Weekly Update - June 20, 2022
Happy Monday!
Last week was a chaotic one as my partner and I managed our little one being home sick from daycare, but it was fitting timing as Council approved permanent changes to our procedures that will enable remote participation in meetings moving forward. It’s a small thing but I believe allowing this flexibility to both Councillors and members of the public will help us all be more involved in the democratic process while still managing the realities of busy lives!
At Council, I also provided a notice of motion about exploring small scale managed encampments that will be debated at this week’s Council meeting. This was in response to the cyclical pattern of our current response, with residents and businesses reporting that encampments often reappear within hours of being removed by the City. I’m hoping a small scale managed encampment approach can break this cycle and help get folks ready for transition into the 500 new units of permanent support housing opening this summer.
At Urban Planning Committee, we discussed options for protecting trees on private property. City staff have been asked to come back with a more comprehensive strategy to reach our goal of achieving 2M net new trees in Edmonton, which could include a private tree protection bylaw or new zoning bylaw recommendations. I’m excited to support a range of initiatives that can help to retain and grow our urban forest.
At Executive Committee, we reviewed information about the Growth Management Framework and the metrics we’ll use to track progress towards City Plan goals. I’m super excited about this work that will help ensure each decision and investment made by the City is aligned with our goals, ultimately helping us realize a more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive city in the future.
I was also pleased to move a motion that will bring the funding of the Chinatown Strategy infrastructure plan forward to our fall budget process. I know myself and a number of Council colleagues will be advocating strongly for this overdue investment that will support Chinatown in achieving its full potential as envisioned through the Strategy.
Thursday was spent at Police Commission where we had some difficult conversations about the systemic factors surrounding the tragic events in Chinatown on May 18. The Commission has scheduled a follow-up in-camera meeting this Thursday to review how we as a Commission can best move forward. More to come.
Friday’s Audit Committee included a review of the City’s efforts to end homelessness. The importance of coordination between City work areas and developing clear metrics were highlighted. I’m looking forward to these audit findings further strengthening the vital work being done by our organization and look forward to similar reflections across the housing sector as a whole to make sure we can make the most of the resources going into tackling the housing crisis in our city.
I was grateful to have the opportunity to take part in a number of wonderful events this week, including proclaiming Okîsikow (Angel) Way Day, attending the McCauley Community League AGM, and seeing the City’s Indigenous Artist-in-Residence Matt Creeasian’s final showcase. They were all great reminders of the resiliency, creativity, and connectedness of our communities. Thank you to everyone for having me!
