thisweekinedmonton

• This morning, at 9:30 am, there will be a City Council Public Hearing to discuss several zoning amendments. Some items up for discussion include allowing for larger scale parks and amenities in Edgemont, Rosenthal, and Glenridding Heights, as well as allowing for medium scale housing in Windsor Park.
• There will be a meeting of the Agenda Review Committee on Tuesday at 8:30 am, followed by a City Council meeting at 9:30 am. On the agenda for the Council meeting is the Spring 2024 Supplemental Operating Budget Adjustment (City Hall code for raising your taxes, again!) There are proposed tax increases of 8.7% in 2024, 7.0% in 2025, and 6.4% in 2026. Council will also discuss a plan for replenishing the Edmonton Police Service Operating Reserve. In 2023, the reserve had a deficit of $1.1 million, necessitating a plan for repayment. There are a number of private reports on the agenda too, including one regarding collective bargaining, and several regarding appointments to Boards, Committees, and Commissions. Should Council not finish this meeting on schedule, there will be a continuation on Wednesday at 9:30 am. Then, on Friday, at 1:30 pm, there will be a meeting of the Special City Manager and City Auditor Performance Evaluation Committee. There is one private report on the agenda regarding a Consultant Contract Update.
• Edmonton is hosting the Alberta Spirits and Cocktail Festival this weekend. On Saturday at the Edmonton Convention Centre, there will be 30+ Alberta based food and liquor vendors sampling spirits and food bites. There will also be flair bartending shows, live entertainment, a chance to meet distillers, and tutorials on how to make the perfect cocktails. There are two “sessions” available, from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm or from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Tickets are available online.

This Week In Edmonton

• The week at City Hall begins with a meeting of the Audit Committee this morning at 9:30 am. There are a series of public reports on the agenda, including the City of Edmonton’s 2023 Consolidated Financial Statements, an Environmental and Climate Governance Audit (more on this below!), the Blatchford Development Performance Management Audit, and the KPMG - 2023 Audit Findings Report.
• There will be a meeting of the Agenda Review Committee on Tuesday at 8:30 am, followed by 9:30 am non-regular meetings of the Executive Committee and the Urban Planning Committee. Much of the latter two meetings will be held in camera (in secret) to discuss recruitment to Boards and Committees.
• On Wednesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a non-regular meeting of the Community and Public Services Committee. Similar to the two above meetings, this meeting is also mostly in-camera, and the agenda is dominated by recruitment to Boards and Committees. If the meeting doesn’t wrap up on time, there will be a continuation on Friday at 1:30 pm.

• This morning, at 9:30 am, there will be a meeting of the Community and Public Services Committee. The Committee will discuss the City Centre Optimization Pilot Project, along with the Assisted Snow Clearing Pilot Program. Administration will also present a response to Councillor Cartmell’s request to detail all social agencies helping homeless individuals in the Boyle Street, McCauley, and Central McDougall neighbourhoods. Councillor Cartmell requested that the report include what services each agency offers, how many clients they serve, and the amount of financial support they receive from the City. As it turns out, there are 17 organizations, 10 of which are funded by the City to the tune of $3.3 million annually, in addition to one-time funding of more than $10 million in both 2022 and 2023.
• On Tuesday, at 8:30 am, there will be an Agenda Review Committee meeting followed by an Urban Planning Committee meeting at 9:30 am. At the latter meeting, the Committee will consider the Zoning Bylaw 2024-2025 Work Plan, Collaborative Highway 2 Roadway Beautification, and a suite of omnibus amendments to Business Licence Bylaw. One of the proposed amendments is to change the wording of “Exotic Entertainment” to “Erotic Entertainment” in order to advance the City’s Anti-Racism Strategy. Apparently, the word exotic “has racist undertones and does not reflect language currently being used in the industry”.
• The Executive Committee will meet on Wednesday at 9:30 am. The Committee will consider the Nighttime Economy Strategy, an Edmonton Sport and Cultural Attraction Plan Update, and Destination Marketing and Attraction Activities by City-Funded Entities. Finally, on Friday, there will be a Special Meeting of City Council at 11:00 am to discuss a City Auditor recruitment update. Much of this meeting will be held in-camera.

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• The Can’t Stop Alberta Tour is coming to Edmonton on Wednesday. The Common Sense Edmonton team will be joining the Alberta Institute for a fun evening at the Transit Smokehouse. We’ll be discussing some important, topical issues in provincial and municipal politics. You can RSVP by clicking here. Hope to see you there!
• There are several meetings at City Hall this week. Today, at 9:30 am, there will be a meeting of the Community and Public Services Committee. The Committee will receive a report regarding attracting major events to the City - the report indicates that in order to “continue to attract international and key national events, increased funding at the municipal level is required in order to leverage funding from other orders of government and the corporate sector”. Also up for discussion are ways to reduce drug poisonings in the city, including the creation of a steering committee and developing a local substance use strategy. The Urban Planning Committee will meet at 9:30 am on Tuesday. The Committee will discuss the Downtown Community Revitalization Levy, Office Tower Conversions, Arterial Road Assessments, and finally a review of real time traffic monitoring. 
• On Wednesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a meeting of the Executive Committee. On the agenda is a discussion about a Dedicated Climate Fund. According to a Council Report, in order “to advance Energy Transition Strategy initiatives under the City’s control that will contribute towards becoming a net-zero emissions community by 2050, funding of $8.27 billion is required between 2024 and 2050 (the next 27 years).” A total tax increase of 6.7% over 10 years would be required to achieve this. The Utility Committee will meet on Friday at 9:30 am. The Committee will receive several reports, including one regarding the Waste Services Fall 2023 Supplemental Capital Budget Adjustment.

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• There is a City Council Public Hearing this morning beginning at 9:30 am to deal with a revamp of the City’s zoning regulations. It looks to be a big one, so there will be additional sessions on October 17th and 18th, and a contingency date set for December 18th if necessary. For those interested, the new bylaw and its associated rationale span over 700 pages, making for substantial reading material. The City says the primary objective is to replace the current complex zoning regulations with a more “modern and adaptable” framework. Currently, there are 46 distinct zoning categories, and the new bylaw aims to streamline them into 24 categories. The new bylaw would also permit the construction of housing up to three stories in height throughout the city, including duplexes, row houses, and small apartments. More information is also available on a City website dedicated to the bylaw renewal project, and you can explore the impact it might have on your area using this zoning map.
• There will be a short meeting of the Agenda Review Committee on Tuesday at 8:30 am. At the meeting, the Committee will finalize the agendas for the upcoming meetings of the Community and Public Services Committee, the Urban Planning Committee, the Executive Committee, and the Utility Committee.
• Edmonton Transit Service is looking to improve the design of bus shelters in order to curb vandalism. The latest numbers show that 1,600 glass panels in bus shelters were smashed in 2022, costing the City about $456,000. ETS is teaming up with the University of Alberta to find out what other designs for bus shelters may be workable. It’s not the first time the City has had to splash out cash for smashed bus shelter glass - in 2019 the City spent $201,574 to replace 592 bus shelter panels, and in 2017, they spent $156,000.

#ThisweekinEdmonton 

• There is a City Council Public Hearing this morning beginning at 9:30 am to deal with a revamp of the City’s zoning regulations. It looks to be a big one, so there will be additional sessions on October 17th and 18th, and a contingency date set for December 18th if necessary. For those interested, the new bylaw and its associated rationale span over 700 pages, making for substantial reading material. The City says the primary objective is to replace the current complex zoning regulations with a more “modern and adaptable” framework. Currently, there are 46 distinct zoning categories, and the new bylaw aims to streamline them into 24 categories. The new bylaw would also permit the construction of housing up to three stories in height throughout the city, including duplexes, row houses, and small apartments. More information is also available on a City website dedicated to the bylaw renewal project, and you can explore the impact it might have on your area using this zoning map.
• There will be a short meeting of the Agenda Review Committee on Tuesday at 8:30 am. At the meeting, the Committee will finalize the agendas for the upcoming meetings of the Community and Public Services Committee, the Urban Planning Committee, the Executive Committee, and the Utility Committee.
• Edmonton Transit Service is looking to improve the design of bus shelters in order to curb vandalism. The latest numbers show that 1,600 glass panels in bus shelters were smashed in 2022, costing the City about $456,000. ETS is teaming up with the University of Alberta to find out what other designs for bus shelters may be workable. It’s not the first time the City has had to splash out cash for smashed bus shelter glass - in 2019 the City spent $201,574 to replace 592 bus shelter panels, and in 2017, they spent $156,000.

#ThisWeekInEdmonton

• There are a few smaller meetings bookending this week’s City Council meeting. On Tuesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a City Council Public Hearing to deal with a number of minor zoning amendments, including a proposal to create a small park in the Queen Alexandra neighbourhood. On Friday, at 10:00 am, there will be a Special City Council meeting held entirely in-camera to deal with a City Manager Update.
• On Wednesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a City Council meeting. On the agenda are reports regarding a rapid housing initiative and supporting vulnerable Edmontonians. Administration is recommending that Council enter into agreements with Homeward Trust and the Right at Home Housing Society to support further affordable housing developments. Council is also considering increasing taxes on “derelict” properties by about a million dollars. Edmonton has 274 such properties. Should the meeting not wrap up on Wednesday, additional time is scheduled for Thursday at 9:30 am if needed.
• Boyle Street Community Services will continue serving Edmonton's vulnerable community while it lacks a permanent facility for the next 18 months. The organization, which aids individuals experiencing poverty and homelessness, will operate from five different locations, primarily the Bissell Centre East.

#ThisWeekInEdmonton

• There is only one meeting at City Hall this week - an 8:30 am meeting of the Agenda Review Committee on Tuesday.
• Edmonton is playing host to the Alberta Municipalities Convention and Trade Show. Elected officials from most of Alberta’s municipalities attend the event, and this year’s schedule features educational sessions on bus fleet electrification, attracting film productions to municipalities, Council codes of conduct, and more.
• The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will be observed on Saturday to honour residential school survivors. In Edmonton, there will be a run/walk beginning at Kinsmen Park, with the goal of raising funds for the Orange Shirt Society. Tickets are also available for Fort Edmonton’s Indigenous Peoples Experience for those who want to spend their day learning. 

#ThisWeekInEdmonton

• This morning, there will be a meeting of the Community and Public Services Committee at 9:30 am. The Committee will consider two reports, the License Agreement with Edmonton Minor Hockey Season 2023-2024, and the Early Learning and Care Committee Recommendations. On Tuesday, at 8:30 am, there will be an Agenda Review Committee meeting, followed by a meeting of the Urban Planning Committee meeting at 9:30 am. At the latter meeting, the Committee will consider what to do with roughly 275 surface parking lots in Centre City and The Quarters, most operating illegally.
• On Wednesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a meeting of the Executive Committee. The Committee will consider designating several properties as Municipal Historic Resources, including St. Francis of Assisi Church and the Revillon Building. The Committee will also consider when to open the Metro Line to Blatchford extension, and hear an update on the Rapid Housing Initiative - Round 3 Projects.
• The Audit Committee will meet on Friday at 9:30 am. The Committee will discuss several reports, including a Capital Asset Management Audit, an IT Asset Management Audit, and the Valley Line LRT P3 and Delivery Audit. Shockingly, despite endless delays, the latter report says the City anticipates the entire project “will come in under the original capital construction budget.”

#ThisWeekInEdmonton

• This morning, at 9:30 am, there will be a City Council Public Hearing to deal with more than a dozen land use amendments.
• There is a lengthy agenda for the City Council meeting taking place on Tuesday at 9:30 am. The agenda includes a Capital Financial Update, an Operating Financial Update, a report on the Edmonton Water Treatment Plants Flood Mitigation Project, and Tax Forgiveness Options for the YWCA, to name just a few items. There are also several private reports, including a Public Safety and Community Response Task Force Update, and a Valley Line Contractual Update. There are four Motions Pending that will be moved at this meeting, including one from Councillor Rutherford directing Administration to provide a report outlining options and implications of not increasing the paper and reusable shopping bag fees, and one from Councillor Stevenson requesting an analysis of current spending in each of the seven community safety and wellbeing pillars. If the meeting does not conclude on Tuesday, additional time has been allotted on Wednesday, beginning at 9:30 am.
• A Council Services Committee meeting takes place on Friday at 1:30 pm. On the agenda is a summary of the consolidated feedback regarding the Code of Conduct, and an in-camera session to review the Office of the Councillors Budget Review Task Force Final Report. 

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• Tomorrow, there will be an Agenda Review Committee meeting at 8:30 am, followed by a meeting of the Utility Committee at 9:30 am. At the latter meeting, the Committee will discuss the Epcor Performance Based Regulation Report, which provides the annual financial and operational results for Water, Wastewater Treatment, and Drainage Services for 2022. The report notes that last year, the average residential customer’s monthly bill for water services came in at $41.90, an increase of $2.75 (7.0%) from 2021. The Committee will also receive a report on the implementation of the bylaw banning single-use items. The report notes that “early feedback observed on social media trended negative” but “news stories and inquiries were neutral in tone.” Sounds like the people actually impacted by it aren’t happy…
• On Wednesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a Special City Auditor Recruitment Committee meeting. As you can probably imagine, the Committee will discuss recruitment of a City Auditor. The meeting will be held in-camera. Later in the day, at 1:30 pm, there will be a Non-Regular Meeting of City Council. At this meeting, Council will discuss Pre-Budget Submissions to the Government of Alberta and the Government of Canada. It’s a private report, so we can’t say for sure just how much cash the City is asking for.
• Edmonton’s Mountain Bike Festival takes place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Queen Elizabeth Park. There are activities for the whole family, including group rides based on ability, food trucks, races, and a BMX jumping competition. Keep in mind that if you’d like to participate in the group rides or races, you have to register in advance. If you're feeling really adventurous, you can sign up for an overnight group ride where you bike to a campsite, stay overnight, and bike back the next morning. The Festival Guide is available online. 

#ThisWeekInEdmonton

• This morning, at 9:30 am, there will be a meeting of the Community and Public Services Committee. The Committee will discuss extending the City’s childminding agreement with the YMCA. A successful pilot project saw the City partner with the YMCA to provide childcare at recreation facilities, which the City says helped to bolster attendance numbers at those facilities. Administration is recommending a five-year agreement - a $5.5 million expense. The Committee will also discuss two items of unfinished business from July meetings - the Current Status of City-Enabled and City-Provided Indigenous Business Supports, and the Community Safety and Well-Being Strategy Implementation Update.
• On Tuesday, at 8:30 am, there will be a meeting of the Agenda Review Committee, followed by a meeting of the Urban Planning Committee at 9:30 am. At the latter meeting, the Committee will discuss several transit-related matters, including a report on transit service in new communities, and a report outlining a plan to establish a pilot program for bus service to help youth access recreation centres after school hours. The Committee will also decide whether or not to have the Mayor write a letter to both the Province's Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, and the federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change, supporting the designation of the North Saskatchewan River as a Heritage River under the Canadian Heritage Rivers System.
• On Wednesday, at 9:30 am, there will be an Executive Committee meeting. Turns out that the City collected too much money under its special tax for Alley Lighting Maintenance - $355,914 too much. But, they’re not going to give it directly back. The Committee is going to recommend that Council apply the money to the 2024 Alley Lighting Maintenance Special Taxes. 

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