The latest draft of Edmonton's much-discussed public spaces bylaw will be hard for city council to pass, the co-hosts of Episode 293 of Speaking Municipally said.
City administration began to review the bylaw in 2022, based on public input about safety and inclusivity, with plans to consolidate bylaws that regulated the conduct of transit passengers, parkland users, and those in public places, all while absorbing provisions from several other bylaws. In February 2024, council sent the resulting draft bylaw back to administration with instructions to examine alternatives to ticketing those who break the rules. It also asked administration to analyze data, and research anti-racism and the criminalization of poverty. At that time, the hosts of Speaking Municipally questioned elements of the draft, including why it sought to ban cycling on grass. Meanwhile, Taproot's managing editor, Tim Querengesser, told CBC's Alberta at Noon about the connections between the draft bylaw and the province's role in creating the Edmonton Public Safety and Community Response Task Force.
The latest draft bylaw, set to be discussed at a public hearing during the Community and Public Services Committee meeting on Feb. 10, is not likely to change city council's mind, said co-host Troy Pavlek.
"There are improvements here," Pavlek said. "But I think, broadly, administration fell really, really short, and council is going to have a hard time approving this."
Both Pavlek and co-host Mack Male said administration has made more changes than council asked for. "Some of these (changes), I think, are probably not too controversial," Male said. "Others may be a little more questionable."
Male said he was puzzled by elements in the draft that are adapted from the traffic bylaw. Male also pointed out the bylaw would mean people aged 14 and under would be able to bike on the sidewalk, regardless of wheel size, but that it makes no mention of drivers parking in bike lanes. (In fact, the only rule in the draft that would regulate how drivers use motor vehicles is where they can park and drive in city parks.) Elsewhere, Male said reducing fines for open drug use, in most cases, from $250 to $25, was a strange response to "public pushback" on the prior draft. He said the dollar amount is moot because he predicts it will not be enforced.
"It is a bit about, like, we're just writing down expected behaviours, and if that's the case, then does it matter if the fine is $250 or $25? We don't have people walking around ready to hand out $250 fines anyway."
The hosts noted that councillors will either send the draft bylaw back to administration yet again or move for it to go to a full council vote and then onto another public hearing.
Many have already shared their thoughts on social media. Edmonton Downtown Business Association executive director, Puneeta McBryan, said she spoke in favour of the prior draft and encourages citizens to share their views about the new draft at the coming hearing. Coun. Ashley Salvador, meanwhile, provided context on the bylaw, particularly about its ability to regulate street preaching, for Reddit users during a lively Ask Me Anything session.
The Jan. 31 episode of Taproot's civic affairs podcast includes discussion of surplus school sites and new mentions of artificial intelligence in city documents. It also features another segment with the creators of Edmonton Food Faves We Crave. Plus, Taproot's managing editor, Tim Querengesser, provides an update from the Taproot newsroom. Speaking Municipally comes out on Fridays. Listening and subscription options are all right here.