WEEKLY UPDATE - JUNE 19
Welcome back to the weekly wrapup! It was a busy week on #yegcc with some big items and important votes.
Council received our monthly update on safety measures for transit and downtown. This month included insights from Edmonton Police who shared that no one discipline can solve these challenges alone and the work being done to expand police resources through strategic partnerships. The power of partnerships was also highlighted by the Transit Peace Officers and Community Outreach Transit Team as a key part of the positive outcomes they’ve achieved. The success of downtown vibrancy was noted too, with more festivals this summer than pre-pandemic!
Council outlined a number of stats we’d like to see each month as part of the safety update, including transit ridership numbers and parking utilisation. This will give us an even clearer picture of the current state and better measure progress moving forward.
Council also discussed the option for a private tree bylaw for infill. It was a tight 6-6 vote which defeated the motion - a good outcome in my mind. For me, adding extra hurdles to infill isn’t in line with City Plan and our need to become a more compact and low carbon city. But that doesn’t mean we won’t continue to grow our urban forest, including on private property. I passed a motion earlier in the month asking City staff to develop a roadmap for increasing protections and incentives for retaining trees.
While not the right solution right now, I believe a private tree bylaw is something we can explore if the other tools in our toolbelt aren’t proving effective. Meanwhile, the great work being done through our development permitting process and 2m trees initiative will carry on.
There was also an update on the Capital Budget, including some updates to reflect changes in project scope, and reflecting additional federal funding that has come through for a range of projects, including the Imagine Jasper Avenue project!
Outside of Council meetings, I was thrilled to hear that Edmonton’s Change Homes for Climate Solar Rebate program is nearly fully subscribed after just two months. This program will be a bridge to the Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP) coming in 2024!
That's everything for last week. This week is looking to be a very full one, including discussing the Zoning Bylaw Renewal project tomorrow. There will be lots to share next week so be sure to tune in!
