St. Albert Minute: Issue 63

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

📅 This Week In St. Albert: 📅

• On Tuesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Whole. The Committee will receive a presentation regarding the After Action Review of St. Albert’s Municipal Naming Policy. The review focused on the first-ever name removal and renaming process triggered by a 2024 proposal to remove the name “Grandin” from municipal assets. The review assessed whether the process aligned with policy goals of inclusivity, transparency, and reflecting community values, concluding the process met policy criteria but revealed challenges around public consultation and interpretation of terms like “substantial connection.” While Indigenous and equity-deserving group consultations were successful, broader public engagement expectations were not fully met, causing some public and Council concerns. The requirement for the Naming Committee to recommend a new name concurrently with removal led to complications, including politicization and confusion over the renaming survey’s timing. The review highlighted that the application review process was thorough but resource-intensive and suggested that there were emotional impacts on City staff. Overall, the review recommended clearer criteria, better public consultation definitions, and possibly separating the removal and renaming steps in future processes.
  
  
• The Committee will also discuss Councillor Killick’s Notice of Motion proposing that St. Albert explore the creation of a downtown entertainment district, which would allow alcohol consumption in defined public spaces under specific conditions set by a municipal bylaw. The motion asks Administration to report back by the end of Q3 2025 with details on the process, costs, and next steps. Administration recommends instead developing a broader 1-5 year downtown action plan, incorporating the entertainment district as one option, and presenting it by Q2 2026. Estimated costs range from $20,000 to $50,000, depending on whether Council proceeds directly with a bylaw or opts for a larger strategic plan. Councillors will be presented with three options: proceed with a report, develop a full action plan, or draft and implement the bylaw directly.
  
  
• St. Albert is projecting a $1.5 million surplus in its 2025 first-quarter financial report, a substantial increase from last year's forecasted $322,000 surplus at the same time. About $500,000 of the surplus was included in the City's 2025 budget adjustments, while the remaining $1 million was largely attributed to a one-time Low-Income Transit grant and reduced RCMP contract expenses due to staffing vacancies. Councillors expressed cautious optimism, noting that early surpluses often fluctuate and may not accurately predict year-end results. While Councillor Ken MacKay questioned why such a surplus wasn’t accounted for in the original budget, Councillor Sheena Hughes highlighted the unpredictability due to one-time grants. Additional positive revenue came from higher-than-expected water connection fees, increased franchise fees, and the reintroduction of the provincial Grant in Place of Taxes program. Expenses were also lower than expected, particularly due to the dissolution of the Edmonton Metropolitan Regional Board. The City currently holds $99.6 million in outstanding debt, with officials celebrating the final repayment of the long-standing Servus Place loan.
  
  
• Residents near Bellerose Composite High School voiced frustration to Council over worsening street parking issues caused by students. They described the situation as a serious safety and accessibility concern, citing blocked driveways, difficulties for emergency and waste services, speeding, and littering. Two residents, Holly Cheverie and Tara MacNeil, requested the implementation of a parking permit program for parts of Deane Crescent and Dunsmuir Court, similar to a 2017 pilot program on nearby Dunfield Crescent. MacNeil said the problem intensified after that permit program pushed student parking into their area. Although a survey for Deane Crescent met the minimum number of responses, it fell just short of the support threshold required to proceed. Council is now considering whether to adjust the policy or conduct a new survey focused specifically on the most affected area.
  
  
• Mayor Cathy Heron emphasized the need for all levels of government to collaborate on solving Canada’s housing crisis, following the release of a new report by the Task Force for Housing and Climate. The report graded federal and provincial governments on their efforts to implement 140 housing policy recommendations, with Alberta receiving the lowest grade of D+. Heron acknowledged some of Alberta’s shortcomings but defended the province’s efforts, highlighting funding support and ongoing collaboration. She noted that municipalities like St. Albert play a crucial role by adjusting zoning rules and supporting higher-density and affordable housing developments. The report stresses the urgent need to build 5.8 million affordable, climate-resilient homes, particularly through innovative methods like factory-built housing. Heron, who recently attended a conference on the issue, said such construction methods are already being used in St. Albert.
  
  
• The City has officially broken ground on the Lakeview Business District, a 600-acre light-to-medium industrial zone on the city’s west side. Council approved a $62.7 million investment in January 2025 for infrastructure and servicing to prepare the site, with additional support from the Province through the Ray Gibbon Drive twinning project. Construction on Ray Gibbon Drive is set to begin this year, with completion expected in 2027. A new Development Acceleration Program, launching in January 2026, will provide up to $110,000 per acre in reimbursements to encourage early-stage development, with $8 million in total funding. Once fully built out, Lakeview is expected to create 5,000 jobs and attract up to $1.5 billion in private-sector investment. The site will support sectors such as logistics, advanced manufacturing and clean tech, and is strategically located near national trade corridors, rail and Villeneuve Airport.

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