Edmonton Minute: Winspear Loan, Nenshi Acclaimed, and a School Surplus Site

Edmonton Minute: Winspear Loan, Nenshi Acclaimed, and a School Surplus Site

 

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

 

This Week In Edmonton:

  • The Utility Committee will meet this morning at 9:30 am. The agenda includes a discussion about the EPCOR Water Services 2025 Operational Plan. On Tuesday, the Agenda Review Committee will meet at 8:30 am to set the agendas for the February 11th meeting of the Urban Planning Committee and the February 12th meeting of the Executive Committee.

  • Council is considering a loan to help complete the Winspear Centre’s expansion, which has seen its costs rise to $118.2 million due to design changes and inflation. The expansion, slated for completion by 2026, includes a new performance venue, classrooms, and collaborative spaces. Despite raising $81.8 million through fundraising, the Centre still faces a $33.4 million shortfall.

  • Edmonton's population growth is expected to slow in 2025, with the Conference Board of Canada predicting only a 3% increase, down from 4.8% in 2024. While migration to the city has been a key economic driver, increased demand has impacted the housing market, causing the city’s affordability advantage to erode. The city's job market experienced a slowdown in 2024, with a higher unemployment rate, though employment is projected to grow by 2.1% in 2025. The report also highlights potential challenges from US tariffs on Canadian goods, particularly affecting Alberta’s energy sector, and suggests that weak population growth may worsen labour shortages.

 


 

Last Week In Edmonton:

  • Naheed Nenshi, leader of the Alberta NDP, has been acclaimed as the party’s candidate for the Edmonton-Strathcona byelection, following the resignation of former NDP leader Rachel Notley. Nenshi, who took over as party leader in June, aims to secure a seat in the Legislature. The United Conservative Party has not yet opened its nomination process for the riding. The byelection must be called by June 30th.

  • Residents of Wedgewood Heights in west Edmonton expressed anger over the City's plans to designate a school surplus site for affordable housing, which they claim will lead to the loss of a popular park and green space. They argue that the site was inaccurately designated as surplus and that the loss of park space is detrimental to the community's well-being. While the Mayor and Administration are stressing the urgent need for affordable housing, residents and some Councillors are urging caution to ensure public concerns are properly addressed. The matter will be voted on by all Councillors next month.

  • The Telus World of Science has extended its closure due to smoke damage from a small fire on January 20th. While the fire was quickly extinguished, the smoke caused significant damage, requiring extensive cleaning and restoration. The center has canceled its Amazing Pollinators Exhibition and will update the public on its reopening via its website.

 

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  • Common Sense Edmonton
    published this page in News 2025-01-25 22:30:33 -0700