St. Albert Minute: Issue 117

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

📅 This Week In St. Albert: 📅

• There are no meetings of City Council or the Standing Committee of the Whole meeting this week. The Community Services Advisory Committee meeting set for tomorrow at 6:30 pm has been cancelled, as has the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board hearing scheduled for Wednesday at 6:00 pm. On Wednesday, the Internal Auditor and Internal Audit Steering Committee will meet at 3:00 pm, followed by the Arts Development Advisory Committee at 6:00 pm. 
  
  
• The St. Albert RCMP have begun deploying body-worn cameras, making the detachment one of the last in Alberta to adopt the technology. Staff Sergeant Major Andrew Hobson said the cameras came into use locally in May and have so far been issued to around 40 officers, with the delay tied to ongoing renovations at the main detachment building on Maloney Place. Officers are directed to activate the cameras during calls for service, including mental health calls, crimes in progress, public disorder and protests, but not for continuous recording, surveillance, or intimate searches. Councillor Ken MacKay, who sits on the Policing Committee, described the cameras as a useful investigative tool that supports accountability for both residents and officers, noting that each recording also captures the prior 30 seconds of footage. Hobson said the technology increases transparency and public trust, arguing that "anything that increases the public's trust and faith in police is something we can all support". MacKay said the main drawbacks are the cost of the equipment and the storage of footage, which is held at centres in Quebec, with the City paying a portion through its contract with the RCMP.
  
  
• Council voted unanimously to have Administration explore adding Remembrance Day banners to the downtown area in partnership with the local Royal Canadian Legion branch. The June 16th vote directs staff to report back on costs and requirements. The proposal came from Mike Killick, a former Councillor and Legion representative, who has asked the City to fund the banner hangers while the Legion covers design, printing and production at an estimated $5,000 to $6,000. The Legion is seeking at least 17 banners, with another 10 in front of St. Albert Place conditional on City support. Councillors were told that the City would likely need to spend around $10,000 on the additional brackets required to hang them. Councillor Sheena Hughes called it a "no-brainer" given that the renamed Veterans Way already honours veterans downtown.
  
  
• On the provincial front, the recall petition targeting St. Albert NDP MLA Marie Renaud has been withdrawn by the applicant who launched it. Elections Alberta announced on June 10th that the applicant had withdrawn the petition on June 3rd, well before the deadline. To force a recall vote, the campaign would have needed 15,502 signatures by June 10th, equal to 60% of the votes cast in the riding in the 2023 general election. In the applicant statement, it was argued that Renaud "represents an ideology - not St. Albert", citing the MLA's support for 2017 legislation strengthening protections for gay-straight alliances in schools. Renaud defended her record, previously stating that recall petitions are now simply part of the democratic process and that she works hard to represent her constituents. 
  
  
• Heavy rainfall over the past 24 hours has pushed St. Albert’s wastewater system to capacity, triggering a provincial emergency alert Sunday afternoon. Residents are being urged to immediately stop all non-essential water use, including showering, flushing toilets, and using laundry machines and dishwashers. Officials say the system is already experiencing localized flooding and sewer backups, and continued high demand could worsen conditions across the city. The alert warns that if the system remains over capacity, additional flooding and backups are likely. City officials say updates will be provided as conditions evolve, with the possibility of cancelling the alert if rainfall eases. Crews are monitoring the system while residents are asked to conserve water to help stabilize the situation.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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