As they launch their annual Red Ribbon campaign, an organization committed to raising awareness against impaired driving also unveiled a new, shocking PSA – one which the city and the province hope drive the message home this holiday season - and possibly beyond.
Mayor Stephen Mandel and Police Chief Rod Knecht were on hand as the new Mother's Against Drunk Driving campaign was unveiled Thursday.
The mayor likes the new campaign, which uses a popular decal displaying family members as stick figures on car windows - depicting a tragic car crash.
However, the mayor believes the province could do more to reduce impaired driving, by bringing in stiffer penalties.
"I would absolutely support Premier Redford in doing that," Mayor Mandel said. "The time has come for us to take a stand against drunk driving."
Mandel is referring to recent comments by Premier Alison Redford, stating she would like to address current impaired driving laws in Alberta, and increase penalties.
Comparisons have been made to new laws brought in only months ago in British Columbia.
In that province, if a driver is found to have a blood alcohol level higher than 0.08, they automatically receive a three month driving ban, and the vehicle is impounded for one month on the spot.
Transportation Minister Ray Danyluk, whose department is part of a legislation review of Alberta's drunk driving laws, wouldn't say whether the province is looking at following B.C.'s lead.
"I would never ever say, lead the way," Minister Danyluk said. "I would say to you that we need to target areas of concern, we need to target areas of repeat offenders,
"We need to target areas where we can be the lead in supporting education."
The local president of MADD Canada said, the numbers in terms of B.C.'s new laws are enough to show a difference.
"British Columbia currently has, just eight months after the new introduction of the new 0.05 [blood alcohol level], they have 51 percent fewer fatalities caused by alcohol related crashes," MADD Edmonton president Leila Moulder said.
Danyluk didn't give a specific time frame for changes to the laws, he told CTV News the province will focus on repeat offenders, graduated licenses and will look at blood alcohol limits of 0.05, as opposed to 0.08.
With files from David Ewasuk