St. Albert Minute: Issue 94

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 City Council meeting. Councillor Neil Korotash has submitted a motion to rescind a September Council decision to sell 13 Mission Avenue, a downtown property with historical and Indigenous significance, including its proximity to the former Youville Residential School and Father Lacombe Chapel. The move follows a failed December motion to pause the sale for further Indigenous consultation. Korotash emphasized the land’s recreational and cultural value, saying the community should have input on its future rather than leaving it solely to a developer. The property has already cost the City over $300,000 in abatement and demolition, and delaying the sale could prevent recovery of those costs, hinder redevelopment, and require additional public spending to address drainage and maintenance issues. Korotash said he has ideas for the site but wants public engagement to guide its future, highlighting the property’s unique historical and community significance.
  
  
• At 10:30 am, during the Council meeting, there will be a Public Hearing regarding redistricting land for the Chérot school. St. Albert Public Schools has selected a new site for the Chérot K-9 school in south Chérot, following a May 2025 Council vote that blocked the original site due to logistical concerns, including costly roadwork. The school board wants to move quickly under the provincial Schools Now program (formerly the School Construction Accelerator Program) to build the 1,000-student school and alleviate pressure on existing schools, where utilization exceeds 90%. Servicing and initial roadwork were completed in fall 2025, and further grading is underway to meet the 2026 construction season. Delays from the previous vote had risked pushing the project down the provincial funding list.
  
  
• Council will receive the St. Albert Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) 2025 Annual Report, summarizing its work advising Council on environmental policies, programs, and initiatives. The Committee met eight times during 2025, reviewing priorities including the Sustainable Buildings Policy, the Green Community Grant Program, and the Community Recognition Program in the Environmental Stewardship category. Nine out of ten grant applications were approved, supporting projects such as community gardens, environmental education programs, and local food initiatives, totalling $40,450 in funding. Some projects, including the Climate Adaptation Implementation Strategy and Natural Asset Management, were postponed to 2026 due to conflicting priorities. The Committee also received updates on local environmental projects, such as air quality, riparian assessments, and watershed resiliency, and participated in site tours to observe community and city initiatives. Moving forward, the EAC will continue its work under a three-year plan.
  
  
• The St. Albert Policing Committee will meet on Tuesday at 6:30 pm. The agenda includes the election of the 2026 Chair and Vice-Chair, followed by updates from the Officer in Charge, the Alberta Association of Police Governance, the Police Review Commission (PRC), and Administration.
  
  
• St. Albert has caught up on delayed recycling and organic waste pickup as of January 7th, following disruptions caused by heavy snowfall in mid-December. Warm temperatures on December 29th destabilized snowpack on residential streets, causing recycling trucks to get stuck and pushing the city about two days behind schedule. Garbage pickup in some neighbourhoods was also affected, contributing to the backlog. City officials emphasized that while landfill waste was largely unaffected, recycling volumes were higher due to holiday packaging. Residents were asked to leave bins and bags out until collection and to report any snow-clearing issues to public works. Similar challenges were reported in Edmonton, reflecting widespread winter weather disruptions across the region.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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