City council will meet on Monday, with a continuation scheduled for Friday morning. The council services committee will meet Wednesday morning, with a public hearing scheduled for the afternoon. There's also a non-regular council meeting scheduled for Friday, for a private discussion about the upcoming budget.
- A motion is expected from Coun. Tim Cartmell requesting that $5 million be provided to the Edmonton Police Commission to "support a Healthy Streets Operation Centre in Chinatown, to act as a multi-agency collaboration facility" that is intended to ensure multidisciplinary teams respond "in a timely and effective manner." This facility was included in the city's Downtown Core and Transit System Safety Plan, but only has enough funding for about three months.
- Council must pass the 2023-2026 budgets by Dec. 31, 2022, which "will require a focused and systematic way of working" to meet the deadline while allowing for "comprehensive discussion," administration said in a report on the budget process. The suggested timeline would begin on Oct. 31 with the presentation of the proposed capital budget, followed by the proposed operating budget on Nov. 14, and the proposed utility services budget on Nov. 24. Final approval would be expected no later than Dec. 13.
- Though the final 2023 calendar won't be presented for approval until October, council services committee is being asked for input and feedback to help draft it. Administration recommends a three-week cycle (rather than the current two-week cycle), with public hearings moving back to Monday and city council meetings scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Here are some of the other notable agenda items:
- Bylaw 20173, which is ready for first reading only, would increase borrowing authority to nearly $92.3 million for the 50 Street CPR Grade Separation project to reflect an increase in the budget from $145.3 million to $179.6 million. Construction is now expected to last until December 2027.
- Bylaws 20184, 20185, and 20172 authorize borrowing for sidewalk improvements, alley reconstruction, and utility work at the Falcon Towers on 104 Street at 100 Avenue.
- Bylaw 20128, ready for second and third readings, would authorize the borrowing of nearly $8.7 million for the distribution piping system of the Blatchford Energy Utility Project.
- Charter Bylaw 20153 would rezone several currently undeveloped parcels of land near 17350 66 Street NW in Crystallina Nera East to allow for low- and medium-density housing, neighbourhood commercial development, and a new public park.
- A proposed row housing development at 14327 106B Avenue NW in Grovenor is supported by administration for its alignment with the City Plan and the opportunity to increase density and housing diversity in the neighbourhood. But many nearby residents are opposed — the city sent advance notice of the application to 31 recipients and received 23 responses with concerns.
Several other motions are expected based on notice given at previous meetings:
- Coun. Sarah Hamilton will move that administration and the Edmonton Police Commission work together on returning to work solutions.
- Coun. Anne Stevenson will request a report with options to pilot small-scale sanctioned encampments this summer.
- Coun. Jennifer Rice will request a jurisdictional scan of senior assistance programs across comparable municipalities.
- Coun. Michael Janz will request a report with options for additional tax subclasses, including properties valued in the top 1% of residential homes.
- Coun. Janz will request an unfunded service package for up to $10 million for 24/7 crisis response on an ongoing basis.
Meetings are streamed live on city council's YouTube channel.
Photo: Edmonton police officers walk down 97 Street in Chinatown on March 17, 2010. (City of Edmonton)