lol... a panic over -1C... that's precious.
Renting here seems to end up going largely by local papers and simply signs in windows. I think though if you try the Edmonton Journal online, their classified section may have some rental ads. Same with the Edmonton Sun. Other than that, I'm really not sure how one would try to do it over the net.
Childcare, again, I'm not really sure of. I'm a stay at home mom so I really haven't tried to get it here, and I don't know anyone with little kids either (I've only been here roughly 8 months). If I were you I would start on mytelus.com, under the phone book link on the right hand of the page, and use the business search it offers. Search for daycares, edmonton, and you should get a lot of results, including e-mail addresses. E-mail and ask about getting your kids in, and it will give you an idea of how hard it is to find openings. Also, ask if any of them run certified dayhome programs, and if they don't they may be able to steer you towards a program which does oversee certified dayhomes. There are scads of ads right now for dayhomes, but be wary of them. Many are overcrowded and uncertified, don't run dietary overviews, and don't follow any minimum activity plans.