On the agenda: Surplus, capital budget, Winspear parking

This week, council is set to receive an update on the operating and capital budgets and discuss a potential parking revenue agreement with the Winspear Centre.

There is a city council meeting scheduled for Dec. 8, and 10 and an audit committee meeting scheduled for Dec. 10. There is a council services committee meeting scheduled for the morning of Dec. 12 and an emergency advisory committee meeting scheduled for the afternoon of Dec. 12.

Here are some key items on the agenda:

• City administration has forecast a $15.7-million surplus in 2025, but said that it will not resolve Edmonton's financial challenges. The surplus can be attributed in part to revenue from admissions to city-owned attractions, EPCOR franchise fees, and tax penalties all being higher than expected. In a report set to be presented to council on Dec. 8, administration proposes to use the surplus to restore the financial stabilization reserve. This would allow the city to replenish the reserve in 2028, one year earlier than planned, so long as the city budget does not go into a deficit before then.
• Of the 85 projects in the 2023-2026 capital budget, 80 are within the acceptable tolerance for budget and 78 are within the acceptable tolerance for schedule, according to a report set to be presented to council on Dec. 8. The city is 61% delayed on its work to rehabilitate the Iron Works building, 28% behind on the Imagine Jasper Avenue project, and 120% behind on the downtown district energy project, as that project has increased in scope. The Enterprise Commons project is 45% over budget, the Heritage Valley land development project is 59% over budget, and the Capital Line LRT south extension is 34% over budget.
• City administration said it does not support creating a revenue sharing agreement with the Winspear Centre to allow the organization to earn revenue from the Century Place parkade. In 2014, the city loaned the Winspear $12.9 million to construct a parking structure for the Winspear's Completion Project. That parkade is not yet open, but has less than half the parking stalls that were originally planned, meaning the Winspear will collect less parking revenue than expected. That, in turn, will put pressure on its finances and ability to pay back its loan. The Winspear has now requested that the city allow it to collect revenue from the nearby Century Place parkade. For context, in 2021, the city and the Winspear entered into an agreement that saw the Winspear construct a shell to house an energy centre for the downtown district energy system. As part of that contract, the parties agreed to explore a revenue sharing agreement for the Century Place parkade, which city employees use during the day but otherwise sits mostly empty in the evenings and on weekends. Administration has presented three options. The city could enter into an agreement to allow the Winspear to earn revenue from the lot during evenings and weekends. Under this option, the city would be required to fund $1.1 million in security upgrades. The second option is for the city to grant the Winspear a license to operate the Century Place parkade. In this scenario, the Winspear would be responsible for operational funding and licensing fees, and would collect revenue from the lot; the city, meanwhile, would need to fund the security upgrades. Administration has noted the second option may reduce market interest in Century Place, which it plans to sell. The third option is for the city to give the Winspear $5 million, a payout based on the projected revenue for a 20-year lease of the lot. Administration said the city has no legal obligation to provide parking revenue to the Winspear.

• Councillors are set to learn more about how the City of Edmonton would respond to an emergency situation at an emergency advisory committee meeting on Dec. 12. The committee will be asked to approve the municipal emergency plan, which has been comprehensively updated for the first time since 2021. The new plan includes a preliminary evacuation plan, which is the first step toward a full evacuation plan that's required due to changes in the provincial Emergency Management Act. It also includes changes that expedite agreements between Edmonton and other municipalities for large-scale evacuations, like those that occurred during the wildfire seasons of 2023 and 2024.
• Councillors have requested $55,500 to attend conferences and other meetings in 2026, according to a report set to be presented to council services committee on Dec. 12. Travel and registration fees are funded by a budget the 12 councillors share, which is $73,000 in 2026. Coun. Keren Tang and Coun. Mike Elliott has each requested to attend the Calgary Stampede in June at a cost of $2,000 and $3,000, respectively. Coun. Jon Morgan has requested to attend three Canadian Urban Transit Association events at a total cost of $13,000. There is $17,500 set aside for all the councillors to attend the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in Edmonton in June.
• Councillors have requested a total of $11,578 for new office furniture, according to a report set to be presented to council services committee on Dec. 12. Office furnishings like workstations and chairs are funded by a budget the 12 councillors share, which is set at the first council services committee meeting of the year. The requests would result in a negative balance of $300, but the report said some requests would be able to be billed to the 2025 fiscal year.
• Administration is scheduled to present the external auditor's 2025 report to council's audit committee at a meeting on Dec. 10. The report details KPMG's plan to audit the consolidated financial statements of the City of Edmonton for 2025.
• Administration will present the proposed boards of directors and budgets for the city's business improvement areas for 2026 at a council meeting on Dec. 8.
• Council is scheduled to receive a private update on an unspecified event and on a confidential negotiation at a council meeting on Dec. 8.

Meetings stream live on YouTube on the Chamber channel and River Valley Room channel.