It is astounding to me that Cathy Heron posted the following on her Facebook page in May 2017 prior to becoming St. Albert’s mayor: “Today I attended the State of the City address in Edmonton. It was wonderful to see so many people from St. Albert in attendance. One of Mayor Don Iveson’s key messages? Regional collaboration can, and has, benefited everyone in the region. He spoke at length about how a region of 1.3 [million] people with an 88 billion economy can draw far more business growth together than we can apart.”
With a fluffy optimism and naiveté which would make Mary Poppins look like a hard-nosed realist, Heron blithely overlooks (again in the news 2018):
1. The fact that the CRB (Capital Region Board) was basically a disaster for the smaller municipalities and they quit because Edmonton held all the voting power and looked after Edmonton alone – so that at the moment, the entire concept of regional development through the CRB is in a hiatus of a sort since officially the CRB has been designated the lead in Economic Development, Transportation, Infrastructure, and Land Use as presented by the NDP government.
2. The fact that the CRB program of increased densification of existing neighbourhoods (which was designed by unelected officials who are not answerable to St. Albert) is going to negatively impact the many beautiful St. Albert neighbourhoods. In the future, when the people object to this destruction of their neighbourhoods, we are going to be told it’s a CRB decision and city council has no control over this now. In fact, even now, none of the citizenry in St. Albert have been asked if they wish to be part of the Capital managing their future city. Or, that at this point, there appears to be no “notwithstanding” avenue in which to abstain from the larger populous of Edmonton weighty numbers and influence.
3. There is absolutely no reason to believe that carrying the water can for Edmonton will in any way benefit St. Albert: economically, culturally, land density wise, while losing our one and only potentially break-even bus runs to colleges and university.
If the structure and method of operating of the CRB is any indication of the future that is now, Heron’s bubbly bouquet of beatitudes still has no foundation in reality. I cannot imagine what St. Albert will have to pay and lose with such a representation. What I could not imagine that such leadership is still on our council, and what our community design and standard of living will be with singular Capital thinking.
As I wrote nearly two years ago: All of the foregoing leads to a central question which every voter should answer before any future election: “If the interests of the Capital Region/Edmonton conflict with those of St. Albert ... do you actually think Cathy Heron has the moxie, business experience and the intestinal fortitude to stand up and be counted for St. Albert? Does she really think St. Albert first, second and last? Or, is it just another notch for some political gain and forget about us, the taxpayer and employer? Well, you got the answers recently – no, no, no.
As well, will the councillors (Heron – now mayor, Brodhead – re-elected), assigned to matters of Transportation, Land Use and Infrastructure stand up for St. Albert? Answer – No. Or, will they be, as always, folding to the greater powers of Metro Edmonton – the Capital Region? Answer – still no.
Has Councillor Brodhead improved the cost-effectiveness of St. Albert’s transportation (per bus/per rider/ per capita)? No. However, the efforts are continuing in very poor stewardship of St. Albert taxpayers’ money.
Will our current council members on the Transportation Committee continue to give away the only money-making routes (U of A and Edmonton-based colleges)?
Just asking!
John L. Goldsmith, St. Albert
