Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 19h

If you're a Taproot member, you can join my 12pm chat with former councillors Jon Dziadyk and Bev Esslinger. We'll talk about the election, and the inside workings of city hall and admin. Check your email for a link! If you're not a Taproot member, well, why not? 🤔

Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 21h

"Councillors and their election make no difference to this entity, it is just 'kabuki theatre'."

Comment about how city administration works, or doesn't.

Does the election truly "make no difference" for admin? Leave a comment!

edmonton.taproot.news/briefs/2025/...

City pilot to grow non-residential tax base has 'jaws dropping': Developer

As Edmonton heads toward an election, its city administration has an interesting plan to "grow the pie" on non-residential taxes in order to solve its ongoing construction chaos, Stewart Fraser, vice-...

edmonton.taproot.news

Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 22h

*raises hand sheepishly

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Knack ahead of Cartmell in Edmonton mayoral race where many remain undecided: poll | CBC News

New polling data suggests Andrew Knack is leading the race for Edmonton's next mayor among decided and leaning voters. But the same poll suggests almost half of voters are undecided.

www.cbc.ca

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 1d

I still think a city-run ebike system is the first/last mile program that would make transit more usable for more people.

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 1d

There is still a place for cars and there always will be. Cars are incredible to go longer distances with many people and carrying a lot of things.

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 1d

This is not at all surprising for anyone who thinks we can move differently within cities in the future. Ebikes in particular are changing the entire conversation. The reflexive rejection of using a bike for things we use cars for is getting less convincing.

www.economist.com/internationa...

Forget EVs. Cycling is revolutionising transport

Pedal power is booming, spinning up a new culture war

www.economist.com

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 1d

I remember a campaign that arrived in my school to help name the thing. Yes, I'm that old.

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 2d

That is quite the pie chart.

edmonton.taproot.news/news/2025/10...

Disclosures show Cartmell pulled in $834K — about half of all campaign contributions

Interim disclosures filed with the City of Edmonton show that mayoral candidate Tim Cartmell has raised significantly more than his rivals during the 2025 election campaign.

edmonton.taproot.news

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 2d

How voters react to increases in property taxes, and how politicians react to infrastructure needs as a result, feel less examined than it should be when it comes to const. chaos. Becoming less reliant on property taxes feels important as a result.

More here: edmonton.taproot.news/briefs/2025/...

City pilot to grow non-residential tax base has 'jaws dropping': Developer

As Edmonton heads toward an election, its city administration has an interesting plan to "grow the pie" on non-residential taxes in order to solve its ongoing construction chaos, Stewart Fraser, vice-...

edmonton.taproot.news

3

Reposted by Tim Querengesser

Courtney Theriault @ctheriault.bsky.social · 3d

Honey, wake up, new potential Alberta referendum on ending private school funding just dropped.

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 3d

Bike lanes, well-lit crosswalks, and slower speeds are basically the same as airbags, anti-lock brakes, and stability control for cars. When it comes to cars, you can't sell them without these safety features in 2025. And yet.

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 3d

How dare you walk to school!

Robson Fletcher @robsonfletcher.com · 3d

Police in Airdrie, Alberta (just north of Calgary) say this driver hit a 17-year-old girl in a marked crosswalk, got out of the vehicle, and appeared to get upset at the teenager before driving away.

They released this video and are now trying to identify the driver.

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 3d

From my own experience: This situation makes taking a feverish/sick kid to the ER even more fraught.

www.ctvnews.ca/calgary/arti...

‘Outbreak in Alberta was preventable’: AMA president criticizes province’s handling of measles outbreak, premier defends it

The new president of the Alberta Medical Association shared some sharp criticisms on social media Friday of the way the province has managed the measles outbreak.

www.ctvnews.ca

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 4d

My future replies:

a woman in a pink shirt is speaking into a microphone and saying how dare you

ALT: a woman in a pink shirt is speaking into a microphone and saying how dare you

media.tenor.com

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 4d

I'm that outsider who's unconvinced the mega player approach is going to win it. We lost to a team that had insane depth. 🤷‍♂️

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 4d

Interesting discussion related to the strike here on Alberta and charter schools:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKoI...

How Long Could the Alberta Teachers Strike Last?

YouTube video by Real Talk Ryan Jespersen

www.youtube.com

Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 4d

Having moved from this area to Edmonton, the potential to do far better than this in that region is, relatively speaking, huge. But the 401 continues to be the main artery.

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 7d

It’s one of the most interesting and under-examined dynamics here. I recall discussing getting a bikeshare motion to go admin and councillors calculating how to get admin to do what they wanted rather than kill it quietly. Eye opening experience.

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 7d

I feel seen and also offended.

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 7d

That vision zero target feels pretty impossible at this point.

edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n...

Police investigating after senior struck and killed by truck in south Edmonton

The collision occurred just before 6:30 a.m. on Friday. Police believe lighting was a factor in the crash that killed the 73-year-old man.

edmontonjournal.com

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Reposted by Tim Querengesser

Monica Maalouf, MD @maaloufmd.bsky.social · 7d

My husband was detained by ICE today

Juan Muñoz, an American citizen, father of 2, and local government official, was peacefully protesting w. other elected officials. He was assaulted and taken away

I have had zero contact or updates since

#SOS
@duckworth.senate.gov @durbin.senate.gov

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 7d

Seeing some frustration with city admin come out from those running in the campaign for spots on council or as mayor.

Do you feel your vote matters for how city admin works? Should it?

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 7d

Who is Stephen Carter working for/with in the Edmonton election?

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 7d

Explaining a teacher strike to our 5yo.

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Tim Querengesser @timquerengesser.bsky.social · 8d

“Living through the rise of a dictatorship just means inhabiting a space that is gradually shrinking. There’s no point in resisting, not at first. You just make do with whatever breathing room you still have—until you lose that too.”

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Authoritarianism Feels Surprisingly Normal—Until It Doesn’t

Life in Venezuela was deceptively mundane. Then everything collapsed.

www.theatlantic.com