Edmonton Minute: Speed Limits, Red Tape, and a Face Coverings Bylaw Extension

Edmonton Minute: Speed Limits, Red Tape, and a Face Coverings Bylaw Extension

 

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

 

This Week In Edmonton:

  • This morning there will be a meeting of Edmonton Council's Executive Committee at 9:30 am. There are 28 items on the agenda, but the highlights include Annual Reports and Financial Statements of the City's Business Associations and Business Improvement Areas, an amendment to the Capital Plan for the Terwillegar Drive Express Way Upgrades, updates on LRT expansion, a "Community Energy Transition Strategy" that includes another $2 million in handouts for "Green Technology" and another $10-$20 million for bike lanes, and an update on the City's Electric Vehicle Charging Pilot Program (spoiler alert: it didn't go well!).

  • On Tuesday at 9:30 am there will be a meeting of the Urban Planning Committee. The Committee will receive an Environmental Assessment report on the proposed realignment and repair of Riverside Trail between the Riverside Golf Course and the North Saskatchewan River, and a response on an enquiry about the status of the intersection of Ray Gibbon Drive and 137th Ave. A report on the results of the City's Smart Traffic Signal Pilot project has been delayed to December 1st.

  • On Friday at 9:30 am the Community and Public Services Committee will meet and discuss, amongst other things, replacing U-Pass with expanded youth pricing for secondary students, the role of City-owned golf courses - which roughly cover their operating costs, but require subsidies for their capital costs, and whether to extend the City's Temporary Mandatory Face Coverings Bylaw until May 2021.

 

Last Week In Edmonton:

  • Council voted to reduce speed limits in residential areas from 50 km/h to 40 km/h by next summer. The change will affect most local and collector residential roads. City administration says that replacement speed signs can cost $150 each, but should be cheaper as they'll be buying 1,500 in bulk. Their math doesn't seem to quite add up though, as even at full price, 1,500 x $150 would be only $225,000 and yet they've budgeted $1.1 million for the project. Welcome to Edmonton Council, I guess? 

  • City officials shut down a homeless camp in Old Strathcona with the 15 remaining residents transitioned to 24/7 shelters. The City had been originally planning to wait to close the camp until new bridge housing opened next week, but an increase in violence forced them to act sooner.

  • Council also received a report on Reductions to Small Business Regulations, including a wide variety of different actions the City is planning to reduce red tape issues on local businesses. There seems to be some red tape blocking this removal of red tape, however, as the draft bylaw isn't expected until 2021. We'll keep you updated.

 


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