City of Edmonton Councillor Anne Stevenson introduced a motion on Wednesday to reconsider funding ($37 million) that was going to benefit some private interests and hopefully divert it to initiatives like social housing and safety in the downtown core.
January 21, 2022
Mayor Sohi and Members of City Council,
RE: Station Lands Motion
The Coalition of Edmonton Civic Unions supports Councillor Stevenson’s upcoming motion to cancel two capital profiles related to Station Lands, freeing up $37 million of capital funding. Further to this, we would encourage Council to reallocate those dollars to other vital projects that could help to revitalize and make the downtown core safer and more welcoming for the citizens who work and live in the area.
Specifically, we believe that $37 million should be redirected to support safety and housing initiatives in the downtown core. As you are aware, many of our members work in these areas and face safety concerns on a daily basis. Council has an opportunity to invest these funds in projects that will help support the local economy and create a safer and more vibrant downtown core for folks who work and visit there.
Addressing the social needs that face downtown will have many benefits both for our members and for the public so again, we urge you to support Councillor Stevenson’s motion and reallocate this funding to initiatives that will improve the quality of life for people in downtown Edmonton.
Sincerely,
Steve Bradshaw
President, ATU Local 569
Eric Lewis
President, CUPE Local 30
Steve Southwood
Business Manager, IBEW Local 1007
Lanny Chudyk
President, CSU 52
Greg Rehman
President, EFFU Local 209