Keith Gerein
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keithgerein.bsky.social
Keith Gerein
@keithgerein.bsky.social
680 followers 340 following 120 posts
Columnist, Edmonton Journal. I write about civic issues in #yeg and also coordinate our newsroom's features and investigations.
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Reposted by Keith Gerein
timquerengesser.bsky.social
By this time in the evening in 2021, we knew who was unofficially elected as mayor.

globalnews.ca/news/8266564...
Edmonton election 2021: Amarjeet Sohi elected mayor - Edmonton | Globalnews.ca
Mayor-elect Amarjeet Sohi is a familiar face, having previously served Edmonton both municipally and federally.
globalnews.ca
October 21, 2025 at 3:33 AM
keithgerein.bsky.social
For those #yeg folks planning to vote today, get to your polling station early and expect a wait. I showed up at mine at 1050 — normally a non-busy time and was met with a line 75 people deep. It’s not moving fast. #yegelxn #yegvote
October 20, 2025 at 5:29 PM
keithgerein.bsky.social
My final kick at the can in Edmonton's civic election. #yeg #yegelxn

edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...
Keith Gerein: My final analysis of a fascinating Edmonton mayor's race — it's about leadership
Edmonton's mayoral race with Tim Cartmell, Michael Walters and Andrew Knack has provided plenty strong debate on issues such as infill, taxes and public safety
edmontonjournal.com
October 18, 2025 at 5:26 PM
keithgerein.bsky.social
My latest on Edmonton's civic election. #yeg #yegelxn edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...
Keith Gerein: Party politics have proven to be strange experiment in Edmonton's civic election
The one major municipal political party in Edmonton has offered mixed messages on what it stands for, and how party dynamics might play out at city council
edmontonjournal.com
October 17, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Reposted by Keith Gerein
trevorrobb.bsky.social
Latest from @keithgerein.bsky.social — "The city is dealing with a trifecta of torment — high tax hikes, high levels of debt, and a long-term structural deficit in which its overall costs chronically outmatch the municipality's revenue."

#yeg #yegcc #yegvote

edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...
Keith Gerein: Edmonton's money woes need more than wishful thinking
Despite promises from contenders in Edmonton's municipal election, the city's financial issues will take years to fix.
edmontonjournal.com
October 14, 2025 at 6:22 PM
keithgerein.bsky.social
I have just returned from watching the latest Edmonton mayoral debate, this one at University of Alberta in front of about 200 people. Michael Walters, Tim Cartmell, Andrew Knack and Rahim Jaffer were the participants. I have a thread on what happened. #yeg #yegelxn 1/13
October 11, 2025 at 3:11 AM
Reposted by Keith Gerein
matthewblack.ca
And here's @keithgerein.bsky.social with his take on what we've learned from the three-part series

"An archaic consumer protection system built more for the protection of businesses and the convenience of the system itself, rather than the needs of the public"

#yeg
Keith Gerein: Alberta's malnourished restaurant inspection system has become indigestible
Alberta must make upgrades to its restaurant inspection system to improve transparency for diners and impose stricter enforcement on bad eateries
edmontonjournal.com
October 10, 2025 at 2:24 PM
keithgerein.bsky.social
On our second day of coverage looking into concerns with Alberta's restaurant inspection system, industry workers share their horror stories. edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n... #yeg #yegfood #ableg
'We can certainly make people sick': Edmonton restaurant workers sound alarm on food safety risks
Edmonton restaurant workers sound the alarm on unsafe food handling practices, insufficient training and how the system is failing diners
edmontonjournal.com
October 9, 2025 at 4:52 PM
keithgerein.bsky.social
My latest column on Edmonton's civic election. edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu... #yeg #yegelxn
Keith Gerein: Which of Edmonton's mayoral contenders has the right tack with the UCP government?
The Alberta's teachers' strike raises a fascinating election question — how do voters want the next Edmonton mayor to handle relations with Premier Danielle Smith?
edmontonjournal.com
October 9, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Reposted by Keith Gerein
trevorrobb.bsky.social
According to the data obtained and analyzed during this @edmontonjournal.com / @macewanu.bsky.social investigation, more than 250 food establishments across Edmonton went at least two years without seeing an inspector. #yeg

edmontonjournal.com/news/local-n...
Crawling bugs and half-baked enforcement: Alberta’s restaurant inspections a recipe for foodborne illness — Investigation
Lax inspections, excessive violations and poor transparency in Alberta's restaurant inspection system is a recipe for foodborne Illness
edmontonjournal.com
October 8, 2025 at 12:38 PM
keithgerein.bsky.social
Edmonton mayoral candidate Michael Walters came out with a strong — and possibly controversial — statement today, supporting Alberta teachers and calling on the province to come to the table with a fair deal. #yeg #yegelxn #abed 1/4
October 2, 2025 at 9:38 PM
keithgerein.bsky.social
For those still weighing their voting intentions on Edmonton incumbents, this look back at council's record of decisions over the past four years may help a bit. ...
edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu... via
@edmontonjournal
#yeg #yegelxn #yegcc
Keith Gerein: A dozen key votes that characterized the 2021-2025 Edmonton city council
Edmonton city council was known for a number of key votes on taxes, infrastructure, funding for Edmonton police and infill regulations
edmontonjournal.com
October 1, 2025 at 6:57 PM
keithgerein.bsky.social
Readers have been asking for my final assessment of city council to help them with their voting choices, so here it is. Along with a short thread.

There’s a lot to unpack from the past four years, more than I can cram into a single column. #yeg #yegelxn

edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...
Keith Gerein: Edmonton city council couldn't catch a break, but they also didn't make many of their own
Edmonton city council couldn't catch a break but they also didn't make many in the last term, a record that voters are weighing in the 2025 Edmonton election
edmontonjournal.com
September 27, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Reposted by Keith Gerein
carrietait.bsky.social
SCOOP: A consultant advising Alberta Health Services on private surgical facilities simultaneously negotiated with AHS on behalf of a company vying to open such a clinic, according to a confidential report obtained by The Globe.

www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...
Adviser on Alberta’s use of private clinics was also working for company vying for contract, confidential report says
Potential conflicts of interest outlined in document at centre of health procurement controversy
www.theglobeandmail.com
September 24, 2025 at 12:05 PM
keithgerein.bsky.social
Pity the 94 people who have stepped up to run for council in Edmonton's civic election. Will their efforts even matter, when the interfering UCP government keeps threatening to run everything itself. #yeg #yegcc #yegelxn
edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...
'Back to basics': Alberta to limit municipal property tax increases, eliminate conflicts
Premier Danielle Smith has tasked her municipal affairs minister with eliminating municipal conflicts, and limiting property tax increases.
edmontonjournal.com
September 23, 2025 at 12:08 AM
keithgerein.bsky.social
Tim Cartmell, Rahim Jaffer, Andrew Knack and Michael Walters faced off in another mayoral debate Wednesday night — the second in 5 days — this one hosted by Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations. Here's a thread on the event, since I won't have a column. #yeg #yegelxn 1/19
September 18, 2025 at 6:35 AM
keithgerein.bsky.social
After the city-Oilers-province finalized the Downtown investment deal (including event park), Mayor Amarjeet Sohi reports the premier is open to working with the city on a "phase two" deal. The idea is to give Edmonton equal treatment for the $330-million contribution to Calgary's arena. #yegcc #yeg
September 16, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Reposted by Keith Gerein
edmontonjournal.com
Keith Gerein: Edmonton mayoral debate begins to separate the contenders

edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...
Keith Gerein: Edmonton mayoral debate begins to separate the contenders
Some candidates had better nights than others at Edmonton's first major debate among the top five contenders to be the city's next mayor
edmontonjournal.com
September 16, 2025 at 5:16 PM
keithgerein.bsky.social
My latest.

edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...
Keith Gerein: Forget Texas, Alberta has its own gerrymandering effort underway against urban centres
Two UCP cabinet ministers want to create hybrid, rural-urban provincial ridings in Alberta in that may favour the party's political interests.
edmontonjournal.com
August 26, 2025 at 4:02 PM
keithgerein.bsky.social
BREAKING: Edmonton city council votes 9-4 to approve the master agreement with Oilers Entertainment Group, clearing the way for construction of the $250M Downtown event park, Village at Ice District land work, and demolition of the coliseum. #yegcc #yegc
August 25, 2025 at 10:16 PM
keithgerein.bsky.social
Back in 2023, I wrote a column (link below) about how Alberta's electoral map was already too heavily skewed toward rural ridings. Now, some in the UCP government want to widen that disparity.

Is it further gerrymandering? Sure feels like it.

edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu... #yeg #ableg
August 14, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Reposted by Keith Gerein
edmontonjournal.com
"It is not plain and obvious that the constitutional referendum proposal is constitutional"

edmontonjournal.com/news/politic...
Alberta judge upholds review of proposed separatist referendum question
Alberta's chief electoral officer referred a separatist group's proposed referendum question to the court to gauge its constitutionality.
edmontonjournal.com
August 14, 2025 at 5:40 PM
keithgerein.bsky.social
Not my opinion piece, but a good one. #yeg #yegcc

edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...
Opinion: Choose civility when electing your next city council
Citizens hold a powerful tool: the ability to choose civility at the ballot box.
edmontonjournal.com
August 12, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Reposted by Keith Gerein
edmontonjournal.com
Keith Gerein: How Edmonton's old CKUA building is being used to 'crowd-fund' Downtown revitalization

edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...
Keith Gerein: How Edmonton's old CKUA building is being used to 'crowd-fund' Downtown revitalization
Former Edmonton mayor Don Iveson and Tegan Martin-Drysdale have started a cooperative for people buy a piece of the city's historic Alberta Block building
edmontonjournal.com
July 31, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Reposted by Keith Gerein
markusoff.bsky.social
At a public town hall w/Premier Smith, government staff banned local reporters' cameras and audio recorders.
Okotoks Western Wheel editorial: "Limiting the ability of the media to do its job shouldn’t happen, nor should it be tolerated." www.westernwheel.ca/opinion/edit...
EDITORIAL: Cameras not welcome at Okotoks town hall
Media members covering town hall with Premier Danielle Smith told to check cameras and audio recorders at the door.
www.westernwheel.ca
July 14, 2025 at 6:23 PM