Up for debate this week is the extension of downtown Edmonton’s Community Revitalization Levy (CRL). It’s a unique policy tool that has already helped shape billions in private investment, new housing, and landmark public spaces. Now, a proposed amendment to extend the CRL to 2044 and add new projects is before Council, and I support it.

But if you live in Ward Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi, you might be asking:
“Why should we care about what happens downtown?”
That’s a fair question, and one worth answering clearly.

It Helps Keep Taxes in Check

When downtown thrives, it pays dividends for the whole city. At one point, Edmonton’s downtown contributed over 10 percent of the city’s total property taxes, despite making up less than 1 percent of the land. That number has now fallen to around 5 percent.

When a key economic engine like downtown stalls, the tax burden doesn’t disappear. It shifts. That means more pressure on residents and businesses in neighbourhoods like ours. Reinvesting in downtown isn’t a luxury. It’s a way to relieve that pressure and grow the city’s base, so we can fund essential services without relying on repeated tax hikes - and I know from my time at the doors, this is an issue that is top of mind for residents. 

It’s Smarter Infrastructure Planning

The proposed projects make use of existing transportation, land, and utility networks, getting more out of what we’ve already built. That’s smarter than pushing new development outward, where infrastructure must be duplicated at higher cost. It also supports high-quality transit access and creates destinations that people from across Edmonton can access without needing a car.

By focusing growth inward, we stretch every dollar further. It’s an approach that makes financial and environmental sense.

It’s About Safer, More Vibrant Streets

Safety concerns downtown are real, and they affect how we feel about our entire city. When the heart of the city feels unwelcoming or unpredictable, it shapes perceptions far beyond the core. That’s why a key part of addressing those concerns is increasing vibrancy. We know, and we felt it first-hand with this incredible playoff run, that more people downtown helps not only in reality but in perception around safety. 

More events. More housing. More people working, walking, and enjoying public spaces. These are the things that tip the balance. A well-used space is a safer space. The Event Park, attainable housing, and public realm improvements included in this amendment are investments in activation and livability. They’re a vital part of building a safer, more welcoming downtown for everyone.

So What’s Actually Being Proposed?

The CRL is a special funding tool that allows the city to reinvest future tax growth from a specific area, rather than relying on new taxes, to fund catalyst infrastructure projects. Since 2015, the Downtown CRL has spurred over $4.7 billion in private investment and created more than 3,500 new homes in the core.

The amendment now under consideration will:

• Extend the CRL by 10 years (to 2044)
• Add six new strategic projects, including:
  • Build a new Event Park, a public-private venue that will host both large-scale concerts and accessible community programming, helping draw people downtown year-round.
  • Upgrade transit infrastructure and public space, improving transit corridors and streetscapes to increase accessibility, encourage active transportation, and better connect downtown to the rest of the city.
  • Launch a Brownfield Remediation fund, helping clean up long-neglected properties and remove redevelopment barriers, accelerating housing and commercial growth on underused land.
  • Introduce an Attainable Housing Incentive, offering below-market unit incentives in new buildings to support housing diversity and expand the city’s tax base, while bringing added density to an area with a clear path of support from both the public and Council.
  • Expand the Winspear Centre for Music, an iconic cultural investment that will boost Edmonton’s reputation as a performing arts destination and anchor additional downtown activity.
  • Advance infrastructure upgrades in the Village at ICE District, including streetscaping and utility improvements to unlock future residential development and enhance the public realm around Rogers Place.
    

Importantly, these investments are not new taxes. They’re paid for through the growth in property taxes already happening downtown.

This is the right step and one I hope to see our current council support - if not, a future Better Edmonton team will need to strategize on downtown’s future.