Happy fall, everyone!

It seems like only yesterday we were celebrating Festa Italiana at Giovanni Caboto Park in the heat of summer! It was wonderful to see so many people coming together and connecting. I hope the return to school has been a good one, filled with excitement for new learning opportunities, reconnecting with friends, and settling into new routines.

As many of you may have been hearing, City Council is facing some tough budget discussions in the coming months. We are facing structural budget issues years in the making, high inflation costs, high growth pressures, and decreased Provincial support. I recognize that Edmontonians are stretched in what they can contribute to our community through property taxes. I’ll be looking to find ways to alleviate current pressures without shortchanging the services that best serve our city.

A good example of this happened recently at City Hall. Over the past year, we’ve seen tremendous growth in the demand for low income transit passes - surpassing 100,000 individual users. This rising need reflects the affordability pressures many Edmontonians continue to face, and it’s also one that’s creating a pressure in our City budget as our transit fare revenue hasn’t kept pace. City Council was presented with an option to increase low income fares, including doubling the cost of monthly seniors’ passes. I’m proud to have supported keeping rates as planned, with a modest $1-2 increase per month starting in January instead.

Choices like this ensure we’re not decreasing City budget pressures by transferring the burden onto Edmontonians in other ways. Keeping people on transit is also important for our city’s long-term viability. It helps individuals connect to jobs, supporting our local economy. It keeps more cars off the road, helping to decrease traffic congestion and our carbon emissions. And it helps ensure all Edmontonians can access the wealth of amenities and opportunities in our city. I believe we need to continue investing so that short-sighted decisions today don’t end up shortchanging our long-term prosperity.

I would welcome hearing from you about the upcoming budget or any other issues that are top of mind for you. Your input is invaluable in helping me understand the diverse needs of our community. Through ongoing dialogue and engagement, we can work together to create a better community for everyone. Please continue to reach out to my office anytime and, whether it’s by phone or online, 311 is also available to assist. 

Anne Stevenson, City Councillor for Ward O-day'min
Email: anne.stevenson@edmonton.ca
Phone: 780-496-8333