St. Albert Minute: Issue 80

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

📅 This Week In St. Albert: 📅

• The St. Albert Kinette Club is seeking a location to host its 59th annual Christmas Hamper Campaign, which aims to support about 300 local families with Christmas meals, gifts, and up to four weeks of food. Fundraising coordinator Natasha Lefebvre said the Club’s usual donated spaces are unavailable this year, leaving them without room to store, sort, and assemble hampers. The Club needs a space of 7,500 - 10,000 square feet with washrooms and heating from November 14th to 19th, preferably in St. Albert, to coordinate with transit-based donation efforts. Renting a space would consume most of their donations, potentially reducing the food provided to families. Lefebvre emphasized that the campaign will continue regardless, even if it means using members’ homes. Donors of space would receive a gift-in-kind tax receipt and public acknowledgment.
  
  
• St. Albert’s municipal candidates shared their views on how to boost non-residential growth to reduce the City’s reliance on residential taxes. Many candidates agreed that developing the Lakeview Business District is key to attracting new commercial and industrial investment. Some emphasized the importance of promoting St. Albert’s regional advantages, while others focused on sustainable, community-focused growth. Others supported initiatives that simplify business permitting, reduce red tape, and attract long-term employers. To read the candidates' positions on the issue, click here.
  
  
• The City of St. Albert is considering the sale of 13 Mission Avenue, adjacent to the former École Father Jan School, in collaboration with the Greater St. Albert Catholic Regional Division. The move was approved unanimously by Council following discussions that began in September 2024 about jointly marketing both sites to increase redevelopment potential. Interest has been expressed by multiple potential buyers, with the goal of attracting one purchaser for both properties to enhance downtown vibrancy and offer mixed housing options. Council discussed protections to ensure that development occurs, including a proposed buy-back clause allowing the City to repurchase the land if construction hasn’t started within two years or the site isn’t re-districted within 18 months. Administration will also evaluate potential buyers’ track records for completing projects.
  
  
• Following the dissolution of the Edmonton Metropolitan Regional Board (EMRB) at the end of March 2025, St. Albert municipal candidates emphasized the growing importance of regional collaboration. Some Mayoral candidates highlighted the need to develop Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks (ICFs) and Intermunicipal Development Plans (IDPs) to coordinate land use, transportation, and service delivery with neighbouring municipalities. They noted that collaboration could improve efficiency, reduce costs, and attract investment while maintaining high-quality civic services. Several City Councillor candidates echoed these views, stressing the value of partnerships on issues such as emergency services, infrastructure, economic development, and environmental planning. Some candidates noted that without the EMRB, municipalities must proactively build relationships and frameworks to prevent intermunicipal conflicts and duplication of efforts. Candidates also emphasized balancing regional coordination with protecting St. Albert’s unique community character. You can read individual responses here.
  
  
• The St. Albert and District Chamber of Commerce hosted an in-person municipal election forum featuring a one-hour Q&A session with candidates responding to written public questions, followed by a meet-and-greet where attendees spoke individually with all candidates. Four mayoral candidates participated: Wes Brodhead, Rick Dory, Jared Eglinski, and Scott Olivieri. Nineteen Councillor candidates attended, including incumbents Shelley Biermanski, Sheena Hughes, and Ken MacKay, former Councillor Neil Korotash, and first-time candidates like Crystal Gossmann, Billy Harquail, and Kristi Rouse. You can watch it online by clicking here.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

Advance voting runs from October 14th to 18th. 

All of the information regarding times, locations, eligibility, and ID requirements can be found online:

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

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