Ray Gibbon Drive, annexation, economic development, taxes … St. Albertans will learn where their elected representatives’ priorities lie when council embarks on next week’s two-day strategic planning session.
There are, of course, a plethora of issues for council to tackle; everything from promoting diversity and inclusion to adding sewer capacity for non-residential development. While there are many files council will need to deal with, there are a few priorities that are more important than others.
The annexation of a portion of Sturgeon County will have profound effect on the future growth of the city. It involves a huge piece of land – more than 2,000 hectares – and it needs to be done right, for both Sturgeon County and St. Albert. The annexation is crucial to St. Albert’s future economic growth, and with a new county council in place, it is uncertain where the negotiations could lead.
The twinning of Ray Gibbon Drive has been a priority for years, both to relieve traffic congestion and to spur development in the new Lakeview Business District. Past councils have been involved in advocacy, but this council will need to decide whether it wishes to get the project started by fronting the cost of the first phase of the project.
Economic development is something every municipality in the province can claim to be a top priority, but for St. Albert, it is critical. The city has been moving towards a tax assessment split of 80 per cent residential and 20 per cent non-residential for years, but the need to amp up the pace is now. Aging infrastructure, the lack of non-residential shovel-ready land, and a growing list of needed, but unfunded, capital projects are all putting the squeeze on the city. If council doesn’t address economic development in a serious way, the taxes residents will be asked to pay in the coming years will not be palatable.
St. Albert has a need for new facilities in several areas, including the three included on the plebiscite. While the aquatics facility was approved by voters, both additional library space and another ice surface are among the facilities our growing city needs. Council will need to decide what's needed, when it will be built and how it will be funded. We cannot simply continue to push projects onto the unfunded list forever.
Given the economic restraints the city faces, it will be interesting to see what this council considers priorities for the future and how to follow through. There’s little benefit in creating a list of ‘wants’ without a plan to deliver.
Ask seven random people what the city’s priorities should be and you might get seven different answers. We’ve seen a variety of promises and priorities from the last election campaign, but now it’s time for council members to get down to business. St. Albertans will have a better idea of what this council stands for after next week’s session.
