In case you missed it, the videos from Transit Camp 2023 are now available for free online (https://www.michaeljanz.ca/transitcamp2023). Please give them a watch and share with other interested folks!
The three videos really do offer a "public transit 101" for anyone interested in transportation opportunities and challenges!
I also wanted to offer that I have a few copies of James Wilt's book "Do Androids Dream of Electric Cars?" that are available on loan if you didn't nab a copy.
If you are interested in upcoming transit advocacy, please ask your provincial election candidates what they will do to properly resource cities to support public transit.
Many of you asked about next steps and when we could join together to form our own transit riders advocacy group. Stay tuned by signing up for updates via www.michaeljanz.ca/bettertransit
Post-provincial election, we'll convene a public transit working group to discuss where to from here and how we can amplify the voices of transit advocates in the community.
Are there speakers you would like to see for next year? Let us know!
Thank you again for an unforgettable weekend!
You are invited to be a part of a community conversation learning about the challenges and opportunities facing public transit in Edmonton.
There have been major changes over the past year to public transit. How are we doing?
We expect that these learnings will be an opportunity to learn, connect, and advocate with other public transit users. Our goal is to get organized and build a better transit system for all riders! Raise your voice!
Convened by Ward papastew City Councillor Michael Janz, in partnership with many others including ATU 569, University of Alberta Sustainability Council, Climate Justice Edmonton, Migrante, Working Families Edmonton, Edmonton District Labour Council, the Parkland Institute and many more.
City Council recently approved a rezoning across the street from the U of A and it got me thinking about all the underutilized or unused space on the U of A main campus.
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.
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
Edmontonians are not receiving a fair deal from the provincial government. If the UCP reversed reductions and funded Edmonton fairly, your property taxes could be ~7% lower.
