Interim city manager given role permanently, says priorities are city's finances

From left to right, Coun. Keren Tang, newly appointed city manager Eddie Robar, and Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi pose for a picture on Nov. 14, 2024, the day after Robar was announced to the position. (Matt Marshall / CTV News Edmonton)

After filling the role left unexpectedly vacant for eight months, Eddie Robar has been made Edmonton's city manager.

"I'm truly humbled by the support that I got through the first eight months I've been here," Robar said during a news conference Thursday morning.

"Having that support put me in that place where I knew this is something that I wanted to explore and continue on doing. And I'm excited about it. I'm excited about the opportunity that lies ahead of us. I'm not naive to the challenges that that represents, but really looking forward to hitting council's objectives and trying to get a better place for Edmontonians."

Robar became interim city manager in the spring when former city manager of three years Andre Corbould left the post.

Edmonton city council says it underwent a rigorous search and hiring process for Corbould's replacement, all the while Robar helped with budget deliberations, oversaw Edmonton's Jasper wildfire evacuee centre, and worked to build Edmonton's reputation as a city worth investing in.

He received unanimous support from council.

"We all know that we have some serious financial challenges in our city," Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said.

"Eddie's understanding of those challenges, and how reports are coming forward to us with very robust, accurate information in a way that we are able to really dig deeper into those challenges … I think that speaks to Eddie's empowering leadership," Sohi said.

The mayor added, "I still believe that we are very rigid in the decision-making process, and quite a bit bureaucratic in the decision-making process, and Eddie has shown through his past experience, but also over the last seven months, that there's a lot of room for innovation and a new way of doing things and making our organization more nimble and responsive."

Robar said his priorities were further decreasing Edmonton's roughly $20-million deficit, which used to be $48 million; exploring options to bring a potential 8.1-per cent property tax increase lower; and improving the city's workplace culture.

Robar will be Edmonton's fifth city manager in 10 years.

Asked for details on Thursday about how Robar would be compensated if he left the post early, Sohi said, "Eddie's staying along for a long term. He has no intention of leaving."

Robar added, "My intent is to be here for a long time. … My plan is to spend the rest of my career here."

Robar has spent his entire professional career in municipal government, having run both Edmonton's and Halifax' transit systems. In the most recent of his nine years with the City of Edmonton, he served as the deputy city manager of city operations.