Edmonton Chamber of Commerce urges city council to halt new infrastructure, reduce spending on social issues
In its 'Back on Track' report, the Chamber asks the city to pause projects, maintain existing assets and shift responsibility for homelessness and public safety to the province.
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Edmonton's Chamber of Commerce is calling on city council to halt new infrastructure projects and reduce spending on services the Chamber says are provincial responsibilities, according to its "Back on Track" report released this week.
The Chamber, led by president Doug Griffiths, is asking council to focus on civic priorities, put the brakes on new infrastructure and concentrate on maintaining existing assets. The report also asks the city to rekindle an abandoned plan to sell naming rights for recreation centres and other civic facilities, and to suggest that out-of-city residents pay more to access recreation centres or city-owned attractions like the Valley Zoo.
The Chamber pointed to Victoria Promenade as an example. Bob Walker, a former CEO of Ledcor who lives near the promenade at 100 Avenue between 117 and 121 streets, told the Journal he believes the planned total rebuild from 2026 to 2028 is unnecessary. "I've taken a picture of it just recently to show there's nothing wrong with the promenade. It doesn't need anything," Walker said. The city's renewal plan includes repaving roads, adding curbs and sidewalks, accessibility upgrades, replacing street lights and exploring bike lanes and shared pathways.
Griffiths, a former Alberta municipal affairs minister, said municipalities across the province need the province to put more resources into homelessness and fighting social disorder. "I think we need a bit of a summit between the province and the cities who are dealing with big catchment areas that a lot of stuff comes to," he told the Journal. "The challenge falls on the citizens and the businesses in our communities in dealing with crime, and spending more money trying to clean up the damage that's been done and on added security."
Griffiths said the Chamber will intensify its push during the fall budget deliberations in October and November, vowing council "won't be able to ignore us."
The source does not specify which specific projects the Chamber wants halted or how much the city currently spends on provincial responsibilities.
Which specific capital projects does the Chamber want the city to halt or defer?
How much of Edmonton's current budget goes to services the Chamber considers provincial responsibilities?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
What is the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce asking the city to do?
The Chamber is asking Edmonton city council to halt new infrastructure projects, focus on maintaining existing assets, and reduce spending on services it says are provincial responsibilities like homelessness and public safety.
Who leads the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce?
Doug Griffiths, a former Alberta municipal affairs minister, is the president of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce.
What specific project did the Chamber cite as an example of unnecessary spending?
The Chamber pointed to Victoria Promenade, noting that a planned total rebuild from 2026 to 2028 is unnecessary and that the existing promenade does not require the proposed repaving, curbs, sidewalks, accessibility upgrades, street light replacements, or bike lanes and shared pathways.
