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Calgary Herald
23-06-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Edmonton will suffer if this levy goes dry, say local business groups
Edmonton city council will hear from the public on Thursday and Friday before making a decision on whether it will extend the community revitalization levy (CRL) for another 10 years, bringing significant consequences for future investments in Downtown. Article content 'Extending the CRL is about making a generational investment in our city, and it directly responds to what we're hearing from local businesses. A vibrant Downtown isn't a nice to have. It's a must have,' said Edmonton Chamber of Commerce (ECC) president and CEO Doug Griffiths. Article content Article content Article content If the importance of the issue wasn't clear, the city's decision to allow two days of public hearings ahead of its vote on extending CRL is a strong signal of what's at stake. Proponents say it's the future of Downtown's revitalization, carrying implications for the future of the city as a whole. Opponents say the accompanying Oilers Event Park that's currently slated to come with the deal pumps public money into private businesses. Article content Article content The community revitalization levy allows municipalities to borrow money against future property tax revenues to help foster the development of critical infrastructure in a specific region. Article content According to the city's downtown action plan, Edmonton has used CRL funds to support the construction of Rogers Place, Warehouse Park, streetscape improvements and other city upgrades. In all, it said that funds invested from the CRL spurred billions in private investment, largely concentrated in the Ice District. Article content Article content The CRL's extension is important to the city because it is vital to moving forward with its downtown investment plan that largely hinges on the extension being approved. The city isn't the only ones who think the CRL is important to the future of the city, with the chamber, Edmonton Downtown Business Association, and Downtown Revitalization Coalition all announcing on Monday that the extension is paramount to the future of the city. Article content Article content 'Since 2015, the CRL has helped drive over $5 billion in Downtown investment,' said Heather Thomson, Edmonton Chamber of Commerce's vice-president of economy and engagement. Article content 'Edmonton is in competition right now with cities across Canada and North America for investment and businesses and people and talent, and right now we're losing, we're not winning. Extending the CRL is smart, responsible and urgent. I would like to urge city council to approve this extension to help Edmonton be at its best,' she said.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Edmonton will suffer if this levy goes dry, say local business groups
Edmonton city council will hear from the public on Thursday and Friday before making a decision on whether it will extend the community revitalization levy (CRL) for another 10 years, bringing significant consequences for future investments in Downtown. 'Extending the CRL is about making a generational investment in our city, and it directly responds to what we're hearing from local businesses. A vibrant Downtown isn't a nice to have. It's a must have,' said Edmonton Chamber of Commerce (ECC) president and CEO Doug Griffiths. If the importance of the issue wasn't clear, the city's decision to allow two days of public hearings ahead of its vote on extending CRL is a strong signal of what's at stake. Proponents say it's the future of Downtown's revitalization, carrying implications for the future of the city as a whole. Opponents say the accompanying Oilers Event Park that's currently slated to come with the deal pumps public money into private businesses. The community revitalization levy allows municipalities to borrow money against future property tax revenues to help foster the development of critical infrastructure in a specific region. According to the city's downtown action plan, Edmonton has used CRL funds to support the construction of Rogers Place, Warehouse Park, streetscape improvements and other city upgrades. In all, it said that funds invested from the CRL spurred billions in private investment, largely concentrated in the Ice District. The CRL's extension is important to the city because it is vital to moving forward with its downtown investment plan that largely hinges on the extension being approved. The city isn't the only ones who think the CRL is important to the future of the city, with the chamber, Edmonton Downtown Business Association, and Downtown Revitalization Coalition all announcing on Monday that the extension is paramount to the future of the city. 'Since 2015, the CRL has helped drive over $5 billion in Downtown investment,' said Heather Thomson, Edmonton Chamber of Commerce's vice-president of economy and engagement. 'Edmonton is in competition right now with cities across Canada and North America for investment and businesses and people and talent, and right now we're losing, we're not winning. Extending the CRL is smart, responsible and urgent. I would like to urge city council to approve this extension to help Edmonton be at its best,' she said. The three groups asked Edmontonians in favour of the extension to voice their support at Thursday's or Friday's public hearing. Part of the CRL's extension relates to a project proposed by the Alberta government in its 2025 Budget, tying the province's support for extending the CRL to the city using funds for Downtown projects connected with the Oilers Entertainment Group that the province said would contribute to the city's revitalization efforts. One vocal opponent of the extension due to its connection with Oilers Entertainment Group projects is Ward Papastew Coun. Michael Janz, who reaffirmed his disapproval on Monday. 'They're trying to do a deal behind closed doors and cut Edmontonians out, and I want them to be in,' said Janz. Last week, Janz suggested that in addition to the public hearing later this week, the question should be put to Edmontonians in a referendum to ensure that the city acts in line with what the people in the city want. 'This is how democracy works. We shouldn't be doing secret deals behind closed doors for one or two businesses. That's just wrong.' The public hearings begin at 9:30 a.m. Thursday and Friday. zdelaney@ Here's what's in Edmonton's draft deal with province for OEG event park and private development Edmonton businesses launch $427 million Downtown investment plan 'Ruthlessly fair': Alberta premier says Oilers Entertainment Group deal shows fairness for Edmonton and Calgary Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don't miss the news you need to know — add and to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here. You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.
Edmonton Journal
23-06-2025
- Business
- Edmonton Journal
Edmonton will suffer if this levy goes dry, say local business groups
Article content Edmonton city council will hear from the public on Thursday and Friday before making a decision on whether it will extend the community revitalization levy (CRL) for another 10 years, bringing significant consequences for future investments in Downtown. 'Extending the CRL is about making a generational investment in our city, and it directly responds to what we're hearing from local businesses. A vibrant Downtown isn't a nice to have. It's a must have,' said Edmonton Chamber of Commerce (ECC) president and CEO Doug Griffiths.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Debate watchers: Carney a 'classic' Progressive Conservative in Liberal clothing
Robbie Kreger-Smith doesn't see Mark Carney as a traditional Liberal leader. He sees Carney as a 'classic Progressive Conservative.' And, nothing from Thursday's federal leaders debate would change Kreger-Smith's opinion of the Prime Minister. Kreger-Smith oversees nine McDonald's restaurants in the region, and the construction of a couple more. He was one of the approximately 30 attendees at the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce's debate watch party, held at MKT Fresh Food | Beer Market in Old Strathcona. So, when Carney closed the debate by warning Canadians that U.S. president Donald Trump is not only trying to change the fundamentals of international trade, but is pressuring this country so Americans have unfettered access to our natural resources, the message landed. 'I'm just looking for a plan to try and mitigate the threats being faced by businesses in Alberta and Edmonton,' said Kreger-Smith. 'The prospect of tariffs is real. We import a lot of our products from the U.S. We have done a lot to try and insulate ourselves from that, but, at the end of the day, whether it's construction commodities et cetera, it's the old adage that we're a mouse laying next to an elephant.' He said the restaurants buy about 90 per cent of their materials and supplies from Canadian sources. But some of the construction materials needed can only be source from south of the border. With the Canadian and American economies being so integrated, the notion of 'Buy Canadian' can only go so far. Brendan Callander is MKT's manager. He said the majority of the restaurant's supplies come from Canadian sources, from local microbrews to the ingredients featured in the dishes. But, customers do love their Tennessee and Kentucky bourbons, and some plastic products are only available through American suppliers. Like Kreger-Smith, the tariff issue was top of mind for Callander. And, throughout the campaign, Carney's 'elbows up' messaging has landed. And he said he can't ignore the fact that Carney, as the head of the Bank of Canada, worked for former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper. 'He's got the experience, and it was Stephen Harper who appointed him to face the economic crisis. And (New Democrat) leader Jagmeet Singh hasn't said anything of substance in a couple of years.' Callander added that he simply can't trust Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, and feels a lot of the numbers that come out of his mouth need extensive fact-checking, The trust isn't there. While it is a small sample size, what was said at the Chamber event is an indication that, despite Poilievre's attempts to downplay Carney's role in helping the Harper government navigate the global financial crisis, people see Carney as a Liberal who has blue Tory blood in his veins. In attempts to support Poilievre, Harper has said that Jim Flaherty had much more influence as his finance minister than Carney did as the head of the bank. At least in terms of the Chamber event attendees, that message hasn't landed, either. The Chamber bills itself as a non-partisan organization. But it has put forward four key policy areas that it feels should be priorities for whoever forms the next federal government. The Chamber is pushing to create an 'investable economy,' to increase trade capacity, to improve productivity, and build critical infrastructure to better connect Edmonton businesses to other Canadians and the rest of the world. The debate began with talk about if Canada should invest in new pipelines, or if it should create a renewable energy grid from coast to coast. No matter if its oil and gas or a green grid, the fact that all the leaders were talking about the need for Canada to think east-west about energy rather than north south, well that was music to the ears of Christopher Martin, the Chamber's director of policy and government relations. 'In Edmonton, we're really trying to figure out what the next government will do to boost investment in critical trade infrastructure, which a lot of the candidates talked about,' he said. 'We were excited about that.' But there was a wild card on stage. While Carney reiterated his message of getting the federal government and the provinces to work together in a time of crisis, Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-Francois Blanchet doubled down on the idea that his province is not going to bend the knee in order to get a new pipelines built. He warned that Quebec was just at the beginning of a process to see if the general population has warmed to the idea of allowing a pipeline to run through the province. He warned that, even if approved, a pipeline wouldn't be completed until long after the Trump presidency had waned. And, in calling a pipeline a 'monstrosity' on national television, he certainly telegraphed his own views on the topic. 'I think every leader on that stage has different interests in mind,' said Martin. 'I think that whoever becomes our next government really has to figure out how they're going to create a unified voice and how do we create the trade infrastructure to go with our goals. That includes working with all of our provincial and federal leaders.' Who won the English-language leaders' debate? 'This debate is a TSN turning point': Political world reacts to 2025 Canadian leadership debate Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don't miss the news you need to know — add and to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here. You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.
CBC
13-02-2025
- Business
- CBC
Prairies Economic Development minister meets business leaders in Edmonton amid tariff threat
Alberta industry leaders are looking for ways to safeguard their operations, as they brace for the potential impact of looming U.S. tariffs. That was the message delivered Wednesday as federal officials, local politicians and Alberta business leaders from a variety of backgrounds gathered in Edmonton. Terry Duguid, the federal minister of sport and the minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, met with industry leaders at the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce Wednesday, to explore ways to protect Alberta businesses — particularly the construction and manufacturing sectors. U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian imports, with a lower 10 per cent tariff on Canadian energy, which have been pushed back until at least March 4. On Monday, Trump signed executive orders to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the United States, including Canadian products, starting March 12. Duguid said the closed roundtable discussions in Edmonton focused on hearing what construction and manufacturing sectors need to protect jobs and stay competitive during uncertain times. "We are here today to hear economic leaders in Edmonton and Alberta, and to discuss what we might do as the Canadian government to buffer them against some of these threats," said Duguid. "They are taking steps to diversify their businesses, to look at new supply chains and to look at the kinds of investments they need to make to remain resilient so we can get through this difficult period." He said that the federal government would take "forceful" action if tariffs are levied on Canadian businesses. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has previously pledged to respond with counter-tariffs on U.S. goods. Supporting local Some who attended Wednesday's meeting say the situation is an opportunity for Canadians to support local businesses. Bianca Parsons, executive director of the Alberta Food Processors Association, spoke positively about the resilience of Alberta's food and beverage industry. "This is an opportunity to promote made-in-Alberta products and inspire more consumers to buy local." But she added, "the threat of tariffs has triggered anxiety, particularly for those who rely on U.S-sourced ingredients and suppliers." Many are now looking for alternative suppliers and exploring opportunities to expand their domestic client base, she said. Edmonton Centre MP Randy Boissonnault was in attendance at the meeting. "Businesses like predictability and they like the knowledge that their future is certain and just the threat of tariffs are causing ripples through the supply chain," said Boissonnault. "This is the time more than ever to be building up our country, building up businesses, building up our infrastructure so that we can buy Canadian." Canada's premiers, including Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, had a meeting at the White House Wednesday, hoping to lobby against Trump's tariff threat. Smith reiterated the importance of improving border security to strengthen Canada-U.S. relations. "All of the premiers are doing our part to put specialized teams in place, make sure that we've got sniffer dogs, make sure we've got commercial vehicle units, work with the federal government on getting helicopters and border patrol," Smith told CBC News in Washington Wednesday. "We recognize fentanyl is a problem for us too. And we're doing everything we can to make sure we stamp it out in our communities." Some local businesses are already noticing an uptick in interest as Albertans look for ways to support their homegrown industries, said Parsons. "The chamber really tried to instil in all of us that this is an opportunity, that Edmonton has a lot to offer; and what a great chance to be able to show that to the rest of the world."
