WEEKLY UPDATE - MAR 10

Welcome back to the Weekly Wrap Up! Last week was a busy week at Committee.

At Community and Public Serves, we discussed the Violence Prevention Action Plan. This is a great community-guided effort, focused on three goals - developing sustainable initiatives, investing in immediate violence reduction efforts, and preventing violence before it happens. Addressing violence requires a community-wide effort and I’m grateful for partners at Edmonton Police and REACH who are supporting this work. I’m looking forward to next steps, including scaling up existing programs that are already having a positive impact in our community.

Safety was also on the agenda at Urban Planning Committee where we heard from the Edmonton Transit Service Advisory Board about safety on transit. While we’re seeing encouraging drops in the amount of crime and disorder on transit, perceptions of safety aren’t gaining equal ground. Later this month, we’ll have a chance to talk about how we spend on transit safety to best support the rider experience. I’m looking forward to considering a range of options - from more peace officers to station attendants - to deliver a safer, more enjoyable transit experience for all.

Investment in the downtown was a key focus at Executive Committee. We discussed a ten-year extension of the Community Revitalisation Levy, support for the Winspear expansion, and the future of two City-owned office buildings, Century Place and Chancery Hall. These reports will all be coming to Council next week so more to come! I’m excited for the opportunities these all create for investment in the downtown, and I look forward to navigating each file in a way that will maximize value for Edmontonians and vibrancy in the heart of our city.

That’s all for this week. Hope you’re staying warm during this return to winter! ❄️