Last week + Special Council Meeting November 22, 2022

Last week highlights

Budget Consultation Sessions: To get a sense of how residents are feeling about our 2023 priorities, three consultation sessions - with the Chamber of Commerce, nonprofit partners, and representatives of Committees of Council - were held last week. I attended the first two, and Administration will provide an overview of feedback as we enter budget deliberations. My biggest takeaway from these sessions is that the biggest challenges we’re facing relate to the pressures of declining mental health and the impacts of inflation on businesses and families - and that the city has an important role in supporting the health of our residents.

Seniors’ Advisory Committee Meeting: As the new Council rep on this committee, it was great to connect with this group pf dedicated volunteers. Going into 2023, the key project for this group will be to recommend a plan for the future of the committee, in line with the direction of Council earlier this year. As a former North Edmonton Seniors’ Association and current ElderCare Edmonton team member, I hope that I will bring a perspective that brings value to this group.

Inclusion Alberta Changing Lives Changing Communities Event: It was great to see Inclusion Alberta restart this event after a pause during the first years of the pandemic. This group is an important partner to ensure that all members of our community are supported, treated wth dignity, and provided with opportunities to be included in our workplaces and communities.

Civic Agency Interviews: Council met to interview applicants to our committees of Council. As is typical in a non-election year, there were fewer applicants - This means that the day went by quickly, but also that we’ll be re-advertising for a couple of key committees that still require members. Thank you to everyone who applied and to all who serve - you’re making an invaluable contribution to your community!

Agenda highlights

Regional Transit Plan

This will be a tough meeting, but it’s one that we’ve been prepared for. With disappointing changes to Edmonton’s commitment to regional transit coupled with changes to transit use brought on by the pandemic, the Edmonton Metro Transit Services Commission (EMTSC) plan looks different now than it did in January 2020.

“From a City of St. Albert Administrative perspective, the proposed routes are largely like those provided today by St. Albert Transit. There is improved access to Northgate Transit Centre and Clareview LRT Station, although there will be less directness to locations at MacEwan University and Government Centre. Travel times may also be increased under the proposed network, compared to current service offerings from St. Albert Transit. Attachment 5 compares existing St. Albert Transit routes to the proposed EMTSC Opening Day Service Plan.

In September, the City of Edmonton, in part due to completing their local service redesign project concurrently through the establishment of the EMTSC, opted to support the EMTSC via an additional layer of ETS service rather than a redeployment of existing ETS service, in contrast to what was initially contemplated in the initial Business Case. This forms an integral component of the EMTSC Opening Day Service Plan, which creates cascading impacts and affects the EMTSC’s ability to establish regional efficiencies, because it instead creates redundancies. The additional ETS service overlay is still being contemplated by Edmonton City Council as part of their 2023 Budget process.”

A complicating factor to this discussion is that a 1-year withdrawal notice is required it we wanted to leave the regional transit plan, so St. Albert is required to pay the 2023 requisition no matter whether we withdraw now or not. Further to this, “if [the EMTSC is] dissolved [by resolution of member municipalities], and depending on the date of the dissolution, the City would be obligated to pay the 2023 member requisition, the City’s portion (34%) of the EMTSC’s loan, up to $2,366.700, and any associated costs”.

In the long term, I know that St. Albert will be best served by regional transit both because of cost savings and access to locations throughout the Edmonton region, but the current situation is frustrating.

EMTSC 2023 Budget Implications($1.4M)

We have a contractual obligation to pay the 2023 EMTSC requisition, so this motion is directing where this funding is coming from, not whether we pay it. Although a member of Council could propose a different funding source, that would be quite unusual as this is an ongoing expense and reserves are not really used for this purpose. If it’s passed as proposed, it will result in a 1.2% tax increase for 2023:

“That $1,452,000 be added to the 2023 municipal budget, funded by taxes, to support the Edmonton Metropolitan Transit Services Commission (EMTSC) 2023 member requisition for St. Albert assuming an April 30, 2023 opening day service by the EMTSC.”

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This is a brief and incomplete overview of my activities as a councillor and Council meetings, with my personal comments sprinkled in - In no way are my opinions representative of the official direction of council or the City of St. Albert. Please let me know of any typos or errors. Residents can register to speak if they have information to present to council. Full agenda packages can be found on the stalbert.ca website.