Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood

Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood is a provincial electoral district covering a cluster of inner-city neighbourhoods in northeast Edmonton. The riding takes in the diverse communities of Highlands, Alberta Avenue, Norwood, McCauley, Boyle Street, Eastwood, Cromdale, Parkdale, and Riverdale, stretching from the river valley northward. It is one of Alberta's most ethnically diverse ridings and has among the lowest average household incomes in the province. The seat had been held since 2000 by Brian Mason, the veteran NDP MLA who served as Minister of Transportation and was the longest-serving current member of the legislature when he announced his retirement in July 2018 after nearly 30 years in public office, including 11 years on Edmonton city council and 18 years as an MLA. His departure opened the riding to a new generation of candidates heading into the 2019 election.

Candidates

Janis Irwin (NDP) — Born and raised in Barrhead, Alberta, Irwin built a career in education. She worked as a high school teacher and vice-principal in rural Alberta before moving to Edmonton, where she served as Senior Manager for Social Studies and later Executive Director for High School Curriculum at Alberta Education. She holds a bachelor of education from the University of Alberta and a master of education from the University of Calgary. She had previously run as the federal NDP candidate in Edmonton Griesbach in the 2015 federal election.

Leila Houle (United Conservative) — Houle is from Goodfish Lake First Nation in Alberta. She worked as the communications manager for Treaty 6 education and was one of the first women to be nominated as Regional Chief of Alberta for the Assembly of First Nations. She had previously run as a federal Liberal candidate in the former Westlock-St. Paul riding in 2008 and initially sought the UCP nomination in Edmonton-West Henday before winning the Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood nomination in March 2019.

Tish Prouse (Alberta Party) — Prouse is an archaeologist by training who worked at UNESCO World Heritage Sites internationally. He later became a small business owner in construction equipment sales and served as president of the Eastwood Community League, where he helped stabilize the organization and increase community membership. He was a candidate for Edmonton City Council in Ward 7 in 2013 and Ward 6 in 2017.

Taz Bouchier (Green Party) — Bouchier ran as the Green Party candidate in the riding.

Joe Hankins (Alberta Independence) — Hankins ran as the Alberta Independence Party's candidate in the riding.

Chris Poplatek (Alberta Advantage) — Poplatek ran as the Alberta Advantage Party's candidate in the riding.

Alex S. Boykowich (Communist) — Boykowich ran as the Communist Party's candidate in the riding.

Local Issues

The opioid crisis was a pressing local concern throughout the NDP government's term. Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood was at the epicentre of the fentanyl emergency that swept Alberta. The NDP government approved supervised consumption sites in the riding's communities, with Boyle Street Community Services beginning to offer supervised consumption in March 2018 and the Boyle McCauley Health Centre following in November 2018. In the period from March to December 2018, the sites recorded nearly 29,300 visits and reversed 334 overdoses with no deaths. The sites generated both support from public health advocates and concern from some residents and businesses about their neighbourhood impacts.

Gentrification and housing affordability were persistent issues in the riding's inner-city communities. McCauley recorded the second-highest increase in assessed property values in Edmonton in 2014, at 8.1 percent, with neighbouring Boyle Street first at 8.8 percent. Average home prices in McCauley rose by over 74 percent between 2005 and 2012, raising concerns about longtime residents being priced out. Community organizations pushed for affordable housing investments and protections for low-income renters.

Community safety and revitalization efforts occupied significant attention. Alberta Avenue, Norwood, and McCauley had long grappled with issues related to property crime, social disorder, and inadequate community infrastructure. Community leagues and residents' groups worked on revitalization initiatives during the NDP term, seeking provincial and municipal investment in community facilities, street improvements, and social services to support the riding's vulnerable populations.