Speaking Municipally Taproot Edmonton

Summer is here, and it comes with the sale of a riverboat, scooters, and summer streets. Plus, council writes a very sternly worded letter to the province. It'll work this time, they promise!
Here are the relevant links for this episode:
Tim Querengesser
Tim's workLinkedIn profile@TimQuerengesserEdmonton Riverboat
Meet the new owners of the Edmonton RiverboatSummer streets and scooters
PSA: Summer Streets gives Edmontonians safer spaces for outdoor funWhere are Edmonton's e-scooters?Bill 18/20
Bill 20 offers power to accelerate housing through property tax breaksEdmonton city council asks Alberta to scrap Bill 18 and Bill 20 for consultationChanges to city charters, Municipal Government Act meant to bolster housing, cut costs: McIverEdmonton mayor, Alberta government meet to talk about Sohi's 6-page funding letterSohi sends 6-page letter to Smith detailing ways Alberta can help EdmontonFederal government and Boyle Street Community Services invest in vital community building in downtown EdmontonCalgary's single-use items bylaw repealed, businesses no longer required to charge bag feeEdge Fund
Edmonton grants $4.7M to 17 organizations through Edge FundEdmonton's biggest rec centres face name change in new sponsorship dealRapid fire
The City of Edmonton finally has a 'Nathan Fillion Civilian Pavilion' & it's here to stay (for now)Premier Danielle Smith's tweetEdmonton fire chief Joe Zatylny resigns effective May 10See us in person!
May 21: Don't let the pink slime get you: AI's role in a healthy media ecosystem at Work Nicer Beaver House. Taproot CEO Mack Male and Ethically Aligned AI founder Katrina Ingram will discuss the uses and abuses of AI in media. Generative AI is flooding the world with "pink slime journalism," but it's also helping responsible companies like Taproot carry out our work more deeply and efficiently. We'll explore those realities at this community event associated with Upper Bound, Edmonton's annual AI conference. Tickets to our event are free.May 25: Edmonton International Cat Festival at the Robbins Health Learning Centre at MacEwan. We're thrilled to be a media sponsor for this 10th annual celebration of all things feline. We've asked our friends at Zoe's Animal Rescue to share our booth, so come by to meet some members of the Taproot team, and give a kitty a skritch while you're there. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door, and kids get in free.May 30: Speaking Municipally Live: Untangling the housing knot at the Foundry Room. Our civic affairs podcast is recording live during the Canadian Housing Evidence Collaborative's summer institute, and you're invited. Hosts Troy Pavlek and Mack Male will discuss how the City of Edmonton can help alleviate the housing crisis; their guests are Joshua Evans of the Affordable Housing Solutions Lab and writer/researcher Eric Rice, who is working on a project with Taproot to help us better understand the housing system. Tickets are free.This episode was brought to you by Inventures, the breakthrough innovation event from Alberta Innovates that is happening in Calgary from May 29 to 31. Inventures will bring more than 4,000 entrepreneurs, startups, scale-ups, academics, investors, and industry leaders together to cultivate relationships, showcase emerging technologies, and capitalize on Alberta's innovation advantage.
Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!



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We speak with Eddie Robar, the interim city manager at the City of Edmonton, about what he plans to do for the time he'll be in the role.
Since recording this episode, the Alberta government reversed its decision to cut its share of funding for low-income transit passes in Edmonton and Calgary following public backlash and discussions with the cities’ mayors.
Here are the relevant links for this episode:
Eddie Robar
Eddie Robar on LinkedIn2015: Halifax Transit Manager Eddie Robar latest city executive to leave for greener pastures2016: Back on track: Edmonton hires new transit managerNews Release: City Council names Eddie Robar as Interim City ManagerEddie Robar named interim City of Edmonton manager while permanent replacement soughtNew interim Edmonton city manager Eddie Robar focusing on improving work culture after tense labour disputeLow-income transit pass
Alberta government cuts funding for Edmonton, Calgary low-income transit pass, mayors sayProvince reverses decision to cut funding for low-income bus passes in Calgary and EdmontonRapid fire
News Release: Alberta's vision for passenger railNews Release: New EPark mobile payment in effect todayBrett Kissel curse? Radio host starts petition to stop singer from performing anthem at Oilers playoff gamesSpeaking Municipally Live
May 30: Speaking Municipally Live: Untangling the housing knotThis episode is brought to you by NAIT. Celebrating the impact of its grads on the community, NAIT announces this year's award recipients who are visionaries, community-builders, trailblazers and more. See their impact at nait.ca/celebrate.
Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!


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The spring budget adjustment has been finalized, and the final tax increase council arrived at was quite a bit higher than expected.
Here are the relevant links for this episode:
Spring SOBA
On the agenda: Potential tax increases, Windsor Park rezoning, supportive housingNews Release: City Council finalizes 2024 spring budget adjustmentsEdmonton sets 8.9 per cent property tax hike for 2024Edmonton city council needs to have a 'firmer backbone' over budget: Tim CartmellErin Rutherford: Financial stewardship is more than keeping taxes lowOpinion: Don't blame bike lanes for Edmonton's property tax hikeJoint Letter - Spring 2024 Supplemental Operating Budget AdjustmentPolice recruitment
Attrition is down. Recruitment is up.'On an upswing': Edmonton police seeing fewer officers leaving the force, more recruits2023: Edmonton Police Service sees jump in departing officers in 2022Keren Tang
Edmonton councillor at the centre of anonymous letter sent to province speaks outAlberta premier says 'anonymous letter' forwarded to Edmonton ethics commissionerBill 204
New bill allows Alberta government to set conditions for national urban park decisionsRegional Roundup: April 24, 2024Bill 20
Alberta bill gives cabinet power to remove municipal councillors, change or repeal bylawsRapid fire
Redevelopment plans in question after historic Edmonton air hangar gutted by fireEPSB: April 30 - Special Board MeetingHydrogen convention to bring world to regionSpeaking Municipally Live
May 30: Speaking Municipally Live: Untangling the housing knotEdmonton heritage
How Edmonton's first community archivist builds better recordsSpeaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!


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A new draft district policy has been released. Plus, Edmonton has added 100,000 people in the past two years, and some councillors are questioning if we can handle that growth.
Here are the relevant links for this episode:
Andre Corbould
Former Edmonton City Manager Joins Danchilla ConsultingDistrict Policy
News Release: City releases final draft of the District Policy and plans; offers information sessionsPopulation growth
Edmonton's population is booming and one city councillor wonders if we're readySigns of strain amid Alberta's population boomOpinion: How to build a better Edmonton in 2024Blatchford
Pace of building at Blatchford a concern for some on Edmonton city councilProgress on Blatchford development lacks clarity and targets, City of Edmonton audit report showsAudit reveals gaps in governance structure of Edmonton's climate goal delivery teamEdmonton Unlimited
Edmonton Unlimited hires new CEO from within city ecosystemRice Howard Way
Does Edmonton need a downtown entertainment district?Downtown Entertainment District | Engaged EdmontonRapid fire
Alberta's wildfire season has begun. Here's how its 500 new firefighters are preparing for itEdmonton transit union files 'bad faith' bargaining complaint with Alberta regulatorCKUA: Address To The CommunityUpcoming events
April 24: YEG Destination TechApril 24: The Climate Crisis is a Health CrisisApril 25: Machine Learning, Cults, and BirdsMay 2: YEG Startup Community AwardsSpeaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!


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Administration has recommended an 8.7% tax increase for 2024 citing increasing cost pressures. And no, cutting bike lane funding won't fix that. Plus, we dig into transit oriented development, the nighttime economy, and bike lane infractions on 102 Avenue.
Here are the relevant links for this episode:
Spring budget adjustments
April 11, 2024: City releases proposed spring operating budget adjustmentsFeb. 29, 2024: Statement on 2023 Financial ResultsNov. 28, 2023: City Council confirms fall budget adjustmentsOct. 26, 2023: City releases fall budget adjustmentsPIA Statement on Taxes and Payments Owed to the City of EdmontonCouncillor Michael Janz: If the UCP reversed reductions, your property tax could be 7% lowerApril 23 City Council meeting agendaTOD analysis
As Ottawa pushes for density near transit, research shows Edmonton has challengesBike lane infractions
Bad driving or poor design? A downtown Edmonton intersection is a case studyNighttime economy
City plan looks to build dynamic, thriving nighttime economy in EdmontonExecutive committee reportCity of Edmonton invests up to $5 million to infuse new activity and vibrancy into the downtown coreHudson's patio
Edmonton pub's popular Whyte Ave patio stuck in 'nightmare' bureaucratic limboRapid fire
'I have a problem with all of it': Service Alberta minister sets sights on jumbo jugs of vodkaOSFM parking lot postHundreds watch eclipse at Edmonton observatoryThis episode was brought to you by the Edmonton Community Foundation which presents Estate Administration Week from April 15 to 19. With information sessions led by volunteer lawyers, the week will empower you to know what to do when you find yourself named the executor of a loved one's estate. The week culminates with a rousing game of Jeopardy! (Estate Administration Edition), led by estate lawyers Michael Simons and Allison Barkwell on April 19. All of the session are free — even Jeopardy!
Speaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!


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Katz gets the parking lots of his dreams. Plus, we discuss city manager recruitment and Mayor Sohi’s response to the province's gracious offer to help stabilize the City of Edmonton’s finances.
Here are the relevant links for this episode:
City manager
Eddie Robar named interim City of Edmonton manager while permanent replacement soughtAdam Laughlin's postSohi's letter
Edmonton mayor asks Premier Danielle Smith to restore municipal fundingMayor Sohi's letter'On standby to help': Alberta Premier Danielle Smith concerned with turmoil at Edmonton city hallDanielle Smith says province 'ready to assist' with Edmonton's fiscal challenges as city manager exitsDavid Staples: Province considers move to 'audit and stabilize' the City of Edmonton, say government officialsApril 1st, 2024 - Councillor Michael JanzParking lots
Edmonton city council grants extension to agreement for surface parking lots near arenaAgenda item April 02, 2024EPark
News Release: New EPark mobile payment system easier, quicker and more convenientEdmonton switches parking payments to HotSpot from EParkReddit post: PSA: Cash out your MyEPark balanceCapital Line
News Release: City names preferred bidder for Capital Line South LRT constructionConstruction Notice - Demolition of former NAIT LRT StationPublic art
Edmonton's public art strategy moves past 1% solutionRapid fire
Lots of new animals are heading for your city, study suggestsCity of Edmonton and CSU 52 ratify new Collective AgreementOilers fan known as 'McMullet' drives 8 hours to watch every gameSpeaking Municipally is produced by Taproot Edmonton, a source of curiosity-driven original stories, curated newsletters on various topics, and locally focused podcasts, all in the service of informing Edmontonians about what is going on in their community. Sign up to get The Pulse, our weekday news briefing. It's free!


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