Edmonton Notes for April 15, 2018

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

Headlines

• An investigation by the City Auditor has found that the City has mismanaged more than $30 million from the current planning reserve fund since 2013. “The single largest loss was more than $8.5 million on an eServices project between 2012 and 2015.” The Journal’s editorial on the matter said that “throughout this troubling affair, no one has been held to account by getting fired or even reprimanded” and that it “isn’t a one-off but part of a lengthy pattern of mismanagement.”
• City Council has approved the municipal tax rate for 2018, resulting in a 3.5% increase. “The impact of the approved 2018 municipal tax increase and utility rate increase on a typical homeowner ($397,000 assessed value) would be $2,468 or an increase of $83.”
• Mayor Don Iveson, federal Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet Sohi, and provincial Transportation Minister Brian Mason announced $43 million in funding for 40 electric buses. “Iveson said the city will get its first five electric buses in 2019 and 35 more by 2020.” He called them “the future of public transit”.
• Financial disclosures from the 2017 Municipal Election were released this week. Small money can sometimes go a long way, wrote Dave Cournoyer in his analysis of how the money was spent.
• City Council this week approved the contentious two-tower Bateman project in Strathcona at 89 Avenue and 99 Street. That’s where the Wild Earth Bakery & Cafe is currently located.
• The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion continues to dominate provincial news. Today, “Premier Rachel Notley received renewed commitment from the federal government” in an emergency meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Here is Dave’s recap of the rally that took place on Thursday.
• Marlena Wyman is Edmonton’s new historian laureate. “She moved to Edmonton in 1974 and worked as the audio/visual archivist at the Provincial Archives of Alberta for 28 years.”
• Flair Airlines has added new direct flights between Edmonton and Victoria (daily) and Edmonton and Prince George (Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday).
• Edmonton is the first out-of-Ontario expansion for popular Toronto-based ice cream chain Sweet Jesus. It is now open in Southgate Centre.
• A report being discussed by Council could lead to no more fees for home-based businesses. “The mayor said the city wants to support entrepreneurs and fees that are too high don’t do that.”
• Do you have an idea for what should happen with the exhibition lands? Share it here. “The Exhibition Lands make up the City’s second largest urban infill site in a locally renowned spot near downtown, LRT and transit, and the river valley.”
• Edmonton’s NextGen is looking for new members to join the committee. The deadline to apply is April 22.
• The Oilers have signed winger Ty Rattie to a 1-year contract. They’ve also confirmed that Peter Chiarelli will be back next season as president and general manager of the hockey club.
• From Julia Lipscombe: Hey Edmonton: 5 reasons to jump on the Toronto Raptors bandwagon.
• Edmonton set a record this week for the 167th consecutive day with a temperature below zero. Dive into all the details at Edmonton Weather Nerdery.
• For more recent headlines, check out ShareEdmonton.

Two Second Headways, photo by Kurt Bauschardt

Upcoming Events

• I hope to see you at City Hall on Monday afternoon for the City of Edmonton’s HealthHack Prototype event! It runs from 2-4pm.
• The 110th Edmonton Kiwanis Music Festival kicks off on Monday and runs through the end of the month.
• Head over to the Shaw Conference Centre on Tuesday from 10-4pm for the Edmonton Career Fair & Training Expo.
• The families of four Edmonton-area Humboldt Broncos players will host a public Celebration of the lives of Jaxon Joseph, Logan Hunter, Parker Tobin and Stephen Wack at 1:00 PM MT on Tuesday, April 17, 2018 at Rogers Place. You can get free tickets here.
• The City is hosting two public engagement sessions this week on proposed grass and yard waste collection changes, on Wednesday at the Mill Woods Senior and Multicultural Centre and on Thursday at the Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre.
• The Sexual Exploitation Working Group is hosting a lunch & learn on Thursday at MacEwan University. Wear orange to support the 2018 Sexual Exploitation Week of Awareness.
• Rapid Fire Theatre’s Bonfire Festival continues on Thursday and Friday at the Citadel.
• Friday is 4/20. One of the events taking place that day to celebrate is 420 FEST at Union Hall.
• The Edmonton Cottage Life & Cabin Show takes place at the Edmonton Expo Centre from Friday to Sunday.
• Chantal Kreviazuk is performing at the Winspear Centre on Saturday evening.
• Saturday is Lay Day Edmonton, a free opportunity to “tour the Edmonton Law Courts, view mock trials featuring the Ghostbusters, the Cat in the Hat, Mario & friends, and Superman, and receive legal consultations and information from our volunteer lawyers.”
• This year’s Spring Edmonton Woman’s Show takes place at the Edmonton Expo Centre on Saturday and Sunday.
• Save the date! AccelerateAB is taking place at the Shaw Conference Centre on Tuesday, April 24.

Spring Thaw

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