Edmonton Minute: Federal Investment, 311 Hours, and Dunluce Neighbourhood Frustration

Edmonton Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Edmonton politics

This Week In Edmonton:

• The Agenda Review Committee will meet on Tuesday at 8:30 am, while the Audit Committee will meet at 9:30 am. At the latter meeting, the Dedicated Accessible Transit Service (DATS) Audit will be discussed, as will a private report on a New City Auditor Bylaw and Changes to the Audit Committee Bylaw.
  
  
• On Wednesday, at 9:30 am, the Emergency Advisory Committee will meet. The agenda includes the Emergency Management Program Annual Report. Also on Wednesday, at 1:30 pm, there will be a City Council Non-Regular Meeting. Two private reports will be dealt with away from the public eye - one regarding the Ratification of the Interim Chief of Police and another regarding an Intergovernmental Update. On Friday, at 9:30 am, the Special Council Services Committee will meet. The agenda includes a verbal report on Councillors attending events outside of their wards and another entitled “Use of City Crest / Recognition Certificates.”
  
  
• The City is reducing hours of operation for its 311 non-emergency telephone line. Starting March 2, it will no longer operate on Sundays, and instead will be available from Monday through Saturday, from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. The change is part of the City's efforts to manage budget constraints.

Last Week In Edmonton:

• It was announced that the completion target for the Valley Line LRT west extension has been delayed to 2028. This is despite Council approving an accelerated plan to shorten roadwork duration in an attempt to minimize disruption to businesses. The accelerated plan will result in significant traffic disruptions across central and west Edmonton from spring through fall. Major closures include Stony Plain Road at 124 Street for up to two months and 104 Avenue reduced to one lane in each direction for nine months. While City officials are optimistic, local businesses remain skeptical, citing previous missed deadlines.
  
  
• Residents in Edmonton’s Dunluce neighbourhood expressed frustration with the City’s neighbourhood renewal plans, citing a lack of consultation and impractical design choices. Concerns include widened sidewalks, reduced street parking, and multi-use pathways conflicting with driveways, leading to confusion over feasibility. A local group has gathered 700 petition signatures opposing the changes, arguing they do not reflect community needs. While the City has scaled back some plans, officials say a “like-for-like” renewal is not possible due to updated standards. Despite ongoing backlash, the project is set to proceed with modifications, and a report on the City’s renewal approach will be presented at an upcoming Urban Planning Committee meeting.
  
  
• The federal government announced an investment of over $6.7 million through PrairiesCan to support small- and medium-sized businesses in Edmonton. The funding will help companies scale operations, expand manufacturing, and access new markets in industries such as sustainable building technologies, digital health, advanced manufacturing, and renewable energy. Among the recipients, Levven Electronics will enhance production and marketing, Care Group will expand its digital mental health services, Demir Engineering will increase industrial product manufacturing, and Grengine will advance battery technology.

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