Regional leaders respond to Iveson’s ‘passionate’ call for sharing costs

Days after declaring “the free ride is over” for neighbouring communities, Edmonton’s mayor said Monday it would be better to focus on financial facts, not feelings.

Mayor Don Iveson was following up on comments he made last Friday during city council’s budget deliberations in the midst of a debate about how to cover the cost of a $39-million Edmonton Valley Zoo upgrade and the price of new recreation centres. He said Edmonton should put “every single thing ” that benefits recreation and tourism beyond the borders of Edmonton on the table for possible shared funding.

That quickly got a reaction from municipal leaders in cities such as St. Albert and Leduc, eager to point out what they already contribute to the region.

“I got very passionate in the context of one particular large spend that was being put all before Edmonton city council,” Iveson said Monday in an interview with reporters.

But neighbouring mayors said the use of facilities is not one-sided.

“We have Servus Place, and 32 per cent of its memberships belong to Edmonton residents, so it goes both ways. I personally do not want to build a zoo in St. Albert. I do build swimming pools and ice rinks and libraries that (other) residents that come into my municipality do use,” St. Albert Mayor Cathy Heron said in a phone interview.

“We know residents from outside our region will use our facilities and their user fees will go towards our operating costs,” Leduc Mayor Bob Young said in a written statement.

Heron also said she understands why the budget debate got heated.

“You have a rough day, and you’re faced with a budget like that … it’s not easy, and everybody is strapped for money,” she said.

She also said in a Saturday morning social media post that, “there has been no discussion with Edmonton about our residents paying taxes to Edmonton, and under no circumstances will I ever support such an idea.”

The province has given municipalities and counties two years to come to an agreement on sharing the cost of recreational facilities and other public services after changes were made to the Alberta Municipal Government Act.

“Edmonton and St. Albert need to sit down and have a conversation. We’re mandated to have this conversation,” Heron said.

Iveson said he wants to look at all of the costs and benefits of being neighbours.

“I think fundamentally people in this region want to live borderlessly. We’re willing to talk to St. Albert to see where Edmontonians are driving the costs for them, willing to talk to Sherwood Park about the same thing, willing to talk to the counties about all of that,” Iveson said.