We need nation building, not nation burning projects.
Last week, in advance of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference, I had the honor of joining a special “Elbows Up for Climate Summit”.
Mayors, councillors and local elected leaders from across Canada gathered to urgently call for achievable, job-creating federal climate action, paid for by an excess profits tax on oil and gas companies.
The summit underscored the need for federal investments in projects that cut pollution while protecting communities and strengthening the Canadian economy. I fully support the call for an excess profits tax, and so do Canadians from all regions and all age groups.
What would an excess profits tax on oil and gas companies mean? These companies are collecting extraordinarily enormous profits due to the impacts of the war in Iran. A excess profits tax on those gains could bring in up to $46 Billion.
You can read more and sign on to our joint letter here: https://elbowsupforclimate.ca/
But communities across this country are living a different reality. Climate change is part of our daily reality: toxic air, water shortages, harrowing evacuations and mass displacement. It’s costing us an extra $8.8 billion to rebuild our roads, bridges, wastewater systems and infrastructure each year. Two-thirds of these costs are falling on our municipal budgets, making life even more expensive for our residents, on top of rising energy costs and gas prices.
That’s why we are calling on the federal government to urgently invest in nation-building not nation-burning projects that lower household bills, create hundreds of thousands of jobs, and safeguard our communities:
We are asking the federal government to stand with us: to reject fossil fuel projects that divide us, and get to work on practical and popular projects that won’t burn down our country – but build us up, Canada Strong.
New map makes climate disasters impossible to ignore
Our group also launched the 2026 Climate Impacts Map to live-track climate disasters as they unfold over the summer, and revealed that as of the end of May, nearly 7.6 million (or 1 in 5) people in Canada have already experienced extreme weather events this year.
Friends, are you or someone you know involved in a church or faith community? Would you mind sharing with them this invitation:
Sacred Spaces to Community Places Information Session
Friday, May 22, 2026 - 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. - Heritage Room, City Hall
Seating is limited. To RSVP, visit edmonton.ca/AffordableHousing or emailing [email protected]
Building 8 arterial roads with a total length of 19.6km could cost the city $272 million. The annual operating costs are millions more each year.
If you guessed parking, you might be correct. This list highlights the case for proactive, automated traffic enforcement such as the program in Calgary. I understand our city administration is talking with provincial officials and we hope to have an update on automated parking enforcement at our June 9th Urban Planning Committee.