A Path to a Financially Sustainable City
Smarter Spending in a Tough Economy
The City has been impacted by many of the pressures families and businesses have been facing. Inflation has increased the cost of fuel, machinery and parts. More people in need are relying on our subsidized services. And we often have to pick up the slack when other orders of government don’t fulfil their roles.
We are also one of the fastest growing major cities in Canada which is putting pressure on our services. Growth is an opportunity, but it also means more transit, more fire stations, more rec centers and a greater need for our programs.
Cities like Edmonton are where most people live. But we have limited tools to pay for the services and infrastructure we provide: User fees, taxes and transfers from other orders of government.
As mayor I will support the long-term financial health of our city with action:
Support a compact, more cost-effective city.
Support a compact city that makes better use of existing infrastructure and services. Growing in and up – not just out – will save Edmontonians $3B in infrastructure costs over the coming decades.
Fix the suburban services gap – invest in core services like transit, fire and policing for new communities before building more sprawl. Partner with the development community to ensure that amenities in the developing area are delivered cost effectively. Edmontonians living in new neighbourhoods pay full taxes – they deserve core services.
This is not about stopping outward growth entirely. It’s about staying committed to the boundaries set out in the City Plan and not starting new communities until we have caught up on the amenities we need in communities that are under development.
Review City assets, land, and property to determine what can be sold or divested.
The City needs to right size its assets to ensure that we can retain what is most important and take care of what we have.
While the City should use land to advance affordable housing, green space and other core infrastructure, it should be revisiting its land assets to relieve pressure on the City in its current financial context.
Work with unions and other partners to identify efficiencies.
Frontline employees have hands-on expertise in service delivery. We should draw on their knowledge to maximise existing tax dollars, while protecting public service jobs.
Create pathways for workers to identify potential efficiencies and foster a culture of continuous improvement.
City staff, especially those working on the frontlines, have a unique perspective on what is and what isn’t working at the city - but don’t always have the opportunity to share their perspectives or innovate.
Explore opportunities to leverage technology to enhance service delivery and save costs.
The City of Edmonton is a leader in AI adoption. We need to leverage available technology to maximize the resources we have and improve service delivery.
Review revenues available to the City while balancing affordability of services and protecting subsidized and low-income programs.
We also need to look holistically at all City of Edmonton revenue to support the financial sustainability of our city - including maximizing our EPCOR dividends and maximizing the returns on our other investments.
The bottom line is we can’t and shouldn't rely exclusively on taxation to support the services that Edmontonians count on every day.
Work with the federal and provincial government on a New Deal for Alberta’s Capital City.
We need to see increases in reliable infrastructure funding for municipalities from both the federal and provincial governments that aren't tied to new growth projects - this can be built on tried and tested infrastructure programs like the Local Government Fiscal Framework (LGFF) and Canada Community Building Fund (CCBF) or new mechanisms.
As Mayor I will push harder on the Province to ensure Edmonton receives the same level of funding as Calgary and other cities.
Responsible and Transparent Budgeting — No surprise tax increases
We need a stable, predictable budget process, where residents are not surprised by tax increases.
Edmontonians deserve to see how their tax dollars are being spent and achieving results. We need to demonstrate accountability to Edmontonians that their tax dollars are having an impact.
As Councillor, I successfully made a motion that will start the work on a reformed budget process, starting this fall.
As Mayor, I will lead this process, listening to Edmontonians to ensure that we are budgeting efficiently and achieving results:
Reform our budget process and ensure results for tax payer dollars.
Improve the transparency, effectiveness and governance of the City of Edmonton’s budget process through: branch by branch presentations, improved reporting and increased engagement with Edmontonians.
Increase council oversight of the budgeting process and ensure expenditures are tied to results.
Improve certainty and predictability around property taxation.
Apply zero based budgeting to specific departments that don’t stick within their budget.
Engage Edmontonians Directly in the Budget Process.
Edmontonians should have a say in how the City is spending their hard-earned money, especially when it’s getting harder for everyone to afford necessities.
As Mayor I will engage directly with Edmontonians ahead of the four-year budget cycle to make sure it reflects what matters most to them.
