Edmonton Journal: May 1, 2025

CityNews: May 1, 2025 (Video)

Last week at City Council, we debated two big decisions that could reshape downtown — and impact your tax dollars for years to come.

1. The Downtown Office Shuffle

City administration wants to sell two aging downtown office towers — Century Place and Chancery Hall — and move 1,350 staff into the Edmonton Tower and other city-owned spaces. The proposed cost? $22.7 million.

The argument: These buildings are old, expensive to fix, and we need less space with hybrid work. Selling them could reduce long-term repair and operating costs.

But here’s where I hit pause:

• Costs don’t add up: The Chamber of Commerce flagged the $22.7 million as high — especially the $5.2 million just for moving offices. That's about $16,800 per employee being moved. Movers they consulted said a similar move should cost around $1.1 million.
• Market timing is off: With a 20% office vacancy rate, we’re trying to sell in a buyer’s market. Admin is uncertain what the buildlings might sell for — possibly less than we’re spending to move.
• Payback plan is shaky: The project relies on savings and future building sales to pay back the moving costs. Even their own analysis admits the timeline is uncertain.
  

2. The Winspear’s Unfinished Symphony

The Winspear Centre needs $33.4 million more to finish its expansion by 2026. Design changes and Covid-related delays and inflation have pushed the project’s cost to $118.2 million.

They’ve raised 72% of the funds. They know a loan for a not-for-profit organization is high risk so they haven't asked for one. So any City support would be a straight-up grant, which could mean a tax hike. No one thinks a tax hike is the right solution.

One funding option might be the Downtown Community Revitalization Levy (CRL). City Council has sought Provincial approval on this option - time will tell.

Here’s Where It Gets Messy

These two projects are connected:

• The Winspear’s new underground parking is tied to Century Place’s parkade.
• Changes to Century Place could impact the Winspear’s operations and its expansion.
• The City also invested in a District Energy plant that is intended to provide heat to all three buildings.

Where I Landed at Council

We made progress last week. I pushed for — and got — more transparency:

✅ Council will now see the detailed building condition reports.
✅ Admin must report back with all sale offers before anything is finalized.
✅ Century Place can’t be sold until the Winspear’s parking situation is sorted.

Where We Go From Here

1. On the office moves: Let’s be clear — $22.7 million needs a full cost-benefit review. We owe it to you to make smart, responsible choices with your money.
2. On the Winspear: I support downtown arts and culture; we need honest conversations about how to do that. We must explore every funding option, remembering that a tax increase is the one solution no one asked for. 
3. On both: This is about more than buildings. It’s about building better. That means planning smart, thinking long-term, and not making decisions in silos.

Let’s get this right—for the future of our downtown and the future of our city. We need to build it better, build a better Edmonton, and find ways to do that. Without raising taxes.

What do you think? Message me on social or send me an email — I want to hear from you.

Talk soon,

Tim

Finance Minister Nate Horner tabled the 2025-26 provincial budget yesterday. I want to share some quick thoughts on what this means for Edmonton and why I believe we need a fundamental reset in how our city approaches provincial relations.

Navigating Uncertain Times

Let's be honest - this budget comes at a really challenging time for both Alberta and Edmonton. We're all watching the Trump tariff threats with concern, knowing they could hit our province's economy hard. Meanwhile, Edmonton is facing its own financial crunch. The provincial government has had to make difficult decisions, creating multiple budget scenarios to prepare for various outcomes.

Minister Horner called it a budget of "tough but measured choices." His team had to revise their revenue assumptions back in January just to account for all this uncertainty. As he put it, "There's so many things that are out of our control." That's exactly why I believe different orders of government need to be working together closer than ever - not picking fights with each other.

What's in it for Edmonton?

I'm glad to see some tax relief that will help Edmonton families, with that new eight percent income tax bracket for income up to $60,000. Every bit helps when household budgets are stretched thin.

I'm particularly happy about the commitment to build five new schools in Edmonton. Anyone with kids knows how desperately we need these new classrooms in our fast-growing communities.

I'm encouraged to see provincial funding for several key post-secondary projects: NorQuest College, the University of Alberta Biological Sciences Centre, ongoing support for MacEwan University's School of Business, and planning for NAIT's Advanced Skills Centre.

The budget includes a substantial $106 million investment in downtown Edmonton: $52 million for an event park east of Rogers Place, $37.5 million to demolish the old Coliseum, and $16.4 million to prepare land at the Ice District Village. These investments matter for our city's future and connect to important discussions about the Community Revitalization Levy happening next week. I'm looking forward to digging into how we can maximize the impact of these provincial investments.

We also continue to receive significant provincial funding for the Yellowhead Freeway Conversion, the 50th Street rail overpass, improvements to Anthony Henday Drive, and Phase 3 of Terwillegar Drive - not to mention two LRT extension projects. While these weren't new announcements in this budget, they represent ongoing provincial commitment to Edmonton's infrastructure.

Public Safety and Addiction Treatment: A Clear Provincial Priority

I commend the Province for its investment in recovery and addiction treatment centers and its ongoing commitment to public safety. The budget allocates $1.7 billion for implementing the compassionate intervention framework and Recovery Alberta Services, which is a significant investment to address the opioid crisis that has devastated families across our city.

The province has also bumped public safety funding by 3.7% to $1.3 billion and has requested alignment of community peace officers with police services. That's a pragmatic move that should improve how we coordinate our response to public safety concerns.

These aren't just budget line items - they're investments that will make a real difference in our communities if we work together to implement them effectively.

A Missed Opportunity for Constructive Engagement

While last year's budget included funding for some important Edmonton projects like the MacEwan School of Business building and Phase 3 of Terwillegar Drive, there was not nearly enough support for critical infrastructure investments. That should have been a moment for some serious soul-searching at City Council.

Instead, what happened? Mayor Sohi and his allies launched a campaign focused on recovering $15 million per year in unpaid property taxes from the province. Let me be straight with you - while a $15 million grant increase is welcome, when coupled with the increase in provincial education property taxes, the effect on your property tax bill will likely be net zero at best. Not exactly the major victory some will portray it to be.

Rather than picking public fights with the province - over the wrong thing - we NEED to collaborate with them for the good of our city. Our infrastructure needs, from transportation to affordable housing to our $1.7 billion deferred maintenance backlog, require provincial support in the hundreds of millions of dollars. We can't afford to damage that relationship over relatively minor disputes.

Forward Together

With all the economic uncertainty from potential U.S. tariffs, a partnership approach isn't just nice to have - it's essential. The province has set aside a $4 billion contingency for unexpected challenges.

The province has made significant progress with their red tape reduction initiatives, recently introducing an "automatic yes toolkit" and "shot clock" provisions on permit applications across government. These innovations could offer valuable lessons for improving our own municipal processes.

Similarly, the province has begun implementing artificial intelligence tools to "follow the money" in their bureaucracy, enhancing transparency and efficiency. We should explore whether similar technologies could benefit Edmonton's financial management systems.

There is so much to be gained from collaborative work that recognizes we all serve the same taxpayer, and that we have a shared responsibility to maximize the value of every dollar spent. Particularly during these profoundly uncertain economic times, Edmonton's leadership MUST BE at the table, working constructively to ensure our city's priorities are understood and addressed.

My Commitment to Edmonton

If you trust me with your vote for mayor, here's what I commit to:

1. I'll reset our relationship with the provincial government from day one, focusing on productive engagement instead of public disputes.
2. I'll make securing provincial funding for critical infrastructure projects a top priority.
3. I'll work collaboratively on our shared challenges, from economic development to public safety to efficient government services.
4. I'll fight to ensure Edmonton receives its fair share as the capital city while being realistic about provincial fiscal constraints.

Edmonton deserves leadership that understands how to build partnerships. Fighting with other levels of government might make for splashy headlines, but it doesn't help get roads built or services delivered.

In these uncertain economic times, all orders of government need to work together, not against each other. The potential impact of U.S. tariffs makes it more critical than ever to have a mayor who can work effectively with the province.

I look forward to continuing this conversation in the coming months. Together, we can build the partnership approach Edmonton needs to thrive.

As an engineer and a City Councillor, I've spent years watching Edmonton stumble through major construction projects. The latest Valley Line West LRT announcement is just another symptom of a broken system I've been fighting to fix.

Last week, I sat in Council chambers watching administration explain why we need to shut down major intersections across west Edmonton this summer, bringing unprecedented disruption to west end communities for the foreseeable future. Their reasoning? We're behind schedule and need to catch up. Stop me if you've heard this before.

We also heard from local business owners who have already endured two years of constant disruption and are hanging on by a thread. Their message was clear and heartbreaking - many won’t survive another summer of construction hell. These are our neighbours, people who have invested everything in their businesses, now watching their livelihoods threatened by poor project management.

Let me be blunt: This project has been mismanaged from the start. Construction began late, far too many roads were closed simultaneously, and work sites sat dormant for months. Now, with Stony Plain Road construction a full year behind schedule, their solution is simply to close even more major intersections.

The reality is this goes far beyond the West LRT. We're looking at a fundamental problem in how our city plans and executes major projects. I've been in the construction industry for over 30 years, and I can tell you: it doesn't have to be this way.

Here's the painful reality of what's coming in 2025:

• Complete closure of key intersections along Stony Plain Road for up to 2 months
• Nine months of single-lane traffic on 104 Avenue
• Concurrent construction on Jasper Avenue starting in spring
• Wellington Bridge replacement closing 102 Avenue in late 2025

And that's just the beginning of a multi-year infrastructure crisis. The Dawson Bridge will see closures in 2025, the Low Level Bridge will see partial closure in 2026, followed by the High Level Bridge in 2027 - a closure that will last three years. Closing these critical river crossings will impact hundreds of thousands of Edmontonians that rely on them daily.  Meanwhile, the $2.6 billion West LRT project -  the largest infrastructure investment in Edmonton's history - is now delayed until 2028.

These aren't just a few inconvenient detours - they're major disruptions to a growing city of nearly two million people. With 50,000 new residents arriving annually and our downtown still in recovery, we need thoughtful, coordinated infrastructure planning - not band-aid solutions.

As someone who's managed major infrastructure projects, I can tell you - this chaos isn't inevitable. It's the result of poor planning and lack of coordination.

This is why I'm running for Mayor. Edmonton needs leadership that understands how to build things properly. We need:

• Real coordination between major projects
• Practical construction scheduling that maintains critical traffic flow
• Private sector expertise at the planning table
• Honest timelines from the start, not after things go wrong

I've proposed creating an Infrastructure Committee with private sector involvement. Why? Because the current model clearly isn't working. We're spending billions of dollars on critical infrastructure, but we're planning it project by project instead of looking at the whole picture.

Want to Help Build it Better? Do you have professional expertise in infrastructure, construction, or project management? I'm looking for industry leaders to help shape this committee. Send me a note at [email protected] - I'd love to hear your ideas.

When I talk about "Building it Better," this is exactly what I mean. It's not just a campaign slogan - it's about fundamentally changing how we approach city building. We need to stop treating our roads like independent projects and start seeing them as part of an interconnected network that keeps our city moving.

I know we can do better because I've done it. Throughout my engineering career, I've managed complex projects that finished on time and on budget. The difference? Proper planning, realistic schedules, and a commitment to minimizing community impacts.

As your Mayor, I'll bring that expertise to city hall. We can build the infrastructure Edmonton needs without creating years of chaos. But first, we need to admit our current approach isn't working.

It's time for change. It's time to build it better.

Global News: February 13, 2025