That’s the premise city council is working from as it tries to kick start development on the western edge of St. Albert. At their last meeting, councillors unanimously passed a motion to look at fast-tracking a major sewer project to encourage development in South Riel and other areas of west St. Albert.
The price tag for the project is estimated at $26 million – money that isn’t in the city’s 2015 budget. If council does forge ahead with the project, it will have to find a way to fund it, with borrowing the money (something that’s counterintuitive to a debt-averse council) or taking it from reserves as two possibilities.
How the city chooses to fund the sewer line is almost immaterial with borrowing and saving rates near zero. The project needs to be done, and council deserves credit for recognizing that. Some landowners in the area have big plans, including an urban village and an industrial park, and a sewer line will expedite both. Such decisions by council help shed St. Albert’s image as a nonbusiness-friendly city.
