THIS WEEK IN EDMONTON

This week, council committees will hear updates from administration on the city’s supply of industrial land, debate a new policy for street design, and explore options for what would have been the ArtsCommon project.

There is a community and public services committee meeting on June 16, an urban planning committee meeting on June 17, and an executive committee meeting on June 18.

Here are key items on this week’s agenda:

• Edmonton has 230 hectares of shovel-ready industrial land, 1,150 hectares of partially serviced industrial land, and 7,000 hectares of land that are vacant and can be developed or is planned for development, according to an update on the Industrial Investment Action Plan that will be presented to council’s executive committee on June 18. The update said there are 747 vacant industrial sites in the city. To streamline approval processes for non-residential investment, administration has created a program that will provide new proposals for industrial buildings that meet certain criteria a guaranteed timeline of 40 days for development and partial building permits. Administration has also worked with 12 regional partners to create a collaborative economic development program where Edmonton could invest in non-residential sites outside of its boundaries. Municipalities would share in the costs of making a site shovel-ready and also share in the resulting revenue. The action plan was developed to address Edmonton’s decreasing share of non-residential land in the region. Such land is critical to the city’s finances because industrial land is taxed at a higher rate than residential properties and can therefore lessen the tax burden on residents.
• Administration has prepared amendments to the Complete Streets policy, which will guide Complete Streets design and construction standards. The amendments align the policy with other new city documents like the City Plan, Accessibility for People with Disabilities Policy, and the Energy Transition and Climate Resiliency Strategy.
• Administration intends to list the property that would have held the ArtsCommon 118 development for sale, according to a report set to be presented to council’s executive committee on June 18. The city will place conditions on the sale that encourage developers to align with the original vision for the community-based arts facility, and will accept proposals for about six months. Developers will be required to start construction within two years and complete the project within four years of closing. Administration will return to council with a summary of the proposals. The ArtsCommon project, in the works since at least 2018, was planned to create 78 live-work artist studios, two floors of market space for artists, performance spaces, a rooftop garden, and industrial kitchen space at the corner of 118 Avenue NW and 92 Street NW.
• The Edmonton Arts Council gave artists and collectives nearly 20% less money in 2024 than it did in 2023, according to numbers within an update on the Connections & Exchanges arts and heritage plan that will be presented to city council next week. As the update shows, the total amount provided to artists and collectives through grants in 2024 was $3.4 million, or 18% less than the $4.2 million provided in 2023. Nearly 1,100 individuals and collectives applied for EAC grants in 2024, and 254 were successful. More than 60% of the successful applicants self-identify as Indigenous or from another equity-deserving group, the report said. Funding to arts festivals and organizations declined, too, but less drastically, falling from $11 million in 2023 to $10.7 million in 2024, according to the report, or a 2.7% decrease. The report also includes updates from the Edmonton Heritage Council. That organization updated the Edmonton Commonwealth Walkway digital story map with 46 Indigenous stories. The council also convened 30 Edmontonians who are interested in saving the old Royal Alberta Museum building from demolition. Lastly, the report contains updates from Arts Habitat Edmonton, which reopened the rehabilitated Ortona Armoury Building in July 2024.
• The budget for the Edmonton Convention Centre and the EXPO Centre cannot be absorbed into city-wide budgets without a decrease in the level of service at the facilities, according to a report set to be presented to council’s executive committee on June 18. Council had asked administration to analyze if it could take over the operating and maintenance costs for those buildings from Explore Edmonton.
• The former home of Ernest William Morehouse, an architect who heavily influenced the early development of the Highlands neighbourhood, could be designated a municipal historic resource. The current owner of the home would receive about $53,000 to rehabilitate the property. If executive committee approves the designation at a meeting on June 18, it will go to council for a final vote.
• Council’s urban planning committee will examine the environmental impact assessment for the replacement of the Mill Creek trestle bridge and culvert under 76 Avenue NW. The project involves daylighting Mill Creek, as the culvert will be replaced with a vehicle bridge. The report said the project is expected to have minor environmental impacts. The committee will also review the environmental impact assessment for the Edmonton Mountain Bike Alliance skills park, which is planned for Queen Elizabeth Park. The assessment said the park is expected to have low to moderate impact on the environment, as it is proposed to be located on the site of a former wastewater treatment facility that was demolished and reclaimed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

• On Monday, at 9:30 am, the Community and Public Services Committee will meet. The Committee will receive a report outlining Edmonton’s current parking ban enforcement strategies and four options for future improvements. The goal is to encourage voluntary compliance to improve safety and enable efficient snow clearing and street sweeping. Currently, five temporary officers enforce winter bans without towing capacity or spring enforcement funding. One-time funding in 2022 allowed a more proactive program with additional staff and towing, but this was not continued. The four options range from maintaining the status quo at $274,000 annually to adding towing for an estimated extra $100,000, increasing staff and towing capacity for about $1 million, and finally using an external enforcement contract with towing for over $1.5 million per year. Public input called for stricter enforcement and clearer signage, and the City is developing tools to focus on low-compliance areas.
• On Tuesday, at 9:30 am, the Urban Planning Committee will consider amendments to Edmonton’s Business Licence Bylaw aimed at modernizing the fire inspection process for new business licences. Under the new approach, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services (EFRS) would no longer be required to complete consultations before a business licence is issued. Instead, internal notifications will be used, allowing most businesses to begin operations more quickly. The City’s business licensing team would simply notify EFRS once a business licence is issued. Data from 2022 to 2024 showed that 90% of inspections found no issues, while only 0.2% required serious intervention. EFRS will still conduct inspections and respond to complaints, particularly for higher-risk categories. The changes are expected to reduce delays, support economic development, and improve equity in access to business opportunities. Council approval would trigger immediate implementation.
• Edmonton faces a $4.4 billion need to renew and renovate roads, bridges, and City buildings between 2027 and 2030, but Council currently lacks $1.8 billion to cover these costs. Outgoing Mayor Amarjeet Sohi criticized past administrations for delaying investments, while Councillor Tim Cartmell argues that inefficiencies and overspending on unnecessary infrastructure improvements contribute to the problem. Cartmell is calling for a thorough review of the infrastructure budget, citing examples like costly fire stations and overly extensive sidewalk projects. However, Councillor Erin Rutherford says that the City has already examined these issues and that calls for more spending are political tactics. Rutherford supports a new property tax levy aimed at funding infrastructure renewal but warns that future austerity measures could worsen the problem. A special infrastructure committee will begin meeting in late June to address these challenges. Meanwhile, the provincial government asserts it has increased funding to Edmonton through grants and promises more support ahead.
• Two businesses in Edmonton’s Belgravia neighbourhood report sales have dropped between 20% to 50% due to an ongoing EPCOR construction project for a new mid-to-high-rise apartment. The project has closed a key westbound entrance on 76 Avenue, limiting access and deterring customers. Residents and business owners express growing frustration as multiple developments have turned the area into a near-constant construction zone. Belgravia is a busy area near the University of Alberta and the Cross Cancer Institute, serving as a main route to the south side, causing significant traffic congestion. Community leaders say exiting the neighbourhood can take up to 30 minutes during peak times. Council acknowledged the congestion partly stems from the Capital LRT line being built at ground level, a decision with long-term impacts. While the construction is expected to finish by the end of June, a traffic study is planned to address longer-term issues.
• A natural wetland called Poplar Lake, or Klarvatten Wetland, in north Edmonton has suddenly dried up, leaving residents puzzled and concerned. The shallow body of water, which supported diverse wildlife including 21 bird species, had been a stable feature for decades, and water levels were controlled to maintain the wildlife's habitat. However, the water began dropping about two years ago and disappeared completely about two weeks ago, leaving only mud and vegetation behind. The lake is a natural feature, unlike man-made stormwater ponds managed by EPCOR. EPCOR investigated recent local projects and found that their drinking water infrastructure upgrade last fall did not impact the lake. Now, EPCOR is exploring ways to help restore water levels by possibly diverting water from a nearby stormwater pond, while ensuring no harm to wastewater systems or the environment. Residents continue to seek answers as officials work on potential solutions.