As you may seen in the news, Edmonton is set to make some important decisions as it relates to our finances. There are many factors that have gotten us here, but we are here nonetheless. In case you missed them, I am sharing some recent comments I have made on recent developments as they relate to Edmonton’s financial future and I would be interested to hear what you think.
This week, I laid out three big pillars I believe the city should focus on for our current fiscal plan:
“To me, it’s very simple. Number one, we have to curb urban sprawl. Number two, we need the province to pay their bills and pay their taxes. And number three, we need to focus on renewal, not building new. It’s really that simple.” https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/maxed-out-big-new-city-projects-unlikely-as-edmonton-nears-debt-limits
Sign up here to help us stop sprawl: www.michaeljanz.ca/stopsprawl
We can’t have low taxes and 400 neighbourhoods of low-density development. Urban sprawl COSTS the city money while redevelopment EARNS money.
No more provincial dollars for private interests:
The UCP continue to take funding away from cities, classrooms and hospitals but always seems to find the time and resources to pad the private purses. We can’t have a provincial government that puts billionaire hockey team owners ahead of you and me… (not sure if you saw my joint op-ed with Scott Hennig, the <checks notes> CEO of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (the left and right loathe corporate welfare!): https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-tax-dollars-for-calgary-arena-was-wrong-funding-the-oilers-wont-make-it-right
Premier Smith: Please pay your property taxes.
I have talked about this many times before and I will continue to do until there is a resolution. This isn’t partisan, it’s just fairness. We need Premier Smith to pay her property taxes: https://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/columnists/michael-janz-alberta-govt-needs-to-pay-its-property-taxes-too
Edmonton is still the best city in Canada, maybe the world:
Over 100,000 neighbours chose this city over the last two years. Why? Great schools, services, relative affordability, and an absence of traffic. It’s like Connor McDavid said when interviewed about whether he liked living here: “Edmonton Checks a lot of boxes" and is "stress-free living. it’s a really convenient city.”
Since Mayor Stephen Mandel, Edmonton has been building major infrastructure, mega-rec centers, and major road projects. Future City Councils need to focus on renewing what we have.
Ward papastew Coun. Michael Janz said the city has already invested in major projects like LRT expansions and recreation centres, but Edmonton will need to wait to pay those off before building anything new.
“Which makes sense. Anybody who is deciding to run for mayor and promising to build another recreation center — well, there’s no money for it. I think it’s about managing expectations for Edmontonians,” he told Postmedia.
“We have really invested in building our city over the last 20 years, and now the next decade is going to be spent just paying off and enjoying those things.”
Edmonton’s original 2023-2026 capital budget, he pointed out, includes $1.8 billion for roads and bridges — more than one-quarter of the entire four-year capital budget.
Janz said Tuesday council agreed to go forward with some big new spending — such as Lewis Farms recreation centre, which he didn’t support — but now that spending on new facilities and upgraded roads are approved, the city will need to pay it off.
“These are things that Edmontonians wanted. We’re a growing city. We want services. We want amenities. And the reality is, they cost money,” he said.
