At a Glance - Week of August 28, 2024
Calgary Mayor Elected to International Board
During her trip to Norway to attend the World Energy Cities Partnership, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek was successfully elected as vice president for the organization. According to the organization’s website, “WECP cities are home to many of the world’s largest energy companies which are leading initiatives to build a lower-carbon energy future, developing the full range of energy sources to power the world today and into tomorrow.”
There are 18 member cities worldwide, including fellow Canadian municipalities Halifax and St. John’s.
Speaking to her election, Mayor Gondek said “with this role, I’ll be able to help lend Calgary’s expertise to the world, and help accelerate the transfer of knowledge we have in this city to other cities in the realm of clean tech and decarbonization.” She also told media that she hopes Calgary will put in a bid to host the next AGM.
Long-COVID Program Closed
Alberta Health Services has confirmed that an interdisciplinary outpatient program designed to support long COVID outpatients has come to an end. The temporary program was set up in 2021 to provide support for those suffering with long-COVID symptoms.
While there is no cure for long-COVID at this time, the program itself was created to support patients managing their individual symptoms.
In a statement to various media outlets, Alberta Health Services wrote that “the health and well-being of our patients remain a priority, and we are committed to ensuring they receive the support they need during this transition.”
No Vaccine Changes Coming – Province
A recent podcast appearance by an Alberta MLA has resulted in a formal statement being released by the Ministry of Health. In July, MLA Eric Bouchard appeared on a podcast where one of the discussion points was the COVID-19 vaccine program that suggested he would like to see the vaccine removed from the province and that “the wheels are in motion”.
The Health Minister’s office responded to the statements by saying “this vaccine will continue to be a choice that Albertans can make” and “Alberta’s government is not considering any changes to COVID-19 vaccine funding or access.”
MLA Bouchard’s office later clarified that “I have consistently supported informed consent and opposed mandates, and I am pleased with the progress being made to safeguard Albertans’ right to make their own health care decisions through the updated Bill of Rights.”
City of Edmonton Receives National Recognition
According to a release issued by the City of Edmonton, the Alberta Capital has been recognized by Maclean’s magazine as one of the ten “Best Affordable Places to Live in Canada”. In the city’s release, Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said “in 2022 alone, we welcomed more than 45,000 new residents, who chose to move here for reasons including affordability, access to services, a thriving economy and more. They stayed for the community, the warm and welcoming people and a quality of life enriched by festivals, arts and culture and the beautiful scenery that surrounds us."
The other municipalities that made the list include Charlottetown, Halifax, St. Catherines, Quebec City, Sherbrooke, Kingston, Fredericton, Windsor, and Regina.
In Maclean’s reasons for including Edmonton, they indicate that “people may move to Edmonton for economic reasons, but they tend to stay for the city’s character. Situated up above the 53rd parallel, Edmonton’s relative isolation has led to a do-it-ourselves civic culture, with patriotic pro sports teams and a bumper crop of festivals, including the largest Fringe in North America. Plus, when it gets too cold, there’s a pretty big mall to hide out in.”