On the agenda: Budget process, road-widening, rezoning

This week, council will look at the forecast of the city's financial position ahead of the 2027-2030 budget deliberations, discuss widening roads in the city's southeast, and debate rezoning applications.

There is a public hearing scheduled for Jan. 26 and 28, as well as a city council meeting scheduled for Jan. 27.

Here are some key items on the agenda:

• Administration will present reports that set the stage for the creation of the 2027-2030 capital and operating budgets. The reports are meant to help council understand how its decisions will impact the City of Edmonton's future financial position.
  • The city will be able to spend about $11 billion on both renewal and growth projects in the next 10 years, leaving a funding shortfall of $10 billion, according to the capital investment outlook. The outlook suggests council should prioritize renewing the city's assets instead of funding new projects. However, even if all available funding were directed to renewal, Edmonton would only meet 39% of the ideal renewal investment. Beginning in 2029, administration will begin collecting money for a dedicated renewal fund through property taxes, which is expected to help, and it proposes increasing that tax levy to narrow the gap further. The report also suggests council could temporarily redirect a portion of neighbourhood renewal funding to high-priority, safety-related renewal needs.
  • Meanwhile, the operating investment outlook forecasts annual tax increases between 3.7% and 5.6% from 2027 to 2036, with the highest increases in the early years. The forecast is based on maintaining 2026 service levels for a growing population, plus the operating budget increases associated with new capital projects that will be completed in the coming years, such as LRT expansion and a new recreation centre. Administration said council can reduce the forecast tax increases by raising user fees and the fees paid for utilities, reducing or eliminating services, or scaling back capital projects.
  • Administration will also provide a report on how the four-year budgets will be developed and presented between now and December. This year, the city will begin its version of a zero-based budgeting process, with each city department presenting reports to councillors with an overview of the branch, a line-by-line budget, structural budget variances, staffing composition, service levels, comparisons with other municipalities where possible, and any audit information. The ward councillor and mayor will attend in-person engagement sessions across the city to inform budget priorities. Administration has allotted seven and a half days in December for council's budget deliberations.
• Council will discuss whether it should accelerate the timeline for widening two arterial roads in The Meadows from two lanes to four lanes to respond to traffic congestion. City administration and developers in The Meadows have agreed to exchange roadway improvement obligations to shift more urgently needed changes to developers, so they can be completed faster, but the change ultimately requires council approval. Administration proposes widening 17 Street NW between Silver Berry Road NW and 35 Avenue NW, and widening 23 Avenue NW between 24 Street NW and 32B Street NW. Council will discuss the proposal at the public hearing.
• Everfor Studio has submitted an application to rezone a property 150 metres away from the McKernan/Belgravia LRT Station to allow for a development up to three storeys tall with a larger maximum site coverage. Administration said it supports the rezoning because it will facilitate an increase in density near transit and active modes of transportation. Some residents expressed opposition, saying that the proposal would exacerbate parking and traffic congestion, and that there is already too much infill being constructed in the neighbourhood.

Here are some other items on the agenda:

• Administration recommends adding another public hearing to council's calendar on Feb. 12 because of the volume of rezoning applications that have been postponed at past meetings. It also recommends adding an additional day for the urban planning committee meeting on Feb. 10 where councillors are expected to discuss changes to the zoning bylaw that would limit infill development.
• Council is set to meet in private to discuss an investment opportunity.

Lastly, here are some updates on what happened last week at committee meetings:

• Administration told community and public services committee it observed just 10% compliance at the beginning of the snow-clearing parking ban this month. Enforcement officers have given out about 2,600 parking ban tickets so far. Committee did not support amending the traffic bylaw to lower the fine for violating parking bans from $250 to $150.
• Urban planning committee recommended replacing the 1992 Ribbon of Green Master Plan with the new river valley strategy. Administration said the updated strategy balances natural preservation with public use and recreation, aligning with climate resilience. It includes provisions for greater Indigenous oversight, multi-use trails, improved accessibility, and active ecological monitoring. Council is set to vote on the recommendation.
• Executive committee voted unanimously to recommend that city council provide a $6.5-million grant to the Winspear Centre as an alternative to the organization earning parking revenue from the Century Place parkade. Committee recommended taking the grant out of the financial stabilization reserve. Several councillors said the funding source was not ideal, but it was the only option. Council will vote on the proposal at a future meeting.

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

For more on various civic issues, including the extreme weather response, Mayor Andrew Knack's call for civility, renewed efforts to define Edmonton's brand, and the demise of EPIC Market at Station Park, listen to Episode 340 of Speaking Municipally.