Back from Recess: August 2022 Update
This week has been a busy one at Council - we are officially back from recess, and committee and council meetings are starting back up. We have been having fairly intensive discussions and debates on a lot of important topics this week, and I wanted to share some thoughts on the news stories circulating:
66 Street LRT Station
The Valley Line Southeast LRT
Disappointment doesn’t even begin to describe what I am feeling about the most recent delay with the opening of the Valley Line LRT, this time due to repairs needed on concrete piers along the route. We don’t know exactly how long the repairs will take and have no clear indication on how long the opening will be delayed. TransEd has not performed. TransEd is fully responsible for all repair costs, and will be held accountable for the major delays, which have been and will continue to financially impact TransEd.
The Valley Line Southeast line is part of a major Public-Private Partnership (P3) that the City entered into an agreement with TransEd many years ago. This was not a choice for the City - it was a requirement to access significant federal funding required for an infrastructure project of this scale. The City could not go at it alone. As part of the P3, there are clear roles for both public and private sectors. TransEd is responsible for the design, engineering, build, operation, and maintenance of the system, while the City’s role is focused on the design review and monitoring. Even though the City and Edmontonians’ interests are protected through our agreement, the role delineations do in fact limit the tools we can use in situations like this and the City’s oversight. While I’ve tried to remain as open as possible to P3s since the inception, I believe we need to scrutinize P3’s even more going forward.
Today I am thinking about Edmontonians and residents in Karhiio, many who have been counting down the days until the LRT opens and have expressed their excitement about a new safe, affordable, accessible, and efficient transit option for moving around the City. The fact that this project is not being delivered as expected erodes public trust and buy-in, which we need to strengthen our public transportation system across the City and for city-building.
At the end of the day, the safety of the Valley Line Southeast remains a top priority. The delay is disappointing, but when the line opens we know it will be safe. My colleagues and I will continue to ask questions and seek information so that we will be able to share updates as soon as we can about this much needed transit infrastructure project.
Camrose Casino Re-location
Numerous residents have reached out to me about the Camrose Casino, which has put in an application with the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) to relocate to Edmonton. I share many of your frustrations with this relocation, and I have submitted a letter to AGLC conveying three major concerns with a project of this scale:
A lack of communication and open transparency in this process, and the respect for Edmontonians’ perspective: many people in the area feel blindsided about this project and feel they have not been given fair consideration or time to weigh in. Even though the application proceeded within the zoning and regulatory requirements, a project of this scale (including 120-room hotel) would need potential utility and infrastructure upgrades, which should warrant some interaction with the City early on.
A casino of this size is anticipated to increase traffic into an area already facing congestion: we currently do not have the public infrastructure to support this increase.
The rural license the casino will maintain: this prevents local Edmonton charities from participating in fundraising efforts, which results in charitable benefits being taken out of Edmonton and redistributed to other communities.
Since this relocation came to light, City Council also voted unanimously to write a letter to the AGLC outlining the concerns with the AGLC consultation process for the proposed casino application, the transfer of license restriction under AGLC and the impact of the license transfer on charitable organizations in Edmonton. This letter will be made public when it’s sent. I appreciate the support from my colleagues for this motion.
Ultimately, this decision rests with the board of AGLC and I urge them to heed the voices and perspectives of Edmontonians while considering this proposal. You can find more information about this relocation here.
Proposed Prairie Sky Gondola Alignment
Prairie Sky Gondola
At the August 15th City Council meeting, Council voted to put the Prairie Sky Gondola project on pause.
It's been incredible to see how many Edmontonians have been engaged in this conversation. I am grateful for all of the civic engagement and the diverse perspectives and stories shared on both sides. I also want to share kudos to the Prairie Sky team for bringing this idea forward, re-imagining how we can get around Edmonton, and overcoming many obstacles since this idea was brought forward as part of the Edmonton project. Your passion for this project is felt and your efforts did not go unnoticed.
This vote does not signal to Edmontonians, and the international community that our city is not open to big and innovative ventures, audacious ideas, and for projects that push us to dream. Given the potential role of city as a landlord, there are valid questions about risks we need to weigh and in todays day and age, there are expectations for homework that needs to be done before we arrive at a decision.
There were a lot of factors that I was weighing. Here are some of the considerations that were important to me:
The Indigenous engagement for a project at Rossdale, an ancestral burial ground, was not sufficient, meaningful or aligned with the spirit of reconciliation. Our City has made a commitment to reconciliation, and Prairie Sky needed additional due diligence around Indigenous-led engagement before this stage. This is something the City will also need to do as we move forward on projects like Touch the Water in Rossdale.
The gondola was brought forward as a way to increase access to the River Valley, and move people into downtown to improve vibrancy. However, we currently have multiple ways of getting across the river, and a gondola is not the only solution or a substantive game changer to accessing the river valley or improving our vibrancy downtown.
The environmental impact of this project, although it does have a small footprint, sets a precedent for private encroachment into our River Valley parkland. I am worried about this slippery slope, and how it can lead to the erosion of our river valley.
And when it came down to it, the crux of todays conversation was: do we want or need a gondola, and what is the public good here? I think about the current cost of living, high inflation rate, and the fact that we are reeling from recovery. Even though there is no public dollar directly invested in this project, the answer for me ultimately is that a gondola is not what we want or need at this time.
I appreciate those who have shared, and who have facilitated the journey to this key milestone.
