The Pulse: Feb. 10, 2025

This week, council committees will meet to discuss the proposed public spaces bylaw, an accelerated construction timeline for the Valley Line West LRT, and tax forgiveness.

There is a community and public services committee meeting on Feb. 10, an urban planning committee meeting on Feb. 11, and an executive committee meeting on Feb. 12.

Here are key items on this week's agenda:

• Council's community and public services committee is scheduled to review the proposed public spaces bylaw. Council sent the bylaw back to administration at a meeting in February 2024, asking it to review how the proposed bylaw could disproportionately impact equity-deserving groups. In the new version of the bylaw, the fine for panhandling, open drug use, and living in a tent has been lowered from $250 to $25. Loitering in transit facilities, littering, or spitting comes with a $250 fine, and urinating, defecating, lighting a fire, or leaving a fire comes with a $500 fine. The hosts of Speaking Municipally, Taproot's civic affairs podcast, said in Episode 293 that it's unlikely council will pass the bylaw, despite the decreased fines. "It is a bit about, like, we're just writing down expected behaviours, and if that's the case, then does it matter if the fine is $250 or $25? We don't have people walking around ready to hand out $250 fines anyway," co-host Mack Male said. Committee could make a recommendation on the bylaw and send it to council for a vote at a future meeting.
• The company building the Valley Line West LRT has developed an accelerated construction plan that would create more significant traffic restrictions but over less time. Marigold Infrastructure Partners worked with the city on an "ambitious" plan that would see the majority of roadwork in key areas be completed in 2025, so that construction could focus on track work and systems infrastructure in 2026. Unless council's urban planning committee intervenes at a meeting on Feb. 11, the city will use the accelerated plan this year. Marigold has created a new construction plan for nine portions of the LRT route. One change under the new plan is that the city will fully close the intersection of 124 Street NW and Stony Plain Road NW. While this will result in a more significant disruption to traffic, businesses, residents, and pedestrians, it means that that portion of roadwork will be finished in six to eight weeks rather than being partially closed for 48 weeks over two construction seasons. Overall, the accelerated plan would reduce the total time traffic is restricted at key intersections by more than half, a report detailing the new plan said. It adds that commuters, residents, and business owners have expressed frustration with construction, traffic restrictions, and associated delays, and that Marigold and the city are equally motivated to accelerate construction. The Valley Line West LRT is scheduled to be completed in 2028. The report does not say whether this accelerated plan would decrease the project's overall timeline.
• Administration recommends cancelling $94,264 in unpaid business improvement area taxes. Council's executive committee is scheduled to discuss the issue at a meeting on Feb. 12, and may recommend council vote to cancel the sum at a future meeting.
• Council's urban planning committee is scheduled to review environmental impact assessment reports for the planned 18 Street over Horsehills Creek Bridge replacement and the Gariepy neighbourhood renewal project. The Gariepy renewal project would add accessible ravine crossings and a shared pathway at the top of the riverbank.

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

• The City of Edmonton and Marigold Infrastructure Partners are preparing partial and full road closures from April to November to expedite construction on the Valley Line West LRT. The closures are intended to help complete roadwork by this fall instead of in two years. The $2.6-billion project, Edmonton's largest infrastructure project to date, will shift focus to track and system infrastructure after the roadwork is completed.
• Edmonton Elections has provided new guidelines for campaign finance disclosure as political parties are now permitted in municipal elections following changes to Alberta's Local Authorities Election Act. Candidates must submit annual financial disclosures, even if they had no contributions or expenses, and adhere to strict rules regarding donation limits and sources. The campaign period, which began last October, extends until December, with the 2025 municipal election scheduled for Oct. 20.
• Residents in Edmonton's Dunluce neighbourhood are expressing frustration and confusion over the City of Edmonton's neighbourhood renewal plans. Concerns include the widening of sidewalks, construction of multi-use pathways, potential reduction of street parking, and narrowing of roads. A petition against the proposed changes has gathered around 700 signatures. Coun. Erin Rutherford said some of the changes are necessary to meet City standards.
• A 13-year-old boy was fatally stabbed at MacEwan LRT station on Feb. 5. Four people, including three youths and one 18-year-old man, were charged with aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, and possession of a dangerous weapon. In an interview with CBC News, the boy's grandmother expressed grief over his killing and raised questions about the circumstances and emergency response. A fundraiser has been set up to help the family with funeral expenses.
• Students at Edmonton's Waverley School are being temporarily relocated to Hardisty School beginning Feb. 10 because of a lack of heat caused by frozen pipes. The timeline to repair the frozen pipes is currently unknown, a spokesperson for Edmonton Public Schools said.
• Premier Danielle Smith is asking Alberta Auditor General Doug Wylie to expedite a review of procurement practices at Alberta Health Services following a Globe and Mail report concerning potential conflicts of interest, political interference, and claims that former AHS CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos was wrongfully dismissed. Smith denied any wrongdoing, while the Alberta NDP called for a full RCMP investigation and independent public inquiry. Meanwhile, AHS announced it will halt all contracts to companies involved in the auditor's investigation.
• Two longtime members of MADD Edmonton, Dave Hall and Rhonda Paterson, received the King Charles III Coronation Medal for their efforts in preventing impaired driving. Hall, a retired RCMP officer, has extensive experience in collision reconstruction, while Paterson, who is the chapter's administrative assistant, provides support to victims and families.
• Rogers Place hosted the Scotiabank Girls' Hockey Fest, a half-day clinic for 250 young female hockey players. The event, which started in 2006, now partners with the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) to inspire and provide a pathway for more girls in hockey.
• The Edmonton Elks have signed five American players to the team. The new players are defensive lineman Ali Fayad, who has previous CFL experience with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts, linebacker Daniel Green, defensive lineman Elijah McAllister, defensive back Willie Roberts, and linebacker Luquay Washington Jr.

Coun. Tim Cartmell's claim that Mayor Amarjeet Sohi does not believe drugs are a problem in Edmonton is unfounded and at odds with the mayoral hopeful's own voting record, the co-hosts of Episode 294 of Speaking Municipally said.

On Feb. 3, Kevin Hassett, a member of United States President Donald Trump's economic team, claimed he witnessed fentanyl-linked social disorder during a visit to Edmonton, and suggested it was further evidence Canada has a drug crisis that's "spilling over the border into the U.S." Trump has claimed his intention with tariffs is partly to address Canada's role in the U.S.'s own fentanyl problems, and recently claimed he granted a tariff reprieve until March 1 because Canada has created a fentanyl "czar" to combat the issue.

Cartmell posted a response to Hassett's claims about Edmonton on Feb. 3 on X: "How is it a foreign guest is able to see and draw such attention to this tragedy that the Mayor and his followers would have us believe is not a problem," he wrote.

The hosts of Speaking Municipally were not convinced.

"It is absolutely ridiculous to suggest that the mayor doesn't think that this is a problem," co-host Stephanie Swensrude said. "(Cartmell) knows that Mayor Sohi is always talking about how bad the drug crisis is in Edmonton. He knows this, and it's just such a blatant misrepresentation. He's in campaign mode, you know?"

Coun. Andrew Knack asked Cartmell when Sohi ever said drugs weren't a problem in a post on X.

Co-host Mack Male reviewed council votes on measures to combat the crisis. Cartmell, he said, opposed additional funds for the municipal drug poisoning response integrated service package in November 2022, after voting in favour of asking the province for help with the drug crisis in April of that year. Cartmell also voted in favour of a later motion to convene stakeholders to reduce drug poisoning injuries, Male said. "It's just that when we got to the funding, (Cartmell) voted against it, and now conveniently has forgotten this when he's trying to call out the mayor and his council colleagues," he said.

Sohi most recently discussed the drug crisis on Feb. 4, when he told CBC he has been asking for action from Ottawa and the province for the last three years.

The co-hosts also discussed city manager Eddie Robar's presentation to council on the aforementioned tariffs. Robar was joined by Malcolm Bruce, the CEO of Edmonton Global, and Doug Griffiths, the president and CEO of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce. The group discussed how tariffs could affect the price of municipal projects, the benefits of supporting local businesses (including those that carry American products), and Edmonton Global's efforts to work with foreign trade partners beyond the U.S. Another update on tariffs will come to council on Feb. 19.

The hosts of the Feb. 7 episode of Taproot's civic affairs podcast also discussed potential changes with the Edmonton Design Committee, and a potential way to expedite construction of the Valley Line West. The episode also featured another segment with the creators of Edmonton Food Faves We Crave, and an update from the Taproot newsroom from managing editor, Tim Querengesser. Speaking Municipally comes out on Fridays. Listening and subscription options are all right here.

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Professional Headshots starting at 9am at Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations
• Pitch Perfect: How to Successfully Pitch Your Story to the Media starting at 1pm at Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations
• Messed Up Mondays starting at 6pm at EPIC Market
• nêhiyawêwin (Cree Language) Classes starting at 6pm at Edmonton Public Library (Highlands)
• Green Drinks February starting at 7pm at Bent Stick Brewing
• Musician in Residence: Speaker Series - ELIJAH starting at 7pm at Edmonton Public Library (Stanley A. Milner)

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Feb. 22: Self Care Market at Alberta Aviation Museum
• Feb. 27: Sustain YEG: Monthly Meetup at Edmonton Unlimited
• Feb. 27: The Silver Tech Revolution: Empowering Older Adults at Chartwell Wescott

Visit the beta version of the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.