Alberta
Referendum mail-in ballot requests surpass 610,000
Pit Tour
Listen to the Pit Tour panel
This episode is brought to you by Shadow Theatre. Its 2026-27 season features four plays written by Canadians, with stories that are fearless, moving, and deeply human. New artistic director Lana Hughes has put together a season that reflects the country's humour, complexity, communities, and relationships. Subscribe today

This episode is also brought to you by Edmonton Community Foundation, which presents Wills Week from Oct. 5 to 9. Whether you're creating your first will or updating an existing one, free online and in-person sessions offer clear, expert guidance on wills, executorship, and estate planning. Learn more about Wills Week

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton. We deliver reliable intelligence about the Edmonton region. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!
Want to reach the smartest, most-engaged people in the Edmonton region? Learn more about advertising with Taproot Edmonton!

★ Support this podcast ★

This week, heritage advocate Andy Grabia talks about the fight to keep the University of Alberta's Casavant organ in Convocation Hall. We also look at Edmonton's uneasy relationship with its heritage and, a decade after Rogers Place opened, revisit the arena debate and the fate of Rexall Place.

(00:00) - Introduction

(00:32) - Ad: Life Sciences Week

(02:58) - Meet Andy Grabia

(04:33) - The fight to save the U of A’s memorial organ

(09:03) - A war memorial facing relocation

(13:44) - What exactly are they trying to preserve?

(17:53) - Can the province stop the move?

(20:14) - The university’s rationale—and time running out

(25:55) - Ad: Edmonton Startup Week

(26:41) - The state of heritage in Edmonton

(30:36) - What is worth preserving?

(36:16) - Rogers Place, ten years later

(39:18) - The arena’s economic impact and opportunity costs

(45:14) - The fate of Rexall Place

(47:06) - A call to action on heritage

(50:06) - Close

Here are the relevant links for this episode:
Andy Grabia
Unite for the Pipes
Why Downtown?
Memorial organ
U of A response to the Summerby-Murray report
Community members raise concerns about new home for U of A organ
Edmonton heritage
Heritage Places Strategy
Architecture bracket exposes history at risk
Council moves to end seven advisory boards
Rogers Place at 10
The agreement to build Rogers Place
Downtown Community Revitalization Levy projects
Rogers Place celebrates its 10th anniversary
This episode is brought to you by Life Sciences Week. From Sept. 21 to 25, industry leaders, policymakers, researchers, innovators, and students will come together for free, community-led events across Alberta. Explore cutting-edge breakthroughs, meet the people transforming bold ideas into real-world solutions, and help shape the future of Alberta's life sciences sector. Learn more

This episode is also brought to you by Edmonton Startup Week. From Oct. 5 to 9, Edmonton's founders, innovators, investors, students, and big thinkers will come together to learn, connect, and build momentum. Step in for candid panels and lunch-and-learns, step up through hands-on workshops and mentorship, and step forward at community meetups, Startup Crawl, Launch Party, and more. Wherever you are in your startup journey, there's a next step waiting for you. Learn more

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton. We deliver reliable intelligence about the Edmonton region. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!
Want to reach the smartest, most-engaged people in the Edmonton region? Learn more about advertising with Taproot Edmonton!

★ Support this podcast ★