This is city council's final committee week before the summer break. The community and public services committee will meet on Monday and executive committee will meet on Wednesday.
- By the end of the year, the city projects it will have created approximately 2,843 units of affordable housing since approving the Affordable Housing Investment Plan in 2018. Administration has developed three scenarios for the updated Affordable Housing Investment Plan for 2023-2026 to build and refurbish 2,400 to 3,500 units. The required financial contribution from the city ranges from $163.4 million to $246.4 million.
- Administration's proposed approach for snow and ice control — to be implemented over three years — promises a faster response to weather events, a 45.2% improvement on the completion of blading residential roads to a five-centimetre snowpack, and better clearing around public squares, paved pathways in parks and playgrounds, and residential driveway openings and curb cuts. If approved, the updated approach would cost $9.5 million for the rest of 2022, and would have a total budget of $89.9 million in 2023, $104.7 million in 2024, and $111.5 million in 2025, for a total estimated tax increase of 3.1% from 2023 to 2026.
- Hangar 14, which is the only remaining "double wide, double long" hangar in Canada, is currently leased by the Alberta Aviation Museum. The building requires extensive rehabilitation in the next five years, which administration estimates will cost at least $41 million. Given the high cost and other challenges, a City of Edmonton-led rehabilitation is not being considered. Administration's recommendation is to sell the building.
- The development of an after-hours response system and the designation of a "Night Mayor" are among the options for council to consider to further support the hospitality and entertainment industry.
There are several reports related to affordable housing:
- Emergency shelter operators have told the city they are unable to implement the Minimum Emergency Shelter Standards, approved in August 2021, without additional resources. Edmonton's emergency shelters saw average daily occupancies of 901 this past winter, peaking at 1,140.
- The vast majority of Edmonton's emergency shelter spaces are provided by non-Indigenous, faith-based non-profit organizations. Administration says more trauma-informed, culturally diverse, and low-barrier options "could result in a decrease of encampments across the city." More than 60% of the Edmontonians experiencing homelessness are Indigenous.
- Administration has identified and is supportive of 23 recommendations to help prioritize and incentivize the development of Indigenous-led affordable housing.
- The city has committed to the development of 13 non-profit operator-led supportive housing sites across Edmonton, providing 644 supportive housing spaces for vulnerable Edmontonians.
- A comprehensive Housing Needs Assessment is underway with an expected completion date of September 2022. Preliminary findings suggest that in 2016, nearly 50,000 Edmonton households were living in core housing need, which means their housing is not affordable, suitable, or adequate, and that 26% of all renter households in the city were in core housing need.
- Administration proposes using $5.6 million of previously approved funding to co-locate supportive housing at the new Walker Fire Station in the southeast.
- Administration has developed a potential affordable housing grant program to support non-profit housing providers by offsetting any municipal taxes or community revitalization levies owed. Taxable affordable housing properties currently pay an estimated $5 million per year in municipal taxes.
Here are some of the other notable agenda items:
- The Downtown District Energy Initiative is ready to move to the next phase, to "gain greater certainty on construction pricing." Construction on the District Energy Shell Building is already underway at the Winspear Centre and is expected to be complete in November 2022.
- A report on the city's Business Friendly Edmonton program notes that 95% of all businesses in Edmonton are small businesses, with fewer than 50 employees.
- Administration says it procured 91% of its contracts over $250,000 using competitive methods last year, and that these contracts represent 95% of the dollar value of all contracts. The main difference between Edmonton's procurement practices and other jurisdictions is that Edmonton uses a one- to three-year initial term while most others use a longer term.
- The proposed Indigenous Procurement Framework is intended to provide equitable access when Indigenous businesses wish to do business with the City of Edmonton. If approved, the city "will integrate economic, quality, environmental, social value, and Indigenous considerations into procurement processes for goods, services and construction projects."
- Project Connection is an effort to improve safety and security in Alberta Avenue, Chinatown, the Downtown Core, and central LRT stations. Phase 1, which ends June 30, focused on "a highly visible police presence." Phase 2 runs until Aug. 31 and aims to "identify and assign problematic locations, situations, and individuals" to the appropriate police teams. Phase 3 will start in September, "with the expressed intent to engage our partner organizations towards the fulfillment of dedicated Multidisciplinary Community Safety Teams."
- Proposed amendments to the Vehicle for Hire Bylaw would allow for an optional 13.29% fuel surcharge to base taxi fares. Edmonton's fares have not been reviewed since 2007.
Executive committee will also receive the 2021 annual reports and audited financial statements from all 13 business improvement areas.
Meetings are streamed live on city council's YouTube channel.
Photo: The Tribal Chiefs Ventures Inc. housing project in north central Edmonton was among the affordable housing projects built in the city in 2021. (Government of Alberta)