thisweekinedmonton

• The Community and Public Services Committee will meet today at 9:30 am. One of the items on the agenda is a bylaw that would require unsolicited flyers showing images of a deceased fetus to be delivered in a sealed, opaque envelope marked with a content warning and the sender's name and address. Anyone who fails to comply would face a minimum fine of $500 per offence. Council ordered the change on July 4th, 2025, after residents complained to Councillors about graphic flyers with abortion-related messaging left in their mailboxes. Administration acknowledges that the rule would limit the sender's Charter right to freedom of expression, but claims the limit is justified because it is narrowly focused. Because Canada Post is federally regulated, the bylaw would apply only to material hand-delivered to homes, not to flyers sent through the mail. Administration did no consultation beyond notifying Edmonton Prolife, Woman's Health Options, and the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, and the bylaw is ready for all three readings at City Council.
• Also on today's agenda is a one-year review of the Public Spaces Bylaw, which came into effect on May 12th, 2025, along with a set of amendments. The biggest change would ban the use of sound amplification devices within 10 meters of a doorway or bus stop and inside transit facilities, with exceptions for people who keep moving and for uses allowed by a permit. The bylaw's harassment rule would be narrowed to target degrading communication aimed at a protected personal characteristic, after a review found the existing wording was unintentionally overbroad, and a new offence would ban cameras in recreation facilities where signs prohibit them. In the bylaw's first year, transit and downtown peace officers issued 69,564 warnings and 5,068 tickets, up from 54,015 warnings and 4,656 tickets the year before. Complaints to the City's other peace officers rose by more than 350% between May and November 2025, compared with the same months of 2024. Administration recommends keeping the $25 fines for public drug use, panhandling on a roadway, and temporary sheltering, and extending that fine to the related offence for structures. Any further expansion of those nominal fines would wait for a report on a possible Community Court, due to the Committee in the last quarter of 2026.
• The Committee will also receive a report on options for expanding affordable housing into Edmonton's developing neighbourhoods, which lie largely outside the Anthony Henday. Just 1% of housing in those areas is affordable, or 794 units, compared with 6%, or 18,338 units, in the city's redeveloping areas. Administration reviewed claiming municipal reserve land, co-locating housing with civic facilities such as fire stations and libraries, and buying private land, but notes that neither the Municipal Government Act nor the City Charter gives the City a way to acquire land strictly for affordable housing. That leaves buying land at market rates or converting reserve land set aside for parks and schools, which would require public hearings and leave less room for those uses in new neighbourhoods. Since 2019, the City has put $317 million in land value and grants toward affordable housing, and it estimates it has given up $58.5 million in land sale revenue since 2015 by offering land below market value. Its land acquisition budget is expected to be fully allocated under the current 2023-2026 plan, so buying more land would need new funding in the 2027-2030 budget. The report is for information only.
• The Executive Committee will meet on Friday at 9:30 am. Among the items on the agenda is a request, postponed from the Committee's September 2nd meeting, to amend the City's single-source agreement with Azolla Hydrogen Ltd. by increasing its total value and extending its term. Azolla supplies hydrogen for a City fleet fuelling pilot, and already runs a unit at the Ellerslie fleet facility that makes hydrogen from methanol. The amendment covers changes to the design and construction of a second unit at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre, as well as three years of operating the fuelling stations. The size of the increase is not public, because Administration wants the updated terms kept private, citing harm to a third party's business interests and to the City's own economic interests. Administration claims there is no net budget impact, since the cost is covered by an existing fleet capital budget and by up to $6.9 million from Emissions Reduction Alberta toward a project costing about $18 million. Its own report notes that the pilot's climate benefit depends on where the methanol comes from.
• City Administration and the Edmonton Police Service announced last Monday that they will review how the City's community services branch and the police work together on public safety, following closed-door meetings between City Council and the Edmonton Police Commission. The final report, due to Council in late 2027, will set out what it would take to keep the current model, options for closer collaboration, and the risks and costs of each organizational model. It will be reviewed by a third party before it is published, and the City insists there will be no changes to service delivery until then. Police Chief Warren Driechel said the pressures of social issues, crime, disorder, and violence are becoming more acute, and that the service must assess whether its current approach is the right fit. Much of the discussion between Council and the Commission was held in private under sections of the Access to Information Act covering public safety, law enforcement, and intergovernmental relations. City Communications Manager Brent Wittmeier said portions of the report would also stay private, including personal and labour information, legal advice, and security details, while the mandate, timeline, and non-sensitive milestones will be public.

ON THE AGENDA

Stephanie Swensrude

This week, councillors are set to review the first year of the public spaces bylaw, hear an update on the city’s accessibility progress, and consider changes to the planning and business development model.

There is a community and public services committee meeting on Sept. 28, an urban planning committee meeting on Sept. 29, and an executive committee meeting on Oct. 1.

Here are some key items on the agenda this week:

• Transit and downtown peace officers issued 29% more warnings in the year after several bylaws were consolidated to create the public spaces bylaw. During the same period, there was a 9% increase in tickets issued, says a report that is set to be presented community and public services committee. The majority of warnings were related to proof of payment, controlled substances, inappropriate behaviours, and using transit spaces for non-transit purposes. At the same time, the Community Outreach Transit Team, known as COTT, recorded a 59% increase in engagements and interactions, which it attributes to enhanced operational alignment between transit peace officers and outreach teams, as well as increased community awareness following the opening of the Wa’awiyagabi Welcome Space at Central LRT Station. Administration said the data suggests “enforcement officers are using the public spaces bylaw for lawful placement purposes to intervene in problematic conduct, but are exercising discretion to use escalating enforcement and diversion tools as appropriate.” Administration said it does not believe the changes can be attributed solely to the bylaw change, and that changing social programs and services have contributed. Council had requested the analysis after advocates said the new public spaces bylaw would have harsh consequences for vulnerable Edmontonians. Administration has proposed several amendments, including a new definition to distinguish privately owned public spaces, such as malls and lobbies, from municipal public spaces that are directly owned and controlled by the City of Edmonton. The regulation change also applies to the part of the bylaw that regulates temporary sheltering. “Limiting certain regulation to ‘municipal public spaces’ avoids the risk of unintentional overbreadth, provides clarity to the public on the extent of regulation, and ensures minimal impairment of activities that may have expressive or other protected aspects,” the report said.
• Administration highlighted the progress it has made on the accessibility for people with disabilities policy. The city has updated its accessibility design guide, enhanced visibility of benches in four LRT stations, and offered additional employee training. It has also made progress on addressing a backlog on sidewalk maintenance and reviewed nearly 400 pedestrian crossing signals. Administration plans to develop a plan to support adaptive recreation, improve booking and scheduling for DATS, and review service levels for clearing sidewalks and bike lanes of snow and ice.
• Administration has presented options to bring the planning and development business model (PDBM) closer to its target level after years of increased construction activity resulted in a surplus in the reserve. The PDBM is funded by the fees charged for land development applications, development permits, building permits, and other associated services. The projected year-end balance of the reserve is $77.6 million, which is 105% of budgeted operating expenses. Council policy mandates that the balance should not exceed 75%. Administration recommends pausing inflationary fee increases in 2027, increasing staff levels, and investing in technology. It also recommends three actions that would require a policy exception: a one-time, $12-million transfer to the infill infrastructure program; a hold on funds for future growth planning studies; and a revision to the PDBM policy. Urban planning committee is set to review the changes, after which council will make the final decision.

Administration has proposed amendments to the public spaces bylaw to add a new definition to distinguish privately owned public spaces, such as malls and lobbies, from municipal public spaces, such as LRT stations. (Sara Sheydwasser)

Here are some more key items:

• Representatives from the Highlands Historical Society suggested turning an existing unnamed landscaped area into a park to commemorate the neighbourhood’s history after a notable transit stop was turned into a supportive housing site. Last summer, council’s executive committee approved the sale of three sites to Jasper Place Wellness Centre for supportive housing, including a former transit loop that was once the end of the streetcar line that served Highlands, which was then a new suburb. When the sale was approved, councillors had asked for options to honour the neighbourhood’s history.
• Offering an incentive for early payment of parking tickets would cost the city up to $1.15 million in capital costs as well as up to $300,000 annually, says a report that will be presented to community and public services committee. A jurisdictional scan of seven large Canadian cities found that five of them use tiered fines and early payment incentives. Implementing tiers and incentives would require the city to modernize its ticketing process, the report said. It could also reduce revenue by $300,000 to $700,000 annually.
• Building affordable housing on the same site as municipal assets, such as fire stations or libraries, could help get more built in the suburbs, administration said. A report set for community and public services committee says 6% of the total dwellings within the redeveloping area — generally, the area within Anthony Henday Drive — are affordable units, compared with 1% in newer neighbourhoods outside of the ring road. Council has previously considered affordable housing co-location at the Walker Fire Station, but ultimately decided against it due to high planning and design costs. Other options include using municipal reserve land and purchasing private land and offering it to affordable housing developers.
• Administration recommends using the heritage commemoration initiatives in the new heritage places strategy to recognize the heritage design characteristics along 129 Avenue in Calder. A report that will be presented at urban planning committee says council could also introduce a direct control zone to conserve the heritage character, or introduce a special character area zone, as exists in Westmount, Cromdale, Garneau, and Old Strathcona, though either option could limit future development.
• Edmonton Transit Service could add more stops to existing on-demand transit zones after three on-demand neighbourhoods are converted to conventional service next year. A report that is set to be presented to urban planning committee adds that administration is now able to add onboard fare collection to on-demand transit vehicles.
• A partnership between 911 dispatch and social services resulted in customer service training, new call diversion processes, and data sharing, but lacked capacity to make significant improvement to Edmontonians, according to a report to be presented to community and public services committee. The Integrated Call Evaluation and Dispatch (ICED) initiative aimed to “move from a traditional emergency response model toward getting the right response at the first call to Edmontonians,” the report said. Since the program launched in 2022, mental health calls are now automatically routed to 211, a social services helpline, or 988, the suicide crisis helpline. Administration said the partnership is limited because, unlike police, most social services don’t have the capacity to operate 24/7; privacy laws protect an individual’s data but can make it difficult for service providers to share information quickly and develop plans for supporting callers with complex needs; and wage inflation has meant that fewer 911 dispatch workers can be employed within a static budget.
• Executive committee will review a proposal to offer the premium version of the Transit app to all Edmontonians. About 85,000 riders use the third-party app to plan trips in Edmonton, and about 4,300 more people download it each month, a report said. Administration is seeking approval for a four-year contract of up to $2.5 million that would provide free access to the “Royale” version of the app for all Edmonton region riders. The premium version of the app provides access to all route schedules and real-time trip data across the region, allows riders to plan trips in advance, provides more trip options, and gamifies app customization features that make the app more appealing and user-friendly, the report said. The agreement would also let administration access rider feedback submitted through the Transit app. The proposal requires executive committee approval only.
• Executive committee will review applications to designate the Campbell Residence and Reed Residence in Westmount, and the Judge Downes Residence in Strathcona, as municipal historic resources. If committee approves, city council will make the final decision.
• Administration has drafted amendments to the community standards bylaw that would require unsolicited mail containing images of a deceased fetus to be contained in a sealed, opaque envelope with a content warning. A report set to be presented to community and public services committee says the city has heard from residents who have been traumatized by receiving graphic mail with messaging related to abortion. The changes require council approval.
• Administration has proposed a minor change to the city’s ward boundaries to place the entirety of the Glenridding Ravine neighbourhood within Ward pihêsiwin and the entirety of the Chappelle neighbourhood within Ward Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi. About 400 residents in Glenridding Ravine would move to Ward pihêsiwin from Ward Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi once the proposed adjustment came into effect, while the segment of the Chappelle neighbourhood currently has no residential population. City policy requires the returning officer to review municipal boundaries in the year following a municipal election. The population of each ward is supposed to be within 25% of the mean ward population of 103,700 people, and all wards are currently within the acceptable variance. If executive committee approves the proposal, it is ready for first reading; if approved, the final council vote will take place in the future.

• Ward 8 (papastew) Councillor Michael Janz has given notice of a motion that would direct Administration to look at charging residents for permits to park on their own residential streets, with a portion of the revenue potentially returned to the households on that block. The City already collects $13 million a year in parking fees and has about 2,700 street parking stalls, counting both paid spots and residential roads where parking is currently free. Janz argues that ratepayers pay for the upkeep of those roads regardless, and that with upwards of 750,000 registered vehicles in Edmonton even a nominal fee would raise a considerable sum. By his own example, 20 spaces on a block at $2.50 an hour for 10 hours a day would bring in $182,500 a year, or $9,125 per property if split 20 ways. He says about 80% of participants in the City's summer budget tool exercise supported the idea of parking users paying for the privilege, and that a universal permit system would be fairer than the current arrangement in areas like Garneau, where only permitted homeowners can park on the street and apartment residents are excluded. The motion follows a City audit that found Administration manages its parking enforcement contract adequately but has no council-approved strategic vision for parking, and Ward 10 (Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi) Councillor Jon Morgan, who chairs the audit committee, said he wants the ability to audit how contractors handle data on parked vehicles. Council will debate the future of the parking enforcement program during its four-year budget deliberations in December.
• Edmonton's transit peace officers issued 5,748 trespass tickets to people with no fixed address in 2025, according to City data obtained under access-to-information legislation and released last Tuesday by the Criminal Trial Lawyers' Association, the Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness, the Coalition for Justice and Human Rights, and Justice and Equity Alberta. At $600 a ticket that comes to $3,448,800, and it accounts for 86% of the 6,673 transit trespass tickets written that year, the highest annual total since at least 2018. The City also issued 647 written bans from transit property in 2025, nearly half of them for drug use, along with 369 verbal bans, with written bans lasting anywhere from three months to two years. The City says that unpaid tickets are forwarded to provincial registries to be collected when licences or registrations are renewed, but that its systems make it difficult to isolate how much has actually been recovered from people listed as having no fixed address. Mayor Andrew Knack said peace officers take enforcement action in only 7% of their interactions with the public and spend the rest connecting people with social supports, and the City says Administration is now reviewing the transit ban policy. Separately, Ward 10 (Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi) Councillor Jon Morgan's motion to study fare gates at an LRT station passed narrowly last month, and Administration is due to report back to the urban planning committee on November 17th.
• Mayor Knack and Ward 5 (O-day'min) Councillor Anne Stevenson are also pressing the province for a formal reintegration framework, after video showed correctional officers dropping five men and three women onto a Chinatown street at about 8:45 pm on September 11th, a week after a similar video captured a release in a private lot near the Pacific Mall. Knack noted that Edmonton has eight correctional facilities, the most of any city in the country, holding up to 3,405 inmates, which he said is 306% more than would be expected in Calgary, and that about 72% of them are in provincially run institutions. Stevenson said she found it frustrating to watch provincial employees drop people off where no services were available to receive them, and argued that the first days after release shape whether someone reoffends. Knack raised the issue directly with Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis, and a spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Safety said correctional staff work with individuals before release to connect them with services but did not commit to a framework, noting that roughly 80% of people in custody are on remand so release dates are often not known in advance. Police Chief Warren Driechel told reporters last Thursday that the Edmonton Police Service is not directly notified of releases and has to search a database for them, and said there needs to be a genuine handoff to service providers rather than drop-offs near a shelter.
• Amarjeet Sohi, Don Iveson, Stephen Mandel, Bill Smith, and Jan Reimer, five of Edmonton's former mayors, spoke to a packed ballroom of business leaders last Tuesday about the state of the city, and several were sharply critical of where it stands. Iveson, who was mayor from 2013 to 2021, said he remains haunted that the city has not been able to end homelessness, and that the failure has consequences for downtown and for how safe people feel in the community. Smith, mayor from 1995 to 2004, said the operating budget is the easiest one at the City to balance as long as Council is determined to cut things it does not need and cannot afford, while Reimer, mayor from 1989 to 1995, called for stronger relationships with the business and investment communities and with neighbourhoods. Mandel, mayor from 2004 to 2013, was the bluntest, describing the current Council as a mess, saying the arena is the only thing downtown has going for it, and calling downtown a "crap hole". Mandel also said he would bring the several thousand City employees still working from home back to the office. Current Mayor Andrew Knack replied that everyone is going to have their own opinion, that this was one of five mayors' views and the other four did not appear to share it, and that Edmonton has added roughly 250,000 people in the last five years.
• Edmonton Public Schools is considering whether to redraw its electoral map and cut the number of trustees ahead of the 2029 civic election. Ward F Trustee Julie Kusiek introduced a motion last Tuesday asking division planners to prepare options, one keeping the current nine wards and nine trustees and another reducing both to seven, and trustees voted 7-2 to shelve the item until their October meeting. Trustees heard that moving to seven could save money on administrative costs after the province cut the division's system administration grant by 5%, a capped fund that also pays for the board and its elections. Superintendent Ron Thompson said the division typically runs a surplus in that part of the budget and that the cap is not a significant concern, and a spokesperson for the education minister said the grant was reduced to push divisions to find efficiencies and direct more money to classrooms. Edmonton Public is the second-largest division in Alberta and has the most trustees, while other metro boards, including Calgary, operate with seven, and the division has already functioned with six after three trustees resigned during the 2021 to 2025 term. Any change to the total number of trustees would need approval from the education minister, and Ward C Trustee Holly Nichol questioned whether the board should be looking at 10 or 11 wards instead, given how much the city has grown.

• The Audit Committee meets today at 9:30 am, and one of the items on the agenda is the City Auditor's review of how Edmonton runs its parking operations. The Parks and Roads Services Branch oversees about 6,000 parking spaces and collected roughly $13 million in parking revenue in 2025, at hourly rates running from $1.00 to $4.50. The auditor found the Branch has no Council-approved strategic vision and no performance management framework to guide its decisions, and no written guidance on how it sets rates, issues complimentary parking passes, discounts or waives fees during road closures, or restricts residential parking. In the absence of that guidance, the Branch has charged different rates in zones with comparable demand without documenting why, and does not have full oversight of the complimentary, discounted, and waived fees it grants. The auditor did conclude that the Branch is managing its parking payment app contract effectively, and made three recommendations in total.
• City Council holds a public hearing tomorrow at 9:30 am, and one of the 13 bylaws on the agenda would tighten Edmonton's rules for lodging houses, the dwellings where bedrooms are rented out one at a time. Administration wants the threshold lowered so that a dwelling with three or more individually rented bedrooms counts as a lodging house, down from four, and wants features such as individually numbered rooms, locks on bedroom doors, and locked storage in shared areas written into the definition to make enforcement easier. Lodging houses would be barred from row housing and multi-unit housing in the small scale residential zones and from row housing in the small-medium scale transition zone, with bedroom limits applied per lot rather than per site. The City logged 354 lodging house complaints between 2020 and 2025, 74 of them in 2025, and another 50 in the first seven months of this year. Council directed Administration to prepare the amendments on July 7th, and the bylaw can receive all three readings once the hearing closes, though passing it in a single meeting requires unanimous agreement. Community groups and housing non-profits consulted by the City described lodging houses as a vital source of low-cost and transitional housing for students, seniors, people with disabilities, and people moving in and out of supportive housing, while agreeing that enforcement of building codes and community standards is necessary. Renting a whole home to several tenants under one shared tenancy would not be affected.
• The Edmonton Police Commission has barred members of the public from speaking at its meetings for the rest of the year, and the remaining sessions will be held online. Commission Chair Ben Henderson says the decision followed three meetings in which public comment moved beyond criticism of the board and of police oversight into personal attacks, defamation, threats, and intimidation aimed at commissioners, police staff, and other members of the public. Residents can still watch the remaining meetings, set for September 17th, October 22nd, and November 19th, and the Commission will continue to accept written submissions related to its mandate. The Commission calls the suspension temporary and says it will review the decision before next year.
• Council will consider another $114.58 million worth of climate measures in Edmonton's next four-year budget deliberations, as Administration has put forward 27 actions costing $257 million in total. Councillors have also asked Administration to examine a revolving climate fund that would redirect a growing pot of $500,000 in annual energy savings into further projects, and added proposals to spend $5 million on community climate initiatives and $5 million on an Alberta Ecotrust Foundation endowment. Mayor Andrew Knack said it is far more costly to do nothing than to pay for preventative measures.
• Ward 8 (papastew) Councillor Michael Janz plans to bring a motion to Council that would charge developers a fee for every tree cut down while building new neighbourhoods on Edmonton's outskirts. Janz argues that the City currently pays to plant replacement trees elsewhere while developers keep the profit, and that applying the City's existing dollar assessments for removed trees to new development areas would produce millions of dollars worth of habitat value. He says the gap effectively subsidizes sprawl, and that it remains cheaper to build a cul-de-sac on the city's edge than to redevelop vacant downtown parking lots. The motion would not cover trees lost to infill, which a separate proposed bylaw may address. Mayor Andrew Knack has separately put forward a motion to require permits to remove trees from established lots inside the city, in response to concerns raised about infill developments.

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ON THE AGENDA

Mack Male

•   An audit of parking operations found the city lacks a clear council-approved vision and formal guidance for rates, discounts, and residential restrictions. Auditors also found unexplained rate differences between areas with similar demand and inconsistent guest-permit rules. The city manages about 6,000 parking spaces and collected about $13 million in parking revenue in 2025. Administration accepts all three recommendations and plans to address them through its parking program modernization. The parking app contract was generally well managed, but auditors identified gaps in cybersecurity communication, occupancy data, and access to vendor performance data. Enforcement and fines were outside the audit’s scope.
•   Council will consider zoning bylaw amendments that would lower the threshold for a lodging house from four individually rented bedrooms to three. Lodging houses would be prohibited in row and multi-unit housing in the small-scale residential and small-scale flex residential zones, as well as in secondary suites. In the small-medium scale transition residential zone, they would remain allowed in multi-unit housing, with a cap of 12 bedrooms per lot, but not in row housing. Administration says the changes would improve enforcement, though lodging houses can be difficult to identify before occupancy. Since the beginning of 2024, the city has approved 12 permits for new lodging houses with four to eight individually rented bedrooms. Consulted groups said lodging houses can provide affordable, flexible, and culturally relevant housing, while stressing tenant protections and property maintenance. Whole homes rented to multiple tenants under one shared tenancy would remain allowed.
•   Council will consider a rezoning at 11537 University Avenue NW in McKernan, across from the Cross Cancer Institute, to allow a building up to 16 metres tall, or about four storeys. The site is within 400 metres of the Health Sciences/Jubilee LRT station. Administration supports the application because it would allow more housing near transit, employment, and services. All 10 responses to the mailed notice opposed the application, raising concerns that included building scale, loss of sunlight and privacy, traffic, and parking.

Here are some more key items:

•   Council will resume its discussion of public engagement on the 2027-2030 budget and the city services and quality of life survey, after postponing both reports to Sept. 16. The budget engagement report found participants wanted a focus on core services but disagreed on what counts as core.
•   Council services committee will consider three options for the 2027 meeting calendar. One would retain the current structure; another would move executive committee to Mondays and public hearings to mid-week where possible; a third would replace 19 one-day public hearings with 11 two-day hearings. That model would require more Thursday and Friday meetings but create three additional recess days. The final calendar report will go to council’s Oct. 27 organizational meeting.
•   A city audit found that the municipal fleet maintenance program effectively manages maintenance to meet the needs of departments using more than 5,000 vehicles and pieces of equipment. Auditors found one area for improvement: There is no formal process to track feedback on parts suppliers, making recurring problems harder to identify across garages. Administration accepts the recommendation. The program supports vehicles such as snowplows, fire trucks, waste trucks, and DATS buses, but excludes conventional transit buses and LRT vehicles.
•   Audit committee will consider the Office of the City Auditor’s 2027-2030 operating budget, starting at about $3.14 million in 2027, down $111,000 from the adjusted 2026 budget. It would retain 17 full-time-equivalent positions throughout the four years. A separate follow-up report says administration has closed 10 audit recommendations since the last update, leaving 27 outstanding as of Aug. 27, including four that are overdue.
•   Administration will ask council to postpone the report on proposed active transportation network amendments to Dec. 8 to minimize service impacts for applicants at subsequent public hearings. Coun. Ashley Salvador’s motion seeking active transportation funding options and Coun. Thu Parmar’s proposal to examine shifting up to $220 million from neighbourhood renewal to arterial-road renewal remain listed as motions pending on the Sept. 8 selection sheet.
•   Council’s continuation also includes two postponed private discussions: one on public safety involving the Edmonton Police Service and peace officers, and another on an intergovernmental update concerning a provincial pre-budget submission and partnership opportunity.

And here are updates on some of the items we told you about last week:

•   Council gave first reading to the bylaw establishing a tax subclass for derelict non-residential properties. It still requires further readings. Council also passed all three readings of the bylaw expanding the derelict residential subclass citywide, with eligible properties to be included starting with January 2027 assessment notices.
•   Council approved funding for the Valley Line transition management office, supporting the transfer of Valley Line Southeast operations and maintenance from TransEd to the Edmonton Transit Service in 2027. The approved request includes about $7.7 million for the temporary office and $20.5 million for vehicles, tools, equipment, and operating systems for the expanding LRT network, funded from the LRT reserve. It excludes the payment to terminate the TransEd contract.
•   Council approved the updated climate resilience policy and committee recommendations on climate implementation priorities. The policy update adds adaptation targets and a sustainable return-on-investment threshold for new city buildings. New funding for climate actions will be considered through the 2027-2030 budget process.
•   Council approved the updated public art policy and committee recommendations on the heritage places strategy. The art update clarifies the basis for funding, including the collection’s maintenance needs. The heritage update broadens the city’s approach beyond built heritage to include natural, Indigenous, community, and cultural heritage.
•   Council approved committee recommendations on the snow and ice control policy, including requests for 2027-2030 budget options to improve school-zone clearing and continue assisted snow removal.
•   Following its review of the operating and capital financial updates, council voted 12-1 to request options for drawing down the Planning and Development Business Model reserve, along with any recommended changes to the related fiscal policy. Coun. Jon Morgan opposed the motion.
•   Council gave first reading to the municipal tax relief delegation amendment, which would let the city assessor delegate decisions to directors and managers. It also passed the bylaw repealing municipal historic designation for the Arlington Apartments, whose remaining walls were demolished in 2008 after a 2005 fire.

• City Council meets tomorrow at 9:30 am, with debate continuing Wednesday, and one of the first items is Administration's operating financial update for the first half of 2026. The report projects that tax-supported operations would finish the year $50.9 million over budget before the City draws on its Financial Strategies contingency funds, a gap Administration attributes to heavy early-year snow clearing, transit and fire overtime, and higher fuel costs. After pulling $51.4 million from those funds, the City instead projects a slim $0.5 million surplus. The Financial Stabilization Reserve is forecast to end 2026 at $135.0 million, about $15.4 million below its required minimum, and is not expected to recover until 2028. Administration also expects the City to finish the year with roughly $5 billion in outstanding debt. The projections do not yet include the costs of July's flooding or of US tariffs, which Administration says it is still assessing.
• Also on Tuesday's agenda, Council will vote on the money needed to bring the Valley Line Southeast LRT under public operation. In May, Council directed Administration to end the City's contract with private operator TransEd in 2027 and hand operations and maintenance to Edmonton Transit Service. Administration is now asking Council to approve just over $7.6 million in one-time operating costs for a temporary transition office covering staff, consultants, and asset inspections through 2027, plus a $20.5-million capital budget for fleet and equipment. All of it would be drawn from the City's LRT Reserve, which requires a one-time exemption to Council policy. The request does not include the payment owed to TransEd to end the contract, which Administration says will be financed through borrowing and brought back for approval later. Administration notes that moving an operating light rail line from a private to a public operator has few precedents in North America, and rates the workforce, technology, and asset-handover risks as high.
• Council will also give first reading to a bylaw creating a new property tax subclass for derelict commercial and industrial buildings. The measure would let the City assess non-residential properties that have sat unoccupied for at least a year at a higher tax rate, mirroring a derelict residential subclass Council created in 2023. Under Edmonton's City Charter, the higher rate could be set no greater than five times the lowest residential rate. Administration estimates that putting the subclass in place would cost up to $274,000 a year in ongoing funding, plus up to $1 million in one-time spending to reprogram the City's tax system. It projects the higher rate could raise about $400,000 a year from derelict properties if Council set it at the maximum. A funding request would come forward as part of the 2027-2030 budget.
• Two information reports before Council on Tuesday set the table for this fall's 2027-2030 budget debate. The first summarizes public engagement that drew 11,716 responses last spring, in which participants leaned toward finishing existing projects and maintaining current infrastructure rather than starting new ones, and ranked road and pathway maintenance as a top priority. When users of the City's online budget tool were asked to balance the books, 40% chose to raise property taxes, 42% kept them flat, and 18% cut them, for an average increase of about 1%. A companion satisfaction survey found that satisfaction with City services overall slipped to 62% this year from 68% in 2025. The same survey found that agreement Edmonton is an attractive place to expand a business or build a career fell to 53% from 61%. Council will weigh the findings as Administration prepares its proposed four-year budget.
• Ward 8 (papastew) Councillor Michael Janz has a motion pending that would change how the City talks about property taxes. It asks Administration to report tax increases and spending in dollars per $100,000 of assessed property value, rather than using a "typical home" example or percentages, which Janz argues are less transparent for residents. Janz also has motions pending to set a standard three-minute speaking limit for public speakers at committee and Council meetings, and to open each Council meeting with a moment of silence for people killed on Edmonton roads. The motions were introduced with notice at earlier meetings and are listed for debate at this week's Council session.

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ON THE AGENDA

Stephanie Swensrude

This week, council will consider tax subclasses for derelict properties, review public engagement on the 2027-2030 budget, and vote on funding for the Valley Line LRT transition and equipment for the expanding network.

There is a city council meeting on Sept. 8, with a continuation on Sept. 9 if required.

Here are some key items on the agenda this week:

• Council will vote on the first reading of a bylaw that would establish a citywide tax subclass for derelict non-residential properties that have been unoccupied for at least a year. Administration estimates implementation would require up to $274,000 in annual operating funding starting in 2027 and up to $1 million in capital funding, with those requests to be considered during the 2027-2030 budget deliberations. Council will also consider all three readings of a bylaw expanding the existing derelict residential subclass from mature neighbourhoods to the entire city. Funding for that expansion is already approved. If the bylaw passes, eligible properties across Edmonton will be included starting with the January 2027 assessment notices.
• Participants in public engagement on the 2027-2030 budget wanted a focus on core services but disagreed on what “core” means, says a report due at council. Of the 1,467 residents who used an online budget tool, 42% kept property tax revenue the same, 40% increased it, and 18% decreased it. More than half of budget-tool participants chose spending cuts for police, environment and climate, and a combined category covering arts, culture, tourism, inclusion, and economic development. Administration will use the feedback to help shape the proposed four-year operating and capital budgets.
• Council will be asked to approve funding for a transition management office to transfer the operations and maintenance of the Valley Line Southeast LRT from TransEd to the Edmonton Transit Service in 2027. Administration is seeking about $7.7 million for the temporary office and $20.5 million for vehicles, tools, equipment, and operating systems for Valley Line Southeast and other LRT expansions, all from the LRT reserve. The request excludes the payment to terminate the TransEd contract

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Council will be asked to approve about $28.2 million from the LRT reserve for the Valley Line transition office and equipment for the expanding LRT network. (Jon Spencer/Flickr)

Here are some more key items:

• Council will vote on updates to the public art policy and the climate resilience policy, following infrastructure committee’s recommendations. The art update clarifies that funding is based on historical investments and collection maintenance needs. The climate update adds adaptation targets and a sustainable return on investment threshold to guide climate requirements for new city buildings.
• Coun. Ashley Salvador will introduce a motion requesting funding options for active transportation routes awaiting feasibility reviews and funding, plus an unfunded capital profile to continue implementing the Bike Plan, for the 2027-2030 budget deliberations.
• Coun. Thu Parmar will introduce a motion calling for a public hearing and an analysis of shifting up to $220 million from the Neighbourhood Renewal Program tax levy to arterial-road renewal for the 2027-2030 budget cycle.
• Council will consider first reading of a bylaw allowing the city assessor to delegate municipal tax relief decisions to directors and managers. The existing $500,000 annual limit on tax forgiveness by administration would remain unchanged.
• The city’s operating budget is projected to end 2026 with a $500,000 surplus after using $51.4 million that was set aside to manage budget pressures to offset a $50.9-million shortfall. Higher snow-clearing and overtime costs, as well as lower revenues from transit advertising and permits, are among the pressures. The forecast excludes the net effects of tariffs and heavy rainfall in June and July. The Financial Stabilization Reserve is still projected to end the year $15.4 million below its minimum balance of $150.4 million.
• Most significant capital projects are within acceptable tolerances for budget and schedule, administration says. Weighted by approved budgets, about 83% are within an acceptable range in terms of budget, and 94% are within an acceptable range in terms of schedule.
• Council will meet in private to discuss public safety, strategic planning, and intergovernmental matters, including a provincial pre-budget submission and partnership opportunity.

• The Community and Public Services Committee meets today at 9:30 am, and one of the items on the agenda is a review of the City's snow and ice control policy and program. Administration is asking the Committee to recommend that Council approve an updated policy that adds accessibility as a core outcome, but keeps service levels for the 2026-27 winter season largely unchanged. For the 2027-2030 budget deliberations, however, Administration is pitching a "Well Maintained City" service package of approximately $23.6 million in ongoing annual operating funding and $11.5 million in one-time capital funding, which would add more frequent residential blading, expanded parking ban enforcement and other measures. Optional add-ons, contingent on that package, include enhanced school zone clearing at $2.1 million per year and a calcium chloride system upgrade costing $2.5 million per year plus $4.4 million up front, which would return the controversial de-icer to major roadways. The report also recaps a volatile 2025-26 season, when December brought 59.9 centimeters of snow, nearly four times the monthly average, and enforcement officers issued 5,516 parking ban fines and 2,706 tickets for uncleared sidewalks.
• Also on the Committee's agenda today is a review of enforcement and penalties under the City's traffic bylaw, prepared in response to a Council motion from March. The report shows ticket volumes fell from 168,832 in 2015 to a low of 79,976 in 2020 before climbing back to 115,161 in 2025, with insufficient payment in EPark zones alone accounting for 35% of all tickets. Administration is proposing targeted fine increases for infractions it says threaten safety or block access, which it estimates would generate between $1.5 million and $1.7 million in additional revenue in 2027. Rather than automatic inflation indexing, fine amounts would be reviewed on a five-year cycle, with the next review in 2031. Administration has also temporarily added $1 million per year to the parking enforcement contract for 2026 and 2027, an increase it expects to be offset by roughly $2 million in fine revenue.
• Edmonton's bike lane expansion will continue as planned, after City Councillors on the Infrastructure Committee voted down Administration's recommendation to rework the remaining routes last Wednesday. The recommendation, made ahead of expected provincial legislation that could give the Province approval power over municipal bike lanes, would have seen more complex projects where construction has not yet started re-evaluated for alternative designs. Council approved $100 million in the 2023-2026 capital budget to rapidly expand the active transportation network, which has delivered about 35 kilometers of new routes in 2024 and 2025, with another 24 kilometers expected this year. The City has received more than 1,000 email and phone inquiries about the program since 2023, only about 2% of which were positive, with complaints focused on parking removal and changes to traffic patterns. More than 60 people registered to speak at the meeting, the majority in favour of continuing the expansion. Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen says the Province's planned legislation could result in some existing bike lanes being removed.
• The City has laid out a detailed timeline for replacing the Low Level Bridge, with construction of a new span expected between 2029 and 2031. The plan would keep the bridge's northbound half, a protected historic structure built in 1900 as the community's first bridge across the North Saskatchewan River, for walking and cycling, while tearing down the southbound portion built in 1948. The replacement would be a four-lane crossing slightly west of the current bridge, with a pedestrian sidewalk on one side and an active pathway on the other. Ward 8 (papastew) Councillor Michael Janz is questioning whether the project needs to be funded in the 2027-2030 budget cycle, saying he wants more data on why the bridge needs replacing given the span is not at full capacity. Council is slated to include the replacement in the upcoming budget cycle, while the High Level Bridge replacement waits for the 2031-2039 cycle.
• City Council is taking another look at LRT fare gates, narrowly passing a motion from Ward 10 (Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi) Councillor Jon Morgan to develop a proposal for a pilot fare-gate program at a yet-to-be-determined station. The motion passed 7-6, though several supporters said they backed it only to get more information and would need convincing to fund the program in the upcoming four-year budget. Council examined fare gates in 2024 but decided against them, citing the cost and station designs that make barriers easy to get around. Morgan, a veteran of the Edmonton Transit Service, argues riders should pay their fair share for the taxpayer-funded system and suspects fare evasion is higher than the roughly 5% previously reported. Mayor Andrew Knack voted in favour but called it "extremely unlikely" he would support the program at budget time, saying the money would be better spent rebuilding LRT stations to improve safety.

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This week, councillors will review new climate action priorities, a proposed update to the snow-and-ice-control policy, and a new heritage places strategy.

There is a community and public services committee meeting on Aug. 31, an urban planning committee meeting on Sept. 1, and an executive committee meeting on Sept. 2.

Here are some key items on the agenda this week:

• Administration will present an updated policy and program for snow and ice control after a scheduled review. Resources and service levels this winter are expected to remain consistent with previous years; however, council can choose to fund an enhanced service level starting in winter 2027-2028. Administration said the “well maintained city” service package would stabilize operations and create year-round positions to provide festival and event support, “ensuring consistent, high-quality services that keep Edmonton’s economy moving throughout the year.” Council will vote on the policy at a future meeting. During record snowfall in the winter of 2025-2026, Mayor Andrew Knack said he wanted to significantly increase funding for snow clearing.
• A third-party review of the city’s climate strategies and action plans highlighted the need for more focused actions, closer alignment with the municipal budget cycle, and better monitoring and evaluation, says a report set to be presented to executive committee. Administration has identified 27 action items in its update to the climate implementation priorities. The report says the first priority is to establish an ongoing and accountable relationship with Indigenous peoples regarding climate. The remaining priorities are divided into the following categories: buildings and land use, transportation, infrastructure, nature and water, and low-carbon energy and waste. About $257 million would be required to meet all 27 priorities, about half of which is planned to be presented for consideration in the 2027-2030 budget process. About $5 million can be met with existing budget, and the remaining $129 million has no planned or existing funding source. Administration said it will also transition the carbon budget to a more comprehensive climate budget, which will use the priorities as its basis and also evaluate all other city projects in the 2027-2030 budget for their contribution to both climate risk and emissions.
• Urban planning committee will review the updated heritage places strategy following nearly two years of work. The proposed new heritage places strategy includes four pillars: natural heritage, Indigenous heritage, community and cultural heritage, and built heritage. Its guiding principles are to be inclusive, integrated, community-led, living and evolving, visible and accessible, and collaborative. The strategy is presented alongside a new council policy that outlines how the strategy will be implemented. A main goal of updating the strategy is to widen the definition of “heritage places” to include not just historic buildings, but also natural spaces, cultural landscapes, and community landmarks.

Snow covered the streets during record snowfall in January 2026. The proposed update to the snow-and-ice-control policy would keep service levels consistent with recent years. (Stephanie Swensrude)

Here are some more key items:

• Administration has prepared three options for enhancing cleanliness in Chinatown. The first option involves maintaining the cleanliness funding the neighbourhood receives, which is already more than other neighbourhoods. The second option is to increase funding of city-provided services, at a cost of $600,000 to $900,000. The third option would involve a city-funded and community-led cleaning service. The Chinatown Transformation Collaborative and YEG Chinatown Re:VITA have proposed separate community-led programs. CTC’s program focuses on professionally delivered operational cleaning services, while Re:VITA’s emphasizes community stewardship, neighbourhood activation, and placemaking. Administration didn’t include the cost of the third option as it may involve a request for proposals.
• Administration is increasing the fees that construction companies must pay when they obstruct road lanes. The daily on-street construction and maintenance (OSCAM) permit fee will rise to $32 from $25 in an effort to further incentivize faster completion of construction projects that necessitate road closures. Administration is also introducing a $10 daily fee for waste bins that are placed on public roadways. A report that will be presented to urban planning committee says that construction-related road closures were in place for an average of 43 days before a daily fee was introduced in 2019. That number fell to an average of 25 days in 2025.
• Administration plans to use more technology in parking enforcement, says a report that will be presented at a community and public services committee meeting. Parking complaints have increased by about 45% since 2023, creating a persistent backlog of unresolved complaints, the report said. The city plans to launch automated parking enforcement in 2028. Staff will also explore digital tickets, which the report said could save about 7,500 operational hours annually.
• A report says 81% of 311 complaints in 2025 were resolved within established timelines. The report, which is to be presented to executive committee, said administration has continued to improve the service experience of Edmontonians using 311.
• Executive committee will be asked to amend an agreement with Azolla Hydrogen to align with an extended timeline for the Alberta Zero-Emissions Fleet Fuelling project. Because it is a single-source contract, committee must approve changes; however, no additional funds are required because the extension will be covered by the already-approved city budget and grant funding from Emissions Reduction Alberta.
• Executive committee will be asked to recommend that the historic designation of the Arlington Apartments be rescinded. The building, formerly located at 10524 100 Avenue NW, was Edmonton’s first apartment building, and was designated a municipal historic resource in 1998. A fire damaged the building in 2005, but three facades were saved, and the lot was rezoned to allow for development that retained the historic elements of the remaining structure. The owner did not develop such a building and instead demolished the remaining walls in 2008. Administration now requires council approval to rescind the historic designation.

And here are updates on some of the items we told you about last week:

• Infrastructure committee rejected administration’s proposal to drop 14 planned routes from the city’s $100-million active transportation network expansion, leaving the existing plan in place. More than 60 people registered to speak, and most supported continuing the expansion, as the province prepares legislation that could affect municipal authority over bike lanes. Coun. Ashley Salvador said she intends to introduce a motion to direct administration to provide options for increasing funding for the active transportation infrastructure capital profile to complete all routes that were planned for the 2023-2026 budget cycle. The motion will also call for administration to include an unfunded capital profile to build active transportation infrastructure as informed by the forthcoming updated active transportation implementation guide.
• Infrastructure committee recommended that council approve proposed changes to the public art policy. The program was previously called Percent for Art, and provided about 1% of eligible costs from capital projects to cover the cost of the artwork’s creation and installation, as well as the Edmonton Arts Council’s costs to oversee the project, plus lifecycle management costs, care, conservation, and restoration. Since 2021, the definition of “1% of eligible capital projects” has been based on historic spending patterns dating back several years. Now, administration has proposed amending the policy to say that the city will allocate funding for a public art reserve through the operating budget approved by council, with reserve funding levels based on historical public art investments and collection maintenance requirements. Council is set to vote on the change at a future meeting.
• Councillors recommended that council approve the revised climate resilience policy that introduces a sustainable return on investment (S-ROI) metric. This means projects would incorporate climate-resilient requirements to a point where a positive S-ROI is demonstrated, and while this responds to financial constraints, it could also result in reduced environmental outcomes, administration said. Ward Nakota Isga Coun. Reed Clarke said that even though the policy is not perfect, he supports it, especially the S-ROI.“I think it’s a good, practical, systematic way to move forward,” he said.
• After a public hearing on Aug. 25, council approved a rezoning application to allow the Hope Mission to turn its support facility in the Girard industrial area into a year-round emergency shelter. During the discussion, Coun. Michael Janz wondered aloud whether Edmonton should cease approving new social services until other municipalities in the region start “pulling their weight.” He cited a March 2026 memo that indicated there are no emergency shelter beds open permanently to the general public in the municipalities surrounding Edmonton. “It just feels like Edmonton is being used as the blood bag for the rest of our region and the rest of our province,” Janz said.
• Representatives of the construction sector say they need to be involved in how extreme weather risks are addressed in project planning, procurement, and contract delivery. Infrastructure committee heard from representatives from the Edmonton Construction Association, which represents the industrial, commercial, and institutional construction sectors, including contractors hired for public projects such as roads and neighbourhood renewal. The shortness of Edmonton’s construction season has been exacerbated by repeat storms, and it can be hard to make up for weather-related delays, said Ryan Christensen, chair of the ECA’s board. Record-breaking rain in Edmonton this summer caused $42 million in uninsurable damage to infrastructure and projects, City of Edmonton staff told city council’s infrastructure committee meeting on Aug. 26. The City plans to recover costs through the province’s Hazard Assistance and Resilience Program, which would cover 90% of losses, leaving the city responsible for the rest. Severe weather affected work on the Valley Line West and Capital Line South LRT projects, among other ongoing projects.
• Utility committee directed administration to accelerate parts of the 20-year storm management plan after the summer’s record rainfall. EPCOR told councillors that it doesn’t yet know the full financial impact of the summer’s repeated severe storms, but it estimates there will be minimal operational costs and some emergency repairs needed.
• Coun. Michael Janz questioned whether the Low Level Bridge replacement should be funded as part of the 2027-2030 budget, as administration has proposed in a report to infrastructure committee. The project will likely be classified as growth instead of renewal, and administration has said that dollars for growth will be constrained in the upcoming budget. “I want to see more data why it has to be done now. It’s not at full capacity. I understand that we want to build for the future, but right now it’s a tough budget, and I want to make sure we’re not building before we need to,” Janz told reporters.
• Council postponed a public hearing for a mixed-use building in Glenwood.
• Council voted to rezone a parking lot downtown to allow for a small park.

• The Infrastructure Committee will meet on Wednesday at 9:30 am, and one of the items on the agenda is a recommendation that would sharply scale back Edmonton's bike lane expansion. Administration is recommending that routes under the $100-million Active Transportation Network Expansion Program that have not yet started construction be removed from the program if they would affect travel lanes or parking, leaving 13 route packages to continue as planned and 14 others, including the contested Grovenor routes, to be re-evaluated only if money remains. Administration says the change responds to community pushback, with the program receiving over 1,000 email and phone inquiries since 2023 of which only about 2% were positive, and to new provincial legislation on municipal bike lane authority expected in late 2026 that could have significant impacts on current and planned bike lanes. About 35 kilometers of new routes were installed in 2024 and 2025, with another 24 kilometers estimated for completion this year. If the Committee agrees, the change goes to City Council for approval.
• On Wednesday at 9:30 am, the Infrastructure Committee will also receive the results of the City's call for partners to help build unfunded infrastructure projects. The City received 13 submissions containing 20 development ideas for the Woodcroft Library, the Cumberland and Big Lake fire stations, the Windermere North Transit Centre, and arenas across the city, with arena projects the most numerous and several proposals pitching mixed-use developments that combine civic facilities with residential or commercial space. Most submissions propose that the City provide land, sometimes for $1 or through a lease, along with capital support or ongoing lease payments. Administration cautions that privately financed projects still count against the City's debt limit, and that private financing typically costs more than the City's own borrowing rates through the province, so any partnership would require rigorous evaluation. The detailed proposals are being kept private to protect the business interests of the companies that submitted them.
• City Council voted 9-4 last Tuesday to have Administration study whether small scale infill housing is affecting the market value of nearby homes. Ward 3 (tastawiyiniwak) Councillor Karen Principe brought the motion after hearing from residents, saying some are concerned their property values are decreasing while others are seeing property taxes rise on the back of higher assessments. Ward 8 (papastew) Councillor Michael Janz tried unsuccessfully to have the findings delivered as a private memo to Council rather than a public report, arguing a public committee presentation would attract residents with preconceptions about infill. City staff cautioned the results may not be definitive, with the City's business operations director Stephen Leroux saying it may never be possible to say with certainty whether infill has raised or lowered values on a broad mass-appraisal basis. The public report is due at the Urban Planning Committee in the third quarter of 2027.
• Also last Tuesday, City Council unanimously passed a motion from Ward 11 (Karhiio) Councillor Keren Tang directing City staff to conduct a signal timing and optimization assessment of the southeast leg of the Valley Line LRT. The 13-kilometer line between downtown and Mill Woods has been operating for nearly three years, and multiple vehicles have collided with trains in that span. Tang says her constituents, drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike, blame confusing lights and signals at intersections, describing road users unsure of who has the right of way. The review comes as the City prepares to take over operation of the line from private operator TransEd. Tang argues that fixing the problems is vital to public acceptance of low-floor LRT, since whatever is learned will inform the Valley Line West as it approaches completion in the coming years.
• More than 40% of the entries in the top 50 complaint categories reported to Edmonton's 311 line in 2025 were related to parking, according to City data. Abandoned vehicles topped the list with 20,570 reports, followed by a catch-all parking safety category at 19,646 and parking on private property at 5,451. City bylaw officers issued 114,059 parking tickets last year, worth at least $5.7 million in fines, though just 986 of those tickets were for abandoned vehicles, the single largest source of complaints. The City's superintendent of parking enforcement attributes part of the backlog to losing access to a tow lot off Yellowhead Trail for almost a year, and expects abandoned vehicle reports to fall now that 150 impound spaces have opened. Ward 6 (Métis) Councillor Ashley Salvador is asking Administration what it would cost to assign more bylaw officers to parking enforcement and whether fine amounts are an adequate deterrent, with a report due to a Council committee on August 31st.

ONTHEAGENDA ONTHEAGENDA ONTHEAGENDA ONTHEAGENDA

Stephanie Swensrude

This week, councillors are set to discuss a pause on future bike lanes that take away parking or travel lanes, amendments to the city’s climate resilience policy, and early designs for the Low Level Bridge replacement.

There is a utility committee meeting on Aug. 24, a public hearing on Aug. 25, and an infrastructure committee meeting on Aug. 26.

Here are some key items on the agenda this week:

• Administration has proposed pausing planned active transportation infrastructure that takes away parking spaces or vehicle travel lanes because of expected provincial legislation, as well as community pushback. A report due at infrastructure committee said that because the previous council chose the “rapid” approach to building bike lanes and other active transportation infrastructure, public engagement was limited and adaptable infrastructure was often used. The report said this has garnered significant negative feedback and pointed specifically to the recent decision to redesign infrastructure on 50 Street. The new design — retaining parking and vehicle travel lanes — costs about double the initial construction costs. Alberta Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen spoke to residents in Capilano about that project in July. Dreeshen applauded a recent Ontario court decision that overturned an earlier ruling that stopped the provincial government from replacing protected bike lanes with car lanes in Toronto. “The appeal court made clear that governments have the authority to make and change transportation policy and that there is no constitutional right to a bike lane,” Dreeshen wrote. Though the provincial legislation limiting active transportation infrastructure doesn’t yet exist, the city report said making a proactive decision could help mitigate legal implications, which will be discussed in camera. The change in direction requires council approval; infrastructure committee is expected to give a recommendation to council, which will make the final decision at a future meeting. Additionally, administration is in the process of updating the Active Transportation Implementation Guide, which will be presented to council before the four-year budget deliberations. Administration has already cancelled planned infrastructure in Grovenor. That project didn’t involve separated bike lanes, but rather traffic calming features and reduced parking.
• Administration has prepared amendments to the climate resilience policy that incorporate the optimal point for capital investment that yields the best return for taxpayers when considering economic, environmental, and social benefits. The proposed change introduces a sustainable return on investment (S-ROI) analysis, meaning that projects would incorporate climate-resilient requirements to a point where a positive S-ROI is demonstrated, the report said. While this responds to financial constraints, it could also result in reduced environmental outcomes, meaning alternative solutions may be required to meet the city’s emissions targets, administration said. The policy update also includes a new community adaptation target, which would combine data across multiple climate hazards to provide a measurable, citywide view of risk related to climate change. This work involves tracking the climate risk and adaptation of individual neighbourhoods. Fifty-seven neighbourhoods have a high or very high climate risk, and administration aims to reduce that number to zero by 2050. Infrastructure committee will review the changes before council makes the final decision at a future meeting.
• Administration has released its preliminary plans for replacing the Low Level Bridge. A report set to be presented at infrastructure committee said that the city will likely build a functional roadway bridge rather than a “signature” structure. The report added that the initial traffic analysis suggested the replacement may need more than four lanes, but to align with city goals of reducing the number of people who use cars to meet their daily needs, a four-lane bridge will be considered. The alignment is expected to be to the west of the existing bridge. Administration had initially said the Low Level Bridge replacement project could involve simplifying the road network surrounding the bridge, as well as daylighting Mill Creek. However, this report says the replacement can be done without reconfiguring the road system. Public engagement will begin in the fall; the report notes that there are “no immediate risks when moving forward with only the Low Level Bridge replacement work at this time.” Starting in 2027, the northbound bridge is expected to close for a construction season for repairs, and administration will create the preliminary design for the replacement bridge. Construction is expected to take place from 2029 to 2031. The following year, the southbound bridge is expected to be decommissioned and the northbound one converted to active transportation.

• The Community and Public Services Committee meets today at 9:30 am, where Ward 8 (papastew) Councillor Michael Janz has asked Administration to report on the long-delayed Rollie Miles Recreation Centre, proposed to replace the Scona Pool that closed in 2022. Design work is complete, but the project remains unfunded, and Administration says construction was estimated at $138 million back in 2023, plus another $13.5 million for related park work, with those figures needing to be revalidated. Finishing the detailed design alone would cost $8 million to $10 million, and the facility's net operating cost is projected at about $2.9 million a year, equal to a roughly 0.11% property tax increase. Even if Council funded the project in the 2027 to 2030 budget, the earliest it could open is 2031. Administration notes the surrounding area is already served by the Kinsmen Sports Centre and Confederation Leisure Centre, and says future decisions will be weighed against the City's broader infrastructure backlog. Community groups, including Friends of Scona Rec, have pressed Council to follow through since the pool's closure.
• The Urban Planning Committee meets tomorrow at 9:30 am, and one of the items on the agenda is a proposal to help pay for infrastructure tied to private development near transit and in the City's priority growth areas. Administration is recommending a new Infill Infrastructure Program that would have the City cover part of the cost of public infrastructure upgrades, such as sewer, stormwater and electrical work triggered by new housing and commercial projects, then recover money from later developers who benefit. The report pegs the average infrastructure cost at $3,200 per unit and suggests a $12-million budget could support up to 3,800 dwelling units over four years, noting that a predecessor fund spent $39 million to help build more than 4,600 units over three years. Administration says it is preparing an unfunded request for the 2027 to 2030 budget. It also acknowledges the program would redirect growth revenue away from general revenue and cannot guarantee that subsidized projects would not have gone ahead anyway. The item is for information only, with no vote scheduled tomorrow.
• Also on the Urban Planning Committee's agenda tomorrow is an update on Edmonton's shared e-scooter and e-bike program, prepared after Councillors asked in May for a move toward mandatory, geofenced parking. The program now handles more than 1.4 million trips a year across a 220-square-kilometer service area, a 190% jump in trips since 2022, with the City setting the rules while private vendors own and operate the fleets. Administration reports that complaints through 311 have stayed relatively flat even as ridership climbed, and that parking and rider behaviour remain the most common concerns. A pilot in the Mill Woods service expansion will test requiring devices to be left only in designated areas, add 21 parking corrals, and future vendor contracts could impose fines on riders who park improperly. E-scooters are capped at 20 kilometers per hour and e-bikes at 32, which the report says is at the lower end of comparable cities.
• Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is publicly criticizing the Edmonton Police Service over a video encouraging residents to report hate, saying police should focus on violent crime, theft, drugs, and vandalism rather than speech. In a post on X, Smith argued that free speech is a foundational Alberta value and that the province does not believe in policing unpopular or religious statements, even controversial ones, warning of a slippery slope she said other countries have gone down. Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis added that the province would contact police agencies to make sure their priorities are on violent crime, and said law enforcement should not be policing opinions or, in his words, "hurt feelings". Ellis said the government does not condone hate speech or violence but is committed to upholding free expression regardless of religious or political belief. The Edmonton Police Service refused to comment.
• Alberta recorded its highest-ever number of opioid-related emergency calls in 2025, and Edmonton accounted for nearly 70% of the province's 10,562 responses. However, overall opioid deaths in Alberta fell to 1,154 in 2025, the lowest since 2019. Addictions physician Dr. Monty Ghosh of the University of Alberta said Edmonton has become the country's worst spot for overdoses, driven by an increasingly toxic and unpredictable drug supply that now includes new opioids far more potent than fentanyl. Carfentanil, which is more than 100 times stronger than fentanyl, was detected in 89% of Edmonton's opioid deaths in 2025, up from 17% the year before. Ghosh warned that the province's closure of supervised consumption sites, including one at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, would push more people into emergency rooms. The province acknowledged that no community is being hit harder by addiction, but noted that it has invested more than $30 million in addiction and mental health supports in Edmonton, including more than 400 treatment and stabilization beds, and that the declining death statistics show it's plan is working.

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ON THE AGENDA

This week, Edmonton’s city council returns from its summer recess to discuss the financial statements from the associations that oversee business improvement areas, potential updates to the City Plan, and the implications of allowing city employees to administer naloxone while working.

There is a community and public services committee meeting on Aug. 10, an urban planning committee meeting on Aug. 11, and an executive committee meeting on Aug. 12.

Here are some key items on the agenda this week:

• An auditor has found that the Chinatown and Area Business Association’s 2025 financial statements did not include sufficient and appropriate audit evidence for the second year in a row, says a report to be presented to executive committee. The auditor also found issues including a lack of segregation of duties, poor organization of source documentation, limited review of financial statements, and no tracking or reconciliation of gift cards. Administration said it will bring forward options later this year that could result in the organization suspending or disestablishing. Administration said it will continue to work with the association to obtain financial updates.
• Administration will begin updating the City Plan, as Edmonton is expected to reach its first population threshold of 1.25 million in 2026. A report to be presented to urban planning committee said that city staff will analyze the progress of the plan’s targets and metrics and make minor administrative corrections. Next, staff will create a plan for the work to follow, which could range from targeted amendments and new implementation projects to a comprehensive renewal of the plan itself. Some metrics can be measured with available data, while others would use data from the 2026 federal census, which won’t be available at a neighbourhood level until 2028.
• Allowing city employees to administer naloxone on shift would require a dedicated program, says a report set to be presented to community and public services committee. Only trained city employees, such as peace officers and firefighters, are allowed to administer the opioid overdose reversal while on shift. Councillors inquired earlier this year about allowing other employees, including transit operators and library staff, to volunteer to use naloxone. The report said the city would be required to train those employees in administering first aid and naloxone, as well as in safety de-escalation and self-defence. The change would also come with legal implications and increased litigation risks and union implications, the report said. In 2025, 770 people died of overdoses in Edmonton, setting a new record and exceeding Calgary’s death rate from drug poisoning.

• Today's edition of Edmonton Minute is a special one: it is our 300th issue. Every week, we read the agendas, reports, and local news coming out of City Hall so that you can stay on top of the decisions that affect your neighbourhood and your wallet in just a few minutes. We want to thank you, our readers, for opening, sharing, and replying to our emails over all these years - your support is what keeps it going. Edmonton Minute is published by Common Sense Edmonton, and our work is funded solely by readers who chip in what they can, so if you find Edmonton Minute valuable, please consider making a donation to help us keep it coming every Monday for the next 300 issues!
• It is a quiet week at City Hall, with just one meeting on the calendar: the Agenda Review Committee will meet on Tuesday at 8:30 am, and both of the items on the agenda will be discussed in camera (in secret). Council's regular committee lineup resumes next week, with the Community and Public Services Committee meeting on August 10th, the Urban Planning Committee on August 11th, and the Executive Committee on August 12th, each at 9:30 am.
• A new lobby group calling itself the Infill Action Committee is campaigning for the provincial government to step into municipal policy on infill and zoning in Edmonton. More than 150 people gathered at a northside seniors centre on July 28th to hear about the campaign and sign letters to cabinet ministers, and the group plans to send between 300 and 400 letters per week to the province until October. Organizers say the letters will focus on issues they attribute to the City's blanket zoning policy, which allows dense infill multiplexes of six or eight units in residential neighbourhoods where lots are big enough, pointing to impacts on infrastructure, transportation, public safety, and affordable housing. Co-founder Jesse Watson, who ran for Council last fall in Ward 2 (Anirniq), says thousands of residents are scrutinizing the quality and impact of multiplexes built in mature neighbourhoods since the new zoning bylaw took effect in 2024, and calls infill "an election issue". Mayor Andrew Knack argues provincial involvement would be unnecessary and unhelpful, saying local zoning rules should be set by local governments and noting that no government MLAs represent Edmonton constituencies. He also points to changes Council has already made, including lowering the maximum height allowance in residential neighbourhoods from 10.5 meters to 9.5 meters as of August 1st.
• Meanwhile, Ward 5 (O-day'min) Councillor Anne Stevenson is calling for a formal business-friendly construction policy to reduce the impact of City infrastructure projects on local businesses. Last month, Council voted to direct Administration to explore a policy that would formalize the requirement for proactive mitigation strategies, clear communication, and safe, accessible site management in project planning. The report is due back in 2027, with the aim of having a policy in place for next year's construction season. Stevenson suggests options like closing a single block and renewing the sidewalks, curbs, and road all at once, and says a modestly higher cost to finish projects faster, such as 10%, could be a net gain in the long run. Edmonton Chamber of Commerce president Doug Griffiths welcomed the motion but said he would have liked to see it sooner, urging better notification of upcoming projects so businesses can adjust. Downtown Revitalization Coalition chairwoman Cheryll Watson argues that maintaining access must become the City's top priority, with nearly every route into downtown currently affected by construction.
• New crime data shows Edmonton's overall crime severity index fell 6.5% in 2025, hitting its lowest level since 2021, though the details are mixed. The index weights crime by seriousness, and while non-violent crime severity dropped 11%, the violent crime severity index rose 3.2%, meaning the violent offences that did occur were on average more serious. The total number of crimes per 100,000 people also rose, by 3.2%, and property crime jumped 10.1%, driven by increases in shoplifting, mischief, and theft from vehicles. Edmonton Police Service Inspector Bryce Gibbon says the city has also seen increases in robberies, assaults against peace officers, uttering threats, and child luring files, with overall calls for service up 4.3%. Police say a crime-reduction strategy launched this year, called Safer Edmonton, which uses crime mapping and data analysis to target enforcement, is showing promising results, with crime and violent crime rates down as of June. Ward 4 (Dene) Councillor Aaron Paquette says the statistics point to broader social issues that cities cannot address on their own without provincial support.

• The Government of Alberta has announced a $30-million expansion of addiction services in the Edmonton area, the centrepiece of which is a new secure facility inside Edmonton police headquarters where officers will be able to detain intoxicated people for up to 24 hours. Under the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act, police will be able to hold people they believe are high on drugs or alcohol and pose a risk to themselves or the public, in an 18-bed Integrated Stabilization Centre scheduled to open later this summer. The province describes the centre as a secure but non-criminal space, and Edmonton Police Deputy Chief Derek McIntyre says the aim is to divert people away from the justice system and connect them to voluntary treatment once they have been stabilized. The funding also adds more than 400 treatment, housing and stabilization beds across the region, including 25 new beds at the Lakeview Recovery Community in Gunn and new recovery communities at Enoch Cree Nation and the Métis Nation. The province is separately building compassionate intervention facilities in Edmonton and Calgary for involuntary addiction treatment, which are expected to open in about 18 months. Mayor Andrew Knack said he might not have supported the stabilization centre on its own, describing it as one of a host of tools in the announcement.
• A coalition of downtown business advocates is calling on Edmonton City Council to treat downtown economic stabilization as an immediate priority after more than half a dozen restaurants announced permanent closures this summer. The Downtown Revitalization Coalition, chaired by Cheryll Watson, has put forward a Downtown Economic Stabilization Plan and wants Council to direct the City Manager to act rather than let the issue wait until the fall. Watson argues that construction is necessary but that the way it is being managed is placing an unsustainable burden on businesses already dealing with public safety concerns, reduced foot traffic and rising costs. Heather Thomson, vice-president of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, says the downtown is currently seeing two businesses close for every one that opens, and that many of the closures have been close to the large LRT construction sites. Mayor Andrew Knack acknowledged that more construction is under way this year but pointed to a motion he brought forward last year that he claims sped up some intersection work, and he said he expects further discussion of downtown funding when the next four-year budget is debated in December.
• Meanwhile, Edmonton City Council has approved changes to the way it regulates lodging houses, tightening rules meant to stop them from being run as short-term rentals like Airbnbs and adjusting the zoning bylaw to limit them in most residential areas. Under the change, approved at Council's July 7th meeting, lodging houses would generally be restricted to row housing, multi-plexes and garage or basement suites. Ward 5 (O-day'min) Councillor Anne Stevenson has questioned the approach, warning that it would remove the option of student and lodging housing in many newly built row houses and cut off important lower-cost options where they are most needed. The University of Alberta Students' Union says affordability is its members' central concern, pointing to students taking on part-time work and graduating with more debt alongside the need to keep housing safe from exploitative rent schemes. A public hearing will be scheduled before the changes take effect.
• Alberta's municipalities have been told they cannot campaign for or against separation in the province's October referendum, even as individual Mayors and Councillors continue to take sides. Elections Alberta has issued a bulletin clarifying that under the Elections Finances and Contributions Act, municipalities are treated as prohibited corporations and cannot register as third-party advertisers or spend to support either outcome. The restriction follows a motion Edmonton City Council passed earlier this month, backed by Mayor Andrew Knack, declaring that Alberta should remain part of a united Canada. Knack argues the referendum question is a distraction and says he has had to reassure investors and employers worried about the uncertainty. Political scientist Brendan Boyd notes that elected officials can still voice opinions and pass motions, but that municipalities themselves have to be careful about how far they go. 
• Finally, the Telus World of Science Edmonton will remain closed until at least November after severe flooding during a recent storm forced it to evacuate and shut its doors. Chief Executive Constance Scarlett said the science centre has temporarily laid off 147 employees, about 68% of its staff, because it relies on admissions for roughly 80% of its budget and cannot sustain its usual staffing without visitors. Current assessments suggest restoration could take months, with flooring, cabinets and drywall needing replacement in many areas, though the centre says it is exploring a partial reopening earlier in the fall. Refunds for camps, tickets and events scheduled up to the end of September are being processed automatically. The nearby Peter Hemingway Aquatic Centre was also closed by flooding and a power outage, but the neighbouring Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre remains open apart from its running track.

• Ward 1 (Nakota Isga) Councillor Reed Clarke is pushing a proposal to offer businesses a tax credit for expanding within Edmonton rather than relocating to neighbouring counties, an idea he has developed with Administration and hopes to bring forward as a motion. Clarke argues Edmonton is steadily losing industrial and commercial activity to places like Acheson in Parkland County and Nisku in Leduc County, where industrial tax rates can be as low as one-third of the City's. Edmonton's tax base sat at nearly an 80-20 split between residential and non-residential property in 2024, compared with roughly 60-40 in the surrounding counties, shifting more of the burden onto homeowners. The City issued 224 permits for industrial and commercial repair or construction in 2024, its lowest total in a decade and down from 389 in 2021. Mayor Andrew Knack has made keeping businesses in the city a priority. Some in the industry are skeptical, with commercial real-estate broker Bronwyn Scrivens calling the incentive a Band-Aid and arguing the City is trying to spend its way out of a problem caused by overspending, while York Realty president Matt Woolsey said Council needs to address its own spending before businesses will stay.
• The Government of Alberta has launched an online portal for residents to file complaints about bike lanes, part of a provincial push that Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen says will inform legislation this fall giving the Province power to review or remove bike lanes in municipalities. The form asks residents to select concerns such as reduced parking, cost to taxpayers, low usage, or added congestion. The move escalates a dispute that began at City Council this month, when Edmonton redesigned a planned bike lane on 50th Street to preserve 30 street parking stalls at an added cost of $2.5 million. Dreeshen travelled to Edmonton's Capilano neighbourhood on Thursday to meet residents opposed to that project. Ward 10 (Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi) Councillor Jon Morgan, who opposed the redesign, said the concession will fall on taxpayers, noting the extra cost comes when many residents want the City to keep taxes low. Premier Danielle Smith defended the portal, saying some bike lanes are well used while others are barely used and create disruption, while supporters such as Bike Edmonton argue the Province is intervening in a local matter.
• Ward 8 (papastew) Councillor Michael Janz is at the centre of a controversy over social media posts about the war in Gaza, with the Jewish Federation of Edmonton calling on Mayor Andrew Knack to intervene. The Federation says posts Janz shared, including one claiming a newborn anywhere in the world is now more likely to be killed by Israel than to die any other way, demonize Israel and the local Jewish community and create a security risk. Federation CEO Stacey Leavitt-Wright said she wants Janz to stop, arguing the issue falls outside a City Councillor's role. Janz has doubled down, defending his posts as criticism of the Israeli government rather than antisemitism and suggesting the Israel pavilion be removed from the Heritage Festival in August. Mayor Knack said Councillors are free to speak on any issue but must share information that is accurate and factually verified, adding that elected officials should hold themselves to a high standard. Ward 9 (pihêsiwin) Councillor Michael Elliott and provincial Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams both criticized the posts, with Elliott arguing that international conflicts fall outside Council's jurisdiction and risk dividing the community.
• Emergency calls for overdoses at Edmonton transit locations more than doubled last year, according to Alberta Health Services data obtained through a freedom of information request. Edmonton recorded 368 such calls in 2025, up from 154 the year before and about 2.5 times the 146 calls logged in Calgary. Churchill station drew the most calls in the city, with 48 last year and 211 since 2018, while Central and Coliseum stations were the only others to top 100 over that period. The figures track only opioid-related calls. The press secretary for Mental Health and Addiction Minister Rick Wilson acknowledged Edmonton remains an outlier, citing high rates of opioid-related deaths involving carfentanil, even as provincial drug poisoning deaths fell to 1,423 in 2025 from a peak of 2,141 in 2023.
• After a weekend storm flooded Edmonton roads, sidewalks and recreation facilities, the City and utility provider EPCOR are pointing to a long-term plan they say will reduce the damage from future downpours. The two are in the sixth year of a $1.6-billion Stormwater Integrated Resource Plan, a 20-year strategy to slow and redirect storm water away from high-risk areas through measures such as dry ponds, upgraded sewers and water-absorbing features in older neighbourhoods. Ward 6 (Métis) Councillor Ashley Salvador said extreme weather events are becoming more common and that the City needs to be proactive with the infrastructure it builds. EPCOR also offers residents a stormwater rebate, free flood-prevention home inspections and a backwater valve subsidy to improve flood resilience. University of Alberta engineering professor Alireza Bayat said underground pipe and sewer systems across all jurisdictions need more frequent maintenance, but cautioned that replacing them takes time and that heavy rainfall can overwhelm even new infrastructure. The City said it responded to a record volume of fire and rescue calls during the storms and cannot yet estimate the cost of cleanup and repairs.

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HEADLINES by Mariam Ibrahim

• The City of Edmonton said that westbound Yellowhead Trail between 97 Street and St. Albert Trail has reopened after crews completed emergency repairs for flood damage caused during recent heavy rains. The City thanked contractors, municipal crews and EPCOR for their help in completing the necessary work. The recent storms caused about $230 million in insured damage in May and June, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada.
• The City of Edmonton was set to lift its extreme heat response at 9am on July 19 as conditions were expected to improve. Potable water stations will remain open through Sept. 30. Free bottled water and N95 masks are also available at city facilities.
• A meeting between Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen and Capilano-area residents opposing a planned 50 Street bike lane was interrupted by a pro-bike-lane rally as the province gathered input for fall legislation. Meanwhile, the government launched a bike lane concerns portal, which received mixed reviews, CBC reported.
• Trisha Estabrooks said she will seek the Alberta NDP nomination in Edmonton-Strathcona after Naheed Nenshi announced he will run in Calgary in the next election.
• The City of Edmonton is investigating a Grovenor infill property that was being used as an Airbnb rental, Postmedia reported, despite receiving Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation financing for affordable rental housing. Mayor Andrew Knack said properties built under affordable housing agreements must comply with funding rules, while critics called for stronger oversight of short-term rentals.
• The former Italian Bakery site on 97 Street in Edmonton’s Chinatown has been put up for auction with a minimum opening bid of $990,000, less than half its previous $2.3-million listing price. The landmark property, which housed the bakery for more than 60 years before the downtown location closed in early 2025, includes retail, office and residential space. The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce hopes new ownership will help spur redevelopment and revitalize the surrounding area.
• Registered third-party advertisers supporting Alberta separation have raised more than $458,000 ahead of the Oct. 19 referendum, outpacing federalist groups by more than $365,000, according to the latest Elections Alberta figures. Separatist organization Let Alberta Decide is leading fundraising with about $257,000, while Alberta’s Voice is the top-raising federalist group at slightly more than $51,000. Under Alberta’s referendum rules, registered advertisers may spend up to $607,000 on advertising, while individual, corporate and union contributions are capped at a combined $5,000 annually.
• The Alberta government spent about $309,300 on an external agency to develop its official 2026 referendum website, according to documents obtained by Postmedia through an access to information request. The site, which launched in April and later added the question on Alberta separation from Canada, provides information, videos and FAQs on the province’s 10 referendum questions ahead of the Oct. 19 vote. The government said the contract was awarded through a competitive procurement process and that more than 40,000 people have visited the website.
• The Edmonton Elks drew 20,020 fans to Commonwealth Stadium on July 17 for a 19-17 win over the B.C. Lions, a turnout the team framed as a sign attendance is rebounding. “This was the best crowd we’ve seen outside of Labour Day. Full credit to the fans for showing up,” head coach Mark Kilam said.

• City Council has approved a new reserve fund to chip away at Edmonton's $10-billion infrastructure maintenance deficit, and Edmontonians will pay for it through property tax increases built into future budgets. Money in the fund can only be spent on maintaining existing City infrastructure. Residents will see a property tax increase of 0.5% for the first three years, rising to 0.75% for the following three years, and then 1% every year from 2033 onward, on top of regular budget increases. Ward 6 (Métis) Councillor Ashley Salvador, who championed the fund, said residents want assurance the City is taking care of what it already owns. Administration estimates the reserve will cover nearly $1 billion in maintenance costs per year by 2050, though that would still account for only about a third of Edmonton's total renewal needs.
• Council also voted on Tuesday to change the plan for new protected bike lanes on 50th Street between 102nd Avenue and 109A Avenue, choosing a more expensive design in order to keep street parking. Administration's original plan would have removed curbside parking to install the lanes at a cost of $2.4 million, but a motion from Ward 6 (Métis) Councillor Ashley Salvador directed the City toward a $4.9-million alternative that reallocates part of the 10-metre-wide centre median to retain about half the existing parking. A City memo noted that roughly 30 vehicles currently park along that stretch, most of them served by rear alleys and garages. Councillors Erin Rutherford, Jo-Anne Wright and Jon Morgan voted against the alternative on cost grounds, with Ward 10 (Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi) Councillor Jon Morgan questioning spending an extra $2.5 million for 30 stalls given the City's limited funds. Mayor Andrew Knack described the outcome as a "win-win" that avoids picking one mode of transportation over another. City Manager Eddie Robar said he is hearing growing concerns from councillors about bike lane plans across the city, and that adjustments come at a cost to designs already completed.
• Mayor Andrew Knack put forward a motion at City Council declaring the City's support for Alberta remaining in Canada, ahead of the October vote in which Albertans will decide whether the province should begin the legal process toward a separation referendum. Knack said he wished the motion did not have to happen and that it felt odd to be having the conversation, but argued Council should provide clear direction that national unity matters to the City. He told reporters that any conversation about Alberta separating from Canada is harmful and warned against complacency, saying the City needs to send a clear message to the business community and residents. The motion comes as Elections Alberta officials begin verifying signatures on a pro-independence petition.
• The City says its problem properties initiative has saved millions of dollars while cleaning up derelict sites across Edmonton, three-and-a-half years after the fire-department-led team began proactively targeting properties that pose a risk to their communities. Since 2023, the team has inspected more than 2,300 properties, issued 1,800 tickets, removed nearly 2.5 million pounds of debris and garbage, and secured more than 700 vacant properties considered a fire risk. Ward 6 (Métis) Councillor Ashley Salvador, who has driven the effort since she was first elected five years ago, said owners can be required to board up, fence off, and in some cases pay for 24/7 on-site security, with those costs charged back to the property owner. The City also claims to have influenced nearly 500 demolitions by owners, with many of those lots now redeveloped. Officials say the savings come from collected fines and from fewer calls to bylaw and emergency crews, and that problem properties can be reported through 311.
• Blake Desjarlais is leaving his role as Mayor Andrew Knack's chief of staff just three months after taking the position in April. In a statement shared by a City spokesperson, Desjarlais said the decision to step down followed careful reflection and discussion with the Mayor, calling the move mutual but not specifying a reason or his next steps. Desjarlais served as the Member of Parliament for Edmonton Griesbach between 2021 and 2025 before joining the Mayor's Office. Knack said he was proud of Desjarlais's service and had no doubt he would continue to serve Edmontonians. The City did not indicate who would take over the role.

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Edmonton is recovering after a severe thunderstorm caused power outages and flooding. More than 13,000 customers lost electricity, but power has since been restored to most. EPCOR crews continued clearing debris and repairing damage. Major roads including Yellowhead Trail and 97th Street were temporarily closed but have since mostly reopened. Several recreational facilities, including the TELUS World of Science - Edmonton and Peter Hemingway Aquatic Centre, remain closed due to flood damage. The sudden storm sent organizers of several summer festivals, including the Whyte Avenue Art Walk, scrambling.

The Edmonton Police Service sought an injunction to prevent the screening of a documentary about Mathios Arkangelo’s 2024 shooting, fearing it could identify officers under a publication ban, Postmedia reported. The John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights (JHC) premiered the film on June 28 but re-edited it to blur faces after police concerns. “While some in the community view this rapid legal maneuver as an attempt by police to suppress the film, JHC chose to approach this friction with direct dialogue and immediate accountability,” Renee Vaugeois, the centre’s executive director, told Postmedia. “Chief Driechel reached out to personally clarify that the action was intended to ensure officer safety amid active threats, rather than to censor the documentary.”

North-south vehicle access across 102 Avenue in downtown Edmonton will shift as part of Phase 2 of Valley Line West LRT construction. Starting about July 15, access on 105 Street will close, while 104 Street access will open. Access along 104 Street will be closed on Saturdays for the Downtown Farmers’ Market. The construction is expected to continue until the end of 2026, with north-south access remaining open on 109 Street and 101 Street.

Emergency calls regarding overdoses at Edmonton transit locations more than doubled in 2025 compared to the previous year, amounting to 368 calls, significantly surpassing Calgary’s 146 calls. Churchill LRT Station had the highest number of calls in Edmonton since 2018, with 211 incidents. Despite a dip in 2024, the increase reflects ongoing challenges in the city, especially with carfentanil-related deaths.

The City of Edmonton is inspecting residential waste carts to ensure proper sorting, focusing on compliance with its green bin program. City officials are doing daily checks and are leaving tags on bins to provide feedback on sorting practices. The effort is intended to improve waste management efficiency and educate residents about appropriate disposal methods.

The Edmonton International Street Performers Festival concluded with attendance reaching pre-COVID levels, organizers said, noting it has been “a slow build” to reach these numbers. The 10-day festival featured 38 performers from eight countries.

As concerns mount over Meta’s $13-billion data centre in Sturgeon County, Premier Danielle Smith defended the project and assured Albertans it will not hike utility bills or deplete water resources. She said the centre’s water use will match that of a typical golf course through a closed-loop system. The centre will draw energy from Alberta’s grid, with plans to later use power from the forthcoming Greenlight Electricity Centre.

Alberta has experienced a significant rise in tornado activity, with 23 tornadoes already recorded this year, compared to 15 in 2025. Environment Canada meteorologist Brian Proctor highlighted that the tornado season remains active, with six weeks left. The most recent struck Dillberry Lake Provincial Park, injuring three people. David Sills of the Northern Tornadoes Project said that this could be the most active tornado season on the Prairies since the 1980s. Researchers suggest that consistent atmospheric conditions and the interplay of heavy rainfall and fire weather patterns are contributing to the increase.

The Edmonton Oilers have signed St. Albert native Colton Dach to a two-year contract extension worth $1.2 million annually. Dach was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline last season. The 6-foot-4 forward appeared in eight games for Edmonton after his March debut and played in five playoff games.

ON THE AGENDA

Mariam Ibrahim

This week, council will debate rezoning applications and a design change for active transportation during its last week before going on summer recess.

There is a public hearing scheduled for July 6 and a council meeting scheduled for July 7 and 8.

Here are some key items on the agenda this week:

• Westrich Pacific has applied to rezone two properties in Wîhkwêntôwin. The developer has proposed rezoning a lot at 10004 112 Street from a direct control zone that allows for a 35-storey building to the mixed use zone, which allows for a 12-storey building. Westrich has also applied to rezone three lots at the corner of 100 Avenue and 111 Street from a direct control zone that allows for an 18-storey building to the medium-scale residential zone, which allows for an eight-storey building.
• Yorkton Equity Group has applied to rezone the Pacific Mall site and an adjacent parking lot in Chinatown to allow for an 18-storey building and a six-storey building, respectively. The current zoning allows for buildings up to 38 storeys high. Administration said it supports the application because the proposed buildings would align with Chinatown’s economic development plans.
• Coun. Ashley Salvador will move to direct administration to pause the current plans for active transportation infrastructure along 50 Street NW through Capilano, Gold Bar, and Fulton Place. The design would remove street parking to make way for a protected bike lane. Salvador said there is an alternative design that would maintain parking.
• Edmonton city council’s infrastructure committee has approved the creation of a Dedicated Renewal Fund to help ensure long-term infrastructure repair work can happen. Mayor Andrew Knack said the city needs to ensure consistent funding instead of relying on fluctuating external sources. The fund will be financed by raising the property tax levy from 0.5% to 1% by 2033. It is intended to address Edmonton’s $2.7 billion annual infrastructure renewal needs by 2046.
• The Edmonton Valley Zoo has reopened its Nocturnal Wing after extensive habitat enhancements for its Jamaican fruit bats. Director Gary Dewar highlighted new features such as a rock wall and specialized lighting that improve bat well-being and visitor experience. “We hope the experience encourages people to learn more about bats and the conservation challenges they face,” Dewar said.
• More than a year after the disappearance of 14-year-old Samuel Bird in west Edmonton, his mother, Alanna, is channeling her grief into a film project to honour his life and shed light on Indigenous youths’ experiences in Canada. Samuel’s mother has partnered with Indigenous filmmaker Corben Bowen on Every Day Gets Closer to Winter, which is still in development and seeking funding. Bryan Farrell is charged with second-degree murder in connection with Samuel’s death, with court proceedings adjourned to November.
• A $4.6-billion power station has received approval to supply energy to a planned data centre near Edmonton, potentially achieving Alberta’s data centre investment goal. The facility is slated for completion by mid-2030. The station will be built in an industrial area owned by Pembina, which is funding the project along with Morgan Stanley and Kineticor. Scott Burrows of Pembina said the project has received all necessary regulatory approvals and that construction will begin soon.
• St. Albert officials are urging residents to avoid the Sturgeon River after high water levels submerged sidewalks, signs, and park areas, after a record 255 millimetres of rain in June. St. Albert has closed several trails, including the Ray Gibbon Drive and Boudreau Road underpasses, and implemented flood mitigation measures.
• Elections Alberta rejected Corb Lund’s ‘Water Not Coal’ petition, which is aimed at banning new coal mining in the Eastern Slopes. Although the petition initially gathered more than 196,000 signatures, only 172,088 were verified, which is below the required 177,732.
• The Edmonton Oilers have extended contracts for defencemen Shakir Mukhamadullin and Spencer Stastney. Mukhamadullin, acquired from San Jose, signed a two-year extension with an average annual value of $1.75 million. Stastney secured a one-year deal with an average annual value of $1.525 million after joining from Nashville.

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• There will be a City Council Public Hearing today at 9:30 am, with eight planning and rezoning bylaws on the agenda. One proposal would rezone a vacant lot at 10004 - 112 Street in Wîhkwêntôwin for mixed use development up to 40 meters, or roughly 11 storeys, with the City hearing concerns during public notification that the proposed height is too tall for an area that already has enough high rises. Other items would allow medium scale housing on 111 Street in Wîhkwêntôwin and in the Prince Rupert neighbourhood, medium and large scale mixed use development in McCauley, and light industrial and small commercial businesses in Pembina. Council will also take up three related Rossdale items postponed from the June 23rd hearing, which would amend the Rossdale Area Redevelopment Plan, add a new River Crossing Special Area to the City's zoning rules, and rezone a set of riverside properties near 102 Street and 96 Avenue for medium and large scale development. Administration supports all eight bylaws, and each could receive final approval at the same meeting.
• City Council will meet tomorrow at 9:30 am, and two of the items on the agenda deal with how the City will pay to fix its aging infrastructure. Council will decide whether to formally create a Dedicated Renewal Fund Reserve, a step the Infrastructure Committee recommended at its June 24th meeting in response to a renewal funding shortfall projected at $2.8 billion over the 2027-2030 budget cycle and $10 billion over the next decade. Even if all available unconstrained funding went to renewal, Administration projects only 30% of the ideal investment in the City's $39.8-billion infrastructure portfolio would be funded over the next ten years. The report also details a proposed "enhancement" that would add a 0.5% tax increase every year from 2029 to 2036 dedicated to renewal - and even then, dedicated tax levies would cover only 60.7% of the projected renewal need in 2048. A companion report lays out Administration's draft priorities for renewing arterial roads, bridges, facilities, open spaces, and transit assets, with renewal of existing infrastructure prioritized over new growth projects in the next budget cycle. The 2027-2030 budget itself will be deliberated by Council in December.
• Ward 2 (Anirniq) Councillor Erin Rutherford is targeting amplified noise in Edmonton's public spaces, with the Community and Public Services Committee passing her motion on June 29th to draft amendments to the City's public spaces bylaw aimed at reducing unnecessary noise from amplification. Committee chair Ward 12 (Sspomitapi) Councillor Jo-Anne Wright said the push stems partly from concerns voiced by downtown businesses, including about an individual who regularly uses a megaphone and amplifier near Churchill Square at lunch time to spread his religious views. City solicitor Michael Gunther cautioned that any such bylaw must be carefully prepared to avoid violating the Charter of Rights and Freedoms' guarantee of free expression, though he noted municipalities may legally regulate amplification to prevent noise pollution. Administration had recommended tailoring noise limits to the distance from a doorway, but the Committee set that idea aside following a private session. Other options under consideration include requiring a permit to use amplification in public, designating specific "speakers corners", and defining disruptive noise in the bylaw itself. Calgary, Vancouver, and Toronto already have rules on where and when amplification is allowed, and the proposed changes will come back for review on September 25th before any public hearing.
• The same June 29th Committee meeting also took up fireworks, where John Adria, the owner of Uncle John's Fireworks, told City Council's Community and Public Services Committee that putting restrictions on fireworks has created far more problems than it has solved. Adria argued there were no issues before the regulations changed in 2019, and that permit conditions are now so tough that community groups have no legal path to holding the displays they safely ran for decades. He pointed to Saskatoon, which allows fireworks use by all adults without restrictions on several days each year, and suggested Edmonton's red tape is contributing to racism against southeast Asian communities, who he says get blamed whenever fireworks are used illegally. Chief bylaw enforcement officer David Jones told the Committee that fireworks complaints to 311 have increased 1,400% since 2020. After a home burned down during Diwali last year, the City is trying to chart a path that allows fireworks during the November holiday while ensuring fire safety, with Administration proposing to contribute $20,000 from the City's anti-racism fund toward one or more community-based celebrations. A representative of the Edmonton Diwali celebration steering committee urged members to proceed with a celebration at Mill Woods Park, which they declined to do, and Committee chair Ward 12 (Sspomitapi) Councillor Jo-Anne Wright said she was disappointed there was no bylaw review - though the Committee will review the City's fireworks rules in September.
• The City of Edmonton has opened a new impound lot near 122nd Street and 124th Avenue to help clear a backlog of hundreds of abandoned vehicles left on streets, alleys, and parking lots. The City and Edmonton police stopped towing cars earlier this year after the main impound lot filled up, and an overflow parcel is unavailable until December because construction crews are using it as a staging area for the Yellowhead Trail freeway conversion. The new lot can handle about 150 vehicles, but almost 400 are on the list to be towed. Ward 2 (Anirniq) Councillor Erin Rutherford says requests for parking enforcement have risen 45% in the last two years, and she doubts the new lot will solve the problem in the long term. As of June 26th, 362 abandoned vehicles were in the towing queue, down from 693 a month earlier, with crews moving 10 to 15 vehicles a day. Rutherford wrote to the Edmonton Police Commission in April urging it to relocate the tow lot to a larger site as a capital project in the next four-year budget, but the Commission says the current lot provides "suitable functionality" for the foreseeable future.