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Hey neighbour!
It is a gorgeous Thursday morning and there is a lot happening across Edmonton and Sherwood Park today. The hospitals are quietly changing how they operate, city council made a big call last night, and if you have been watching oil prices, you will want to read all the way to the bottom. Pull up a chair. Let's go.💛
The One Bag Rule Is Spreading Across Edmonton ERs
What started at the Royal Alexandra is now showing up at two more of Edmonton's busiest hospitals.
Stollery Children's Hospital and the University of Alberta Hospital both rolled out the one-bag, one-visitor rule in their emergency rooms on May 5
Patients and visitors are each limited to a single bag before entering the ER, with exceptions for medical devices, medications and child-care items
Security staff can hold extra bags, and the goal is simple: clear floors, less crowding, more space for the people who actually need care
This is the kind of quiet but meaningful change that makes a real difference to nurses and patients in already stretched emergency rooms. Worth knowing about before you or someone you love has to go in.
Have you noticed a difference at any of these hospitals lately? Reply and tell me what you have seen.
Sherwood Park Hospital Just Got a Growth Plan Worth Watching
The Strathcona Community Hospital is getting bigger and Alberta just put the first money on the table to make it happen.
The province committed $2 million on May 5 to begin planning a major expansion that would add up to 120 new inpatient beds plus shelled space for 32 more
The plan also includes new surgical suites capable of more than 4,100 surgeries a year, two endoscopy rooms, expanded imaging, lab and pharmacy services, and integrated mental health supports
A business plan is expected to be ready for next year's provincial budget submission
For Sherwood Park residents who have been watching their community grow for years, this is the kind of infrastructure news that actually keeps up. It is still in the planning stage but the money is moving. That matters.
This is a big step for Strathcona County. Thoughts? Drop them in the Facebook comments.
Edmonton's Drug Deaths Are Going the Wrong Way
New data landed on May 6 and the numbers are hard to sit with.
Edmonton recorded 764 drug poisoning deaths in 2025, nearly matching the city's all-time record, even as deaths fell across most of Canada
Carfentanil is a major driver. In 2024, it showed up in 16 percent of Edmonton's opioid deaths. By early 2025, that number had climbed to 70 percent
Carfentanil is up to 100,000 times stronger than morphine and standard naloxone doses often cannot reverse an overdose
The rest of Canada is slowly turning a corner on this. Edmonton is not. That gap is worth paying attention to and asking hard questions about.
Read the full breakdown and share it with someone who needs to see it.
Windsor Park Gets a 25-Storey Tower. Council Said Yes.
After a packed public hearing where the Windsor Park neighbourhood was very divided, Edmonton city council voted unanimously on May 6 to approve the Windsor Heights development.
The tower at 117 Street and 87 Avenue will rise 25 storeys, down from the original 32 after community feedback, and will replace an existing strip mall near the Health Sciences LRT station
Inside: 285 rental units, 250 underground parking stalls and up to 24,000 square feet of retail space
Council acknowledged resident concerns about shading and traffic but pointed to the transit access and the city's serious shortage of rental housing
Love it or hate it, this one is happening. And if you live near Windsor Park, the skyline is about to change.
Where do you land on this one? Let us know in the comments.
Carney is Not Ready to Call It on MAID for Mental Illness
The federal government has been circling this question for years and it is still not resolved.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said on May 6 that he will not take a position yet on whether people whose only diagnosis is a mental illness should be able to access medical assistance in dying
A joint Senate and House committee is currently studying whether Canada is ready for the expansion, which is already scheduled for March 2027 after being delayed more than once
Most of the psychiatrists and physicians who have testified told the committee Canada is not ready, pointing to how difficult it is to determine whether a mental illness is truly irremediable
This one lands close to home. Edmonton doctors have been vocal about MAID for a while now. The committee is hoping to deliver its final report before summer. Worth keeping an eye on.
Day 68- Oil Just Dropped 7 Percent and Albertans Should Know Why
The most significant oil price move in weeks happened yesterday and it started with a peace signal from Washington.
Brent crude fell over 7 percent on May 6 to land around $101 a barrel, down from a peak near $118 just days ago, as reports spread that the US and Iran are close to a one-page memorandum of understanding
President Trump paused Operation Project Freedom, the US military escort effort through the Strait of Hormuz that was launched only a day earlier, citing genuine progress in negotiations
Iran's foreign ministry said it was "evaluating" Washington's proposal. Trump also made clear that if talks collapse, strikes will resume at a much higher level
For Alberta, $101 oil is still strong by any historical measure. But the direction matters. A real deal and an open Strait would change the energy picture significantly. This one is still moving fast.
What does $101 oil actually mean for you this week? Hit reply and tell me.
YOUR TURN 💌
The conversation continues on Facebook after each issue drops. Come tell us what you think about today's stories. All perspectives welcome.
Edmonton local Weather
Day ⬆4° higher than historical avg, Night⬆4° higher than historical avg.
🌤️ Edmonton Weather - Thursday May 7th
Thursday is looking bright and mild for Edmonton and surrounding areas. Expect a mix of sun and clouds throughout the day with a high around 22C and a low dropping to around 6C overnight. A good day to get outside before the evening cools down.
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📅 Events Happening This Week in Edmonton
Thursday, May 7
🧵 Shop Oddbird Art & Craft Fair 🎟️ Details
🗓 May 7–10 · ⏰ Various times · 📍 Old Strathcona Performing Arts Centre
A huge handmade market with 70+ artists, designers, and makers from Edmonton and beyond.🎭 Edmonton Jewish Film Festival 🎟️ Details
🗓 May 7 · ⏰ Various screenings · 📍 Edmonton (venue varies)
The festival continues with more film screenings and events
Friday, May 8
🎨 Oddbird Art & Craft Fair 🎟️ Details
🗓 May 8–10 · ⏰ 10 AM–6 PM · 📍 Old Strathcona Performing Arts Centre (8426 Gateway Blvd NW)
A huge indie art market with 70+ artists, designers, and makers from Edmonton and beyond. Admission is $5.🧪 Dark Matters: Science Is Dope 🎟️ Details
🗓 May 8 · ⏰ 7 PM · 📍 TELUS World of Science
An adults-only science night with interactive activities, expert talks, laser shows, artisan market energy, and liquid nitrogen ice cream.🎭 Ballet Edmonton: Lumen 🎟️ Details
🗓 May 8–10 · ⏰ Evening · 📍 Edmonton (venue varies)
Ballet Edmonton closes its season with new works choreographed by Diego Ramalho.
Saturday, May 9
🏺 Wildrose Antique Collectables Sale 🎟️ Details
🗓 May 8–9 · ⏰ Daytime · 📍 Edmonton area venue
A vintage-lover’s weekend with appraisals, collector displays, and antique hunting.🍳 Mother’s Day Brunch on the Edmonton Riverboat 🎟️ Details
🗓 May 9–10 · ⏰ Brunch hours · 📍 Edmonton Riverboat
A scenic brunch cruise to celebrate Mother’s Day early, with river views and a more memorable meal than a normal restaurant.🎭 PepperMUNT Late Night Cabaret 🎟️ Details
🗓 May 9 · ⏰ Late night · 📍 Walterdale Theatre
Experimental theatre meets live music in a playful, offbeat cabaret format.🎭 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 🎟️ Details
🗓 May 6–9 · ⏰ Evening · 📍 SCA Performing Arts
A family-friendly musical for kids and adults, running right through this weekend🧒 Get Ready in the Park 🎟️ Details
🗓 May 10, but worth flagging for the weekend planning · ⏰ Daytime · 📍 Edmonton park location
Emergency-preparedness family event with fire trucks, responders, and hands-on activities.
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SPOTTED IN EDMONTON 📸
Spring is doing its thing all over this city and we want to see it through your eyes.
Whether it is wildflowers poking up through a crack in a Sherwood Park sidewalk, kids splashing in a puddle near Spruce Grove, or that one perfect tree in your Edmonton neighbourhood that explodes in pink every May without fail, we want the photo.
This week's prompt: Show us your favourite sign that spring has fully arrived in Edmonton and surrounding areas.
Drop your photo in the comments on our Facebook page or reply directly to this email with your shot. We will share our favourite in a future issue. 📷