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What We Have Accomplished Together

I love this city. That’s how I launched my campaign when I decided to run for Mayor almost four years ago. This city has given me so much. And I am honoured to serve my city in every way that I can: as an ETS bus driver, a City Councillor, a Member of Parliament and federal Minister, and now as Mayor.

When my Council colleagues and I were elected in 2021, many of us hardly knew each other. This is a historic Council — the most diverse in Edmonton’s history. Together, we have navigated unprecedented times: recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, navigating an affordability crisis, supporting record growth, all while ensuring Edmontonians receive top-quality municipal services. And, together, we have taken action on the priorities Edmontonians care about most like economic growth, housing affordability, public safety, anti-racism and reconciliation, climate action, and protecting the municipal services that we rely on.

We are building the housing and infrastructure our city needs.

Together with my colleagues, I approved many actions that are making it easier, faster, and cheaper to build the housing our city needs. Edmonton is being celebrated as a national leader for our efforts.

Actions like our new Zoning Bylaw, rapidly preparing surplus school sites for affordable housing development, affordable housing grants, forgoing property taxes for affordable housing providers, automated permitting, and our ambitious Affordable Housing Strategy are making a real difference in building the housing Edmonton needs.

More affordable housing units have been developed in the past four years than in the previous decade. And we have made meaningful strides to keep housing affordable for all of us.

We have invested in the municipal public services that Edmontonians rely on.

Strong services make strong cities. The services our city provides — roads, parks, buses, fire stations, libraries — directly impact the lives of Edmontonians. We’ve invested in transit, we’ve increased library hours, invested in new recreation centres, and we’ve increased funding to our snow and ice programs.

It hasn’t been easy. City Council was faced with managing the challenge of high inflation, supply chain disruptions, changes in transit ridership patterns, and record population growth.

Together, we have weathered these challenges while still providing affordable services when Edmontonians needed them most.

We have protected and built a strong and resilient economy.

Edmonton’s economy is recovering from a challenging period — and the future is bright. Together with business and industry leaders, I have worked hard to build an economy that works for all of us.

We are growing our economy by attracting industrial investment. By growing our industrial tax base, we reduce pressure on residential taxes, while bringing good-paying, middle-class jobs and growing our economy. We are young, educated and growing, with access to the best institutions, the brightest minds, and the most innovative of sectors.

We have taken ambitious steps to better service small businesses and invest in entrepreneurs in Edmonton. We are reducing red tape and speeding up permitting and approvals, making it easier to do business in Edmonton. And Edmonton is being recognized around the country for our work reducing barriers to economic development and business growth.

And we’re building sustainable communities to prepare for the future. This council has invested more in climate action than any council previously. Diversifying our economy and creating new sustainable jobs.

We have become a more welcoming, inclusive and accessible city.

Anti-racism and reconciliation help create a city where everyone belongs. We approved our Anti-Racism Strategy, and in partnership with the community, the City created the Anti-Black Racism Action Plan. Our Anti-Racism grants have supported more than 140 projects addressing racism in the community. We have created a foundation but there is still much work to be done.

I am deeply proud of the commitment this Council has shown to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. We have strengthened our relationship with First Nations partners, grown our city’s Indigenous Reconciliation Office, created opportunities to learn from the City’s Elders Circle, provided operating funding to grassroots Indigenous organizations, developed a TRC Municipal Response Plan and a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) Action Plan.

We are making Edmonton safer for all of us.

Everyone deserves to feel safe and welcome in our city. Together with Council, I have made necessary investments to protect our public safety.

We have implemented a Downtown and Transit Safety Plan, which has seen an increase in peace officers and social workers in our transit system. Our investments in crisis diversion teams connect our vulnerable populations to support systems.

We’ve added more funding for police officers and peace officers, we’re taking action on derelict and problem properties, created a bylaw to regulate the sale of bear spray and we’ve banned the sale of knives at convenience stores,

And we’re seeing results — crime in Edmonton is down 25% from the peak in 2018/19.

We have stood up for Edmonton.

I called for fair treatment for Edmonton, and the provincial government listened. They’ll pay their full share of property taxes, they more than doubled the number of shelter spaces in Edmonton, increased operating funding to affordable housing and they’ll fund the low-income transit pass. They’re making investments in our downtown that will get us closer to matching their investments in Calgary.

During this term we have secured federal funding to plant trees, rapidly build permanent supportive housing, neighborhood level amenities, and much more, including the $175M investment in increasing housing supply in Edmonton through the Housing Accelerator fund.

It goes to show — when you engage in evidence-based, consistent advocacy and work hard to build respectful working relationships, we can work together to get the job done.

The future looks bright.

As I reflect on the last few years, I feel pride in what we’ve accomplished together. And I feel optimistic about what the future will bring.

For me, Canada is a special place where a working-class immigrant like me can unlock his potential, have a good life and serve his fellow Canadians.

But there is work to do. Today, our country is facing unprecedented times. President Trump is attacking our sovereignty, our jobs, our business and our way of life. Edmonton stands firmly behind team Canada as our country faces an unexpected existential threat from our closest friend. Given the threat of disruption, both from tariffs and beyond, it is imperative that Edmontonians — and all Canadians — use every tool at our disposal to defend our economy, support our local businesses, and protect our people.

Our future looks brighter now than it ever has before. And together, we are building a city that we can all be proud to call home.