The Pulse
May 23, 2024

As a public hearing approaches for a new policy that is meant to shape the development of the city as its population grows, some city councillors are worried the proposed plans could erode trust between Edmontonians and council.

If council votes for a first and second reading of the district policy after the public hearing scheduled to run from May 28 to 30, it will go to the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board for review. The plans would then return to council for a final vote, which is scheduled for early fall. If approved, the plans will come into effect immediately.

Some councillors argue the draft district plans aren't aligned with other city-planning documents, potentially leading to confusion and anger as neighbourhoods evolve.

"Even the person who wants zero change (to their neighbourhood), at least they should know, based off the plans, here's generally what they should expect over the next 10 or 20 years," Coun. Andrew Knack told Taproot. "They will still be upset no matter what, but I think that there's a difference between being upset about how your city is changing versus at least understanding how you got to that point."

The potential misalignment came up in a public hearing for a rezoning in April, for a lot across 116 Street NW from the University of Alberta's main campus. The developer applied to rezone a parcel containing three single-family homes to allow for a multi-unit building up to six storeys tall. Even though the district policy is not in effect yet, some councillors brought it up during the debate. Given it is 100 metres from the nearest university building and 650 metres from the nearest LRT station, many councillors said it would have been a great choice for a larger building. However, according to the draft district plan, the site falls just outside a major node boundary, meaning the existing zoning allowing for only a three-storey building would be considered appropriate.

"I think there would be a very reasonable argument to say that the zoning in Windsor Park wouldn't have actually aligned with the draft district plan… even though from a practical land use perspective, all of the boxes are checked," Knack said in an interview. "It is absolutely the place where we should be doing something like that."

Coun. Erin Rutherford echoed this during the public hearing on April 22. She said there was no reason the area shouldn't welcome more density, as it is a high-growth area near the university and near LRT stations. "If our district plan is saying something different, even the interpretation of it by two councillors… that's still a percentage of Edmontonians that would likely interpret it the same way, and that's problematic," she said at the public hearing.

Rutherford said she was feeling déjà vu, as there have been several rezonings that didn't appear to align with the district planning documents coming before council in recent months. (Administration clarified that the project proposal would be aligned with district plans and recommended that council approve the rezoning. In the end, the rezoning was approved, with Knack, Sarah Hamilton, and Karen Principe opposed.)

Knack said the misalignment is not unique to the Windsor Park neighbourhood, and he believes conversations like this will return to council if the district plans are approved in their current form.

• Council's community and public services committee heard from Homeward Trust about updates to the Community Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, a joint plan between the City of Edmonton and Homeward Trust first implemented in 2009. The draft plan is expected to be finalized in June. The Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness (ECOHH) criticized the updated plan for lacking clear targets and accountability. Homeward Trust's By Names list shows 3,262 people were sleeping outdoors, in shelters, or in temporary or precarious housing as of April 1, which is more than at any point since tracking began in 1999. Data from the medical examiner's office shows 302 deaths among homeless Edmontonians in 2023, a number the ECOHH suspects is more than 400.
• Council's urban planning committee discussed municipal naming policies and the City of Edmonton's place names database, which will include all city entities named in the past two decades. Councillors raised concerns about potential costs related to municipal names and renaming in light of the recent rebranding of Oliver as Wîhkwêntôwin, which came with $680,000 in expenses. Coun. Anne Stevenson recommended City staff proceed with "caution or consideration" because of how the public perceives renaming initiatives. Coun. Erin Rutherford raised questions about the potential cost of future renaming projects, pointing out current budget constraints.
• The Association of Academic Staff of the University of Alberta, the Students' Union, the Graduate Students' Association, and the Non-Academic Staff Association had a meeting with university president Bill Flanagan and other members of administration on May 22. In a release, AASUA said the groups are pushing the University of Alberta to commit to a third-party investigation "to assess the decisions, statements, and actions made by senior leadership officials that led up to the police being called to forcefully remove protesters" at a pro-Palestine encampment on campus on May 11. AASUA vice-president Kristine Smitka noted there remains "discrepancies between senior leadership and the protesters' account of what happened." Meanwhile, political science professor David Kahane sent a letter to the university's presidential review committee, calling on the committee not to reappoint Flanagan.
• The Alberta Aviation Museum is seeking to take ownership of Hangar 14 following the fire that destroyed Hangar 11 last month. On May 23, Edmonton city council is expecting to hear a proposal from the museum's executive director Jean Lauzon, who will ask council to sell Hangar 14 to the museum or partner with it long term. A 2022 study found renovations would cost $42 million, but Lauzon said costs can be lowered if "done smartly" and pursued in partnership.
• Several businesses at Westmount Shopping Centre are closing or moving after receiving 30-days notice to find a new location. The reasons for the closure are unclear, with some tenants suspecting it is linked to a leak in the ceiling, CTV News reported.
• The metro areas of Edmonton and Calgary have both seen their largest year-over-year population increases in recent memory, according to the latest numbers from Statistics Canada. Calgary's population grew 6%, while Edmonton's grew 4.2%. Edmonton's metro area had 1.56 million people as of July 1, 2023, up from 1.5 million the previous year. In both cities, the majority of growth came from immigration, with major gains from interprovincial migration. Calgary, followed by Edmonton, topped the list of Canadian cities for net interprovincial migration by a wide margin.
• The City of Edmonton is accepting volunteers and nominations for its annual Front Yards in Bloom initiative, which is in its 25th year. Residents can submit their nominations for yards, public spaces, and balconies until July 1.
• The fountain at Edmonton City Hall Plaza will open on May 25 with a day of music, art, and games. The Edmonton Arts Council will be hosting activities in Churchill Square. The fountain will run seven days a week until Labour Day, with the change rooms open daily from 10am to 9pm. A list of upcoming events at the fountain is available online.
• With the Edmonton Oilers the only Canadian team remaining in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, hockey fans are wondering whether the team can overcome regional loyalties and build Canadian support. A Canadian team hasn't won the Stanley Cup since 1993.

Here are opportunities to help shape municipal planning on several issues, including planning for a Sturgeon County development, surplus school sites in some Edmonton neighbourhoods, and the future of Castle Downs Park.

• Sturgeon Valley Information & Engagement Session — Sturgeon County is seeking input to inform the future of the Sturgeon Valley community and surrounding areas, including amenities, natural areas, and new neighbourhoods. County representatives are holding an in-person public engagement event at the Edmonton Garrison on May 30.
• Blue Quill Surplus School Site Rezoning — The City of Edmonton received an application to rezone the Blue Quill surplus school site at 2710 and 2810 112 Street NW to allow for affordable multi-unit housing. Residents can share their thoughts on the application or ask a question until June 2.
• Belmont Surplus School Site Rezoning — The City of Edmonton is considering rezoning the Belmont surplus school site at 13207 37 Street NW to allow for affordable multi-unit housing. Residents can share their thoughts or ask a question until June 2.
• Castle Downs Park Concept Plan (Refine) — The City of Edmonton is looking to update the concept plan for Castle Downs Park to accommodate a proposed Metro Line LRT expansion, a future Catholic high school, and increased community need. The project team has released two concept options and is seeking feedback to develop a preferred concept. Residents can review Option 1 and Option 2, read a What We Heard report based on previous engagement, and take an online survey before June 5.

More input opportunities

• Until May 24: Money Matters 2025 — Municipal Budget Engagement (Strathcona County)
• Until May 26: Dunluce Surplus School Site Rezoning (City of Edmonton)
• Until May 26: Vision Zero Street Labs in Evansdale — Explore (City of Edmonton)
• Until May 26: Vision Zero Street Labs in Woodcroft — Explore (City of Edmonton)
• Until May 31: 2025 Budget Planning Survey (City of Leduc)
• Until June 12: Vision Zero Street Labs in Wild Rose — Explore (City of Edmonton)
• Until June 12: Vision Zero Street Labs in Spruce Avenue — Explore (City of Edmonton)
• Until June 12: Vision Zero Street Labs in Glengarry — Explore (City of Edmonton)
• Until July 1: Bike Skills Park Feasibility Study (City of Fort Saskatchewan)
• Until Aug. 31: Business Census (City of Edmonton)

Photo: City of Edmonton administration was asked to update the Castle Downs District Park Concept Plan as part of the 2023-2026 capital budget. Upcoming projects, including a Metro Line LRT expansion, are expected to improve access and increase demand on facilities. (City of Edmonton)

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• IDEA Annual General Meeting starting at 5pm at CKUA Radio Network
• Cannes Lions Screening starting at 5pm at 103 Street Centre
• Cat Fest Block Party starting at 5:30pm at The Common
• Wildfire Prevention and Preparedness starting at 6pm at the Strathcona County Community Centre
• Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society Community Walk starting at 6pm at the Alfred H. Savage Centre
• Capital City Records: Local Music Launch starting at 6pm at the Edmonton Public Library (Stanley A. Milner)

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• May 30: Nerd Nite 81: AquaNerds at the Fringe Theatre Arts Barns
• June 4: Alberta Women Entrepreneurs Awards Celebration at the Edmonton EXPO Centre
• June 7-9: Writers' Guild of Alberta Conference 2024 at the Coast Edmonton Plaza

Visit the beta version of the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.