Category: 2013-2017 Term

Modernizing the MGA

Most people don’t realize that the actions of any municipality – whether it’s Edmonton or Evansburg – are governed by a piece of provincial legislation called the Municipal Government Act (aka the MGA). As far as documents go, they don’t come much thicker than the MGA – mainly because of the incredible complexity that comes… Read More

Provincial budget reaction

Yesterday, the Provincial government released its 2016 budget and there is still much analysis to be done on what it all means for Edmonton. I certainly understand the pressure this government is under to deliver a budget amidst a deep economic crisis that has left a huge hole in provincial revenue. So, with tempered expectations,… Read More

Rolling out a better transit system

Imagine it’s -10º and you’re standing at a bus shelter, travel mug in hand, waiting patiently for a bus to take you to work. You’re not a regular transit user, but you’re curious whether you can reduce your car expenses, relieve roadway congestion and make a dent in your carbon footprint. Within a few minutes… Read More

Calculating the real costs of our growth

Yesterday, city administration released a report that estimates the expected costs and revenues the city’s recently approved ‘greenfields’ (i.e. new suburban developments) will generate over a 50-year term. These are called our ‘Urban Growth Areas’ and they are essentially the outer 3 corners of our city, and they are very large in scale. It should… Read More