Not sure if you saw this in the Edmonton Journal, but Mayor Sohi put out an oped two weeks ago that I wanted to share: "Edmonton can close fiscal gap without sacrificing services.
I also included another important oped about what creates homelessness below and an invitation to learn more about climate action in your local community.
Amarjeet Sohi: Edmonton can close fiscal gap without sacrificing services.
I have always believed that strong cities are built on strong services. Like many Edmontonians, affordable and accessible city services have opened the door to opportunities throughout my life. Public transit, well-maintained roads, and reliable emergency services are the foundation of any thriving city. Libraries, recreation centers, and affordable housing — these are not just services, they are investments in our people, our economy, and our future.
And our investments are working. Crime rates are falling, transit ridership is rising, more people are using our libraries and recreation centers than ever before, and we have exceeded our affordable housing targets. This year, we will finally meet our service standards for snow and ice control—a promise I am proud to deliver on.
Our commitment to anti-racism and reconciliation is building a more inclusive city, and our reinvestment in our valued city employees ensures we continue delivering the high-quality services you expect.
Over the past three years, your City Council has been focused on investing in the services that matter most while being responsible with taxpayer dollars. We have increased funding for underfunded services, cut non-essential spending, found efficiencies, and managed inflationary pressures. But there is more work to be done.
Earlier this term, I requested that City Administration provide a report outlining the structural fiscal challenges Edmonton is facing and, more importantly, the steps we can take to address them. These challenges are not unique to us—cities across the country are grappling with the same issues.
However, what sets Edmonton apart is how we plan to confront them. Because Edmontonians do not shy away from challenging decisions. We meet them head-on.
Our city’s resources are strained. We are seeing unprecedented growth in our city that is stretching our ability to provide services, coupled with high inflation that is increasing costs. As a regional hub, Edmonton also provides services that extend far beyond our borders, yet we are not receiving fair compensation from the provincial government for this added responsibility.
We are doing our part—the province is not. Since 2019, provincial buildings have only covered half their share of grants that pay for municipal services they use, costing our city $80 million—a gap that would eliminate our deficit. More than that, we have experienced a 60% reduction in flexible infrastructure funding from the province. These are serious financial pressures, but they are not insurmountable.
We are taking concrete steps to ensure Edmonton remains financially sustainable. During previous financial reviews, I identified several areas where we can be more efficient with our resources, and I have already asked City administration to create a robust action plan to explore those opportunities.
Last week, city administration delivered the Fiscal Gap report I asked for, highlighting both challenges and opportunities for our financial planning. The report emphasizes that we have worked hard to build new infrastructure, and now we should shift to renewing what we already have. It also underscored that we are too dependent on residential property taxes, which is why we are actively exploring new revenue streams to reduce this burden on Edmontonians.
We need to address the financial challenges facing our city — population growth, inflation, and rising labor costs. I am confident that we can streamline our operations and deliver better value to Edmontonians without sacrificing the services you rely on.
Let me be clear: we cannot afford to go back to the days of austerity that left our core services underfunded and our city struggling to keep up.
We are not going backwards. We are moving forward with a clear, determined plan to build an Edmonton that thrives today and for future generations. These investments are much more than lines on a balance sheet—they are the foundation of a resilient, vibrant and growing city. I will continue working with my Council colleagues and City Administration to ensure your money is managed responsibly.
Together, we will build an Edmonton that supports every resident, now and in the future. An Edmonton for all of us.
Come learn about the Neighbouring for Climate program, meet other Climate Connectors from different neighbourhoods, and celebrate the inspiring local climate action happening in the city! This 2.5-hour in-person event will be an opportunity to learn what others are up to, gather resources, and share ideas for program improvements.
This is a free event. Doors open at 9:45 am. Attend for your chance to win a door prize! Light refreshments will be served. We kindly ask you to bring a reusable water bottle, and reusable mug. Please include any accessibility or dietary requirements when you register. Feel free to bring additional snacks for yourself. Parking is available on site for free. Facility includes washrooms.
Spread the word! If you would like to bring a neighbour with you to participate, please register separately.
Event: Neighbouring for Climate Connector Event
Date: Saturday, November 16, 2024
Time: 10 am - 12:30 pm
Location: Alfred H Savage Centre, 13909 Fox Dr NW, Edmonton
Close to an ETS Bus stop, and Bike Parking available.
RSVP:
It’s easy to imagine homelessness as an intractable problem, blaming individuals or entire communities. But we’re probably overthinking it to the point of policy paralysis. In 2022, American housing scholar Gregg Colburn and data journalist Clayton Aldern pointed to a different way of seeing the issue. “Homelessness is a Housing Problem” digs deep into national data, making a simple, compelling argument: Homelessness goes up when rent climbs and vacancies drop.
Regions with lots of cheap housing – in the U.S., the South and Midwest – have lower rates of homelessness, regardless of drug use trends, poisoned supply, or rates of mental illness. Areas with higher rents and lower vacancy rates struggle more with homelessness.
Canadian data bears that out. According to researcher Nick Falvo, every percentage rise in monthly real rent for affordable units in recent years has meant between 1.4- and 2.5-per-cent increases in emergency shelter admissions. Rising rents mean more encampments, more encounters with the justice and health-care systems, more burden on frontline resources that our taxes cover.
Homeward Trust Edmonton’s most recent six months of data already hint what could lie ahead. There were 667 unsheltered people in January. By July there were 1,026. Over that same time span, shelter use went from 469 to 726.
But one of the most telling numbers is the homelessness we don’t see, people in provisional housing, typically couch-surfing or in provisional housing after evictions. In January, there were 1,592 individuals in those provisional situations. That total rose to 2,259 in July.
Edmonton’s rapid growth is a recipe for even more homelessness, unless we start making adequate housing a reality with land, resources, and partnerships. Council has an opportunity this week to take leadership, to start building a better future. Imagine the difference it could make.
Policing is the largest item in the city budget and on your property tax bill. No one spends more on policing than Edmonton. But where is the new funding going?
Did you know that an inmate released from the Federal Bowden Institution would be resettled 184 km away in Edmonton, not much closer in Calgary, or Red Deer?
Maclean's Magazine reports that as a group, the ten richest Canadians combined net worth has ballooned over the last two decades to $261 Billion compared to a paltry $60 billion in 2004. Collectively enabling this opulence and stark inequality for the top ten while thousands die is one hell of a policy choice, Canada. According to the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, we could end homelessnes across canada for $4.4 billion a year for the next decade-- a bargain when we consider homelessness costs the Canadian economy $7 billion each year. Ending homelessness would yield a 2;1 return on investment, let alone the moral imperative.
