St. Albert Minute: Issue 98

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

📅 This Week In St. Albert: 📅

• Council will hold a Strategic Planning Session today and Tuesday. Presenters will guide Council through topics including community vision, sustainability pillars, Council mission and values, the 2025 Community Satisfaction Survey, the City’s strategic and corporate business plans, and policies on municipal growth, debt management, budgeting, and program reviews.
  
  
• Council has unanimously approved the redistricting of a 26.1-hectare parcel in the Riverside neighbourhood, paving the way for an additional school site. The land along Ray Gibbon Drive and McKenney Avenue will be divided into small lot residential, laned-lot residential, and public, private, and institutional service zones to accommodate both housing and the new school. Councillor Ken MacKay highlighted the importance of the new school as St. Albert’s population grows, noting past challenges in finding sites for K-9 schools. 
  
  
• St. Albert has dropped in the Globe and Mail’s ranking of Canada’s most livable cities, falling to 45th from 25th last year. Councillor Ken MacKay says that the city remains a strong place to live, raise a family, and enjoy a high quality of life despite the drop. The decline was largely influenced by affordability factors, including median household income, food, transportation, and recreation costs, as well as a low walkability score for urban amenities. MacKay noted that while the city is very walkable for nature trails like Red Willow, residents rely heavily on vehicles for work and school commutes. The city continues to perform well in safety, with rates above the national average, and in healthcare access, with most residents having a family doctor. MacKay stressed that annual ranking fluctuations don’t reflect urgent issues and that the municipality is focused on initiatives to maintain St. Albert’s livability. 
  
  
• St. Albert has released its 2025 Integrated Pest Management Plan, updating the previous 2017 plan. The plan introduces new monitoring and control measures for invasive species such as emerald ash borers, Himalayan balsam, and raccoons, while dropping mosquito control and pesticide management, now addressed elsewhere. Coyotes and beavers receive expanded guidance, emphasizing coexistence and non-lethal management except when necessary to protect infrastructure. To help track wildlife, the City plans to launch a reporting app in March, allowing residents to map sightings of moose, coyotes, and some other animals, generating heat maps to inform the public. 
  
  
• The St. Albert Mustangs Track & Field Club, founded in 1980, faces challenges securing indoor training space for the 2026/2027 winter season as both their usual facilities - the Butterdome and Kinsmen Sports Centre in Edmonton - undergo renovations. The closures primarily affect senior and nationally competing athletes who train year-round, adding to commuting challenges for families. Currently, about 75 athletes train indoors, while over 100 participate in the outdoor season. Club leadership is exploring alternative private facilities, though limited space means they may need to use multiple locations. The City’s Servus Place is unavailable for rental, limiting local options. Looking ahead, the club hopes future community amenities in Chérot will include track and field facilities, allowing greater access and opportunities for youth athletes.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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