On the agenda: Migrant plan, neighbourhood renewal, ArtsCommon 118
This week, council returns from a short break to talk about a proposed migrant action plan, neighbourhood renewal budgets, and the ArtsCommon 118 development.
There is a community and public services committee meeting scheduled on Nov. 25 and an urban planning committee meeting scheduled on Nov. 26. There is an executive committee meeting scheduled on Nov. 27, a non-regular city council meeting scheduled on Nov. 28, and an audit committee meeting scheduled on Nov. 29.
Here are key items on this week's agenda:
- Administration proposes creating a Migrant Action Plan to address the needs of Edmonton residents born outside of Canada. While immigration is primarily a federal and provincial responsibility, cities play a role in welcoming and integrating new Canadians, a report scheduled to be presented to council's community and public services committee on Nov. 25 said. Nearly one third of Edmonton's population were immigrants as of May 2021, the month for which the newest data is available. Administration estimates nearly 38,500 people moved to the Edmonton region from other countries between 2022 and 2023. Pending council approval, administration will create an action plan to assess the needs of the immigrant population, set goals, identify community partners, and review funding.
- Reducing the budget for the neighbourhood renewal program would delay about 18 neighbourhood-wide projects during a four-year budget cycle, according to a report scheduled to be presented to council's urban planning committee on Nov. 26. Council had asked administration to explore if cutting the program's budget by between 25% to 35% was feasible. Because most of the funds have been committed for the remainder of the 2023-2026 budget cycle, reducing spending at that scale is not possible, the report said. Administration said reducing the program's budget by delaying renewal projects will increase maintenance costs and necessitate more extensive repairs in the future. The report also examines the proportion of the program's budget spent on each element of neighbourhood renewal. About half goes to reconstructing roads, and 30% goes to reconstructing curbs, gutters, and sidewalks. About 4% goes to installing bike infrastructure, shared pathways, and missing link sidewalks, and 3% goes to installing traffic-calming measures.
- The community development company behind the proposed ArtsCommon 118 development said it no longer sees the original project as viable. A report scheduled to be presented to council's executive committee on Nov. 27 said the Edmonton Community Development Company is facing barriers to development. The project, in the works since at least 2018, was planned to create 78 live-work artist studios, two floors of market space for artists, performance spaces, a rooftop garden, and industrial kitchen space. To support the development, Edmonton transferred several land parcels to ECDC, with the condition that ECDC started to build ArtsCommon by July 2028. ECDC has asked for that sale agreement to be amended, as its time condition has made it hard to build on the lot, which remains empty. ECDC said amending the agreement would allow it to build smaller commercial developments or other initiatives that support the area. Executive committee could recommend to council that the agreement be amended, and if so, the matter will be discussed at a future council meeting.