Edmonton Minute: Job Action, Snow Removal, and Criminal Record Checks
Edmonton Minute: Job Action, Snow Removal, and Criminal Record Checks
Edmonton Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Edmonton politics
This Week In Edmonton:
- The Community and Public Services Committee will meet this morning at 9:30 am to discuss, among other things, the renewal of the Memorandum of Shared Recognition and Cooperation with the Otipemisiwak Métis Government.
- On Tuesday, at 8:30 am, there will be a meeting of the Agenda Review Committee, followed by a meeting of the Urban Planning Committee at 9:30 am. At the latter meeting, the Committee will discuss the planting, maintenance, and retention of trees on public and private property, as well as a report on multi-unit residential building designs with "point access blocks" - those with a single exit staircase.
- The Executive Committee will meet on Wednesday at 9:30 am. The agenda for this meeting includes an environmental impact assessment for the Wellington Bridge Replacement Project, and a report on transit needs to meet population growth, among other items.
Last Week In Edmonton:
- Council has voted against a proposal to require criminal record checks for municipal election candidates. The motion, supported only by two Councillors, faced opposition due to concerns it could discourage diverse candidates, impose unnecessary costs, and disproportionately affect marginalized communities. Some Councillors argued that targeting municipal candidates alone, when such checks aren’t required for provincial or federal roles, would be inconsistent. Mayor Amarjeet Sohi suggested political parties could choose to conduct checks for their candidates.
- Edmonton has launched a two-year Assisted Snow Removal Program to aid low-income seniors and individuals with disabilities or mobility challenges. This initiative aims to reduce slip-and-fall risks by helping eligible residents clear snow from their sidewalks and walkways within 24 hours after significant snowfall. Applicants must verify their need for assistance with a form signed by a healthcare provider, and those already in certain City programs can apply through a streamlined process. While this program assists with public sidewalks, it does not include private driveways or rear pathways.
- Around 3,200 Edmonton public school support staff walked off the job, causing some schools to advise parents of special-needs students to keep their children home. The one-day action was led by CUPE Local 3550. Following a 97% strike vote in favour of job action, CUPE gave strike notice. The Province, however, appointed a Dispute Inquiry Board, delaying the strike for 30 days of what essentially amounts to more mediation. Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides and the school board urged the union to return to the bargaining table, describing the job action as potentially illegal.
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