Danielle Smith says province 'ready to assist' with Edmonton's financial challenges as city manager exits
CBC
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says her government is standing by to help Edmonton with its financial challenges — if they ask — while political scientists and at least one city councillor say the province is in large part to blame for the state of affairs.
"We stand by ready to assist if they would like to ask us for assistance," Smith said at a press conference Wednesday where she fielded questions from news reporters on several topics.
In an operating budget update two weeks ago, Edmonton city administration showed a $48.3 million deficit for the end of 2023.
Smith's comments about Edmonton's situation were also spurred by the announcement five days ago that Edmonton's city manager, Andre Corbould, is resigning after fewer than four years on the job.
Corbould is the sixth senior manager on the city's executive leadership team to leave their position in the past year.
"That's a sign that has us concerned about stability," Smith said.
City administration attributes the deficit to population growth, inflation, interest rates and sluggish growth in retail sales.
Some say the Alberta government is in large part to blame for Edmonton's financial state.
Paul Kellogg, a professor at Athabasca University's Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies, said the problems stem from a long-term decline in funding.
"Every city requires significant support from the provinces," Kellogg said in an interview with CBC News Wednesday. "And if there's a province that's reluctant to support cities, which I think is the case with the UCP government, then there can be real problems internally in the cities."
The province is responsible for health care and social services, including mental health, addictions and shelter spaces.
Not enough is funnelled through to municipalities, despite the province's plentiful resources, Kellogg said.
"Those resources have been strangled by a long-term set of policies from the province, until that's addressed, we're going to have problems internally," Kellogg noted.
Ward Papastew Coun. Michael Janz said, if the province was serious about helping, they'd reinstate funding to municipalities that they've scaled back over the past five years.
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