Why Edmonton is so good at AI

Nearly a month after a deadly fire killed four soldiers and injured dozens more at CFB Wainwright, their loved ones remain in Edmonton to support the wounded. This week, CBC Edmonton sat down with the family of Liam Ramage, 27, who is recovering at the University of Alberta Hospital. His wife, Marisa, and mother, Cheryl, shared his story and reflected on the long road to recovery ahead.

The Edmonton region has become a hotbed for artificial intelligence research and business. But did you know that even city hall is well-known for its use of this technology? The City of Edmonton is home to one of the top public sector AI teams in Canada and uses it to create tools that better serve residents. Guest host Sean Newton sits down with Kris Andreychuk, who leads the Applied Artificial Intelligence team at the City of Edmonton, to talk about how they became so good.

Edmonton’s internationally renowned video game studio has powered down for the last time. BioWare was shut down last week when Electronic Arts, its parent company, announced company-wide layoffs. BioWare had a major impact on the video game industry and its closure has raised questions about the future of the Edmonton scene. We sit down with one of the founders of BioWare to talk about the company's legacy.

The October 19th referendum was historic, and the majority of Albertans voted to stay in Canada. As the remaining ballots are counted, we sit down with a data scientist to talk about what the initial results tell us and where we go from here.

It’s less than a week until referendum day, but this vote has been decades in the making. To prepare us for what’s next, producer Pippa Reed takes a look back at how we got here. From the first Prime Minister Trudeau and the National Energy Program, to the drama of dueling petitions and court cases, we look at the long story of separatist sentiment in Alberta.

In less than two weeks, Albertans head to the polls to answer 10 questions that could affect the future of the province. The historic, non-binding referendum includes five questions about immigration, four about constitutional changes and one about whether Alberta should stay in Canada or start the process for another vote to separate. The questions are long and dense, so we thought a debrief on what they mean would be worthwhile for our listeners. Clare Bonnyman sits down with CBC reporters Rukhsar Ali and Joel Dryden, who have both written extensively about the questions Albertans will vote on.

On this National day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, things feel a little different. The upcoming provincial referendum, and question on separatism, is colouring conversations as communities mark the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty 6. On this episode of the show, reporter Stephanie Cram explains the significance of Treaty 6, and what it means for a possible separation vote. Plus, why First Nations in Alberta are gearing up to “Rock the Vote” in a few weeks.

The former Edmonton Journal building has been listed for sale. While Journal employees haven't worked in the space for a number of years, the sale marks a shift in the way local news is reported, and how audiences reach it. On this week's episode of This Is Edmonton, guest host Colton Hutchinson speaks to media consultant Marty Forbes about the changing landscape of local journalism.

Hockey season has yet to begin, but the Oilers are back in the headlines. Last week they signed Alex Formenton, one of the five players from the 2018 world juniors team, acquitted in a sexual assault case last year. The signing has divided fans. We break it down with a local sports writer, and talk about whether or not community backlash can create change in hockey culture.

How long can you hold your bladder? If you’re out and about in Edmonton, you might find out the hard way if you’re caught without a public washroom nearby. Publicly accessible toilets are a big part of urban planning, but they can be challenging to implement. Reporter Liam Harrap took stock of Edmonton’s public washrooms and looked into the city’s plan to ensure everyone has a place to go when nature calls.