We need to start investing in our city’s infrastructure and servicing of lands to gain a return on our investment for the long-term while the interest rates to borrow the money are low.
We have billions of dollars in new development of our lands waiting to be started, with patience drawing thin by all invested parties. Our city sits at a traffic-like gridlock for years to progressively move forward with the north (Triple Five projects) northwest (Rampart Avenir/SAS projects ) and downtown redevelopment that was pitched by Urban Strategies with developers looking to build to these specifications. The City of St. Albert should not be a municipality where tax dollars are buried into a blackhole, but to invest in 20-year capital projects, to run the City of St. Albert like a business, where shareholder value is important (the St. Albert citizens’ investment and tax dollars), where we can identify business opportunities that will produce the profitability and sustainability of long-term financial gains from the new residential and non-residential tax bases established.
We need to start this process tomorrow, not 10, 20 or even 40 years from now, the amount of time the city would need to raise taxes to find the cash flow needed to move ahead on these projects. Let us begin by securing funding through the provincial treasury at a low interest rate to complete Ray Gibbon Drive stage three, service the north and northwest lands with roadways, water, sewers, and initiate specific funding for the downtown area redevelopment plan, with future considerations for the Anthony Henday Drive ramps in the southeast of St. Albert.
So how do we, as shareholders, see a return on our investment of these large city expenditures? This can be realized from the revenue collected:
• Through city-imposed levies upon build out to the buyer through the developer to offset extra costs on servicing the lands;
• On the new residential and non-residential tax base; on starting a municipal treasury department at city hall to issue Alberta-based RRSP investment (as per the City of Edmonton’s plan) and St. Albert Capital Bonds (as per the Province of Alberta’s plan) for vested parties to contribute directly to the success of St. Albert’s future, while maxing out on their personal RRSP contributions and bond thresholds;
• On the city looking for private leasers/funders, (as per an Ontario government plan to assist financially in developing their infrastructure and roadway systems);
• On lobbying the province and federal government to repay our out-of-pocket expenses for Ray Gibbon stage three and Anthony Henday Drive ramps that benefits Alberta, Edmonton and the surrounding area for the long-term connecting to our oilsands (Fort McMurray) in the north.
The city needs to adjust the municipal development plan (MDP) to initiate servicing the lands, start accepting the area structure plans for the north and northwest. Engage the Bill Holtbys (and administration) to work on the specifics and technicalities of a successful plan and execution for effective and efficient delivery for the city. As city administration is working hard to make this happen, city council’s job should then shift their focus on meeting with the Edmonton city council to start annexing lands with Edmonton, thus to expand Campbell Business Park and the lands west of the Anthony Henday Drive that borders Edmonton and St. Albert. St. Albert will then be able to see other potentials for non-residential with retail box stores in these areas needed for annexation.
James Van Damme, St. Albert
