EDMONTON – Edmonton Oilers defenceman Duncan Keith told reporters on Friday he wished the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) had shown more support for players who wanted to remain unvaccinated against COVID-19.

The 38-year-old defenceman made the remarks after skating at Rogers Place for the first time as an Edmonton Oilers player. 

Keith missed the start of training camp because he took extra time with his decision to get vaccinated for COVID-19.

The veteran hockey player said he struggled with his decision because he spent years taking care of his body and building up his immune system. 

“To have to basically take the vaccine to play hockey, for me was frustrating in a lot of ways,” Keith told reporters on Friday. “But at the same time, I’m excited to be here.

“You definitely don’t expect a year where you’re in a position where you have to make a medical decision just to play hockey,” said Keith. “I feel like that decision, it should be a choice.” 

Keith said over the summer the NHLPA pressured him to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

“It would have been nice to have a little more pushback from the (NHLPA), to support the guys that felt strong in their belief that, you know for different reasons, on whether to get it or not,” he said. “There was pressure from the Players’ Association to get it.”

“I don’t want to make it about this vaccine,” Keith added. “I’m here, I’m ready to play, I’m excited to get going now.”

The veteran defenceman said sitting out was not ideal, but he did what he could to stay in shape.

“Working hard in the gym and riding the bike, doing all the things that I would normally do in the offseason for training.”

The Oilers traded for Keith with Chicago on July 12 for defenceman Caleb Jones and a third-round draft pick.

Keith is expected to join the rest of his new team sometime next week.

EDMONTON – Advance voting for Edmonton’s municipal election starts on Monday. 

From Oct. 4 to Oct. 13, eligible voters can head to advance voting stations to have their say. 

Polls will be open every day from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., including Thanksgiving Day.

One voting station has been assigned for each of Edmonton’s 12 wards.

This week the city began delivering nearly 500,000 voter information cards to Edmontonians. The cards include information on where to vote, who can vote and what to bring to a voting station.

“Voters are going to need to bring a piece of identification that has both their name and residential address on it,” Aileen Griesbrecht, returning officer and city clerk for the City of Edmonton, told reporters on Friday morning. 

Griesbrecht said lineups to vote for the election will be organized outside voting stations to limit the spread of COVID-19.

“The safety of all voters and workers continues to be our top priority,” she said. “Edmonton elections will abide by provincial public health measures, city bylaws and safe practices which does include wearing a mask when inside the voting station.”

If you experience symptoms consistent with those of COVID-19 on election day, you’re asked to call 311 to make alternative arrangements to vote.

This year’s election will include a new wait-time feature to help voters plan ahead.

Starting on Oct. 4, anyone can check online to see an estimated wait-time for each voting station. 

TWO BALLOTS 

This election will have Edmonton voters mark two ballots.

Voters will use one ballot to select their choice for mayor, councillor and school trustee.

The other is the provincial ballot. That ballot will allow voters to select up to three Senate nominees who may be appointed to the Senate, as well as to answer two referendum questions.   

Last week, the city posted a full list of candidates including 11 mayoral candidates, 74 council candidates, 40 Public School Board trustee candidates, and eight Edmonton Catholic School Board trustee candidates. 

Election day in Edmonton is Oct. 18.

EDMONTON – Alberta Health is expected to report its latest COVID-19 data on Friday at 3:30 p.m.

The province enters the month of October with 20,255 active cases and 1,083 patients in hospital, including 263 in ICU.

On Thursday, Alberta reported 1,706 new cases and 20 more deaths, raising the death toll to 2,717.

In a Thursday afternoon press conference, Premier Jason Kenney also announced the Canadian Armed Forces, Red Cross and Newfoundland and Labrador would help Alberta’s strained health-care system.

The government also said all Alberta public service employees would have to show proof of vaccination or a negative test by next month.

EDMONTON – Alberta reported 1,630 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, as active cases declined slightly to 20,215.

Alberta Health said around 15,857 tests were completed Thursday, giving the province a positivity rate of 11.12 per cent.

Hospitalizations declined slightly on Friday, as 1,066 people were in hospital being treated for COVID-19, compared to 1,083 on Thursday. The number of people in ICU remained steady at 263 — the third highest amount of patients to date.

Fourteen new deaths were reported Friday, raising the provincial total to 2,731.

The Edmonton zone leads the province for active cases with more than 5,000. The Calgary zone has 4,834 active infections while the North zone has 4,015.

The Edmonton zone also has the most patients in hospital, with 316, and the most in ICU, 115. The Calgary zone and Central zone have 284 and 186, respectively.

No other zone has more than 100 patients in ICU, while Calgary has 91.

The province has administered more than 6.08 million total doses of COVID-19 vaccines, with 74.5 per cent of those aged 12 and older being fully vaccinated.

 In a Thursday afternoon press conference, Premier Jason Kenney also announced the Canadian Armed Forces, Red Cross and Newfoundland and Labrador would help Alberta’s strained health-care system.

The government also said all Alberta public service employees would have to show proof of vaccination or a negative test by next month.

Source:Alberta Health data, Graphic: Matthew Black/CTV News; updated Oct. 1. Second wave taken as starting Oct. 3, 2020. Third wave taken as starting as March 11, 2021. Fourth wave taken as starting July 1, 2021.

EDMONTON – October tends to be the month with the biggest change from beginning to end and this year will probably be no different.

The average high drops from 14 degrees on Oct. 1 to just 4 degrees on Oct. 31.

We’ll start October 2021 with a few slightly warmer-than-average days.

But, there’s some cooler air just around the corner.

Daytime highs are projected to be in the mid to upper teens today and Saturday. Sunday/Monday/Tuesday should be in the low to mid teens.

Then…it appears we’ll see morning lows consistently around freezing and afternoon highs in the 8 to 12 degree range Wed/Thu/Fri and beyond.

Edmonton and area should stay dry through most of the next 3 to 5 days.

However, there’s a SLIGHT risk of a scattered shower in the area Sunday afternoon.

We’re leaving it out of the forecast for now (because the risk is so low).

But, if you have outdoor plans for Sunday afternoon, check the latest forecast Sunday morning just to make sure that risk hasn’t changed.

Here’s the forecast for Edmonton:

Today – Mainly sunny.

High: 17

Tonight – A few clouds.

9pm: 10

Saturday – Partly cloudy with increasing afternoon cloud.

Morning Low: 5

Afternoon High: 17

Sunday – Partly cloudy.

Morning Low: 3

Afternoon High: 16

Monday – Partly cloudy.

Morning Low: 2

Afternoon High: 14

Tuesday – Partly cloudy.

Morning Low: 3

Afteroon High: 13

Wednesday – Mostly cloudy.

Morning Low: 0

Afteroon High: 10