With the new year comes new changes to rules and prices, some which impact Edmontonians directly. Provincial public service workers across Alberta, for example, are heading back to the office full-time next month. The Edmonton Downtown Business Association (EDBA) says while that may not be a desirable model for some, the economic benefits to the downtown core will be measurable. “An influx of people, especially around that government centre area, there’s a lot of businesses that have been hoping for this,” said EDBA spokesperson Quinn Phillips. One occupational medicine specialist, however, said the benefits of remote work included less traffic and better flexibility, which contributes to worker health. “In my experience, work from home is a tool that we can use to adjust the working conditions so workers can keep on working,” said Quentin Durand-Moreau. “The question is, really, what do we want in terms of service provided to Albertans in the case of public servants, or in any industry?” Edmonton will also see some hikes in prices – those with a New Year’s resolution to get fit, for example, should be prepared to pay a bit more at rec centres across the city as admission and membership prices went up on New Year’s Day. And the long-debated municipal property tax hike of 6.9 per cent is also here. The average homeowner will be paying around $245 more in taxes for 2026. Canada’s food price report also predicts that a family of four will spend almost $1,000 more on food in 2026.
