St. Albert Minute: Council Candidate, Building Exemption, and the Chamber Criticizes CRA

St. Albert Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of St. Albert politics

This Week In St. Albert:

• On Tuesday, at 1:00 pm, there will be a ​​City Council meeting. The agenda includes an exemption for the Liggett Place Expansion project from the Sustainable Buildings Policy, and a Borrowing Bylaw for the Transit Garage Expansion project. Council will also have an in-camera (secret) session to discuss, among other things, the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board and a Council Self Evaluation and CAO Performance Evaluation.
  
  
• The Arts Development Advisory Committee will meet on Wednesday at 6:00 pm. The Committee will discuss the frequency of its meetings for 2025, as well as the deaccession of “Saturday at the Market” - a piece in the City’s Public Art Collection.
  
  
• On Thursday, at 6:00 pm, the Environmental Advisory Committee will meet. The agenda is a short one and includes a Planning 101 session and a round table discussion.

Last Week In St. Albert:

• The outgoing Chair of the St. Albert and District Chamber of Commerce, Rosanna Fischer, has criticized the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for implementing a capital gains tax hike that has not yet been approved by Parliament. The change, which would increase the tax rate on capital gains above $250,000, was announced in the 2024 federal budget but has not passed into law due to Parliament’s prorogation. Despite this, the CRA began collecting taxes as if the change had already become law. The Chamber argued that the CRA is violating the rule of law, as the tax hike is not yet official and could be reversed if the new government does not support it. Economists warn that the proposed increase could harm investment and reduce Canada's GDP.
  
  
• Sandy Clark, a paralegal and former candidate for St. Albert City Council, is running again in the 2025 election, aiming to improve on her narrow loss in 2021. She placed seventh in the last election, missing a Council seat by just 250 votes. She says she believes in reducing government borrowing and controlling residential property tax hikes, as many residents are struggling with the cost of living. Clark is also emphasizing the importance of affordable housing and community recreational facilities, while supporting business growth. No current Councillors have announced their intentions to run again yet.
  
  
• The St. Albert RCMP have launched their annual Operation Cold Start. From today until January 24th, officers will check for idling vehicles, ensuring they are properly secured, and educate the public on preventive measures. This initiative aims to combat vehicle thefts, particularly those involving idling, unattended cars. Last year, 157 vehicle thefts were reported in St. Albert, with some incidents involving cars left running. The RCMP provided tips like parking in well-lit areas, using anti-theft devices, installing an automatic car starter, and never leaving keys inside a vehicle.

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