Speaking Municipally

In our penultimate episode of 2024, we recap the 2025 budget and discuss how the process might change in the future. Plus, we wrap up the Housing Complex project and look at what's next as we head into municipal election season.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Budget recap

• News Release: City Council confirms fall budget adjustments
• Edmonton city council sets property tax increase at 6.1% for 2025
• Edmonton city council votes for 6.1% tax hike for 2025
• With all the amendments to the city budget tabled, Councillor Tim Cartmell has proposed zero total reductions
• Edmonton city councillors react to budget adjustment
• 2022: 'Gruelling' budget process ends with tax increase of 4.96% in 2023

Housing Complex

• Housing Complex
• What city council can — and can't — do to improve Edmonton's housing system

Rapid fire

• PSA: City Hall Parkade reopens in time for the holidays
• Yellowhead Trail freeway conversion project faces $105M shortfall

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, the most reliable source of intelligence about what's happening in the Edmonton region. Through curiosity-driven original stories, tailored and useful newsletters, a comprehensive and innovative events calendar, and thought-provoking podcasts, we inform, connect, and inspire a more vibrant, engaged, and resilient Edmonton region.

Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!

After four days of debate, Edmonton city council approved adjustments to the 2025 budget, setting a 6.1% property tax increase for next year. In this episode, we dig into some of the key moments throughout the debate. We talk about photo radar, trees, and community sandboxes.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Budget

• News Release: City Council confirms fall budget adjustments
• Edmonton city council approves 6.1% tax hike for 2025
• Budget 2025: Explore Edmonton asks city for $6M or won't run Expo centre and convention centre
• Edmonton city council looking for ways to lower tax increase as budget deliberations heat up
• Edmonton mayor releases budget plan to shave two per cent off 2025 tax hike
• Mayor Sohi's budget page
• On the agenda: Fall budget adjustment
• Council continues final budget adjustment deliberations

Downtown buildings

• City of Edmonton planning to sell 2 downtown office buildings, relocate hundreds of staff

Photo radar

• News Release: Putting an end to the photo radar cash cow
• Alberta government aims to cut photo radar sites by 70%
• 'Absolutely concerned': Edmonton mayor, councillors react to Alberta photo radar plan

Community sandboxes

• Some community leagues opt to maintain their own sandboxes after city-wide program shrinks

Tree planting

• News Release: City surpasses planting record for a second year, moving closer to two million tree goal

From the Taproot newsroom

• Departure of Good Goods from downtown leaves business association with few options
• Options for new bike lanes on Victoria Promenade hit planning stage

Rapid fire

• Get Free Studded Tires to Ride Through the Winter
• 'Hilarious': Alberta premier responds to Trump's 51st state joke, emphasizes need for trade ties with U.S.
• Trio aims to be a 'catalyst' in Chinatown with Boa and Hare
• Why Edmonton's work on Indigenous-led housing remains complex

This episode is brought to you by Park Power, your friendly, local utilities provider (and title sponsor of Taproot's Regional Roundup). Park Power offers electricity, natural gas, and internet to homes, businesses, and farms throughout Alberta. Learn more at parkpower.ca.

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, the most reliable source of intelligence about what's happening in the Edmonton region. Through curiosity-driven original stories, tailored and useful newsletters, a comprehensive and innovative events calendar, and thought-provoking podcasts, we inform, connect, and inspire a more vibrant, engaged, and resilient Edmonton region.

Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!

Another blow to regional collaboration as it appears the EMRB is dead after the provincial government pulled its funding. Plus, we talk budget, carbon emissions, police response times, and parking.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

EMRB

• Regional Roundup: Nov. 27, 2024
• 'Unexpected': Edmonton's regional board loses provincial funding, future uncertain

Budget

• City says participatory budgeting experiment was challenging but taught lessons
• Will Edmonton neighbourhood renewal be scaled back?
• Calgary council approves budget, 3.6% property tax increase

Carbon emissions

• Report suggests Edmonton's emissions are decreasing too slowly

Police response times

• Making Edmonton police response times public again: It's complicated

HotSpot Parking

• Zipstall parking app sent cease-and-desist letter by City of Edmonton's vendor HotSpot

DIP

• Puneeta McBryan's post

From the Taproot newsroom

• Conservatory of Music to leave MacEwan and become part of Winspear in 2025
• Building powerhouses look for new life at old RAM
• How Edmonton compares to cities finding success in tackling homelessness

Rapid fire

• Alberta's passenger rail master plan scheduled for summer 2025 release
• News Release: 30th Annual Stuff a Bus returns to support those in need
• Alberta mulls boosting U.S. border patrol in effort to prevent Trump's 25% tariff

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, the most reliable source of intelligence about what's happening in the Edmonton region. Through curiosity-driven original stories, tailored and useful newsletters, a comprehensive and innovative events calendar, and thought-provoking podcasts, we inform, connect, and inspire a more vibrant, engaged, and resilient Edmonton region.

Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!

We have a third mayoral candidate as Coun. Tim Cartmell finally confirms he's running for mayor. And in a surprising announcement, Chief Dale McFee has announced his retirement from EPS, effective Feb. 21, 2025.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Cartmell running for mayor

• Is Tim Cartmell the Next Mayor of Edmonton?
• Edmonton Coun. Tim Cartmell running for mayor with new political party

McFee retiring

• Chief McFee retires from the EPS
• Province to appoint more members to Edmonton Police Commission

Old RAM

• Edmonton developer, architect push to save Old Royal Alberta Museum

Housing figures

• News Release: City exceeds housing supply targets in record-breaking year for new housing starts and building permits
• Why Edmonton may need to focus on renters as it stares down 'peak home ownership'

From the Taproot newsroom

• Housing Complex
• Taproot presents: A conversation about housing

Rapid fire

• Former Edmonton city councillor Tony Caterina running for mayor
• WestJet announces summer schedule, Edmonton to see 23% seat capacity increase
• Boissonnault out of cabinet after shifting claims about Indigenous heritage

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!

This week, budget season has begun. Troy and Stephanie guide you into the start of our year-end busy season, and explain how this will lead into next year's busy season, the election.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Budget

• Edmonton city council looks for cuts to lower 8.1 per cent tax hike eyed for 2025
• Edmonton city councillors question travel budgets and spending on Calgary Stampede

Election

• 9 candidates declare intention to run for Edmonton City Council

City manager

• Edmonton city council hires Eddie Robar as city manager
• Budget pressures top of mind for Edmonton's new city manager

Carbon budget

• Edmonton fails to meet climate targets 2 years after launching carbon budget
• Condo association calls green bin rollout 'rocky', while city says new habits take time

Single-use bylaw

• 500 days in, Edmonton has written 0 tickets under single-use bag, plastics bylaw

From the Taproot newsroom

• Edmonton Arts Council has a new funding strategy and leader
• Why the decline in public housing is 'the origins of Canada's housing crisis'
• Taproot presents: A conversation about housing

Canadian Podcast Awards

• Speaking Municipally is a finalist
• Karen's post on LinkedIn

Rapid fire

• City underlines successes and challenges as the Valley Line LRT turns one
• McDavid makes history with 1,000th NHL point

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!

Taproot Edmonton reporter Colin Gallant joins us to discuss making Edmonton's housing more financially accessible, the Valley Line LRT's first anniversary, and the future of retail downtown.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Updates

• News Release: Fifth case of Dutch elm disease confirmed in Edmonton
• News Release: City launches Assisted Snow Removal Program Pilot
• City of Edmonton proposes 8.1% tax hike in 2025 to cover higher costs

Housing

• How should Edmonton grow to make housing more accessible?
• Housing Complex

Valley Line LRT

• City underlines successes and challenges as the Valley Line LRT turns one

Downtown retail

• As Foosh debuts downtown, experts suggest retail needs focus to thrive

From the Taproot newsroom

• YEG hopes visitors will stay and play at the airport
• On the agenda: Garneau rezoning, utility rate changes, council office budget

Election update (no not that one)

• 2025 Edmonton General Election | Register of Candidates
• Troy's tweet

Rapid fire

• Hundreds attend Edmonton protest against Alberta government's trans legislation
• Downtown Edmonton residential tower could rise higher than planned
• Alberta enabling Halal mortgages, implementing promised electric vehicle tax

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!

The Downtown Investment Plan remains a hot topic of discussion. This week, we speak with Shani Gwin, a Métis woman, downtown business owner, AI entrepreneur, and DBA board member, for her take.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Guests

• Shani Gwin on LinkedIn
• pipikwan pêhtâkwan

Downtown Investment Plan

• Downtown Investment Plan (PDF)
• News Release: DIP INTO DOWNTOWN: Solutions for Edmonton's Financial Future — Strategic Investment in Downtown (PDF)

wâsikan kisewâtisiwin

• wâsikan kisewâtisiwin
• News Release: Edmonton startup wâsikan kisewâtisiwin selected as a 2024 Solver Team by MIT Solve

From the Taproot newsroom

• Would building more supply slow Edmonton's rising home prices?
• New head of Social Enterprise Fund dreams of change

Rapid fire

• Keith Gerein: Court delay serves no one except the political fortunes of Edmonton Coun. Jennifer Rice
• Setting off alarms by cooking? Edmonton's fire department could send you a bill
• Elaborate village-like encampment with power, water dismantled in south Edmonton

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!

This week, we're getting an early start on winter by talking about snow and ice control. We speak with Mark Beare and Val Dacyk from the City of Edmonton about service standards for clearing roadways and active pathways, how much people love the snow plow map, how big the snow clearing operation is, what it would take to clear sidewalks, where your tax dollars go, and much more.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Guests

• Mark Beare on LinkedIn
• Valerie Dacyk on LinkedIn

Snow and ice control

• News Release: City launches updated Snow and Ice Control Program
• Roadways Snow Clearing Map
• Active Pathways Snow Clearing Map
• Community Sandboxes
• Winter Travel
• 2022: Apparent jump in snow-clearing kilometres not all that it seems
• 2023: City seeks input on sandbox program for ice control

From the Taproot newsroom

• Housing Complex
• Introducing Housing Complex, a special project from Taproot Edmonton
• Home truths: In Edmonton's housing system, some win, some lose, and many feel conflicted

Rapid fire

• Edmonton won't add optional criminal record checks for council candidates
• Edmonton boo-levard becomes Candy Corn Lane for Halloween

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!

A new report published by a coalition of business leaders calls for nearly $500 million of investment in Edmonton's downtown. We talk with the report's authors, Alexandra Hryciw and Jason Syvixay, about the action items, and what they hope to achieve.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Guests

• Alexandra Hryciw on LinkedIn
• Downtown Revitalization Coalition
• Jason Syvixay on LinkedIn
• BILD Edmonton Metro

Downtown Investment Plan

• Downtown Investment Plan (PDF)
• News Release: DIP INTO DOWNTOWN: Solutions for Edmonton's Financial Future — Strategic Investment in Downtown (PDF)
• Opinion: Now is the time to invest in Edmonton's downtown
• Business leaders call on governments to invest in downtown Edmonton
• Housing Accelerator Fund - City of Edmonton

From the Taproot newsroom

• Housing pilot tests if connecting people can boost inclusion
• Edmonton on track to approve one garden suite a day in 2024
• How NorthwestFEARFest's boss put his life into film

Rapid fire

• Edmonton park rangers shooting plastic bullets at aggressive coyotes
• Law society to sanction former Alberta justice minister Kaycee Madu
• $7M Alberta advertising campaign against oil and gas emissions cap rolling out in 5 provinces

The 2024 Canadian Open Data Summit takes place in Edmonton on Oct. 30 and 31, with a full day of programming on Oct. 29 focused on generative AI. The event features keynotes, panels, workshops, and more. Themes for this year's event include data perspectives on the housing crisis, the power of open science, and how sharing commercial data has led to competitive advantages for businesses. Registration is now open.

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!

Council heard more about the fiscal gap, though no action was taken yet. Plus, the latest transit ridership numbers, the Stadium Station redesign, whether to continue planting elm trees, and how this winter's approach to encampments will look a lot like last winter's despite increased need.

Here are the relevant links for this episode:

Fiscal gap

• Edmonton seeking solutions to fix grim 'fiscal gap'
• Edmonton's Funding Dilemma: Collaboration Over Confrontation - Tim Cartmell
• Edmonton mayor's letter to province asks for fair treatment in next year's budget
• Keith Gerein: Edmonton's mayor steps up, but will he take a swing?
• Calgary and province announce agreement to move forward on part of Green Line LRT

Transit ridership

• News Release: Transit ridership outpaces population growth
• Edmonton transit ridership up 14% in 2024
• Edmonton Transit to stop selling paper tickets, monthly passes as of Nov. 9

Stadium Station

• Stadium Station redesign sees calls for service drop by 50%

Elm trees

• Tree expert sees ways to avoid nightmare on elm-lined streets

Health Streets pilot

• Edmonton 'healthy streets' Chinatown safety hub shutting down

Encampments

• Edmonton police chief on the winter encampment strategy
• Edmonton has spent $225k fencing off former encampment sites in the first nine months of 2024
• Alberta and Edmonton at odds over data on homeless navigation centre
• Edmonton city council to get more information on encampment closure risks

Regional drivers

• 'We're subsidizing the region': 32% of drivers on Edmonton roads don't live in the city, report finds
• Edmonton has a 'free rider problem' on its roads, new report says

From the Taproot newsroom

• Alberta Ecotrust aims to accelerate building retrofits
• Provincial Priorities Act could hurt Alberta's priorities, says academic
• Transit riders organize to push for improved service and community

Rapid fire

• Recap: Winnipeg 6, Edmonton 0
• News Release: Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!
• City Bird : Vote - Bird Friendly Edmonton

The 2024 Canadian Open Data Summit takes place in Edmonton on Oct. 30 and 31, with a full day of programming on Oct. 29 focused on generative AI. The event features keynotes, panels, workshops, and more. Themes for this year's event include data perspectives on the housing crisis, the power of open science, and how sharing commercial data has led to competitive advantages for businesses. Registration is now open.

Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!