News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 02, 2020
A Message to Our Readers
 10K     0 
News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 01, 2020
EarthCam Time-Lapse Documents Rafael Viñoly-Designed New Stanford Hospital Construction
 42K     0 
News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 01, 2020
Resort Town
 6K     0 

SarcasticMarmot said:
As I had previously been flamed for pointing out, Ashley may be the Urbanist's favorite councilor but she has been decidedly Meh as a ward representative. Her office regularly doesn't respond to local calls, emails, invites, concerns. She has not done a good job responding to ward concerns around rezoning, encampments, repairs, etc. I know quite a few folks in her ward north of the river have gotten into the habit of reaching out to Paquette when they want a response. She is not very visible at local events, and atleast my part of the ward is used to being represented by Irwin who is Everywhere! Matthews is pushing hard, and if she didn't have the UCP taint via Cartmell I think she would easily win. Salvador may still win, but it's not a slam dunk. Last time was a 3 way race and this one seems to be shaping up to be a 2 way race.
Click to expand...
Cori Longo was the other 'progressive' candidate in 2021, along with Ashley, and she got 18% of the vote compared to 34% for Ashley. Cori has openly said to support Ashley, so that should be a big boost. Matthews got 22%.

Another thing working in Ashley's favour is the 'right wing' vote split between Matthews (Better Edmonton) and Justin Thomas (PACE).

I'm feeling good about Ashley's odds of re-election.
 
A cool new “$60M from the Feds today?
IMG_2911.png
 
MacLac said:
A cool new “$60M from the Feds today?
View attachment 678433
Click to expand...

Not sure if this is money previously announced - media sure didn't seem to make much of it so I'm thinking this is not new.

And it would be nice if they shared a few examples of what specifically this money is being used for. Is province or city matching? Why so few details?
 

Edmonton votes: Could incumbents be in deep election trouble?​

'This coming election isn't going to be about left wing or right wing, it's not about progressive or conservative, it's about leadership and the confidence to get the basics done'

edmontonjournal.com

Edmonton votes: Could incumbents be in deep election trouble?

Candidates feel that there's an "anyone but the current councillor" vibe at the doors.
edmontonjournal.com edmontonjournal.com
 
The Edmonton Chamber released their municipal election platform. Here are some of the more interesting/contentious recommendations:

  • Mandate RTO for civic staff.
  • Tax relief/grants/relocation for businesses affected by construction.
  • Establishing a municipally operated development corp.
  • Eliminate most discretionary use approvals.
  • More Downtown office-to-residential conversions and infill.
 
policyenthusiast said:
The Edmonton Chamber released their municipal election platform. Here are some of the more interesting/contentious recommendations:

  • Mandate RTO for civic staff.
  • Tax relief/grants/relocation for businesses affected by construction.
  • Establishing a municipally operated development corp.
  • Eliminate most discretionary use approvals.
  • More Downtown office-to-residential conversions and infill.
Click to expand...

There must be some reasons councils of the past have not opted for municipal land corporation - certainly from what I've heard at a high level suggests it makes good sense. Why the resistance versus city's like Calgary and Winnipeg that have them?

On the flip side, I hear Calgary election candidates want to create something like Edmonton has with Epcor. Apparently Calgary has 22% water loss in their infrastructure water pipe system versus 5% in Edmonton - and Epcor is well run and returns a profit to city versus a bit of a disaster system they currently have down south.
 
A few endorsements coming in.

Stephen Mandel supporting Walters for mayor and Anand Pye in O'day-min.

Michael Phair supporting Andrew Knack.

Danielle Smith supporting Tim Cartmell.

Pierre Poilievre supporting Rahim Jaffer (jk)

Ok, I'm just pre-supposing on the Smith one, but I don't think I'm off.
 
Last edited:
TAS said:
There must be some reasons councils of the past have not opted for municipal land corporation - certainly from what I've heard at a high level suggests it makes good sense. Why the resistance versus city's like Calgary and Winnipeg that have them?

On the flip side, I hear Calgary election candidates want to create something like Edmonton has with Epcor. Apparently Calgary has 22% water loss in their infrastructure water pipe system versus 5% in Edmonton - and Epcor is well run and returns a profit to city versus a bit of a disaster system they currently have down south.
Click to expand...
22% loss is absolutely insane. Might as well be irrigating the city.

Still, I don't see how controlling the provision of utilities will fix the existing pipe issues.
 
Ingress and infiltration is becoming a major issue for many cities.

Calgary was actually quite proactive in the last decade to combat this, but their rate remains high (although quite a bit lower).

This issue is a real risk to the cost of doing business and need for new water/wastewater infrastructure, offsite levies for development and overall utility costs for consumers.

We were dealing with this in Canmore, where aging pipes, high water table and lack of strategy to deal with it led to some folks saying that it was/is over 30%+.
 
www.michaelwalters.ca

Economic Development

Edmonton. It’s time for practical, unifying, decisive leadership. Vote Michael Walters for Mayor.
www.michaelwalters.ca www.michaelwalters.ca

September 9, 2025

Michael Walters Announces Plan for Economic Development​


COVID didn’t just change Edmonton - it rewrote the rules for every Canadian city. To succeed we need to tackle safety and homelessness head-on, protect affordability, and reinvent ourselves as a magnet for people and investment. Together we can build a city that attracts talent, investment, and opportunity. As the next Mayor, I will be Edmonton's biggest fan and champion.
Edmonton’s downtown can’t just be about office towers anymore - it must be the cultural and residential heart of the city. Whyte Ave, Jasper Ave, and our neighbourhood strips must become destinations again - not just shopping streets, but thriving social and entrepreneurial hubs. My vision is simple: make Edmonton Canada’s most investable city - where businesses and people stay and grow. As Mayor I will:

Reimagine Downtown:​

  • Transform vacant lots into thousands of new homes, classrooms, and cultural spaces by 2030, backed by a comprehensive development incentive program and a streamlined permitting process;
  • Work with business owners in Chinatown to reinvigorate Chinatown as a vibrant, safe, crown jewel of Edmonton’s business and cultural community; and
  • Bring City Centre Mall from receivership to a revitalized community hub.

Grow our Tax Base:​

  • Establish a Mayor’s Advisory Panel on Investment & Growth to coordinate efforts to land 10 new major employers in Edmonton by 2029, through the establishment of a competitive industrial and commercial attractions package that targets growth sectors like logistics, health, clean energy, and AI/technology companies;
  • Edmonton needs a single, measurable economic development plan, that aligns the efforts and accountabilities of City Administration and all of our economic development agencies into a leaner, more effective investment team that closes deals faster and reduces bureaucratic overlap;
  • Make Edmonton the best city in Canada for businesses to grow — Edmonton is known for speedy residential permitting processes, it’s time we also had the fastest industrial and commercial permitting process in Canada. As Mayor, I will make this happen within the first 180 days of taking office;
  • Create the most competitive industrial economic development package in the region within 180 days, through streamlined approvals, business-friendly standards, and budget reform to make our tax rates more competitive; and
  • Rebuild our Regional Strategy and work to build shared economic prosperity by renewing our commitment to the Industrial Heartland Association and bringing all Regional Mayors together to coordinate major project and investment attraction.

Revitalize through Arts, Tourism, and Thriving Main Streets:​

  • Champion the Arts and Creative Economy as one of Edmonton’s key economic engines through incentives and business-friendly policies for film production, live performance venues, and the broader creative community;
  • Roll out a Main Street Accelerator program to fill vacant storefronts with entrepreneurs, startups, and cultural venues, using incentives and quick-lease models;
  • Cut red tape for small businesses seeking permits and double the number of patios across Edmonton; and
  • Grow Tourism in Edmonton by positioning Edmonton as a four-season cultural, festival, sports, and nature hotspot — expanding winter festivals, river-based experiences, Indigenous-led tourism, and adventure offerings that make us a must-visit city.

Build On Our Existing Strengths:​

  • Edmonton is a leader in artificial intelligence. I will build on these strengths and solve City challenges by working with AMII to establish local procurement of AI solutions to showcase our homegrown innovation;
  • Edmonton leads the country in construction and advanced manufacturing. I will work to position our City at the forefront of helping to transform how homes are built in our country to address the housing crisis;
  • Partner with Edmonton's Muslim community to develop a halal food processing hub, creating opportunities for meat processing plants, food production facilities, and export businesses near the airport;
  • Position Edmonton as Canada’s Resilience Capital by working with our universities and colleges in biotech, food security, and clean-tech commercialization — turning research into companies, jobs, and global solutions;
  • Develop a comprehensive talent attraction campaign with our post-secondaries at the core - improve existing collaboration and marketing to sell Edmonton nationally and globally as a place where top students, researchers, and entrepreneurs come to live, learn, and stay;
  • Require new, expanded LRT stations to have new housing, offices, and retail nearby - developing “Transit Investment Zones” so each LRT line generates economic returns and contributes to our goal of 5,000 units of rental supply every year; and
  • Continue planning for LRT expansion to Castle Downs and the airport to unlock future development opportunities.

The Impact​

Making Edmonton Canada's most investable city isn't about slogans. It's about taking bold, realistic steps: revitalizing downtown, growing our tax base through competitive policies and regional cooperation, unleashing our creative economy, and leveraging our post-secondary cluster to attract talent and drive resilience. With the fastest permitting processes, most competitive industrial packages, and strongest regional partnerships we can make Edmonton the city where investment — and people — choose to stay and grow.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top