Edmonton Minute: Talus Balls, Bid Withdrawn, and Rising Crime Rates

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. Council will return from summer vacation on August 21st.
  
  
• The notorious Talus Balls will undergo repairs this week. Earlier in the year, a man got stuck inside the sculpture and had to be extracted with the jaws of life. Turns out there was actually a maintenance hatch that could have been used instead… The cost of the repairs will be paid for through insurance.
  
  
• Cariwest - Edmonton's Caribbean Arts Festival - will be taking place in Sir Winston Churchill Square on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The festival features a parade, music, food trucks, and lots of stuff for the kids. More information is available online.

Last Week In Edmonton:

• Police Chief Dale McFee expressed concerns over gang-related activity, and called Edmonton’s increasing violent crime rate “quite alarming”. According to recent Statistics Canada data, Edmonton's total crime rate rose by 8% between 2021 and 2022, with the severity of total crime increasing by 5% last year. Violent crime, including assault and assault with a weapon, saw a significant 13% increase in the last year. McFee said more officers are needed to address these issues, and reiterated the need for the federal government to act on its promised bail reforms.
  
  
• Mayor Amarjeet Sohi expressed his concern and disappointment with the way the latest round of Rapid Housing Initiative funding was allocated. Edmonton had requested funding for seven projects with 288 housing units, but only one project with 11 units was approved. Sohi pointed out that this falls far short of the city's urgent needs, with approximately 3,100 Edmontonians currently lacking stable housing. Sohi wrote a joint letter with Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek and Alberta’s Minister of Seniors, Community, and Social Services, Jason Nixon, addressed to the federal Housing, Communities and Infrastructure Minister, Sean Fraser. The three leaders pointed out that Alberta receives only 2.5% of the available $1.5 billion funding, despite accounting for 12% of Canada’s total population.
  
  
• The Province put an end to a potential bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, citing the potential burden to taxpayers. Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said that Edmonton will continue hosting other national and international events. As long as he doesn’t think Edmonton taxpayers are paying for it! We formed the No Alberta 2030 Group with our friends at the Alberta Institute and Common Sense Calgary back when this bid was first being explored, and we're thrilled to see a win for common sense. Thanks to everyone who signed our No Taxpayer Funding For Commonwealth Games petition.

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