Keren Tang, Councillor for Ward Karhiio. Hello Ward Karhiio,It has been a busy month at City Council, with discussions on transit, affordable housing, our capital and operating funding shortfalls, and concrete ways to manage and restore fiscal health (which we continue to act on). While there are always more conversations to be had at the Council table about ways to improve service delivery and meet demands of growth, I want to share a few recent “wins” that have come from previous investments and policy decisions since the start of the term:The number of housing starts and residential building permits for 2024 is on track to beat the all-time record from 2015, with greater variety in housing types like apartments, row houses, or secondary suites. This follows key policy decisions like the Zoning Bylaw Renewal in 2023.ETS ridership has grown 14% in 2024, and is on track to move 60 million riders this year. More people are choosing transit after investments like Council funding an additional 120,000 service hours in 2023, and the Valley Line SE opening last year.Our recreation attendance is at an all time high, surpassing our pre-COVID peak by 29%. We are seeing more demand, and 2 new District Recreation Centres are under construction now to support growth – Coronation and Lewis Farms Recreation Centres.Edmonton is growing, and we are investing to make sure that we keep pace, but within our means. I will continue to advocate to ensure that Ward Karhiio has the infrastructure and amenities to support residents as we grow, while keeping the services you rely on affordable.Stay safe and healthy,Keren — In this edition:Reminders for Snow and Ice SeasonDo you know the rules around Fireworks?Permanent Clean Energy Improvement Program funding, and more!Ward Karhiio Update is an e-newsletter created by Keren Tang’s team to share Ward news, Council discussions relevant to the Ward, and community events and initiatives.Reminders for Snow and Ice Season  The temperature is dropping, so I wanted to share a few City-specific reminders as we head into Snow and Ice season.Parking Ban Notifications When heavy snow falls, the City declares a parking ban to help our crews clean the roads quickly and safely. These parking bans can be declared with 8 hours notice. I recommend signing up for the City’s Parking Ban Notification tool which will text or email you when crews will be in your area. Sign up at edmonton.ca/SafeTravels. You can also check out a Live Clearing and Parking Ban map here for roads, or the Active Pathways Clearing map here! Clearing sidewalks A reminder that residents and property owners are responsible for ensuring that sidewalks on and beside their properties are maintained all winter, to keep walking safe and accessible for everyone. Community Sandbox Program The sandbox program is returning to provide free, dry sand at designated locations. There are 100 public sandbox locations – find them at edmonton.ca/communitysandboxes. Winter Curbside Collection Schedule starts Oct 28 Starting the week of October 28, the City will collect food scraps carts every two weeks. This means alternating the cart that is put out – the black cart goes out one week and green the next. Recycling will be collected weekly. Visit edmonton.ca/waste to confirm your schedule, and make sure to clear snow on and around your cart. Assisted Snow Removal Pilot Program In April 2024, City Council approved a 2-year pilot to support low-income seniors and Edmontonians with disabilities and mobility challenges with their snow removal. Applications for Assisted Snow Removal are now open. Learn more about the eligibility requirements for this program, and how the service works here. The City is also partnering with Community Leagues for additional snow removal support – the Community Assisted Snow Removal Grant will open on November 1st. Reminder: ETS Sales of Paper Tickets and Passes Ends Nov 9  The Arc electronic fare payment system is now available for ALL ETS riders. With this transition to Arc complete, ETS will be discontinuing the sales of specific ETS fare products starting November 9 including:10 ticket packsFamily/Day passesMonthly paper transit passesPlease note: Pre-purchased tickets with an expiry date of December 31, 2023, and Family/Day passes with an expiration date of 2024 will continue to be accepted as valid fare on ETS until the end of 2025.Have questions about Arc? ETS is offering drop-in sessions at select City of Edmonton recreation centres and the Edmonton Service Centre to support riders, including helping with set up of Arc accounts. See edmonton.ca/ETSnews for upcoming dates.Clean Energy Improvement Program is now Permanent!  Back in 2022, the City of Edmonton launched a two-year Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP) Pilot Program which resulted in 60+ retrofitted properties. After the pilot’s success, CEIP is now permanent, bringing us another step closer to our goal of being a climate-resilient city! CEIP is an innovative approach to financing energy retrofits in residential, commercial and multi-unit residential buildings. Retrofits not only helps residents and businesses to take climate action, it also lowers their energy costs with more energy efficient improvements. Through CEIP, the City finances up to 100% of the upgrade’s cost at a competitive interest rate, which is then repaid conveniently through your regular property tax bill. Common upgrades include replacing windows and doors, adding insulation and installing solar PVs.If you are interested in learning more, visit: the City CEIP Website OR MyCEIP.ca.Do you know the rules around Fireworks?  With a few holidays coming up, I want to share a reminder about firework regulations so that we can all celebrate safely and enjoy. Fireworks can be EXTREMELY dangerous and disruptive if not used or handled correctly, and drains public resources when mishaps happen. In Edmonton, the use of any fireworks without approved permitting is illegal, including on neighbourhood streets, and is subject to enforcement, fines or prosecution. The Edmonton Fire Rescue Services team has created education on fireworks, permitting and safety at edmonton.ca/fireworks – I encourage you to read the resources (the info sheet is available in 9 languages) and share information with your neighbours.Camrose Casino Relocation Decision This month, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) approved the application to relocate the Capital City Casino from Camrose to South Edmonton. I am deeply disappointed by this decision, which myself and City Council wrote to AGLC in opposition of. I know many residents in Ward Karhiio, charitable organizations, and even some in the business community across Edmonton are feeling the same frustration. You can read my full statement on this decision on my blog.In Case You Missed It  Treat Accessibly this Halloween Many children living with disabilities are unable to participate in Trick-or-Treating due to simple barriers such as a step to the front door. The Treat Accessibly movement aims to make every community accessible at Halloween. Download the DIY Treat Accessibly Halloween Village Kit, to help create a more inclusive and accessible environment. Vision Zero School Kits are back The Vision Zero School Kit for the 2024/2025 school year is here. The kit includes educational resources, activities and tools to help teachers, students and parents learn about safety around schools, and start conversations around traffic safety contributing to livability. Learn more at edmonton.ca/VisionZeroSchoolKit. Apply today: Operating Grant for Indigenous-Led Organizations Applications are open now until December 18th for grant funding to support eligible Indigenous-led not-for-profit organizations in Edmonton, and the meaningful work that they do. Learn more at an upcoming Grant Information Session on November 7th, or on the City website. LaunchSTEM LaunchSTEM is a Non-Profit Organization that focuses on empowering a diverse range of students to gain interest in STEM related topics. LaunchSTEM has two program offerings: STEM Workshops for Public Schools & STEM Tutoring for students K-9. This organization was created and run by students – learn more at www.launchstem.org. 2024 Open Data Summit is in Edmonton! The Canadian Open Data Summit is in Edmonton on October 30 and 31. As part of the City of Edmonton’s Learning Month, check out a free session open to the public on “Increasing Housing Supply, Strengthening Collaboration and Building Data Capacity” on October 31 from 9:45-10:30AM. Learn more at opendatasummit.ca.On the BlogStatement: Casino Relocation in Ward KarhiioWard Karhiio Highlight: InnoTechFall 2024 NewsletterIn the NewsEdmonton adds nearly $1 million for Chinatown revival with festival and art funding (Edmonton Journal)Alberta and Edmonton at odds over data on homeless navigation centre (Edmonton Journal)Edmonton mayor’s letter to province asks for fair treatment in next year’s budget (CTV News)Alberta Gaming Regulator approved Camrose Casino relocation to Edmonton (CBC)More than 20 crashes on Valley Line train since southeast LRT leg opened (Edmonton Journal)Keren in the Community     From top left, clockwise: It was wonderful meeting so many Edmontonians at the Mill Woods Big Bin event – the last City big bin for the year. Big kudos to the Waste team for their efforts in putting on this much utilized City event. Happy Navaratri! I had a lovely time celebrating at the Garba night, and enjoying the beautiful music, dancing, food, and of course, community conversations.#TeamKarhiio participated in the REACH Edmonton Resource Connect. Events like this that connect people and organizations doing critical work in our social and non-profit sector are so invaluable.I had the honour of reading Tony’s Wheels with Tony Flores, the Canadian-Filipino para-athlete that the book is written about. We joined Read-In Week with students at Ellerslie Campus for a reading and some fun Q&A.Connect with me!keren.tang@edmonton.ca 780-496-8142 |
