The Pulse: May 20, 2025

City council is set to vote on May 20 on whether to proactively upzone more than 1,200 lots in Garneau, Wîhkwêntôwin, and the Stony Plain Road area to allow commercial uses and greater density.

The lots are located in what the city calls priority growth areas. These areas are expected to experience the most development in the short-term. The city is proactively upzoning many lots in these areas to encourage more housing development, often through greater heights and density than current zoning allows. This is different than the usual pattern, which sees the city respond to developers who apply to upzone specific properties for more density or other uses.

The city wants to encourage the many newcomers to Edmonton to live in redeveloping neighbourhoods in the core, and the process has been influenced by the new zoning bylaw that went into effect in January 2024 and the district planning policy that was adopted in October.

"There's the hope that (upzoning) will incentivize landowners, if they choose to, to consider redeveloping their properties, to see more housing development business opportunities in some of these areas that align with that vision in the City Plan, and hopefully further catalyze demand and investment in these areas," Lisa Drury, a senior planner at the City of Edmonton, told Taproot in August.

In the Garneau area, city administration proposes to upzone lots along 109 Street between the High Level Bridge and 81 Avenue to allow for mixed-use buildings — that is, residential towers with commercial bays on the ground floor. The allowed heights would be between seven and 23 storeys tall, depending on the lot. Most of the north side of 81 Avenue between 112 Street and 108 Street is proposed to be upzoned to allow for residential buildings up to seven storeys tall. This is meant to transition from the existing high-rise buildings to the north along Whyte Avenue.

In Wîhkwêntôwin and the 124 Street commercial area, city administration proposes upzoning most of the properties along 124 Street to allow for mixed-use buildings that could be anywhere between eight and 26 storeys tall, depending on the lot. One place administration proposes the tallest buildings is the intersection of 124 Street and Stony Plain Road, where crews are constructing a stop for the Valley Line West LRT. Administration also recommends to allow buildings of up to 26 storeys along most of Jasper Avenue between 112 Street and 119 Street.

In the Stony Plain Road area and along 156 Street, administration has proposed upzoning to allow mixed-use buildings up to eight storeys tall along much of Stony Plain Road, with some pockets allowing for 12-storey buildings. Along 156 Street, which is more residential, administration proposes upzoning for residential buildings that are between five and seven storeys tall, depending on how close the lot is to future LRT stops.

The city has created maps showing each proposed rezoning. Council has extended the public hearing until 9pm on May 20. Public hearings for mass zoning changes are well-attended in Edmonton — hundreds of people spoke over four days at the public hearing for the zoning bylaw overhaul, and more than 70 people spoke at the public hearing for the district planning policy.

Steph Neufeld, president of the Garneau Community League, said her organization is pushing for the upzoning project to be postponed. The league has been working with the city to preserve heritage buildings and single-family homes in the neighbourhood, especially along blocks that have not seen any redevelopment since the original houses were built there.

• Renée Vaugeois resigned from the Edmonton Police Commission on May 16, following an independent conflict-of-interest review. While the commission voted to allow Vaugeois to return to the board with rules in place to manage any conflicts, she said her presence may cause "distraction and tension" that could hinder the commission's work. The move follows the resignation of Dan Jones on Jan. 16, after concerns raised by the Edmonton Police Service about potential conflicts of interest related to the appointments of Vaugeois, the executive director of the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, and Jones, the NorQuest College justice studies chair. The police service had sought provincial intervention, separate from the commission's independent review.
• The City of Edmonton will host a free emergency preparedness workshop in partnership with the Canadian Red Cross. The event is set to happen on June 7 from 1pm to 3pm at the Clareview Community Recreation Centre. The workshop will teach Edmontonians how to identify hazards, create emergency plans, and build neighbourhood support networks. Advance registration is recommended.
• WestJet announced the return of non-stop service between Edmonton International Airport and Kamloops, along with the introduction of new service to Prince George, starting the first week of July 2025. WestJet Encore will operate the routes twice per week throughout the summer using De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft. WestJet is also increasing capacity on routes from Edmonton to Nanaimo and Yellowknife.
• Edmonton residents Barbara McKinley and Lida Somchynsky are demanding action to address excessive vehicle noise, particularly from modified cars and motorcycles on Saskatchewan Drive and Walterdale Hill. They say the noise disrupts sleep and outdoor activities. Ward papastew Coun. Michael Janz supports noise enforcement and suggests Edmonton adopt noise radar technology like that used in New York City.
• Thousands attended the annual Nagar Kirtan parade in Edmonton's Mill Woods neighbourhood on May 18 to celebrate Vaisakhi, which marks the creation of Sikhism. The parade featured colourful floats, live music, and food, as people walked from one gurdwara to another. According to Gurcharn Singh Sangha, a community leader, the event started in 1999 with 4,500 people and has grown to 60,000–70,000 attendees.
• Furget Me Not, an Edmonton-based cat rescue, helped a cat named Bitsy who was born with six legs to get surgery to remove three of her legs. Founder Christine Koltun said Bitsy was brought in after staff received an email about a stray cat with extra legs. Vets at Windermere Veterinary Hospital determined Bitsy absorbed a littermate in the womb, resulting in extra legs and a second pelvis. The surgery went well, and a staff member at the vet clinic is fostering Bitsy and may adopt her.
• PlayWright owner Steven Brochu estimates the business will lose $20,000 due to the City of Edmonton's streetscaping construction along 99 Street NW near the Citadel Theatre. The construction, which began in late April, has blocked sidewalk access to the restaurant. Brochu is considering launching a fundraising campaign to support his business.
• The Alberta Utilities Commission approved an application from Varme Energy to construct a waste-to-energy facility with carbon capture and storage in Strathcona County. The $300 million Heartland Waste-to-Energy Facility, slated to begin construction in early 2027 and operate fully in 2028, will receive 150,000 tonnes annually of Edmonton's residential waste.
• Edmonton Police Service Const. Hunter Robinz received a six-month jail sentence after pleading guilty to breach of trust for pursuing sexual relationships with eight vulnerable women he met while on duty between 2017 and 2019. Justice Susan Bercov called Robinz's conduct "predatory." The women had contacted police for assistance with issues like break-ins and domestic violence. Robinz, who has been suspended without pay since 2021, apologized for his "unacceptable" behaviour, and the court heard that he has been diagnosed with PTSD and alcohol use disorder related to his military service in Afghanistan.
• The Edmonton Oilers are heading to Texas to face the Dallas Stars in the NHL's Western Conference Final, starting May 21 at American Airlines Center. This marks the second consecutive year the Oilers and Stars will meet in the playoffs; Edmonton beat Dallas in six games last year. Games 3 and 4 will be played in Edmonton on May 25 and May 27.
• As the Edmonton Oilers await the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars, coach Kris Knoblauch said on May 16 that defenceman Mattias Ekholm is now day-to-day and could re-enter the lineup as soon as Game 3. Goaltender Calvin Pickard is also close to returning.
• During her radio show on May 17, Premier Danielle Smith defended her decision to break up the health minister role into four portfolios, stating that Albertans will see improvements in the system's responsiveness. The new ministers are Adriana LaGrange (primary and preventative health services), Rick Wilson (mental health and addiction), Jason Nixon (assisted living and social services), and Matt Jones (hospital and surgical health services).
• The Transportation Safety Board is investigating a collision between two Canadian National Railway (CN) trains that happened southwest of Edson around 7am on May 18. One train was carrying grain, and the other was transporting batteries when they sideswiped each other, causing several grain cars to derail. No injuries or environmental concerns were reported. The tracks remain closed as of May 18.
• During the Edmonton Elks training camp, head coach Mark Kilam noted that the team's new-look defence, led by veteran Jake Ceresna, is setting the tone with intensity. The team is preparing for its season opener against the B.C. Lions on June 7.
• The Edmonton Elks announced a series of roster moves on May 19, including the additions of quarterback Cole Snyder, defensive lineman Quincy Ledet Jr., and defensive lineman Francis Bemiy. Wide receiver C.J. Hutton was released.

This week, council will meet to discuss the police funding formula, city-led rezoning, and Dutch elm disease.

There is a public hearing scheduled for May 20, where council will discuss the priority growth area rezoning project. There is a city council meeting scheduled for May 21 and 23.

Here are key items on this week's agenda:

• Edmonton experienced its lowest crime rate in nearly a decade last year, according to the Edmonton Police Service's 2024 annual report, which is scheduled to be presented to council on May 21. There were 7,816 crimes per 100,000 people in 2024, down from the peak of 10,523 in 2019. Many of the police's performance measures are trending in the desired direction: The rate of non-violent crime, number of traffic fatalities, and occurrences of social disorder all fell between 2023 and 2024. Meanwhile, the Human-centred Engagement and Liaison Partnership (HELP) Unit had more interactions with community members, officers issued more traffic tickets, and officers made more referrals to support services, according to the annual report. Council will also discuss what services and projects the police's funding formula has enabled since 2023. The formula starts with a base budget and gives the police automatic annual increases based on population growth, inflation, and operating funds needed for capital projects. A report from the Edmonton Police Commission said 29% of the increased funding has gone to new initiatives stemming from population growth. That includes $5.4 million to the Healthy Streets Operation Centre, $600,000 to expand the HELP Unit, and $1 million to modernize the information management branch. The report said 52% of the extra funding has gone to addressing inflationary pressures. That includes $7.4 million in employee benefits, $3.4 million in compensation benefits, and about $3 million to replace or operate vehicles. The remaining 19% has provided operating funding related to capital projects, including an IT systems project and a dispatch modernization project. The police funding formula was first introduced in 2018 and was paused in June 2020 after a police officer murdered George Floyd, who was Black, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and police funding came under intense public scrutiny. City council reduced the police budget by $11 million split over 2021 and 2022, then later reduced it by another $10.9 million for 2022. Council reinstated the funding formula in 2023. Between 2023 to 2025, the funding formula allocated the police about $31 million above its base budget. The police budget is about $560.1 million, with 83.4% coming from the property tax levy and 8.1% coming from provincial grants.
• Administration's plan to manage Dutch elm disease involves rapid identification, targeted treatments, proactive pruning, and communication, according to a report scheduled to be presented to council on May 21. City officials detected the fungal disease, which is fatal for elm trees, in August and has since removed 17 trees, including the five trees that tested positive. The city is set to remove 38 trees that are in poor condition. Crews aim to remove infected trees within five business days for city-owned trees and within 14 business days for privately owned trees, according to the report. Workers may also remove healthy city trees if they are within 20 metres of an infected tree, as their roots may be connected. Administration is working on a long-term management plan for the disease.
• Council is scheduled to review the Downtown Action Plan and amendments to the naming policy, both of which were discussed at committee meetings last week. The committees did not make recommendations on a course of action. Council is also scheduled to review an amended Accessibility for People with Disabilities policy, which was also reviewed by committee last week. Committee recommended council approve the policy.
• Council is scheduled to vote on amendments to the councillor budget and expense policy on May 21. These clarify that councillors must disclose transportation, food and incidentals, accommodation, registration, and miscellaneous costs. The changes also add a line that travel expense costs are "expected to be reasonable, prudent, cost-effective, and defensible to an impartial observer." Council services committee endorsed the changes at a meeting on May 6.
• Council is set to review the waste services 2025 supplement budget adjustment, which adds two new profiles for changes to facilities. In October, council approved upgrades to the water distribution system at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre and in March added an expansion at the Coronation Eco Station. The projects will be funded from existing budget sources, so there is no rate increase expected. Council's utility committee accepted the changes at a meeting on May 5, but they still require council approval.
• Council is scheduled to receive private updates on a legal matter, the region, collective bargaining, and a funding opportunity for the Blatchford renewable utility.

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

Also: What issues do you care about as you consider who to vote for in the 2025 municipal election, and why? The 2025 municipal elections are approaching. Let us know what matters, and read more about what we plan to do with what we gather.

The city's proposed $553-million Downtown Action Plan was top of mind for the hosts of Episode 308 of Speaking Municipally. Here's a quick glimpse:

1. Is downtown coming back?

City administration recently proposed the city invest $553 million over five years into its Downtown Action Plan. The plan's four goals are economic growth, residential growth, vibrancy growth, and business growth. These goals break down into eight actions and 45 sub-actions. The plan calls for increased cleaning, more public washrooms, and for the creation of car-free streets in several spots. But if the plan's goal is to get more people working downtown again, co-host Mack Male said it might miss the mark.

"The way that people work has changed," Male said. "They're not going to be back in the office five days a week, unless mandated to do so. The commercial opportunities for the downtown are not the same in 2025 as they were in 2019."

Male and co-host Troy Pavlek discussed some critics of the plan, who suggested the city should invest in the economic potential of their communities rather than only focusing on downtown.

2. The provincial wildcard

The bulk of the Downtown Action Plan is contingent on $440 million that the city needs the provincial government to approve to extend the Downtown Community Revitalization Levy by 10 years beyond its current end in 2034. Council voted to do so in March, partly to help fund a $250-million downtown fan park proposed by the Oilers Entertainment Group. Male said the province could use its "leverage" power over granting or refusing the CRL extension to influence municipal decision-making on issues it dislikes, like bike lanes, which minister of transportation, Devin Dreesen, tried to do last month with a letter to Coun. Karen Principe and a public event.

"If you're the province and you're unhappy with Edmonton about some things, maybe that's a bargaining chip you've got, or a little bit of leverage that you've got," Male said. "It seems unlikely that most of the things in this plan will happen without that extension to the Downtown Community Revitalization Levy."

3. Postponing financial pain

Pavlek pointed out that CRLs borrow money against future tax revenue. That means the bill comes due for future councils.

"A CRL can often feel like free money, because you don't have to invest any of your current tax levy or raise property taxes to fund things, but … you're borrowing against your future to pay for it," Pavlek said. "We've heard a lot from this council about hamstringing future councils and spending up to debt limit. This is another way to do that."

The May 16 episode of Taproot's civic affairs podcast included a discussion on selling naming rights for city-owned facilities and the Principled Accountable Coalition for Edmonton municipal political party. Speaking Municipally comes out on Fridays. Listening and subscription options are all right here.

• Priority Growth Area Rezoning Public Hearing starting at 9:30am at Edmonton City Hall
• Tuesday Afternoon Book Club - James by Percival Everett starting at 2pm at St. Albert Public Library (downtown)
• Sketch Night at the Carrot starting at 6pm at Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse
• The Power of Sleep starting at 7pm at St. Albert Public Library (downtown)
• Upper Bound 2025 at Edmonton Convention Centre (until May 23)
• From Cradle to Stage – New Play Festival at Walterdale Theatre (until May 25)

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• May 22: What's on your mind, municipally speaking? at Edmonton Public Library (Stanley A. Milner)
• May 24: SCARS Spring Fling Gift Market at Alberta Aviation Museum
• May 29: Nerd Nite Edmonton #88: May-hem at Fringe Theatre Arts Barns

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