BUSINESS GROUP CALLS FOR AMALGAMATION
It’s time for Edmonton to consider amalgamating its neighbouring communities, says the head of the city’s chamber of commerce.
President and CEO James Cumming raised the contentious idea Wednesday in a speech at the Realtors Association of Edmonton conference at the Expo Centre.
“We need to have a grownup conversation and review about amalgamation. We should have that conversation now and we should be ready to make decisions about amalgamation by 2015.”
Rising taxes and publicservice costs pose a threat to the region’s competitiveness and its capacity to attract companies. In addition, the patchwork way things are done now in the region doesn’t make economic sense, he said.
“Rising taxes are impacted further by a question of fairness — fairness, in which one municipality bears the cost.”
He gave the example of an interchange under construction at the Queen Elizabeth 2 Highway and 41st Avenue SW, which he called a critical regional transportation project.
“The project costs $205 million. The feds kicked in $75 million, the province ponied up $57.5 million and the City of Edmonton ponied up $72.5 million.
“Leduc contributed 7,000 bucks for a study. Nisku and Leduc businesses are going to grow because of better access from that exchange but the municipality didn’t contribute.”
The chamber is passing on a recommendation to the Alberta government that it investigate the costs and implications of amalgamation in the Edmonton region.
Another recommendation calls for greater powers for the Capital Region Board when it comes to jointly planning economic development, transportation, utilities and natural resource planning and decision-making. Elected representatives from the region’s 24 municipalities sit on the board, which was created to plan for growth.
The current system isn’t working, Cumming said.
“Right now, our economy loses without having a simple, single funding agreement. Our economy loses by not having a strong voice marketing our region to outside investors and right now, people live with poor infrastructure planning.
“Imagine if we only had 15 politicians running the region as they do in Calgary with the same population base instead of the 162 that we have.”
Cumming later told reporters amalgamation could include combining all regional municipalities into one super-city, Edmonton absorbing portions of the region or different funding models.
Cumming’s comments received a frosty reception from rural mayors also attending the Realtors’ conference.
“Some of the details James has put out there, I don’t agree with for obvious reasons and some stuff went on behind the scenes which I’ll call (expletive deleted) politics by a number of entities over the years and this has gone on over a while,” said Leduc County Mayor John Whaley, who did not elaborate.
“I’ve been talking about regionalization and cooperation in the region for the last three years, trying to get other communities to buy into it and a lot of communities are willing to buy into this.
“Certainly, our bigger neighbour to the north is struggling with our concept, I believe.”
“We’ve seen amalgamation attempts in the past and I think the Toronto Greater Area is a great example, where they have been failed experiments,” said Parkland County Mayor Rod Shaigec.
“There’s been comments made by elected officials from the City of Edmonton that they are the only municipality in the region that has the expertise to undertake planning for the region. I think if you take a look at history, take a look at some of the developments where the city did undertake that, it’s come at a huge cost.
“We do need to retain our autonomy and work together for the benefit of our residents and the businesses in the region.”
Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson downplayed the issue of amalgamation.
“My read of it, is if we’re unable to work together, then that’s what (the chamber) would want to pursue,” Iveson said.
“I think their first message is the important one, which is that they want the (Capital Region) Board to look at joint economic development and infrastructure planning more effectively — which I agree with.
“I don’t think amalgamation is desirable to pursue at this point when we’re trying to work together in good faith through the Capital Region Board.”
Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Ken Hughes did not say whether he supported or opposed amalgamation.
“There are a lot of big challenges that we face in the Capital area, immense growth challenges,” Hughes said.
“I look forward to working with everybody who’s involved in this, to try to address concerns with the ultimate outcome that we’re trying to deliver services to people in our respective jurisdictions.”