EDMONTON – Roadway maintenance and construction season in Edmonton continues, yet, the city has issued zero photo radar speeding tickets within construction zones this year.

The City of Edmonton currently lists 213 traffic disruptions and has approximately 975 active on-street construction and maintenance permits, but according to city administration, there are no photo radar stations installed in or near construction zones.

In December 2019, the United Conservative Party government implemented a moratorium on new photo radar locations throughout the province.

“Due to this moratorium, the city has been unable to create any new automated enforcement sites since that time, including sites related to construction,” said Jessica Lamarre, Edmonton’s director of safe mobility, in a statement to CTV News.

“Given the ongoing moratorium, there is no automated enforcement for construction zones in 2021, but the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) continues to have the authority to enforce speed limits in these locations,” Lamarre added.

From 2017 to 2020, more than 77,700 tickets were issued in construction zones across the city. The number of tickets was highest in 2017 with 29,878 but has declined year-over-year with only 1,935 issued in 2020.

Lamarre said the tickets issued in 2020 were allowed under the moratorium since the automated photo radar was placed in locations previously in use.

The city has not received any timeline on when the moratorium will be lifted.

Rob Williams, press secretary to the minister of transportation, told CTV News in a statement that the intent was to keep the moratorium in place until Nov. 30 this year or until changes to automated traffic enforcement could be made.

“Those talks are ongoing,” Williams said. “If there are concerns with speeding in construction zones, the City can work with the Edmonton Police Service to use conventional speed enforcement to keep workers safe.”

CTV News reached out to EPS for the number of tickets they have issued in construction zones for 2021, but it was unable to provide that data.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Ryan Harding

EDMONTON – A woman was killed and two people have been taken to hospital after a head-on collision north of Edmonton early Sunday morning.

RCMP said they responded to the two-vehicle collision involving a Ford F-150 and Jeep Grand Cherokee at the intersection of Highway 28 and Sturgeon Road around 12:30 a.m.

The woman driving the Jeep died on scene shortly after the collision occurred, police said. The passenger in her vehicle, a child, was injured and airlifted by STARS to the Stollery Children’s Hospital.

The man driving the F-150 was taken to hospital with unknown injuries, Mounties added.

The highway intersection was closed for several hours as RCMP investigated.

According to police, alcohol is believed to be a factor. The collision remains under investigation.

EDMONTON – The second annual Mural Massive Festival, a celebration of murals in Edmonton along 81 Avenue and 101 Street, kicked off in Edmonton Saturday.

The event featured live music, an indoor art auction and, naturally, murals. There are 17 murals being painted in the city over the weekend, 12 of them are being painted at the festival.

“The event started because we wanted to get our building painted last year and we kind of built a festival around it,” said Byron Martin, the festival director and artistic director for the Grindstone Theatre.

“It was just really popular last year so everyone was asking for us to do it again.”

The festival is being put on by the Grindstone Theatre Society in partnership with Min Bid Art Auctions and the Old Strathcona Business Association.

“We love this area of West Ritchie and 81 Avenue, there’s lots of awesome businesses along this street so we love partnering with them and bringing more people down to the area,” said Martin. “It’s nice just to celebrate art, culture and bring people together in a safe way.”

Some of the murals being painted were going up on the West Ritchie Community Garden, the South Trade Centre and the Ritchie Community League.

The festival is open again on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Admission is $25 per person, or $10 for artists and students.

 A smaller block party is also being held downtown near the 104 Street Market on Sept. 18, where one more mural is being done.

EDMONTON – Rene Paredes kicked six field goals and Stefen Banks had four sacks and a fumble recovery as the Calgary Stampeders came away with a 32-16 victory over the rival Edmonton Elks on Saturday.

The Stamps got a measure of revenge for last Monday’s 32-20 Labour Day loss to Edmonton.

The Stampeders (2-4) snapped a two-game losing skid and avoided losing both ends of the Labour Day series with Edmonton, something which last occurred in 2004.

The Elks (2-3) had a two-game winning streak halted.

Bo Levi Mitchell went 22 for 41 for 276 yards, a touchdown and an interception for Calgary. Trevor Harris went 17 for 25 passing with 221 yards and an interception for Edmonton.

The game got off to a very sluggish start.

Edmonton got on the board first on a 29-yard Whyte field goal midway through the opening quarter. Paredes responded with a 42-yard field goal for Calgary.

Whyte made it 6-3 for the Elks with a 41-yarder to open up the second quarter. Once again, Paredes drew his team even with a 46-yard field goal of his own.

Paredes booted a 44-yarder to put the Stampeders up 9-6 at the half.

Calgary recorded the game’s first touchdown four minutes into the third quarter.

A Richard Leonard interception of a Harris pass eventually led to a two-yard plunge into the end zone by backup QB Jake Maier, briefly replacing Mitchell, who returned to action after missing the last three weeks with a broken leg.

Paredes added a 35-yard field goal 10 minutes into the third quarter to put the Stamps up 19-6.

Sean Whyte kicked his third field goal of the night to close out the third, a 24-yarder.

Edmonton got its first interception of the season early in the fourth, and it was a big one as Trumaine Washington picked off Mitchell and took it back 47 yards for the pick six to cut Calgary’s lead to three.

However, another pair of field goals by Paredes from 43 and 41 yards out and a last minute 50-yard TD pass from Mitchell to Kamar Jorden allowed the Stamps to pull away for the win.

The Stampeders return to action on Friday when they head to Hamilton. The Elks remain at home to host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2021

EDMONTON – Edmonton firefighters and loved ones gathered to honour and remember those lost in the line of duty in our city and those who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks 20 years ago.

“It is extremely important that we recognize on an annual basis those members of our organization, as well as EPS and AHS, to who have sacrificed for their service,” said Brad Kitiuk, acting fire chief.

“Over time we bear a lot of trauma of the calls we go to,” he added. “Mental health is a hidden impact to all of us and we need to take care of ourselves.”

The names of 28 local active firefighters and retired members were read and followed by the ringing of a bell by a family member or loved one to signify their last alarm.

Hundreds attended the annual ceremony, including Mayor Don Iveson, Edmonton Strathcona MP Heather McPherson, and NDP leader Rachel Notley.

Edmonton firefighters marched from the Connaught Armoury after 10 a.m. and arrived in front of the memorial plaza in Old Strathcona for the ceremony.

The High Level Bridge will also be lit up in red Saturday evening to honour the sacrifices of fallen firefighters.

The memorial plaques inscribed with the names of all Edmonton firefighters killed in the line of duty were stolen from the bell tower this summer. During the ceremony on Saturday, Noel Bugnet, chairman of the Edmonton Firefighters Memorial Society, shared that the four plaques will be replaced with something much “bigger and better.”

Bugnet added that it was because of community support and donations that the plaques could be replaced and that the project will be completed by the end of October.