The Provincial Government is not keeping their commitments to Edmonton, especially as compared to Calgary.
The City of Edmonton needs more funding to help ensure projects like Terwillegar Drive can be completed.
Send Edmonton South West MLA Kaycee Madu a message that more provincial funding is needed.
Dear Minister Madu,
Edmontonians and your constituents need your help. Edmonton needs a small portion of funding ($42 Million) to ensure that Terwillegar Drive can be completed on time and on budget.
But this is only one of many asks that we have for you.
Our City is prepared to work with the Government of Alberta to take action on our shared priorities - reducing red tape, addressing the affordability crisis, tackling core social issues, tackling climate change, and advancing reconciliation with our Indigenous partners - all while building a more robust economy. Working together we can unleash the vast potential of our City as an economic engine, a hub for arts and culture, an innovator, and a leader.
I’d like to begin by stating that Alberta’s capital city must be funded appropriately as we are home to one-quarter of our province’s population, a service hub for a strong capital region and we significantly contribute to Alberta’s overall economic, social and cultural prosperity. One way to address the affordability crisis is to adequately fund municipalities so that they can continue to provide excellent services that residents rely on and provide relief to struggling community members. To further support these efforts, I am asking the Government of Alberta to restore funds that were promised to the City of Edmonton through the Municipal Sustainability Initiative that we have yet to receive. From 2007 to 2024, the City was expecting to receive close to $4.2 billion in MSI funding (including its replacement from 2022 to 2024). However, based on payments to date and estimated funding as a result of the Government of Alberta's 2021 budget, the City now anticipates receiving $3.8 billion since MSI began, which is $400.2 million less than anticipated. We understand that the program was scaled back to address fiscal realities. Now that the Government of Alberta has succeeded in balancing its books, we would greatly appreciate this amount being given back on a one-time basis as it would directly support affordability for Edmontonians.
In 2019, the Government of Alberta started scaling back the full property tax payment to the City of Edmonton on provincial properties. I am asking that the Government of Alberta restore this full payment of taxes on provincial properties. Although this would be a small investment of $13 to $14 million for the Government of Alberta, it would be greatly appreciated by Edmontonians to support affordability and equitable treatment.
Additional work with municipalities to ensure fiscal sustainability through the Local Government Fiscal Framework and through well-structured long-term grants that reflect inflationary pressures will also go a long way in ensuring affordable municipal services.
I would also like to see the money collected through the Education Property Tax returned to us to continue to provide affordable services that Edmontonians rely on each day like our police and fire protection, snow removal, transit services, and use of recreation facilities.
As the Government of Alberta prioritizes investments for the upcoming budget, Edmonton has focused its requests to the most critical items that support community safety and economic development. These immediate needs are... (enter your postal code to see the draft letter)