The Pulse: Dec. 5, 2022

Episode 201 of Speaking Municipally takes a look at the subdivision and appeal board's decision to halt the proposed relocation of Boyle Street Community Services by revoking its development permit.

Boyle Street Community Services announced plans in December 2021 to move two blocks north of its current location to a renovated facility at 100 Street and 107A Avenue. As of Nov. 1, the organization said it had raised 75% of the $28.5 million required, thanks in part to a $10-million contribution from the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation and $2 million from Capital Power.

But several organizations — including the Chinatown and Area Business Association and Chinese Benevolent Association — opposed the project, arguing the new facility would provide services that conflict with the site's zoning. The SDAB decided that the proposed development "does not conform with the use prescribed for the site."

While indicating his support for the project, Speaking Municipally co-host Troy Pavlek said a review of the case supports the SDAB's decision. "If they are ruling just on the text and are not performing any advocacy, I think its possible they made the right call," he said. "Is my problem with the SDAB here? Probably not."

Pavlek suggested the issue highlights the need for change in the zoning bylaw, something that is underway through the Zoning Bylaw Renewal Initiative.

One option for Boyle Street to move forward is to contest the SDAB's decision at the Alberta Court of Appeal, but Pavlek suggested city council could simply approve a rezoning of the site.

"If the SDAB is saying the zoning bylaw doesn't permit this use, fair, let's change the zoning and change the use of that zone, so we can put the building in that location," he said. "I think that aligns with the goals that council has, and I think that aligns with the needs of the community."

Boyle Street executive director Jordan Reiniger said in a statement that the organization would explore "all avenues" to ensure the project, originally expected to open in October 2023, moves forward.

Hear more about the decision, as well as the approval of new emergency shelter spaces, key topics from the public hearing on the budget, and more on the Dec. 2 episode of Taproot's civic affairs podcast.

• The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) says the city's proposed four-year capital budget does not include the funding necessary for required growth and renewal projects, including improvements to police headquarters, vehicle fleet replacement, and IT and radio system upgrades. Police officials made the $132-million funding request during a Dec. 2 presentation to council, which will spend the next few weeks on budget deliberations. The city's current proposed capital budget includes $48 million in police service funding. Mayor Amarjeet Sohi noted the current combined police capital and operating budgets amount to nearly half a billion dollars. "In my mind, that is a sufficient amount of money for the service to be allocating on the priorities they feel are necessary to keep our communities safe," Sohi said. Among the initiatives police requested additional money for was a previously funded dash cam pilot project, which EPS delayed earlier this year.
• Two more Edmonton Public schools are adopting a lottery system to limit enrolment for the 2023-24 school year, bringing the total number of schools using the process to seven. The system allows schools that are at or nearing capacity to determine "which attendance area resident students can access their designated school when there are more resident students than spaces," a report to Edmonton Public Schools board trustees says. Students who are not selected are instead designated an overflow school. Board chair Trisha Estabrooks said "the need for new schools and Edmonton Public has reached a critical point."
• An Edmonton Fire Rescue Services (EFRS) recruitment program aims to encourage more women to become firefighters. Camp Inspire, which is in its second year, provides women and gender diverse applicants with the opportunity to learn more about the EFRS application process in a safe and welcoming environment. The weekend-long program also includes simulated fire event training. Of the 1,200 firefighters in Edmonton currently, 12 are women, which is twice as many as five years ago. "If you have the passion for it, anyone can be a firefighter," said Jessica LaMer, a senior fire operations official who has been with the service for 26 years.
• A new fan park is under construction in Edmonton's Ice District at the location of the former Baccarat Casino between 102 Street and 101 Street. The space will include three outdoor rinks, art installations and greenery, and will be able to accommodate festivals, sports and other public events. The year-round space will create "an opportunity for increased vibrancy and new and unique events," Stu Ballantyne, president and chief operating officer for Rogers Place and Ice District, said in a release. The space is set to host its first event later in December.
• The Alberta government is drafting changes to its proposed Alberta Sovereignty bill, which critics have called undemocratic because it grants cabinet the ability to bypass the legislature and amend provincial laws behind closed doors. Premier Danielle Smith said her government is "working on amendments" to the bill to clarify its intent. "You never get things 100% right all the time," Smith said. Meanwhile, protestors rallied outside the Alberta legislature on Dec. 4 in opposition to the proposed bill. Protest organizer Haruun Ali said the bill shows misplaced priorities and shouldn't have been introduced. "Effectively their first action as government, especially during a cost of living crisis, isn't to act on that, but it's a fight to Ottawa — a fight that Albertans do not want."
• The Holiday Light Up on Dec. 3 welcomed Edmontonians to celebrate the season and visit local businesses at its new downtown location on Rice Howard Way. Puneeta McBryan, executive director of the Edmonton Downtown Business Association said she was optimistic about the event's impact, despite the flurry of criticism the organization and city received after it was announced that there would be no Christmas tree in Churchill Square this year. "There's so much joy in exploring local businesses, local makers…just being together with friends and family. So that's the kind of stuff we're featuring here," McBryan said.
• Former Edmonton Oilers head scout Barry Fraser, who was credited with helping to build the Oilers teams of the 80s and 90s, died Dec. 4 at the age of 82, the Oilers announced in a tweet. Fraser became the team's director of scouting in 1979 and would go on to draft hockey legends Mark Messier, Glenn Anderson, Kevin Lowe, Paul Coffey and Grant Fuhr.

Though the budget will again be the focus this week, city council does have some other items to address at its meeting on Monday and at public hearing on Tuesday. There will also be an audit committee meeting on Tuesday before city council resumes its budget deliberations on Wednesday and Friday.

Key agenda items include the following:

• As of Sept. 30, the city is projecting a surplus of about $68 million for 2022, mainly due to unfilled vacancies, delayed grant payments, increased transit revenue, and lower-than-expected costs for DATS and LRT operations. Snow and ice control costs were $12 million higher than expected due to heavier snowfall and additional freezing rain from January to April.
• The Edmonton Police Service is projecting it will underspend by $2.041 million by year-end, a significant turnaround from its May 31 update that projected an overspend of $2.499 million. Still, thanks to an existing operating reserve deficit of $2.895 million, EPS is projected to finish the year with a deficit of $854,000. Council will hear about the plan to pay down the deficit within three years, though the details are being kept private.
• Edmonton's 13 business improvement areas (BIAs) will present their 2023 budgets for council approval, totalling about $4 million required from BIA tax levies. The Downtown Business Association maintains the largest budget, with about $1.5 million coming from BIA tax levies, while the Beverly Business Association has the smallest budget, with about $116,000 coming from BIA tax levies. Appointments to the boards of directors for the BIAs are also ready for council approval.

This week's activities include the annual lighting of the lights at the legislature, along with a gathering on Indigenous tourism, a couple of sessions on selling to the City of Edmonton, a campy and scented film night, and a workshop on building inclusive workplaces.

• Dec. 5-7: Indigenous Tourism Alberta Gathering 2022 at the River Cree Resort and Casino
• Dec. 7-8, 1:30pm: Selling to the City Sessions at City Hall and online
• Dec. 8, 4:45pm: Holiday Light-Up Ceremony at the Alberta legislature
• Dec. 8, 7pm: Film Night: 'Polyester' presented in Smell-O-Vision at the Art Gallery of Alberta
• Dec. 9, 1pm: Building Inclusive Workplaces and Practices from the Centre for Race and Culture

Find even more listings in Taproot's weekly roundups.

Photo: The annual light-up ceremony at the Alberta legislature will be followed by music and free hot chocolate. (Mack Male/Flickr)