The Pulse: June 6, 2022

A proposed amendment to the bylaw governing the conduct of transit passengers is not intended to re-criminalize loitering, says city manager Andre Corbould.

The amendment to Bylaw 19983, which is on the council agenda for June 7, would ban people from being on ETS property if they're not using transit and prohibit them from using drugs there.

"The idea is, if you're in the transit system, you're there because you're using transit, whether it's a bus or a bus station or an LRT or a tunnel that gets you to a transit station. And if you're not in there to do that, then we would rather you not be there," Corbould told Episode 181 of Speaking Municipally, Taproot's civic affairs podcast.

Last July, council voted to eliminate loitering tickets for people in ETS facilities in response to outrage over a video showing police officers kicking people out of an LRT station during a February cold snap. Corbould said the changes his administration has brought to council will only be used to move people out of transit towards services that they need. "It's not designed to ticket," he said. "It's just designed to keep the transit system safe."

Given that transit security guards used Naloxone in response to overdoses 52 times in a six-week period and the city has put $195,000 toward Overdose Prevention & Response Teams (OPRTs) who will patrol downtown pedways, it seems transit stations are playing a role that supervised consumption sites are intended to play. But that can't continue, Corbould said.

"It's very clear to me that council and the people of Edmonton do not want people openly using drugs in our transit system. And so we're proposing something that is a tool to help reduce and to help enforce that," he said. "The reality is an LRT station, a train, or a bus is not a safe place for one to take drugs, whether it's part of a harm reduction system or not. Those places should be properly established and should be part of the health system."

In April, council directed administration to draft a submission to Health Canada seeking an exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, which would decriminalize simple personal possession of drugs, which is also seen as a way to reduce drug poisoning injuries and deaths. British Columbia received such an exemption on May 31. Corbould indicated administration is in a research phase on that matter.

• E-scooters returned to city streets over the weekend, with Bird and Lime approved under the city's new rules. A total of 1,500 e-scooters and 400 e-bikes are available this summer and beyond. Sidewalks are off-limits, but e-scooters and e-bikes do not have to be returned to designated corrals. The city encourages riders to "park in a way that does not block pathways, streets or access to a home, business, city facility, or other destination."
• The federal government has announced $12.3 million to repair and renovate 420 rental homes for seniors at the Matheson Seniors Residence located at 11445 135 Street NW.
• Nearly 300 Afghan refugees arrived in Edmonton on Saturday bringing the total to more than 600 so far. Previous refugees came to the city after first landing in other Canadian cities but this charter flight came straight to Edmonton. "It is quite impactful to watch the people coming down the stairs and knowing this is their very first experience, their first footsteps they're taking on Canadian soil," said Kathryn Friesen, director of immigration and settlement at Catholic Social Services.
• Former city councillor Michael Phair is among 14 honorary degree recipients from the University of Alberta for spring 2022 convocation. "It's been important for me to be someone that contributes to society as a whole," he told Postmedia. "In my case — and in particular — to the queer community and the City of Edmonton, both of which I'm part of." The U of A said about 7,400 graduates — its largest-ever graduating class — will walk across the stage this spring during the first in-person convocation in two years.
• On June 3, Mayor Amarjeet Sohi proclaimed June as Pride Month in Edmonton. "I hope to see everyone out to remember and celebrate the incredible contributions that the 2SLGBTQIA+ community has made here and around the world," he said.
• There are at least 50 net-zero homes in Edmonton according to the Eco Solar Home Tour Society of Alberta. The 2022 edition of the society's tour took place over the weekend, showcasing 10 net-zero homes around the city.
• Local physician Dr. Darren Markland, who recently closed his practice as a kidney specialist, spoke to Global News about record levels of physician burnout across the country. "We are absolutely destroyed," he said.
• Alberta is establishing a new Premier's Council on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls to provide advice and monitor progress on ending violence against Indigenous women, LGBTQ, two-spirited, and other gender diverse people. It's one of 113 recommendations in the final report of the Alberta Joint Working Group on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
• The Edmonton Oilers jersey worn by Wayne Gretzky during the team's 1987-88 playoff run — which ended with the team's fourth Stanley Cup — has sold for a record $1.452 million. About three months after the jersey was doused in champagne that season, Gretzky was traded to the Los Angeles Kings.

City council will meet on June 7, with a continuation scheduled for June 10. They'll meet with the Edmonton Police Commission in the morning on June 8, with a public hearing scheduled for the afternoon.

• In the Spring 2022 Supplemental Capital Budget Adjustment (SCBA), administration recommends a net increase to the 2019-2022 capital budget of $134.7 million, consisting mainly of new funding for neighbourhood renewal ($48.1 million), land acquisition for the southeast transit bus garage ($45 million), renewal and widening of the Rainbow Valley bridges ($19.5 million), and vehicle and equipment replacement ($12.6 million). An existing amendment on the floor would add $525,000 for planning and design of transit priority measures along portions of 97 Street, Jasper Avenue, and several other streets.
• The 2023-2032 capital investment outlook notes that "new growth funding will be severely limited going forward" as nearly all unconstrained funds are required to meet renewal needs. The 2023-2032 operating investment outlook projects tax increases of 7.1% in 2023, 5.2% in 2024, 4.2% in 2025, and 3.8% in 2026 in order to maintain existing services and service levels as the city grows, and to account for previously approved growth projects and programs.
• The installation of HEPA filtration systems in city facilities is not recommended due to cost and "being logistically challenging or not feasible." Administration said the city — which has approximately 500 air handling units across 200 large, high-profile facilities — already adheres to HVAC best practices whenever building or rehabilitating its facilities. The cost to upgrade to HEPA filtration is estimated to be between $36,000 and $251,000 per unit, with thousands of dollars in energy and maintenance costs per unit each year on top of that.
• The Greenlong Towers proposed for the northeast corner of Jasper Avenue and 115 Street would contain 905 total residential units in one 30-storey tower and one 54-storey tower (which would be Edmonton's third-tallest tower). Administration recommends that council approve the rezoning application even though the Oliver ARP restricts height to 12 storeys because Jasper Avenue is a good location for towers and higher density "based on policies which direct densification around major employment centres, transit, and arterial roadways." The developer proposes including 22 family-oriented units with at least three bedrooms as part of required community amenity contributions.

Listen in on a celebration of things ahead in philanthropy, learn about what's next in diabetes treatment and the convergence of emerging technologies like nanotech and AI, get some advice on overcoming overwhelm, and have a beer while checking out some real estate:

• June 7, 11:50am: Edmonton Community Foundation's Annual Meeting
• June 7, 4pm: Virtual Expedition: The Rise and Fall of Diabetes, presented by the University Hospital Foundation
• June 7-8: Productivity Series with Ashley Janssen from ThresholdImpact VMS
• June 8-10: From Earth to Space International Conference from NanoCanada at the Edmonton Convention Centre
• June 9, 4pm: NAIOP Edmonton: Developin' Brews at Browns Crafthouse in The MacLaren

Find even more listings in Taproot's weekly roundups.

Photo: Journalist Anna Maria Tremonti will address the Edmonton Community Foundation's annual meeting on the topic of change, which is apt as the foundation says goodbye to CEO Martin Garber-Conrad. (Supplied/The Well Endowed Podcast)