My first State of the City address
After six months in office, I would like to share my vision for our city and tell you more about how the Edmonton I know faces its challenges.
The State of the City address is a longstanding tradition where each Mayor reflects on their progress and presents future plans to make Edmonton a great place to live, grow, and invest. When I was a councillor, I listened to these speeches looking for hope and a guiding message that would stick with me for the year. If there is one thing you take away from my first address, I want it to be that Edmonton is a city of possibilities. When we work together, when we support each other and lift each other up, we make the impossible possible.
I hope that this vision for our collective future stays with you through the rest of 2022. I know that by implementing our economic action plan, fast-tracking our reconciliation strategies, investing in a wholistic childcare strategy, surpassing our affordable and supportive housing goals, boosting our creative economy, and leading the world in clean energy and sustainable development, we can help all Edmontonians thrive as we emerge from these difficult years.
But, this can only happen if we find allies in our provincial government. Chronically underfunding Edmonton is not the way to build a strong province. In the last provincial budget, the Edmonton area received only one-third of the infrastructure investments compared to what our neighbour to the south received. I will always stand up for Edmonton and get a fair deal for all of us.
I am ready for what the next six months will bring. And Edmontonians are ready to face these challenges in the only way we know how: together.
Watch my full speech above or click here to view on YouTube.
