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Happy Friday, Edmonton! T
Today's issue covers a story that is spreading through parent circles across the city, a federal housing push that Edmonton readers will want to watch closely, and a Middle East update that pulled in two directions at once. But first, we have a Local Love Spotlight that will make you think differently about something you walk past every single day. 💛
🚨 A Daycare Worker Has Been Charged With Sexual Assault. Edmonton Police Believe There Are More Victims.
Every parent in Edmonton and surrounding areas needs to know about this one.
A 21 year old teaching assistant, Kulraj Singh, was arrested April 21 after a parent reported an incident at a west Edmonton daycare on April 8. He is charged with sexual assault and sexual interference. His childcare certification has been suspended.
Singh also worked at a second daycare in central Edmonton. Police believe there may be more complainants and are asking anyone with information to call 780-423-4567 or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
The case has renewed calls for greater transparency around how daycares communicate incidents involving staff to parents.
If you know someone who may have been affected, please share this. 👇
🏗️ Edmonton Is Done Letting Problem Builders Off the Hook
The city has a new way to deal with contractors who cut corners and leave messes behind.
Edmonton is launching a Construction Accountability Program that flags repeat offenders for extra planning requirements, mandatory training and on site monitoring. Because permits cannot legally be denied based on past behaviour, this is the workaround.
The program follows a wave of complaints tied to infill development across Edmonton neighbourhoods. Further bylaw changes expected by 2027 could require repeat offenders to cover enforcement costs themselves.
BILD Edmonton Metro supports the intent but cautioned against creating barriers for builders already following the rules.
Is this enough accountability or does Edmonton need to go further? 👇
🐝 MacEwan University's Rooftop Beehives Just Turned 10 and Edmonton's Urban Beekeeping Scene Is Buzzing
A decade ago someone put beehives on a university rooftop in the middle of Edmonton. It turned out to be a great idea.
Students at MacEwan reopened their rooftop hives this week marking 10 years of the campus urban beekeeping program, now expanded to eight hives. The program produces honey sold on campus and one volunteer said it helped her overcome a lifelong fear of insects.
Edmonton now has over 200 licensed urban beekeepers across the city. Starting May 19, rules expand to allow up to two hives per residence.
Spring checks identify which colonies survived winter, with new bees added each season to boost diversity.
Would you ever keep bees in your backyard? Apparently a lot of your neighbours already are. 🐝👇
🏠 🏠 The Federal Government Just Approved 1,100 New Rental Homes in Ottawa. Is Edmonton Next?
The Carney government's housing push is moving from promises to shovels in the ground.
Build Canada Homes approved eight affordable housing projects in Ottawa Thursday, delivering over 1,100 new rental homes and exceeding initial targets by nearly 10 percent. Most break ground before the end of 2026.
Since launching seven months ago, the agency has committed to more than 10,000 units nationally through federal and municipal partnerships.
For Edmonton readers who just absorbed a 6.9 percent property tax increase, the question is simple: when does this program get here?
Do you think federal housing programs make a real difference on the ground in Edmonton? 👇
🌍 🌍 A Ceasefire Extended and a Shoot on Sight Order. The Middle East Had a Complicated Day.
Day 55 of the war and the situation shifted in two directions at once.
Israel and Lebanon met at the White House Thursday and agreed to extend their 10 day ceasefire by three more weeks. It is the first time the two countries have held direct talks at this level in decades.
At the same time, Trump posted that he has ordered the US Navy to shoot and kill any Iranian boats laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran called the directive an "overt breach of the ceasefire." Brent crude climbed past $105 a barrel.
For Alberta, higher oil prices support provincial revenues but keep pushing up costs at the pump and in the grocery aisle.
A diplomatic win in one corner and an escalation order in another. How do you read this one? 👇
Edmonton local Weather
Day⬇ 12° lower than historical avg, Night⬇4° lower than historical avg.
🌤️ Edmonton Weather - Friday April 24th
Friday brings a high right around 0°C with a 40 percent chance of snow and blustery winds making it feel even colder. If spring had you thinking the winter coat was done for the season, Edmonton has one more reminder that it is never quite finished with us yet. ❄️.
💛 LOCAL LOVE SPOTLIGHT — Pro Sign Services, Stony Plain Area
🪟 Your Sign Is Working Even When You Are Not. Meet the Man Behind Pro Sign Services.
Thomas did not set out to build a business around signs. He set out to make a difference for the small businesses that anchor communities like his, one storefront at a time.
Pro Sign Services, based just south of Stony Plain, does exactly what the name says. Thomas and his team install, maintain, and manufacture commercial signs for businesses across the region. But ask Thomas what the work is really about and he will tell you something that sticks with you.
"Your sign in front of the door is your hardest working salesperson," he says. "You want them to be in their best shape 24 to 7."
It is the kind of line that sounds simple until you think about it. A sign does not take a day off. It does not call in sick or get distracted. It is out there in the cold and the wind and the Edmonton spring snow, working for a business every single hour the doors are closed. And when it looks worn out, faded, or broken, it tells the same story whether the owner notices or not.
Thomas started Pro Sign Services with that insight at the heart of everything. The region around Stony Plain, Spruce Grove and Parkland County is full of small and medium businesses that compete every day for attention, customers and loyalty. A great sign does not just point people through the door. It tells them something about the business before they ever step inside.
The early days have been about building relationships and proving the model works. Thomas has focused on quick, meaningful fixes for local businesses, and he is honest about where the company is in its journey. "With small steps, we made a big impact," he says. "We started to make first steps towards achieving our business vision." There is something refreshing about a business owner who talks like that. No hype, no overreach. Just a clear sense of where he is going and genuine satisfaction in the steps that are getting him there.
Thomas has been building his network through local business events, including a recent BX gathering in Spruce Grove where he connected with other entrepreneurs in the community. His philosophy there matches his approach to everything else. "The more you share, the more positive feedback you receive." It is a mindset that fits naturally in the west Edmonton corridor, where small business communities tend to know each other and word of mouth still matters enormously.
Getting a quote from Pro Sign Services is designed to be easy. All it takes is a photo of your current signage and a quick note describing the situation. From there, Thomas and the team take it from there.
If you have a business in Stony Plain, Spruce Grove, Parkland County or anywhere in the surrounding area and your sign has seen better days, Pro Sign Services is worth a conversation.
📍 Based just south of Stony Plain, Alberta Reach out to Pro Sign Services to get your free quote started. https://www.prosignservices.ca/
All it takes is a photo and a quick note. 💛
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📅 Events Happening This Week in Edmonton
Friday, April 24
🎭 Shumka: Back to Our Roots 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 24 · ⏰ Evening · 📍 Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
A dance production celebrating Ukrainian movement, culture, and artistry🍫 ChocoFest 2026 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 24–25 · ⏰ All day · 📍 Millennium Place, Sherwood Park
Alberta’s premier chocolate tasting festival returns with artisanal confections and sweet experiences.🎤 Passion to Purpose LIVE 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 24–26 · ⏰ Various times · 📍 Edmonton
A hybrid event focused on clarity, confidence, and personal breakthrough across business and life.🎶 Lorna Shore 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 24 · ⏰ 7 PM · 📍 Edmonton Convention Centre
Metal show featuring Lorna Shore, Paleface Swiss, and Signs of the Swarm.Saturday, April 25
🎭 Shumka: Back to Our Roots 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 25 · ⏰ Evening · 📍 Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
Second night of the Ukrainian dance production.🍫 ChocoFest 2026 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 25 · ⏰ All day · 📍 Millennium Place, Sherwood Park
Last day to sample chocolate creations from makers and chocolatiers.🌾 Tofield Snow Goose Festival 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 25–26 · ⏰ Various times · 📍 Tofield
Spring migration festival celebrating the arrival of snow geese in the Beaverhill area.🔮 Awaken Events Psychic Fair & Celestial Market 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 25 · ⏰ 10 AM–5 PM · 📍 Smoky Lake Agricultural Arena
Tarot, oracle readings, intuitive sessions, workshops, and mystical handcrafted goods
📖 Story Corner
In 1992, British runner Derek Redmond was 26 years old and in the best shape of his life. The Barcelona Olympics 400 metre semifinal was his moment. He had trained for it for years, survived injuries that would have ended most careers, and he was ready.
Halfway through the race, his hamstring snapped. He went down hard. The race went on without him.
What happened next has never been forgotten. Derek got back up. He could barely stand. He was in obvious agony. But he started hobbling toward the finish line anyway, one painful step at a time, while the crowd of 65,000 people fell completely silent.
Then a man broke through the security barrier and ran onto the track. It was his father, Jim.
Jim put his arm around his son and said something only Derek could hear. And together, father and son walked the rest of the race. Derek was crying. Jim was holding him up. The crowd came to their feet.
Derek did not finish the race in any official sense. He was disqualified. There was no medal, no time on the board.
But 65,000 people gave him a standing ovation anyway. Because they understood that what they had just witnessed had nothing to do with winning.
It had everything to do with not quitting.
Whatever you are working through this week, keep going. Even slowly. Even with help. The finish line still matters.