ON TAP

Stephanie Swensrude

This week, councillors will consider reducing fines for violating parking bans, learn about the state of municipal assets, and review a framework for promoting Edmonton.

There is a community and public services committee meeting on Jan. 19, an urban planning committee meeting on Jan. 20, and an executive committee meeting on Jan. 21.

Here are some key items on the agenda:

• The community and public services committee is to discuss amendments to the traffic bylaw that would lower the fine for violating parking bans from $250 to $150. The fine was increased from $100 to $250 in 2022 in an effort to increase compliance, but administration said it’s been challenging to discern whether it worked given the wide variety of influencing factors, including the degree to which the bylaw has been enforced. If council lowers the fine, administration estimates an annual revenue reduction of about $232,500. Councillors had also asked administration to consider reducing fines further for people who pay tickets within seven days. The report said that change would require updated ticketing software, which would cost about $80,000, and more staff, which could cost at least $70,000 annually. City council will vote on any recommended changes at a future meeting.
• Just over half of the city’s assets are in very good or good condition, according to an annual inventory of municipal assets set to be presented at council’s executive committee. While the percentage of assets in poor and very poor condition has improved slightly and is within an acceptable margin, the city must invest more to maintain the portfolio, administration said. Transit vehicles especially need investment, as more than half of the city’s buses and light rail vehicles are in poor or very poor condition. Based on the age of the Edmonton Transit Service fleet, 250 buses should be replaced every four years, not including growth to accommodate service expansion. Council voted in the fall operating budget adjustment to purchase 25 new buses to accommodate growth. The asset data is meant to provide context for upcoming city council discussions, including the 2027-2030 capital budget.
• The executive committee is scheduled to review a framework for the city’s brand, which administration said “amplifies Edmonton’s strengths and presents a clear, credible, and consistent value proposition that attracts investment, talent, and opportunity.” The framework includes high-level vision and guidance instead of specific objectives and tactics, as different partners have unique mandates, needs, and timelines, reads the report. If the executive committee approves the framework, administration will implement it.

Here are some other items on the agenda:

• Councillors will revisit a conversation postponed from a council meeting in December so that representatives from Winspear Centre can provide input. In a report set to be presented to the executive committee, administration said it does not support creating a revenue sharing agreement to allow the Winspear Centre to earn revenue from the Century Place parkade. In 2014, the city loaned the Winspear $12.9 million to construct a parking structure. It is not yet open, but it has fewer than half the number of parking stalls than were originally planned, meaning the Winspear will collect less parking revenue than expected, affecting its ability to pay back its loan. Several options are under consideration. Administration said the city has no legal obligation to provide parking revenue to the Winspear.
• The urban planning committee will consider granting authorization to applicants looking to create statutory plans for two new neighbourhoods: Kettle Lakes, a neighbourhood in Decoteau, and an industrial area north of Highway 19 in the city’s southwest.
• Council’s executive committee is scheduled to consider designating the Peter Hemingway Aquatic Centre as a municipal historic resource. Peter Hemingway, a notable Edmonton architect who also built the Muttart Conservatory, designed what was then known as the Coronation Pool as part of the Canadian centennial project. The building was renamed to honour Hemingway in 2005. While buildings that are designated municipal historic resources normally receive funding for restoration and rehabilitation, the centre has already been undergoing renovations since 2021.
• Administration recommends that council update the storefront improvement program to make it possible to reapply for funding after 10 years. This is expected to yield one or two extra applications per year, and the proposed changes can be accommodated through the program’s current budget. Administration also recommends adding the storefront refresh grant to the policy. The grant was piloted in 2019 for smaller projects that wouldn’t be eligible for the storefront improvement program. The larger grants have typically gone to property owners for large exterior building repairs, while tenants are responsible for smaller maintenance, repairs, and signage. The grants are available to business and property owners in business improvement areas and in the target areas of Little Italy and Norwood Boulevard.

Lastly, here are some updates from the last time council was in chambers:

• At a public hearing on Dec. 15, council voted 12-0 (Coun. Anne Stevenson was absent) to approve rezoning applications for 11 properties without debate, including for residential properties in Garneau and McKernan, and for a fire station in Athlone.
• Several hours of the public hearing were spent on a rezoning application in Crestwood. The rezoning passed 9-4, with Mayor Andrew Knack and councillors Karen Principe, Thu Parmar, and Reed Clarke voting against. Council also spent several hours discussing a rezoning application in Grovenor. That application passed 10-3 with Principe, Parmar, and Clarke voting against. Seven agenda items were postponed to a public hearing on Jan. 26 because of the limited time remaining in the meeting.

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• On Wednesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a meeting of the Executive Committee. On the agenda are options to address a parking revenue shortfall for the Francis Winspear Centre for Music (FWCM) following its Completion Project, which included an underground parking structure smaller than originally planned. FWCM is seeking additional revenue from the nearby City-owned Century Place parkade to meet its $12.9 million loan obligations, though the City has no legal requirement to provide this funding. Administration has proposed three options: (1) a Parking Funding Agreement, giving FWCM net revenue from after-hours and weekend parkade use, but requiring $1.1 million in security upgrades; (2) a Parkade License and Management Agreement, where FWCM would manage Century Place and cover operating costs in exchange for parking revenue; and (3) a one-time payment or loan forgiveness, estimated at $5 million, which preserves City control and avoids operating impacts. FWCM prefers the third option, though it requested $7.5 million.
• The Executive Committee will discuss the City of Edmonton’s 2025 Infrastructure State and Condition report. It provides a detailed snapshot of the City’s assets, including their quantity, replacement value, and physical condition. Edmonton’s infrastructure portfolio has grown to a replacement value of approximately $39.8 billion, up $5.1 billion from 2023, with 54.2% of assets rated Very Good or Good, 33.2% Fair, and 10.2% Poor or Very Poor. While overall conditions remain stable, aging assets, particularly in Facilities and transit rolling stock, pose risks of deterioration and increased maintenance costs if investment levels are not maintained. The report organizes assets by service area to better inform decision-making and highlights the importance of continued investment to sustain service levels, manage renewal needs, and address the “renewal gap.”
• Mayor Andrew Knack says frustration over neighbourhood snow removal has reached a tipping point, with poor compliance during parking bans making it harder for crews to do their work effectively. With Phase 2 blading underway, Knack said vehicles left on restricted streets slow plows and reduce the quality of snow clearing for entire blocks and has called for stronger enforcement, including towing and impounding vehicles, in future budgets. Knack said City crews are meeting the service levels set by council, but acknowledged those standards may no longer be sufficient, especially during one of the snowiest winters on record. After recently visiting Edmonton’s sister city of Harbin, China, he said the scale of investment and intensity of snow removal there highlighted what stronger resourcing can achieve. With major winter events like the Deep Freeze festival approaching, he added the City will look at whether additional short-term measures are needed to improve safety and accessibility.
• Edmonton’s office market showed signs of recovery in 2025, with vacancy rates falling to about 19%, close to pre-pandemic levels, according to a new CBRE report. Vacancies had peaked near 23% in 2023, but stabilization was helped by office-to-residential conversion projects and a broader return to in-person work. Commercial real estate experts say mandates bringing provincial employees back to the office are creating a ripple effect, encouraging more companies to follow suit. Several downtown towers have been partially converted to residential use, reducing excess office inventory and adding more activity to the core. Major financial institutions have also recommitted to downtown Edmonton, including National Bank’s investment in Manulife Place and ATB’s continued presence.
• Edmonton is considering a new bylaw that would require businesses to sort their waste, including organics and recyclables, as non-residential sectors generate 70% of the city’s waste, half of which is organic. The City plans to offer grants, educational toolkits, and look at programs for construction and demolition waste, while surveying businesses before finalizing the plan for a Council Committee this summer. Business owners support the idea in principle but want transparency to ensure their efforts make a difference and infrastructure improvements to handle increased organics. Similar bylaws exist in Calgary, Vancouver, Regina, and Halifax, and proponents say it levels the playing field and removes discretion from individual businesses.