ON THE AGENDA

Stephanie Swensrude

This week, council will discuss the drivers of tax increases, vote on increasing the budget for various capital projects, and consider approving the first phase of the River Crossing Community Development.

There is a community and public services committee meeting on April 13, an executive committee meeting on April 14, an urban planning committee meeting on April 14, and a city council meeting on April 15 and 17.

Here are some key items on the agenda:

• The four main factors driving tax increases in Edmonton are the increased cost of services, population growth, slower growth in non-tax revenue, and increased operating expenses linked to new services and capital projects, says a report set to be presented to council. Administration forecasts that if no more service packages or debt-serviced capital projects are approved, the city will need tax levy increases of 5.6% in 2027, 4.3% in 2028, 3.9% in 2029, and 3.7% in 2030. Council will continue to direct administration in creating the budget before deliberations in the fall.
• Council is set to vote on amendments to borrowing bylaws that adjust how much capital projects cost. If council supports the bylaws, the budget for the replacement of light rail vehicles will increase by $80.8 million to a total of $321.3 million, the budget for the design and delivery of ramps at 137 Avenue NW and Anthony Henday Drive will increase by $8.5 million to $15 million, and the budget for the downtown district energy initiative will increase by $18.4 million $54.3 million.
• Administration will ask council to approve $15 million to begin work on the first phase of the River Crossing Community Development, which would see the construction or rehabilitation of the roads north of Re/Max Field and the first steps toward housing development on the field’s parking area. Executive committee considered the project last week and requisitioned the decision to council without a recommendation. Steve Hogle, fun advisor for the Edmonton Riverhawks, told Taproot the organization will trial a park-and-ride this season to prepare for potentially losing the lot next year.
• Council will vote on a motion from Coun. Michael Janz directing administration to bring forward two funding packages for bus rapid transit and wider sidewalks on Whyte Avenue to budget deliberations. It will also consider funding simultaneous improvements to the pedestrian realm along Whyte Avenue, which would involve removing some vehicle parking to make way for wider sidewalks. The motion also calls for an unfunded service package to advance transit priority measures across the city.
• Council will vote on a motion from urban planning committee recommending that city council direct administration to reinstate parking on 101 Street, from 107 Avenue to Kingsway, weekdays from 9:30am to 3:30pm.
• Members of the executive, urban planning, and community and public services committees will meet in private to receive governance updates from various boards and commissions.

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• The City has reported a $45,000 loss in revenue after fraudulent transactions were made through a malfunctioning Arc transit fare machine. According to the city auditor, about $65,000 in suspicious activity occurred between September 2024 and June 2025 before the issue was detected and reported to police. While more than 300 compromised Arc cards were identified and blocked, roughly $20,000 was recovered, reducing the overall financial impact. Edmonton Transit Service has since said it has strengthened its internal controls to prevent similar incidents in the future. Police say efforts to identify suspects have so far been unsuccessful, and there is no indication of organized crime involvement. 
• The Edmonton bus report card for fall 2025 shows wide gaps in on-time performance across 122 routes, with “on time” defined as leaving between one minute early and five minutes late. The best-performing routes reached about 95% reliability, but several major routes fell well below that standard. Route 8 (Abbottsfield–University) recorded about 67% on-time performance, despite being one of the busiest lines in the city. Route 106 came in at about 66.4%, while Route 107 followed at roughly 65.6%. The express Route 110X from Eaux Claires to downtown was about 65.2% on time, showing that faster commuter routes are still frequently delayed. Route 924 performed worse at about 60.8%, and the lowest-performing Route 900X dropped to about 57.4% on weekdays, falling even further on Saturdays. Overall systemwide punctuality sits around the low 80% range, slightly down from 2023 even though it remains higher than pre-pandemic levels.
• The planned Southeast Transit Garage was significantly scaled back from its original design, reducing capacity from about 430 buses to between 255 and 290. The facility, now expected to cost roughly $670 million and be completed by 2031, is intended to support both the City’s current diesel fleet and future transition to zero-emission buses. Critics argue the reduction could create long-term capacity issues, with warnings that the City may hit limits again shortly after the garage opens if transit expansion continues. Some Councillors want a full-cost comparison and a return to the original 430-bus capacity plan. The City also says federal funding discussions are still ongoing and that final budget details will be shared in upcoming budget updates.
• An audit found that the City spent about $21.9 million in 2025 on overtime to cover short-term disability absences, adding up to more than 518,000 lost work hours. These absences were linked to illness, injury, and a growing number of mental health-related claims, which have increased significantly since the pandemic. While overall disability claim rates have stayed relatively stable in line with workforce growth, officials noted a steady rise in complexity and case volume in recent years. The audit also raised concerns about management of the program, pointing to poor record keeping, inconsistent documentation, and limited follow-up on cases. In some instances, auditors found errors such as incorrect dates and incomplete medical records, raising concerns about data reliability. City staff also reported being stretched thin, with case managers handling far more files than recommended standards. Officials say they are working on reforms, including better tracking systems, improved case management, and a stronger focus on helping employees return to work sooner.
• Edmonton’s planned Ice District Event Park has officially moved into the design phase, marking a step forward in the long-delayed downtown project. The City of Edmonton and OEG Sports and Entertainment have selected a joint design team made up of DIALOG and HNTB, both firms with experience in major civic and sports venue projects. The new facility will be built next to Rogers Place and is intended to host concerts, festivals, cultural events, and sporting activities year-round, with features designed to handle both indoor and outdoor use in Edmonton’s climate. The project carries an estimated price tag of about $250 million and is part of a broader public-private agreement worth more than $400 million when combined with related developments and demolition work. Costs are being shared between the Province, which is contributing about $97 million, and the City, which is contributing about $69 million. Officials say the design process will need to balance large-scale entertainment use with affordable community access. Construction is now expected to begin in 2027 as planning work continues.