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City to hold event today to crowdsource revenue ideas from residents

Pierre Rocque, a community relations advisor at the City of St. Albert, said the city has already conducted earlier brainstorming events with stakeholder groups, such as the chamber of commerce, which have resulted in what he estimates to be around 150 to 200 collected concepts.
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St. Albert will hold an event over Zoom today (Thursday) to crowdsource ideas for new revenue streams to help maintain current service and maintenance levels in the face of a funding shortfall.

The city is hoping the public will come up with a few "grand ideas" on how it can make money to cover funding shortfalls at a virtual meeting tonight (Aug. 5).

The virtual event at 7 p.m. tonight on Zoom is open to all residents who would like to share their thoughts on new revenue streams to upkeep service and maintenance in the community. 

Pierre Rocque, a community relations advisor at the City of St. Albert, said that because the city’s administrative staff is focused on the work they’re already doing, they “don't always get the opportunity to think of grand ideas” that could include previously unexamined methods of revenue generation. 

“We’re going to residents who may have a different perspective,” Rocque said. “We have a lot of smart people in St. Albert, so it'd be beneficial for us to ask all those people if they have a great idea.”

The event will begin with a brief presentation giving context about the financial situation the city is facing before opening the floor to attendees. 

Rocque said new revenue generation streams could help the city avoid substantial tax increases over the next few years. 

"We're currently looking at probably a four- to five-per-cent tax increase to cover the shortfall, though we have some COVID-19 relief funding from the province that will offset that for a couple years,” Rocque said. 

To offset every one-per-cent tax increase, $1.2 million in revenue will have to be generated, the city said on its public engagement event page.

“We just want to make sure taxes aren't increasing at an amount that residents aren't expecting,” Rocque said. “We either maintain our service levels and find money through revenue generation and evaluating and reducing service levels, or we increase our taxes.”

In addition to a pre-existing shortfall in repair, maintenance, and replacement (RMR) funds, a council committee heard in the spring that the province is looking at reducing Municipal Sustainability Initiative funding, in addition to removing a freeze on education property taxes. 

In the past year, the city paid for and received a $1-million operational and fiscal review from consulting firm Ernst & Young. The review examined current programs and service levels and looked for ways to cut back on spending. 

Additionally, the city is pursuing alternative sources of revenue with the approval of the project charter for a new solar farm, and a business case for a potential energy corporation to come before the next council in 2022. 

Rocque said the city has already conducted earlier events for idea generation with stakeholder groups, such as the chamber of commerce, which have resulted in what he estimates to be around 150 to 200 collected ideas.

After the city collects the ideas, Rocque said they will be assessed for whether the city would be allowed to pursue them legally within the Municipal Government Act, the risk associated with them, and the feasibility of the ideas.

“We’ll look at whether it’s a great idea long-term, or if it’s just a short-term Band-Aid,” Rocque said. 

For those who are unable to attend the event, Rocque said residents are also encouraged to leave their ideas on the city’s online forum.

“We’re not just looking for feedback during the time this event takes place,” Rocque said. “If you have an idea, we're always willing to listen, and explore its feasibility as a way for the city to generate more revenue.”

Those who would like to attend can sign up on the city’s website.

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