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COVID and the role of the city

City council has a role to play pushing the Kenney government into action. If elected, I’ll make sure we play it.



We have all watched in amazement and horror as Jason Kenney’s UCP government has struggled to respond to COVID-19. There is little doubt Kenney’s inability to move quickly made this 4th wave worse than it needed to be, and pushed our healthcare system to the brink of collapse. 

In the absence of leadership from the province, the City of Edmonton has a role to step in and protect residents, businesses and the economy. We only have to look at the decision of the City of Calgary’s council to implement a mandatory vaccine passport system in that city to see municipalities filling the gaps created by the province.

I’ve always been a supporter of public health measures to respond to COVID. In my role as Trustee with Edmonton Public Schools, I’ve advocated for the pandemic support needed to prevent the spread of the virus and take care of the families and those most affected. 

While the responsibility and the blame rests squarely with the provincial UCP government for this catastrophe, as your city councillor I would ensure I am just as animated a defender for the public health of Edmonton as I was as your school trustee. 

When the provincial government lacks the courage to step up and act, the City of Edmonton can be the voice of reason in advocating for working sick days, mental health support, and the protection of front line workers. We have a responsibility to implement measures that support our families and that’s what I will do as your City Councillor. We can echo the stand of doctors calling for a firebreak, and we can work hard to push for more resources for classrooms and city facilities.

City council has a role to play pushing the Kenney government into action. If elected, I’ll make sure we play it.

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The expression I often hear at city hall is “highest and best use of city land” – in other words, land that brings benefit to the community (eg, a park or public space) or land that generates revenue for the city to offset taxes and pay for services (Industrial, commercial, residential in that order) 

But what if the University of Alberta could generate revenue and mitigate the housing and climate crisis? The university already has the vehicle: the U of A Properties Trust, an arms length development corporation that pays dividends back into the U of A through innovative developments and land leases.

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Over the past few weeks, I’ve been meeting with several different organizations, attending meetings, door knocking, and responding to emails about the Old Strathcona Public Realm Strategy.

I wanted to share a bit of what I have been hearing and manage expectations about timelines. You can read and review the full draft plan here: https://www.edmonton.ca/sites/default/files/public-files/Old-Strathcona-Public-Realm-Strategy.pdf?cb=1713376450

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Phone: 780-496-8146
Address: 1 Sir Winston Churchill Sq, 2nd Floor, Edmonton, AB T5J 2R7