Last week Mayor Sohi launched a website intended to pressure the Provincial Government to increase grants in lieu of taxes. This website and its automated form letter function was created by the Mayor’s office and was NOT approved by City Council. Nor was Council informed ahead of time. 

Edmonton absolutely needs more support from the Province.  But speaking through websites and form letters are not the collaborative approaches needed to address our problems, and in fact serve as distractions that interfere with attempts to gain that Provincial support. As an elected official myself, I can state that deliberate attempts to frustrate and annoy and embarrass people are not an effective way to reach an agreement.

Today at Executive Committee we debated a report analyzing the City of Edmonton’s capital and operating funding shortfall. This discussion served to emphasize just how important it is to reach funding partnerships with the Province.

Many of the causes of these shortfalls fall outside the control of the City of Edmonton. But how we react to those shortfalls is entirely within the City’s control, and includes prioritizing services and investments and the creation of imaginative funding solutions and partnerships.

The report also highlights that the city has moved into non-traditional service areas that do not have the required level of accountability attached. This is why I have called for a halt on new projects until the city addresses its management approach. We cannot keep throwing money at projects that simply are not meeting demands, timelines or budget.

We need to get much more effective in how we allocate scarce tax dollars. At the same time, we need to continue collaborative engagement and advocacy with higher orders of government on municipal funding. It is my intention to work towards those innovative solutions, and engage in actual conversations with my provincial colleagues.

I have heard from many of you that you are frustrated by the property tax increase, as well as a corresponding decrease in services and supports. At a time where there is an affordability crisis and Edmontonians are having to tighten their budgets and look at every dollar they spend, they have every right to expect the same from their municipal government.  I have been clear on my belief that Edmontonians cannot continue to pay for our lack of accountability and failure to address our responsibilities with higher property taxes and that we need to look inward and tighten our own budget instead.

That is the only sustainable path forward for the city and I will continue to push for that on city council.