thisweekinedmonton

• The Community and Public Services Committee meets today at 9:30 am, and one of the items on the agenda is a review of how Edmonton regulates domesticated pigeons. Administration concluded that existing business and zoning rules are sufficient and that no bylaw amendments are needed, after finding that all 94 licensed pigeon owners inspected in 2025 were in compliance and that pigeon complaints made up just 0.15% of all animal-related complaints, 16 out of 11,031. A survey of adjacent property owners found that 91% had no concerns about licensed pigeons, with the small number of complaints citing droppings, cleanliness and pests. Current rules cap pigeons at 75 per residence and require birds to be kept in a loft or aviary acceptable to the City. Administration will add two new licence conditions effective January 2027, requiring owners to join a recognized pigeon association and to fit all birds with official identification leg bands. Association membership runs roughly $30 to $80 a year, which the report acknowledges could weigh on lower-income owners, though no change to the licence fee is recommended beyond a previously approved increase of one dollar per year for three years.
• Also before the Committee today is Administration's plan for fireworks communications and a 2026 Diwali celebration, the first of two reports responding to a Council motion. Administration will reallocate $25,000 a year from existing budgets for an enhanced, multilingual fireworks safety campaign, of which $17,000 would be an ongoing cost, stressing that setting off fireworks without a permit is illegal and unsafe. For 2026, the City will continue hosting its own celebratory Diwali event at City Hall, funded by $20,000 from the existing Anti-Racism budget, while adding a one-time $10,000 to help community groups build toward a larger event in 2027. The community's preferred option, a centralized fireworks show at Mill Woods Park, carries a $110,000 price tag under a cost-sharing model with $90,000 from community partners and $20,000 from the City, but the report notes most of that community funding has not yet been secured. Administration points to a permitted display on a Laurel-area school field that it says cut illegal street-level fireworks complaints by 70%. A separate report on regulatory options to address the unsafe purchase and discharge of fireworks is expected back at Committee in the fall.
• The Committee will also review a report on the legacy outcomes of major sport and cultural events the City helps attract, prepared at Council's request. Administration reports that Edmonton hosted 23 attracted events in 2024 and 2025, with a collective economic impact of $148.2 million in 2024 and $145 million in 2025, and that 12 events are scheduled for 2026 with an estimated combined impact of $222.4 million. Rather than apply Council's $3-million economic-impact threshold for requiring formal legacy plans in funding agreements, Administration recommends raising it to $6 million, arguing larger events are better placed to deliver lasting benefits. Examples of planned 2026 legacies include the CPKC Women's Open's goal of raising more than $3.9 million for the Stollery Children's Hospital and food-rescue efforts tied to the World Juniors. Administration says it will finalize a legacy measurement framework by the end of 2026 and begin implementing it in 2027, funded by reallocating money from an existing events budget rather than new spending. Oversight would be shared among the City, Explore Edmonton, Sport Edmonton and event rights holders.
• City Council voted at a public hearing on Tuesday to reduce the on-site parking required for new neighbourhood daycares, with the change taking effect immediately. Under the old rules, daycares needed two spaces for the first 10 children and one for each additional 10, but providers now need only one space for every 10 children, halved again in areas with unrestricted street parking. The City says that means a 40-child daycare that once needed five parking spaces could now need just two. Administration argued the change removes a regulatory barrier for small operators, pointing to a fall 2024 traffic study that found 17% of daycare trips are made on foot or by bike and that parking demand ran about 20% below the old requirements. Mayor Andrew Knack said the goal is to make daycare drop-offs less car-reliant by letting families walk or bike, while Ward 8 (papastew) Councillor Michael Janz, a longtime supporter, said he would like to go further and allow daycares on mid-block lots. Ward 7 (sipiwiyiniwak) Councillor Thu Parmar and Ward 3 (tastawiyiniwak) Councillor Karen Principe were the only members to vote against. One Cavanagh resident appealing a daycare permit next to her home warned the City must balance adding daycares in residential areas against protecting existing residents' quality of life.
• City Council is wrestling with how to keep up service levels as Edmonton's infrastructure repair backlog widens, with aging swimming pools used to illustrate the scale of the problem. The Infrastructure Committee released previously in-camera projections showing it would cost roughly $1 billion to maintain current aquatic service levels, with eight pools already more than 50 years old and four expected to be in poor condition by 2037. City officials told the Committee that 10.2% of Edmonton's total assets are in poor or very poor condition and that about 60% of city alleys need renewal. Overall, the City projects a $2.8-billion renewal gap between 2027 and 2030, ballooning to $10 billion by 2036, and says it can currently cover only 30.7% of its renewal needs, excluding bridges. Administration is weighing cost-saving measures such as repaving rather than reconstructing roads, deferring some downtown projects, and using boardwalks instead of new concrete sidewalks. Mayor Andrew Knack said the figures reinforce why a dedicated renewal fund is critical, while Deputy City Manager Stacey Padbury cautioned the problem cannot be solved in four years.

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ON THE AGENDA

Stephanie Swensrude

This week, council will discuss its policy for engaging Indigenous groups regarding river valley development, review regulations for megaphones in public spaces, and discuss Diwali celebrations and the use of fireworks.

There is a community and public services committee meeting on June 29, an audit selection committee meeting on June 29, an executive committee meeting on June 30, and an urban planning committee meeting on July 2.

Here are some key items on the agenda this week:

• Urban planning committee will discuss a report on Indigenous engagement regarding redevelopment on River Valley lands, on the heels of a contentious public hearing on June 23 regarding a zoning decision in Rossdale. Council postponed its decision about new zoning regulations for Rossdale in anticipation of future development, citing concerns that Indigenous groups had not been consulted adequately. Mayor Andrew Knack encouraged those concerned about the development to attend the July 2 committee meeting, as well as a July 9 public hearing. The report to committee says municipalities do not have a legal duty to consult Indigenous groups under section 35 of the Canadian Constitution, but Edmonton has established its own framework for Indigenous engagement, and administration said it is endeavouring to follow it, as well as the city’s memoranda of understanding with the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations, Otipemisiwak Métis Government, and Enoch Cree Nation.
• Administration has laid out ways that council can regulate amplification in public spaces. A report that will be presented to community and public services committee said that while noise pollution is a legitimate concern, regulating it is complicated because limiting the use of megaphones or speakers could potentially impact Charter rights. Some Edmontonians said they were against amplification in public spaces, while others said it can be important for freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Administration said it could develop a time, duration, place, or volume (TDPV) regulation, which puts a restriction on when, how long, where, or how loud a disruptive sound may occur. It could also prohibit sound amplification unless someone has a permit.
• Administration plans to host an invite-only Diwali celebration at City Hall in 2026, with the possibility of a larger event in 2027, says a report that will be presented to community and public services committee. The report said community members would prefer a large event at Mill Woods Park in 2026, but the city has not confirmed about $90,000 of the event’s funding. The city will also improve communications about the use and sale of fireworks with signage as well as online and print communications in multiple languages. Diwali fireworks were blamed for property damage in 2025.

ON THE AGENDA

Stephanie Swensrude

This week, councillors will discuss priorities for infrastructure renewal as well as how capital projects impact future operating costs.

There is a utility committee meeting on June 22, a public hearing on June 23, and an infrastructure committee meeting on June 24.

Here are some key items on the agenda this week:

• Administration has listed sections of roads and bridges that it would like to prioritize for some level of renewal in the 2027-2030 budget cycle. Arterial roads can receive a paving treatment, a paving treatment with concrete or base repairs, or, for the roads in the worst condition, a full reconstruction. Administration said it recommends focusing on paving treatment for the upcoming cycle. This may seem counterintuitive, given the inclination to fix the worst roads first, a report to infrastructure committee acknowledges, but it says this is the best way to manage the network “within a fiscally constrained environment.” Council will debate funding for renewal projects during the 2027-2030 budget deliberations in the fall.
• Infrastructure committee will be asked to approve the creation of a dedicated renewal fund reserve, which aims to address a widening funding gap for the renewal of city-owned infrastructure. The reserve will be funded through a dedicated tax levy of up to 1% annually for the next 20 years, which would fund about 43% of the total ideal renewal needed in 2048. To narrow the gap further, council could choose to increase the renewal tax levy by 0.5%, which would fund about 60% of the total ideal renewal needed in 2048. If committee approves the fund, council will vote on it at a future meeting.
• Administration will include a capital project’s operating impacts — the day-to-day funds required to operate an asset once construction is finished — in the 2027-2030 budget deliberations, says a report that will be presented to infrastructure committee. Improving projections for the operating impacts of capital (OIC) is part of the total cost of ownership (TCO) project — in other words, the cost of building, operating, maintaining, and renewing an asset through the end of its service life, as opposed to just building it. “The enhanced integration of TCO, including OICs, into budgeting processes provides council with a more robust understanding in order to evaluate long-term operating costs before approving capital infrastructure investments,” the report said.

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• The Utility Committee will meet today at 9:30 am, and EPCOR Water Services will present a set of reports on how Edmonton's water and wastewater systems are performing financially and what the utility plans to measure next. EPCOR's progress report for the year ended December 31st, 2025 shows In-City Water earned a 10.96% return on equity, higher than the 10.54% it had forecast, driven largely by stronger than expected revenue and customer growth. Wastewater Treatment came in slightly under forecast at 10.85% and Wastewater Collection landed at 10.26%, roughly in line with its plan. The reports also reveal that projected water capital spending for 2022 to 2026 has reached $719.8 million, which is $209.4 million, or 42%, above the original forecast, with similar overruns in wastewater treatment. EPCOR is also seeking Committee feedback on the performance measures it intends to use in its next rate application covering 2028 to 2031, the framework that ultimately shapes what Edmontonians pay on their water bills. All three reports are listed for information only, meaning the Committee will receive them rather than vote.
• Also on the Utility Committee's agenda today is a report on how the City handles illegal dumping at apartment and condo buildings, prepared after Councillors asked Administration in March for options to address the problem. The report notes that between January 2021 and the end of March 2026, the City received over 600 complaints of illegal dumping on private property, which usually takes the form of abandoned furniture and garbage or waste dumped in another building's bins. Administration points to existing tools such as four Eco Stations, eight annual Big Bin events and free disposal weekends, and says it is studying further measures, including a new large item collection program and tougher fines. The Community Standards Bylaw currently sets a $250 fine for common dumping on private property and a $1,000 fine for large items or construction waste, figures property managers told the City are too low. Any new spending, including a possible large item pickup service to be piloted in 2027, would be brought forward through the 2027 Waste Services rate filing expected before Council in late 2026.
• The Infrastructure Committee will meet on Wednesday at 9:30 am, where one of the items is Administration's draft approach to renewing the City's existing infrastructure in the 2027 to 2030 budget cycle. The report values Edmonton's total infrastructure portfolio of roads, bridges, facilities and transit at $39.8 billion, and signals a deliberate shift toward maintaining and renewing those assets rather than building new ones. It cites an earlier forecast of a renewal investment gap of $2.8 billion over the four years from 2027 to 2030, climbing to $10 billion over the decade to 2036. Administration says renewal projects will be ranked not only on physical condition but also on strategic alignment with Council priorities and service needs, with growth projects funded only when required for safety, mandated by law or eligible for outside funding. The draft priority lists for bridges, roads, facilities, open space and transit are presented as unranked and subject to change once the capital budget is finalized in late 2026.
• In other Council business, members voted 7-6 to build a larger transit garage in southeast Edmonton, taking on an additional $66 million in borrowing to do so. The decision, made during a multiday budget adjustment, reversed an earlier recommendation from City Staff to scale the project down to keep it inside its $367-million budget. The original plan envisioned storage for 430 buses, Administration proposed a smaller facility for 250 to 290, and Council settled on a garage holding 330 to 380 buses, with a federal grant covering part of the cost. Ward 4 (Dene) Councillor Aaron Paquette argued the investment must be made now because construction costs and transit demand will only rise, while Ward 2 (Anirniq) Councillor Erin Rutherford warned the garage could sit half-full and leave less money for projects like the Metro Line extension, saying "we don't have an infinite pool of funding". More than half of Edmonton's bus fleet is rated in poor or very poor condition, and with a standard diesel bus costing roughly $1 million, the City is approaching its debt limit ahead of a four-year budget later this year. Mayor Andrew Knack took a more optimistic view, acknowledging a period of austerity in funding from other governments but saying transit has been chronically underfunded for decades. The garage is expected to be completed in 2032.
• Council also voted unanimously on Wednesday to proceed with a 2SLGBTQIA+ safe spaces action plan aimed at making City facilities and operations more responsive to the community's needs. Council had previously committed $750,000 to the effort last fall, distributed to support groups through grants, and a further $750,000 a year to continue the program will be weighed during the City's four-year budget deliberations. Mayor Andrew Knack tied the plan to provincial policy, noting the City is "being told what kind of flags we can hang in our buildings" and citing provincial legislation affecting transgender youth in sports, medical treatment, and school libraries. The City's report says there are hate crimes targeting sexual and gender expression trending upward, with 50 such incidents recorded in Edmonton in 2024, and to a local survey in which 81% of community members reported negative public interactions. It also says that a disproportionate share of Edmontonians experiencing homelessness identify on the 2SLGBTQIA+ spectrum, just under 12% of the roughly 800 unhoused people who disclosed their orientation. The report estimates more than 40,000 Edmontonians identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, including more than 2,000 who identify as "gender diverse."

ON THE AGENDA

Stephanie Swensrude

This week, council is set to make some adjustments to the final year of the 2023-2026 capital budget, examine options for building the southeast transit garage to its original scope, and hear an update on the state of community league facilities.

There is a public hearing scheduled on June 15 and a council meeting scheduled on June 16 and 17.

Here are some key items on the agenda this week:

• Administration recommends several adjustments to the final year of the 2023-2026 capital budget, including new projects totalling $45 million, scope changes totalling $44 million, and recosting adjustments totalling $4.8 million. A report to be presented to council says most new projects are related to projects previously approved that are moving to a new stage and require funding. However, one new funding request is for $600,000 to demolish the Koermann Block, one of the few buildings along The Armature, which the city had listed for sale for affordable housing. The report said the building needs to be demolished immediately due to critical structural failures, safety hazards, and ongoing liability risks. The interior of the building is collapsed, there are large holes in the roof, and the basement is flooded, posing a risk to unauthorized occupants, the city said. The building is listed on the inventory of historic resources, meaning it is deemed to have historic value, but it doesn’t have full legal protection from alteration or demolition. The building is historically significant for its connection to the local German community prior to the First World War. Council will also discuss changes to the capital budgets for waste services and renewable energy systems.
• Administration has laid out four options for building the southeast transit garage to accommodate more buses. In April, councillors learned that plans for the garage had been scaled down from a capacity for 430 buses to between 255 and 290. Emily Stremel, chair of Edmonton Transit Riders, told Taproot that garage capacity is key to expanding transit service in future years. Councillors asked administration to return with options to build the facility out to its original capacity, which are laid out in a private attachment.
• A review found that community league facilities face significant challenges, including aging infrastructure, an unfunded capital liability, and inconsistent service levels across the city. Community leagues need $100 million in the next decade for infrastructure renewal, and about $19 million has been deemed critical for safety, said a report that will be presented to council. The city and the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues are designing a new framework to establish a long-term roadmap to address infrastructure deficits as the city’s population grows.

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• City Council will meet on Tuesday at 9:30 am, and several items on the agenda propose adjustments to the City's capital budgets. The main package, the Spring 2026 Supplemental Capital Budget Adjustment, would increase the 2023-2026 capital budget for tax-supported operations by a net $75.6 million, including $45.1 million in new capital profiles, such as $22.2 million to rehabilitate the northbound Low Level Bridge and $15.9 million for the 178 Street bridge over Whitemud Drive. It also includes $44.2 million in scope changes, among them $15 million in new tax-supported debt for the Southeast Transit Garage. A separate Waste Services adjustment recommends $5.65 million in recosting, including raising the budget for the Coronation Eco Station expansion from $16.3 million to $17.9 million after a construction tender came in about 10% over budget, plus pre-approval of $7.84 million in 2027 utility funding so 17 waste collection vehicles can be ordered in 2026. A third report asks for a $7.6-million increase to the budget for the Blatchford Renewable Energy Utility's distribution piping system, raising it from $15.5 million to $23.1 million.
• Visitors to Fort Edmonton Park, the Valley Zoo and the Muttart Conservatory may have to pay for parking next year under a pilot project planned for 2027, part of a package of parking changes presented to City Council's Urban Planning Committee that could boost revenue by $5.4 million. Ward 8 (papastew) Councillor Michael Janz, who requested the report in December, said the choice is "either user fees or property taxes" as the City tries to mitigate property tax increases driven by rising costs. Janz is also asking the City to look into a Calgary-style system where parking fines increase the longer a ticket goes unpaid, with a report due back later in the year. Separately, the City is looking to expand automated parking enforcement, which Administration claims could bring in at least $14 million in revenue when fully implemented, and to sign a $1-million contract to put more enforcement officers on the ground after a 42% increase in calls requesting more parking enforcement. Administration says 30% of Edmonton's road users come from outside the city, with the City's safe mobility director arguing that Edmontonians are subsidizing parking for people who do not live in Edmonton. The Committee also voted 4-0 against a proposal to end the 15-minute free parking program, which had already been cut back from 30 minutes in the last budget.
• City Council's Community and Public Services Committee unanimously passed a motion from Mayor Andrew Knack last week to explore either a year-round day shelter program or a full community hub program for people experiencing homelessness. The $6.5-million plan will be discussed as part of the next four-year budget deliberations. Knack said the number of people dying on Edmonton's streets has risen from the 30s each year to over 300 and called for a "war-time effort" to make progress on the crisis. Support came from across the board, including the Edmonton Downtown Business Association, which says that with limited daytime options available, libraries, transit stations, parks, pedways and business storefronts become the default places where people spend their days. The Association funds its own core patrol, which conducted more than 1,900 wellness checks between January and May, and argued that more day shelters would take pressure off Downtown businesses currently spending heavily on security and support services. Council also received a letter from the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce pushing for community service hubs, while Ward 10 (Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi) Councillor Jon Morgan argued the City and ratepayers are already paying for the crisis through first responders, maintenance costs in public spaces, and encampment clean-ups.
• The Community and Public Services Committee also voted 3-1 last week to send a stormwater billing report back to Administration and return to the decades-old centralized payment system, sparing Edmonton's more than 160 community leagues from directly processing monthly EPCOR stormwater charges, despite both EPCOR and Administration calling for the leagues to be billed directly. Ward 10 (Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi) Councillor Jon Morgan made the motion after hearing from community league volunteers. An updated report is expected back on September 25th. Before April 1st, 2025, EPCOR billed the City directly, and the City paid the utility fees on behalf of the leagues, recovering part of the cost through an annual $116,798 tax levy charged to the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues, even though Administration says the actual cost runs between $152,000 and $284,000. EPCOR flagged the discrepancy in an audit, which also found that other properties were likely receiving stormwater services without being charged, and work to identify those properties is expected to be complete by 2027. Council allocated $995,648 through the community league operating grant to help pay the new bills from April 1st to December 31st, 2025, but the funding did not line up with expenses and many leagues found themselves in a cash crunch. The Federation urged the Committee to maintain a centralized model, arguing that volunteer-run leagues are not equipped to handle tracking and budgeting for monthly stormwater bills.
• City Manager Eddie Robar announced last Tuesday that the Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) will take over operation of the Valley Line LRT over the next two years, ending the City's 30-year public-private partnership with TransEd Partners, the consortium that built the line, 25 years ahead of schedule. The decision was made during an in-camera session on May 19th, and officials will not say how much the City is paying TransEd as a termination payment, though the original contract was worth $1.8 billion. Because a different contractor is building the Valley Line West extension, TransEd was never contracted to operate it, and officials claim that moving everything to ETS was the cheapest of three options, the others being expanding TransEd's contract or finding a new operator. The City predicts the change will mean better coordination between buses and the LRT when a train has to be taken out of service, reducing wait times for replacement buses. Ward 8 (papastew) Councillor Michael Janz called the move a "great opportunity", saying ETS is motivated by quality service rather than profit. Construction of the Valley Line West is on schedule to be finished by 2028, after which the system will be extensively tested before regular passengers are allowed on board.

• The Community and Public Services Committee meets today at 9:30 am. One of the items on its agenda asks the Committee to recommend that Council rescind a motion that Council itself passed at its December 2025 budget meeting. That motion directed Administration to amend the agreements governing community leagues so the City would directly pay all stormwater charges that EPCOR levies against the leagues, ensuring the leagues are never billed for those fees. After reviewing the billing process, Administration now recommends that community leagues keep being billed directly by EPCOR, arguing the agreements already make leagues responsible for their own utility costs and that Council has already approved $995,648 in annual funding that fully offsets the charges. Reverting to City-paid billing would mean removing that roughly $1 million from the community league budget, shifting it to the City's utility budget, and amending every individual league agreement.
• Also on today's agenda, the Committee will receive a report evaluating future spending on day spaces, which are daytime facilities offering respite and basic services for people experiencing homelessness. Council put $1 million into extending hours at four existing sites between December 2025 and March 2026, during which 6,634 unique individuals visited 37,663 times, a 51% increase in clients and a 169% increase in visits over the previous winter. Administration says there is currently no sustainable ongoing funding for day spaces and lays out four options, ranging from no new investment, to a seasonal winter respite model, to a year-round model, to a comprehensive community service hub, which is the costliest and the one sector partners preferred. Should Council direct an investment, Administration would bring an unfunded service package through the 2027-2030 budget.
• The Executive Committee meets on Wednesday at 9:30 am. On the agenda is a discussion about whether to approve a below-market-value sale of a City-owned property on 118 Avenue in Alberta Avenue for a community arts development. The City reacquired the former arts site for a nominal value in May 2025, then listed it for six months with requirements that any buyer deliver an arts project including a black box theatre, gallery, studio and maker spaces, and housing. Despite emailing more than 8,300 subscribers on its property sales list, the City received only two proposals. Council has set aside $3,304,823 from a reserve to fund the arts components of the site, and both bidders are seeking to draw on that money. Because the sale is below fair market value, Committee approval is required before Administration can begin negotiating with its preferred proponent.
• Also before Executive Committee on Wednesday are two linked information reports on the City's economic development work. The first is a refreshed ten-year strategy, called Edmonton Advantage, which aims to reverse what Administration describes as a "business-unfriendly perception" and a tax base in which residential growth outpaces business and industrial growth, and which Administration says will need roughly $70 million over 2027-2030. The second is a review of the four City-funded agencies that receive taxpayer funding: Explore Edmonton at $22.7 million annually, Edmonton Unlimited at $5.3 million, Edmonton Global at $3.3 million, and Edmonton Screen at $1.2 million. An independent consultant found the agencies' mandates clear and recommended adding mid-stage business support, but Administration does not recommend mandate changes or a new agency. The review also notes Edmonton Global's membership has fallen from 14 municipalities to 9, with 3 more giving notice they will leave.
• Mayor Andrew Knack joined the Big Cities Mayors' Caucus of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities on Thursday in asking the federal government to commit billions of dollars to downtown revitalization ahead of Ottawa's fall budget. The caucus wants the federal government to follow its Parliamentary Budget Officer's recommendation to invest $3.5 billion annually to cut chronic homelessness by at least 50% by 2030, to raise the Canada Public Transit Fund from $25 billion to $30 billion over ten years, and to at least double the Build Communities Strong Fund. Knack argued the homelessness and safety crisis cannot be solved by any one order of government acting alone and called for a coordinated federal-provincial-municipal response. The push follows an April report from the Downtown Revitalization Coalition flagging visible drug use and disorder, and a CBC investigation that found transit-related crime in Edmonton more than doubled over nine years.

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This week, Edmonton city councillors will discuss day spaces for vulnerable Edmontonians, a review of economic development agencies, and potential changes to city-owned parking.

There is a community and public services committee meeting on June 8, an urban planning committee meeting on June 9, and an executive committee meeting on June 10.

Here are some key items on the agenda this week:

• There are no sustainable municipal funding options for day shelter spaces, says a report set to be presented to community and public services committee. Mayor Andrew Knack’s first motion of this term directed administration to allocate $1 million to expand access to day shelter spaces, and for administration to report back with an evaluation of the options to build out the service. The report said the funding allowed hours at four sites to increase from 99 per week to 252; the sites were visited nearly 38,000 times by more than 6,600 people. Administration laid out investment options for winter respite day spaces, year-round day spaces, and a community service hub with clinical healthcare and holistic supports. More options for supporting vulnerable people will be included in a report coming later this month that is meant to outline a way to transition the city out of providing services to people experiencing homelessness, which administration called a provincial responsibility.
• Administration has refreshed its economic development strategy, titled Edmonton Advantage, to adapt to current and anticipated market realities. The strategy outlines three primary issues: Edmonton is perceived as unfriendly to business, there is a lack of awareness around the city’s business proposition, and residential growth is outpacing business and industry growth, resulting in a tax imbalance. The strategy’s pillars aim to enable a strong business environment, market the Edmonton advantage, and drive investment. A cross-referenced report about four of the city’s economic development agencies — Explore Edmonton, Edmonton Global, Edmonton Screen, and Edmonton Unlimited — said a review found that the organizations have clear and complementary mandates with no significant duplication, and that the agencies are delivering measurable economic outcomes. While the ecosystem supports growth, there is a gap in mid-stage business retention and expansion support, which could limit firms transitioning from startup to growth and expansion, the report said. The consultant who examined the agencies recommended setting up a new economic agency to add scale-up supports for local businesses, but administration did not endorse that idea.
• Administration is considering changes to city-owned parking, including increased rates, the elimination of the free 15-minute period, and a pilot project for paid parking at facilities such as the Muttart Conservatory, the Edmonton Valley Zoo, and Fort Edmonton Park. A report to be presented to urban planning committee says demand for parking has increased as Edmonton grows, and curbside space is supporting a broader range of uses than parking, including deliveries, transit access, festivals, patios, activations, and micromobility devices such as e-scooters. The proposed changes are expected to manage demand and improve turnover while increasing revenue. A cross-referenced report outlines options for parking benefit districts, a system where parking revenue would be invested into the area it is collected from. While administration doesn’t recommend implementing parking benefit districts at this time, it said it will bring forward options in 2027 once the overall parking system is more financially stable and effective.

• Ward 4 (Dene) Councillor Aaron Paquette is bringing a motion to City Council asking Administration to research how Edmonton could protect itself from economic fallout if Alberta separates from Canada - including exploring whether the city could remain part of Canada independently of a separating province. The motion directs Administration to examine a range of options: new provincial-municipal partnership frameworks, collective action with other municipalities, leveraging Edmonton's location within Treaty 6 territory and its relationship with Enoch Cree Nation, and the constitutional possibility of Edmonton seeking territorial or special federal status. Paquette cited the experience of Montreal and Quebec City during Quebec's separation debates, warning that investment flight and head office departures during that period are effects "they're still recovering from." He also noted that the federal government owns significant assets in Edmonton - including military properties - that could anchor a case for the city remaining Canadian. Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt described the question of Edmonton separating from a separating Alberta as "interesting," noting that if Alberta can secede from Canada, the same logic raises questions about Indigenous reserves and national parks. Experts note, however, that provinces are constitutional entities, while municipalities are not, meaning that the Supreme Court's reference case on secession applies to provinces, but not municipalities.
• Mayor Andrew Knack told the Infrastructure and Environment Committee that the replacement for the 113-year-old High Level Bridge will need to be what he described as a "mega bridge," accommodating vehicle lanes, dedicated bus rapid transit lanes, multi-use paths, a streetcar connection, and potentially high-speed rail if the province builds its planned Edmonton-to-airport rail link. The High Level Bridge and the Low Level Bridge will both be decommissioned and replaced rather than rehabilitated. Updated structural testing found that maintaining the High Level Bridge over the next 75 years would cost more than $1 billion, making rehabilitation no longer cost-effective. Ward 2 (Anirniq) Councillor Erin Rutherford raised concerns about whether the City can bear those costs without provincial or federal support. City planners noted that major infrastructure projects of this scale typically attract higher-order government funding. Heritage advocates argued the City should preserve the High Level Bridge rather than demolish it, pointing to pedestrian promenades built from adapted historic bridges in New York, Paris, and Seoul - though City planners said the foundation, not just the deck, needs replacement, making adaptation nearly as costly as full replacement. The northbound span of the Low Level Bridge, which is in better structural shape, might be able to be repurposed as a pedestrian bridge. Design and planning for the High Level Bridge replacement is scheduled to begin in 2031, with full replacement targeted by 2042.
• About 300 residents of Grovenor, a west-end neighbourhood, have signed a petition handed to Ward 1 (Nakota Isga) Councillor Reed Clarke, calling for a rethink on the City's planned active transportation network expansion in their area. The proposed bike lanes would run along 148 Street from Stony Plain Road to 104 Avenue, along 104 Avenue from 142 to 149 Street, and along 144 Street from Stony Plain Road to 107 Avenue. Clarke toured the route and counted six disabled parking spots that would be displaced by the installation. One petitioner, midwife Carly Beaulieu, said she spent $35,000 in legal fees over two years to rezone her home for an attached birthing centre, and is now reconsidering that investment if street parking is removed, given her clientele is pregnant women who need easy front-door access. Community league president Marissa Loewen said residents support cycling infrastructure but not at the expense of disabled access. A further complication is provincial: Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen has announced legislation that would give the province oversight over municipal bike lane plans and possibly require municipalities to remove existing active transportation corridors. Clarke said this leaves Edmonton "in a bind" - whether to proceed with the plans or pause while provincial rules take shape. Mayor Knack said he is confident the province would not require the tearup of existing lanes, noting that Dreeshen indicated the new rules would apply prospectively.
• The Edmonton Police Commission presented the results of a public opinion survey to its monthly meeting, drawing on 1,025 panel respondents and 560 online respondents. Reducing crime and ensuring officer accountability were the top priorities - each rated as somewhat or very important by 92% of panel respondents - followed by building community trust at 88%. The biggest safety concerns among panel respondents were addictions and drug use at 44%, repeat offenders not facing enough consequences at 36%, and homelessness at 36%; violent crime ranked lower at 31%. Online respondents ranked repeat offenders higher at 51% and homelessness lower at 25%. On the question of police funding, 37% of panel respondents said the Edmonton Police Service is underfunded, compared with 17% who said it has too much funding. Almost 50% of panel respondents said the City needs to spend more on social programs to address disorder. Police Chief Warren Driechel said the results were "something to pay attention to," noting that Edmonton is one of the fastest-growing cities in North America and that police capacity is not keeping pace. Commission chairman Ben Henderson claimed there is a perception gap, meaning that people are statistically safer than they feel. The survey results will inform future Edmonton Police Service budget proposals.
• The Edmonton International Airport is raising its airport improvement fee from $35 to $40 per departing passenger, effective July 1st - a $5 increase tied to a five-year terminal revitalization initiative. The immediate trigger for the fee hike is a two-year redevelopment of the airport's north tower, which first opened in 1963 and housed air traffic control and corporate offices until the Central Tower opened in 2013. The 63,000-square-foot north tower will receive safety upgrades, building envelope improvements, elevator modernization, interior refreshes, and new infrastructure for potential future tenants. The construction will have a significant near-term impact on departures traffic: three lanes in the departures drop-off area will be narrowed to one lane for approximately one year.

• The Infrastructure Committee will meet on Monday, with one of the most significant items on its agenda being a major reassessment of what to do with the High Level Bridge. Administration is recommending Council scrap the previously approved $200 million rehabilitation plan and instead plan for full replacement - a strategic pivot triggered by updated cost estimates that came in at $380 million at the 30% design stage, nearly double the original figure. The bridge, built between 1910 and 1913, carries 24,000-27,000 vehicles per day and has an estimated remaining service life of only 10-15 years. The total cost of the broader central area bridge renewal program - encompassing the High Level Bridge, the Low Level Bridges, and Dawson Bridge - is estimated at approximately $1.3 billion. Because the High Level Bridge holds a Municipal Historic Resource designation, Council must formally repeal that designation before demolition can proceed. The construction and decommissioning timeline runs from 2031 to 2039, with debt servicing costs beginning at $6.6 million in 2033 and rising to $28 million annually by 2036.
• Also this week, the Council Services Committee will consider a request from Ward 10 (Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi) Councillor Jon Morgan for $3,000 from the Common Travel Budget to attend the Calgary Stampede from July 3rd to July 12th, 2026. The request reveals that Ward 9 (pihêsiwin) Councillor Michael Elliott and Ward 11 (Karhiio) Councillor Keren Tang had already received Stampede travel approvals of $3,000 and $2,000, respectively, earlier in the year. The total Common Travel Budget for 2026 is $73,002, and with $58,500 already approved or estimated for other travel this year, only $14,502 remains. The committee must decide whether to approve Morgan's additional request from that remaining balance.
• The Audit Committee meets on Wednesday, and among the items on its agenda is the City Auditor's follow-up dashboard on outstanding audit recommendations. Across all City departments, 35 audit recommendations remain unresolved and five are now overdue. The most delayed item is the Historic Resource Management Program recommendation, originally due December 31st, 2024, and now revised to June 30th, 2026, making it 16 months past its original deadline. A Fraud Risk Management recommendation is four months overdue and has been extended to June 30th, 2027, with Administration citing staffing challenges as the reason for the delay. A Cybersecurity recommendation is also four months past due, and two items in the Taxation, Assessment and Collection System category are one month overdue. Financial Services has the highest number of outstanding recommendations, at 9. The Audit Committee received administrative explanations for the delays, but those explanations rely on revised timelines rather than completed action.
• The Council Services Committee's agenda this week includes Administration's 2026 financial update for Councillors' offices. Each Councillor receives an individual ward office budget of $214,304, and the report provides a line-by-line breakdown of spending by councillor, allowing direct comparison of how individual ward budgets are being managed through the first four months of the year. The total approved budget for all Councillors' offices combined is $6.088 million for the year. As of April 30th, the combined offices carry a "net favourable variance" of $74,000, meaning they are running 3.1% under budget overall. Ward office budgets collectively are 9.3% under-spent, while the common budget is in a slight deficit of $6,000.
• Edmonton Police Service and Recovery Alberta are opening an Integrated Stabilization Centre designed to detain people causing public disorder who have not been charged with a criminal offence. The centre uses authority under the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act to hold intoxicated individuals for up to 24 hours without a criminal charge being laid. The facility is staffed by Recovery Alberta clinical workers rather than police officers, and is intended to divert individuals away from emergency departments and jail cells. The arrangement raises civil liberties questions, as individuals can be held for nearly a full day based on an administrative determination rather than a criminal process. However, supporters of the model argue that it connects people in crisis to addiction and mental health services more effectively than either an arrest or a hospital visit would.

ONTHEAGENDAONTHE AGENDAONTHEAGENDAYEGYEGYEGYEGYEGYEGYEGYEG

Stephanie Swensrude

Here are some key items on the agenda this week:

•   The High Level Bridge and Low Level Bridges will be decommissioned and replaced over the next 10 to 15 years, says a report to be presented to infrastructure committee. While the Low Level Bridges have been slated for demolition for some time, the city had planned to rehabilitate the High Level Bridge to extend its lifespan. But updated testing shows it could cost more than $1 billion to keep it in operation over the next 75 years. Mayor Andrew Knack acknowledged that the High Level Bridge is iconic, but said there comes a time when rehabilitation is no longer feasible. “We’ll have to think about how we rebuild it in a way that respects that heritage and legacy,” Knack told CTV Edmonton. The tentative timeline, pending budget deliberations in the fall, would see a new Low Level Bridge funded in the 2027-2030 budget cycle and a new High Level Bridge funded in the 2035-2039 budget cycle. Replacement bridges would be built before demolition, and the northbound Low Level Bridge would be maintained for active transportation
•   Administration has prepared amendments to the landscape securities program in the zoning bylaw, which it has put forward as an alternative to a private tree protection bylaw. The city collects a security from a developer when it gets a development permit and returns it when the developer plants the required trees and shrubs. If the landscaping isn’t done, the city uses that money to do it. The program is currently applied to large-scale residential, mixed-use, and non-residential developments, and the proposed amendments would add small-scale developments. The city recommends a phased approach starting in January 2027. If council approves the changes, administration estimates that the number of securities collected would increase from 300 to nearly 5,000 annually, with two more full-time employees and two seasonal employees required. The resources for the program would come from fees that developers pay to the city. Council will vote on the amendments to the zoning bylaw at a public hearing.
•   The ward budgets for the Office of the Councillors have a surplus of $74,000, in part because councillors are not fully using personnel budgets for executive assistants and council assistants. The common budget, which funds travel, office furniture, and salaries for councillors and administrative assistants, is in a deficit of $6,000 due to non-personnel costs.
•   Council will consider a rezoning application on a corner site in the Balwin neighbourhood that would allow the landowner to build a four-storey building. Administration said it supports the application because the property is near the 82 Street secondary corridor, and it would match the rest of the zoning on the property’s block. Some residents said they oppose the application because they feel a larger development would reduce available parking and increase crime.
•   A landowner has proposed consolidating two lots in the Belgravia neighbourhood at the corner of 80 Avenue and 119 Street NW and rezoning it to allow a building up to three storeys tall. Administration said it supports the application because the site is both large and surrounded by roadways and alleys on all sides, which would mitigate the impacts of a larger building. Some residents said they oppose the rezoning because it would increase traffic and parking congestion, and they feel there is already too much development happening in the neighbourhood.
•   Council services committee will consider a request from Coun. Jon Morgan to add $3,000 to the common travel and conferences budget to attend the Calgary Stampede.
•   Council will receive a private update on its strategic priorities.

• On Tuesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a City Council meeting. On the agenda is the Edmonton Police Service 2025 Annual Report. The report describes a year marked by leadership transition and a continued shift toward more proactive policing focused on preventing issues like theft, public drug use, and encampments before they escalate. Overall crime trends were mixed, with the total crime rate increasing largely due to non-violent offences such as theft, while the Crime Severity Index saw a slight decrease. Despite this, public perceptions of safety improved notably, with a reported rise in residents feeling safe walking alone at night. Police activity also increased, with a significant jump in officer-initiated calls for service, reflecting more proactive enforcement and engagement. The report highlights several strategic initiatives, including expanded mental health and addiction response partnerships, targeted crime reduction efforts in transit areas, and renewed school resource officer programs. It also notes investments in technology and recruitment, alongside efforts to improve workforce diversity, while acknowledging rising traffic fatalities and the launch of new safety campaigns in response.
• City Administration is recommending that Council approve a retroactive tax forgiveness of $1,087,574 for Covenant Health for the 2022-2025 taxation years related to its new Covenant Community Health Centre. The building, completed in 2025, was partially taxable during its construction and early operation period because it did not fully qualify for property tax exemptions under provincial rules while under development. Under Council Policy C607B, non-profit health facilities can receive retroactive relief for the portion of taxes that would otherwise be exempt, which in this case is calculated at 66.77% of the taxes assessed during construction. The request exceeds the $500,000 threshold that Administration can approve on its own, requiring a formal Council decision. Administration notes the relief would be absorbed within existing tax loss budgets, although continued assessment appeals could create future budget pressure.
• Political and business leaders are calling on the City of Edmonton to end its hybrid work model for municipal employees, arguing that bringing staff back to downtown offices would boost economic activity and improve downtown vitality. A letter signed by a provincial minister, business groups, and real estate interests urges a return-to-office approach, saying increased foot traffic would support local businesses and generate tax revenue. However, Mayor Andrew Knack has defended the current hybrid system, saying it is not the most effective way to revitalize downtown and noting that full office returns could cost the City millions in additional space and operating expenses. The Mayor also pointed out that the City is already reducing its office footprint, including listing two major buildings for sale as part of cost-saving measures. The union representing City workers, CSU 52, has also opposed a mandatory return-to-office policy, arguing it would be financially inefficient and could lead to staff losses while conflicting with existing collective agreement terms. City officials say they support downtown renewal but believe long-term strategies like housing development and consistent downtown activity are more effective than simply mandating office attendance.
• Cheryll Watson, the Chair of the Downtown Revitalization Coalition, has criticized Mayor Andrew Knack’s State of the City address, arguing that it downplayed ongoing concerns about safety and social disorder in Edmonton’s core. Watson pointed to incidents of violence, harassment, and public disorder as evidence that conditions have not meaningfully improved, arguing that City leadership is out of touch with what workers and business owners are experiencing. She also said the Mayor missed an opportunity to acknowledge efforts by local businesses to support revitalization and called for concrete safety initiatives, such as a Safe Walk program. To highlight her concerns, she challenged the Mayor and Councillors to rely exclusively on public transit for a week to better understand everyday conditions faced by commuters. She also suggested broader measures like providing free transit for City employees to encourage greater awareness of transit system challenges.
• Edmonton is facing a major challenge in replacing 37 fire trucks over the next budget cycle, as the cost of emergency vehicles has surged dramatically since the pandemic. Fire trucks now typically cost between $2 million and $3 million each, putting significant pressure on a city already dealing with a large infrastructure maintenance backlog. City Councillors and fire officials warn that aging vehicles are being pushed beyond their limits, with some repairs described as “duct-taping trucks together” to keep them operational. Delays, supply shortages, and limited competition in the fire truck manufacturing industry are contributing to rising prices and long wait times for deliveries. Some officials argue the issue should be treated as a national security concern, calling for federal involvement or even structural reforms to the industry to ensure municipalities can afford essential emergency equipment. City leaders acknowledge the urgency but say they cannot absorb the costs alone and will need support from higher levels of government.

ON THE AGENDA

Stephanie Swensrude

This week, councillors are set to discuss user fees, the city’s aging bus fleet, and Blatchford’s capital budget.

There is a community and public services committee meeting on May 11, an urban planning committee meeting on May 12, an executive committee meeting on May 13, and a utility committee meeting on May 15.

Here are some key items on the agenda:

• A proposed policy would set user fees for city services to achieve pre-established cost recovery targets. A report to be presented to executive committee said the city’s non-tax revenues have not been keeping pace with the rate of expenditure growth, requiring higher property tax increases to maintain a balanced budget. The city also doesn’t have a consistent approach for determining user fees, the report said. The policy will be presented alongside the 2027-2030 operating budget in the fall. If approved, administration will implement a policy for all user fees and then repeal existing policies for recreation user fees and transit fares. The approach doesn’t necessarily mean that the full cost of services will be covered by such fees, the city said.
• Administration laid out three options to renew the city’s aging bus fleet in a report to be presented to urban planning committee. If council chooses not to replace any buses and spend only $42.4 million to refurbish part of the fleet, there could be a reduction of up to 331,000 annual service hours, the report said. The second option is to spend $186.9 million to replace 100 buses over the four-year budget cycle, which administration said is the minimum investment to avoid service reductions. The third option would see the city spend $386.9 million to replace 300 buses over four years, which would eliminate the need for some refurbishment work. Even if council chooses a moderate level of replacement, more than half of the conventional fleet will be over 20 years old in the next four years, two years past the ideal retirement age.
• Administration will ask utility committee to increase the budget for the distribution piping system in Blatchford. The neighbourhood is developing faster than the original forecast, and pipes need to be installed sooner than expected, said a report to be presented to utility committee. The city said a one-time increase of $7.6 million will not increase the overall capital costs of the district energy system in Blatchford. The report said the faster pace of development is expected to continue.
• The city’s policy for supporting vulnerable people during extreme weather events has been updated to reflect feedback from that population, said a report that will be presented to community and public services committee. The “safety first” principle has been expanded to include psychological and cultural safety, and the “connected” principle has been shifted to “integrated” to emphasize that municipal supports exist within a broad social service system. A new procedure to support the policy introduces clearer articulation of roles and responsibilities. The new policy requires council approval.

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• This morning, at 9:30 am, there will be a Community and Public Services Committee meeting. On the agenda is a report recommending updates to how the City supports vulnerable people during extreme weather such as heat, cold, and poor air quality. The revised policy maintains services like shelter shuttles, respite spaces, water stations, and emergency supplies, while updating definitions and shifting toward a more seasonal, proactive response model. Officials say the program plays a critical role in reducing harm for people experiencing homelessness and is considered aligned with best practices compared to other Canadian and international cities. The review also found that extreme weather responses have expanded since 2019 and are increasingly used as demand grows, with hundreds of extreme weather days recorded over the past several years. Engagement with service providers and people with lived experience showed strong support for the program, along with calls for clearer communication and more consistent access to supports. The updated policy also strengthens accountability measures by adding clearer roles, ongoing evaluation requirements, and improved transparency in how services are delivered.
• Also on the agenda is the UP-Lift Equitable Recreation Programming Plan, developed in response to a 2024 City Auditor’s report calling for stronger equity in recreation services. The plan introduces a city-wide framework aimed at improving access to recreation by reducing barriers for “underserved and underrepresented communities,” supported by 31 actions and performance measures. Key changes include a new Equitable Allotment and Allocation Model that ends automatic rollover of facility bookings and instead prioritizes space for groups that deliver higher community benefit or serve "equity-deserving populations." It also establishes new communications guidelines to improve outreach to communities that have historically had less awareness of City programs. Implementation will begin in 2026, with full rollout expected by late 2027, and officials say the approach may shift facility access and program availability, with some large user groups potentially seeing reduced allocations. 
• The Executive Committee will meet on Wednesday at 9:30 am. On the agenda is the new Corporate User Fee Policy the City is developing as part of its broader effort to address long-term fiscal pressures and improve consistency in how user fees are applied across municipal services. The policy is intended to standardize cost-recovery targets for services like transit, recreation, and attractions, while still maintaining a mix of user fee and tax funding so that affordability and access are not compromised. Officials note that user fee revenues have grown more slowly than both property taxes and service costs over the past decade, contributing to increasing reliance on the tax levy to balance budgets. The proposed framework introduces principles such as financial sustainability, “beneficiary pays,” and equitable cost allocation, alongside targeted subsidies to reduce financial barriers for low-income residents. It will also replace existing standalone fee policies once implemented, integrating them into a single corporate approach aligned with the 2027-2030 budget cycle. 
• The Edmonton Police Service says it is shifting toward a more targeted, data-driven policing strategy focused on identified “hotspots” of crime and disorder in the city. Chief Warren Driechel said officers are concentrating resources in areas such as Churchill Square, LRT stations, and known problem properties, using intelligence and public reporting to guide deployments. Police data shows mixed results: while calls for service and arrests have increased in some locations, officials report decreases in downtown disorder and violent crime in certain areas, suggesting displacement and focused enforcement rather than overall escalation. The police service is also working more closely with transit peace officers and downtown partners, including sharing CCTV access, to improve response and visibility. Driechel emphasized that tolerating visible disorder can erode community safety over time and said the goal is to restore public confidence through stronger enforcement presence. The approach is being justified as “smarter policing,” aiming to concentrate limited resources where they are most needed while addressing concerns about safety on transit and in the downtown core.
• Business owners along 124 Street in Edmonton say outdated “ePark” signage is still causing confusion for customers, even though the City of Edmonton moved away from the system and shifted to app-based parking payments, including the HotSpot platform. Some merchants report that customers - especially seniors or those without smartphones - struggle with QR codes and digital-only payment methods, and in some cases are unsure whether the system is legitimate or how to use it. City officials acknowledge “growing pains” from the transition, with councillors pointing to usability and customer experience issues rather than age alone, while the Mayor has suggested revisiting options for those without smartphones. The City has said any reintroduction of physical payment options would require Council approval, and is encouraging residents to contact 311 if needed. 

ON THE AGENDA

Stephanie Swensrude

This week, council will debate rezoning applications for a six-storey building in the northwest, a mixed-use development in Parkview, and a 25-storey tower in Windsor Park, as well as hearing updates about relationships with other levels of government.

There is a private audit election committee meeting on May 4, a public hearing on May 5, and a non-regular council meeting on May 6.

Here are some key items on the agenda:

• Nova Builders has proposed rezoning a parcel of industrial land at 13640 142 Street NW to allow for a six-storey residential building. The site is located 23 metres away from an active CN Rail right-of-way, a corridor that may transport dangerous goods. The Railway Association of Canada recommends a minimum setback of 30 metres from a rail right-of-way to residential development, and administration wrote in its report that the setback can be achieved. The application also includes an amendment to the Northwest District Plan to change the designation of the lot and a commercial development to the west to facilitate future redevelopment.
• Council will review a rezoning application in Parkview that has been revised twice since its initial submission. The landowner has proposed to rezone the property at the corner of 91 Avenue NW and 142 Street NW to allow for a mixed-use development. More than 300 people gave input on the rezoning, with most concerns related to the predominantly single-family development in the neighbourhood, existing traffic and parking congestion, and privacy and shadowing impacts on neighbouring properties. Administration said it supports the application because the property is within a secondary corridor, and it will help people complete their daily needs within proximity to local businesses, open space, school, and active transportation options.
• Westrich Pacific’s development in Windsor Park is set to return to a public hearing after being referred back to administration. The developer has proposed rezoning the southern portion of the property to the mixed-use zone, which would allow for a building up to 25 storeys tall, and the northern part to the neighbourhood mixed-use zone, which would allow for a building up to four storeys tall. Many residents oppose the development, arguing it’s too tall and will cast a shadow across the neighbourhood. Some have shown support for the development due to its proximity to the University of Alberta campus.
• The City of Edmonton’s urban growth and open space department has proposed rezoning a lot in Henderson Estates to allow for a school. The rezoning, if approved, would allow the Conseil scolaire Centre-Nord to use the property for a francophone elementary school. Some residents said they support the school in principle but have concerns that include traffic and parking congestion. The application also includes amending the Whitemud District Plan.
• Administration will give an annual update on Alberta Municipalities, and both private and public updates on intergovernmental relations.
• Audit committee will meet in private to select its public members.

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• Edmonton property owners will receive their 2026 property tax notices in the mail this month, with payment due June 30th. City Council approved a 6.9% property tax increase for 2026 - the final year of its current four-year budget cycle - but the addition of a higher provincial education tax levy brings the effective increase for most homeowners to 7.7%. The City's portion of the increase funds a range of things including affordable housing, new transit buses, and expanded policing. 
• Council has voted to reduce the maximum height for infill housing from 10.5 metres to 9.5 metres, with the change set to take effect in August. City officials say the adjustment still allows for three-storey developments, but may require design changes such as lower ceilings or deeper basements. The decision follows ongoing debate over how to balance neighbourhood character with the need for more housing density and affordability. Supporters of the change argue it responds to resident concerns about building scale in mature communities, while critics warn it could lead to smaller, less livable units. Some Councillors and community representatives also expressed concern that repeated adjustments to infill rules are creating uncertainty for builders and slowing down development. Others on Council cautioned that more restrictive approaches may be emerging as residents turn to private legal covenants to limit redevelopment. 
• Ward 2 (Anirniq) Councillor Erin Rutherford is calling the proposed Metro Line LRT extension to Castle Downs "a pipe dream" and asking Administration to identify lower-cost alternatives. The extension would run north through Rutherford's ward, past the Blatchford neighbourhood to Castle Downs, and eventually to the City of St. Albert - a project that has been deferred repeatedly over the years as costs have climbed. Rutherford tabled a motion last week asking Administration to prepare a memo on alternative transit options for the corridor, including bus rapid transit or a redesigned LRT alignment at a lower price point. She said she is open to all options and described the current LRT proposal as prohibitively expensive. Administration has not yet indicated when the requested memo will be delivered to Council.
• A disability advocate is supporting Councillor Aaron Paquette’s push for stricter rules on where e-scooters can be parked, citing ongoing safety and accessibility concerns for people using mobility aids. The advocate says improperly parked scooters can create real barriers on sidewalks, sometimes forcing users to detour into unsafe areas or rely on assistance to get past obstacles. The proposed motion would require designated parking or geo-fenced drop-off zones, with penalties or charges for riders who leave scooters outside approved areas. The councillor behind the proposal argues that while e-scooters are a useful transportation option, clearer rules are needed to balance convenience with accessibility. Scooter companies have indicated they are open to working with the City and say they also want to avoid blocking sidewalks or creating hazards. 
• The City is facing a projected $63.6 million shortfall tied to the Quarters Downtown Community Revitalization Levy, as expected property tax growth and private investment have not materialized at the pace originally forecast. The CRL was designed to fund infrastructure upgrades by borrowing against future tax revenue, and it has already supported about $100 million in public projects, including parks, streetscapes, and building conversions. While officials note the area has attracted over $450 million in private development activity, no new CRL-funded capital projects will move forward due to the revenue gap. City representatives and Councillors say the infrastructure built so far still has long-term value, even if the timing of development has lagged expectations. At the same time, community voices are raising concerns about cultural erasure and the loss of historic identity in the neighbourhood, particularly related to Chinatown’s presence and visibility. Some stakeholders argue the area has been stigmatized by the concentration of social services, while others emphasize its existing cultural activity and potential for renewal. City officials say there is still an opportunity to strengthen cultural identity through future planning decisions and community engagement.

ON THE AGENDA

Stephanie Swensrude

This week, council is set to finalize a budget increase for a recreation centre in the west end, review a rezoning application for the Army & Navy building, and vote on the future of seven advisory boards.

There is a public hearing on April 27, a council meeting on April 28 and 29, and a private council meeting on April 30.

Here are some key items on the agenda:

• The Lewis Farms Community Recreation Centre could cost more than $32 million over the original budget, despite being scaled back. Council is set to vote on a borrowing bylaw, which makes public the dollar amount increase that was approved in March. “I wish we had hit ‘Stop’ and had a chance to sit down and try to bring other people into the mix,” said Coun. Michael Janz, who has opposed the project since he was elected.
• The owner of the Army & Navy building at 10411 Whyte Avenue NW has applied to rezone the property to allow for public access to the rooftop, additional signage, and more flexible reuse of the building. Leder Investments, the holding company of the family that owns Supreme Steel, has proposed rezoning from one direct control zone, which is in effect for several buildings along Whyte Avenue between Gateway Boulevard and 105 Street, to another direct control zone.
• Council is set to make a final vote on bylaws that would disband seven advisory boards, including the Anti-Racism Advisory Committee (which was paused in 2023), the Edmonton Historical Board, the Edmonton Salutes Committee, the Edmonton Transit Service Advisory Board, the Energy Transition Climate Resilience Committee, the Women’s Advisory Voice of Edmonton Committee (WAVE), and the City of Edmonton Youth Council. Reports accompanying the bylaws say council decided to sunset the boards in a private meeting on March 25. Members of some of the committees told Taproot they were shocked and disappointed by the decision, but Mayor Andrew Knack said there are better mechanisms to hear from people.

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• There will be a City Council meeting this morning at 9:30 am. Council is being asked to approve a set of outcomes and performance indicators to track progress on its 2025-2029 priorities, which include economic development, growth management, and maintaining safety and quality services. The framework clarifies Council’s strategic role in setting goals, while administration is responsible for delivering services and measuring operational performance. These indicators will guide the 2027-2030 budget process, helping align spending decisions with priority outcomes and supporting a shift toward results-based budgeting. The City plans a phased rollout of planning and reporting documents starting in June 2026, with performance updates provided annually and supported by a new public dashboard. The indicators will measure trends rather than fixed targets and may be benchmarked against past performance or other municipalities. They will also form part of the evaluation criteria used to assess funding requests, alongside factors like safety requirements, service demand, and cost recovery.
• Council is considering eliminating seven advisory committees, including those focused on climate change, anti-racism, gender inclusion, and youth engagement, as part of a broader governance review. The proposed change would end these volunteer groups, which currently provide expertise and community feedback, with most set to conclude by April 30 if approved. City officials say the move is intended to ensure committees align with Council priorities and to seek input from a wider range of voices rather than relying on a single group per issue. The mayor emphasized the decision is not about cost-cutting but about improving how the City engages with the community. However, current and former committee members say the decision was abrupt and risks eliminating important channels for expert advice and representation.
• The Urban Planning Committee has approved a motion to redevelop the Exhibition Lands while ensuring the K-Days festival retains at least 30 hectares of space. The $143.1-million transformation plan includes demolishing the former Coliseum to facilitate housing development and a permanent parkade for the Edmonton Expo Centre. Over 30 years, the City aims to build 3,500 homes for approximately 6,500 residents. Explore Edmonton highlighted that the site's unique underground infrastructure is vital for the festival, which contributes $84 million annually to the economy. The motion also explores retrofitting the Coliseum LRT station and potentially expanding Borden Park for athletic and event use. While the City anticipates significant revenue from land sales and property taxes, the priority remains balancing residential growth with the preservation of Edmonton's premier event space.
• Councillor Mike Elliott is calling for renewed consideration of fare gates at LRT stations, suggesting they could improve safety perceptions and increase transit revenue. The idea was previously dropped after cost estimates reached about $7.2 million, largely due to installation and staffing needs. Elliott argues that newer ARC card technology could reduce those costs by eliminating the need for constant on-site attendants. However, a transit advocacy group maintains that boosting ridership and improving service reliability would be a more effective way to enhance safety. City transit officials also point out that fare gates pose challenges due to station layouts, emergency access requirements, and overall expenses. While no formal proposal has been introduced, the issue is being raised again as part of ongoing discussions about transit safety.
• Edmonton is moving ahead with a strengthened Construction Accountability Program aimed at cracking down on infill builders with repeated rule violations, after a surge in complaints in recent years. Because provincial laws prevent the City from denying permits based on past behaviour, the program will instead track non-compliant builders, assign them higher oversight, and require safety plans and mandatory training to maintain eligibility. Additional measures include surprise inspections during key construction phases and higher fees/fines for repeated infractions. City officials emphasized that while most builders follow the rules, stricter enforcement is needed for frequent offenders, even if it risks legal pushback. Some Councillors argued the plan does not go far enough and suggested even closer monitoring of high-risk sites. Industry representatives expressed support for the program but cautioned that penalties should target only repeat offenders and be based on clear, transparent standards. The new measures are expected to roll out through late 2026 and early 2027.

• Downtown Edmonton pub and restaurant owners say they were “broadsided” by the City’s decision to introduce new licensing fees for year-round patios, warning the costs could force many to shut down or remove their outdoor spaces. Under the new policy, businesses will pay about $14,000 annually for all-season patios, with a temporary discount in 2026 before full fees take effect in 2027, whereas seasonal patios will cost about $3,700. Owners say they were encouraged to invest in patios through City and business association programs, but now feel the new fees undermine those efforts and threaten recent investments. Some businesses report significant financial strain, including declining post-pandemic revenues, rising property taxes, and vandalism costs, making the added fees difficult to absorb. Critics, including some councillors, argue the fees could reduce downtown vibrancy by discouraging outdoor spaces that bring people into the area. City Administration says the charges are intended to recover costs for safety infrastructure like barriers and inspections, but some owners dispute the value of those services.
• Edmonton Police Service documents and emails have revealed new details about a pilot project testing body-worn cameras equipped with artificial intelligence facial recognition, making it the first program of its kind in Canada. The system, supplied through US camera maker Axon and facial recognition vendor Corsight AI, scans faces in real time against a watchlist of roughly 7,000 individuals flagged for warrants or perceived risk. Internal privacy assessments describe the tool as a “significant adaptation” of existing bodycam technology, effectively turning it into a form of proactive surveillance, though police argue it is limited by safeguards such as distance, lighting, and officer-controlled activation. The pilot has raised major concerns among privacy experts and researchers, who warn about the lack of clear legal authority, potential data-sharing risks, and the broader implications of constant biometric monitoring of the public. Edmonton police maintain the project is a proof of concept aimed at evaluating effectiveness and ensuring compliance with privacy law and the Charter. Oversight bodies and critics remain divided, with some seeing it as a necessary innovation in policing and others calling it one of the most high-risk surveillance experiments in Canada.
• City Council voted 7-5 in favour of Ward O-day’min Councillor Anne Stevenson’s motion to restore street parking on 101 Street in Chinatown between 107 Avenue and Kingsway, reversing a dedicated bus lane pilot. Street parking will be available weekdays from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm to support local businesses. Business owners reported a decline in customers and accessibility challenges for seniors and individuals with limited mobility who rely on street-level access rather than alleyway parking. Administration will monitor the impact on bus efficiency over the next six months. Concurrently, the City is advancing Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) planning for routes B1 and B2 for the 2027–2030 budget cycle. A third route, B6, is deferred until construction on Terwilliger Drive is complete. Supported by $16.42 million in annual federal funding, the BRT system is projected to be operational by 2031 once the Southeast Transit Garage is finished
• The Downtown Revitalization Coalition (DRC) has introduced a plan aiming to make Edmonton the safest major city in Canada. Unveiled before budget deliberations, the strategy calls for better coordination of downtown programs to address persistent public disorder. A primary recommendation includes integrating the Edmonton Police Service and transit peace officers to improve response times and authority. The DRC also proposes a downtown crisis-stabilization and transfer centre, providing a non-carceral space for individuals in distress to be stabilized and connected to support services. While the provincial government has allocated funds for similar centers elsewhere, the DRC advocates for a dedicated downtown location. Councillor Anne Stevenson supports the goal of enhanced inter-agency partnership but emphasizes that available treatment and housing options remain critical.
• A builders’ advocacy group in Edmonton is calling on the City to streamline its infill housing approval process and adopt clearer design standards to support growing demand. The group’s 22-point plan argues that approvals for infill projects can take as long as large suburban developments, slowing efforts to meet the City’s goal of directing half of new housing into established neighbourhoods. It also emphasizes improving communication with residents and enforcing consistent design rules to address community concerns about neighbourhood character. The push comes amid rising tensions over infill, including community resistance, restrictive covenants, and even arson incidents targeting projects. The proposal includes ideas like pre-approved building plans to speed up development while maintaining standards. While proponents say Edmonton is a leader in housing policy, ongoing legal disputes and neighbourhood opposition continue to complicate infill expansion.

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ON THE AGENDA

Stephanie Swensrude

This week, councillors are set to discuss a potentially reduced footprint for K-Days and other major events, review a sale agreement for a proposed community centre, and hear an update on the city’s living wage requirement.

There is a community and public services committee meeting on April 20, an urban planning committee meeting on April 21, and an executive committee meeting on April 22.

Here are some key items on the agenda:

• The amount of city-owned land allocated to outdoor events at the Exhibition Lands, such as K-Days, could be reduced from 55 acres to about 21 acres, administration said in a report to urban planning committee. Redevelopment of the Exhibition Lands is underway to turn the property into a sustainable, transit-oriented neighbourhood, a shift from what the report calls “large land areas that are seldom used.” The redevelopment calls for the land leased to Explore Edmonton, which runs K-Days, to eventually be reduced to 15.7 hectares, but administration said the land where the Coliseum sits can host extra festival space once the former arena is demolished. The report said administration will continue to work with Explore Edmonton as the lands are redeveloped to ensure it has enough time to relocate storage, maintenance shops, and parking as the area redevelops.
• Executive committee will review a proposed sale agreement with the Africa Centre for a portion of Athlone Park at 13160 127 Street NW that will allow the organization to construct the African Multicultural Community Centre. An updated business case outlines three development scenarios; administration recommends that the centre use the site to balance community programming with revenue-generating components, including eight affordable housing units. The centre has introduced some measures to mitigate a potential loss of revenue in the case of vacancy, including a new endowment fund established at the Edmonton Community Foundation. The agreement proposes selling the land for $1, with a buy-back option if the centre doesn’t start construction within five years.
• Administration said it will continue work to ensure that its suppliers and contractors pay their employees a living wage by managing contracts, engaging with suppliers, and enhancing monitoring. The current living wage in the Edmonton region is $22.30 per hour.
• Administration has created a wildfire risk management strategy that focuses on managing vegetation, responding to wildfires, collaborating with neighbouring jurisdictions, and educating and preparing the community. Council’s community and public services committee will be asked to recommend one of three implementation levels, the first using existing budget and the other two requiring a funding package in the 2027-2030 budget.

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.