Janz calls for 'lobbyist registry' at Edmonton City Hall as city considers $26.5M pedway contract
A city councillor wants to create a “lobbyist registry” for people or groups who meet with, or donate to, council members and high-level city staff.
The call comes as councillors scrutinize a plan by city staff to grant a $26.5 million construction contract to the Ledcor Group without a competitive bidding process.
The work involves a pedway to connect two towers at the Station Lands development to the city's underground pedway system.
Ledcor is already building one of the towers. The company also built the pedway to the Royal Alberta Museum back in 2014 and at that time also did some work to prepare for the pedway project.
"Going through a procurement process where we end up with a different contractor, I think, presents a risk that we’re not comfortable with," explained deputy city manager Adam Laughlin.
"They have done part of the work, and to get it done in a faster way, quicker way, because Station Lands development is a very important development for the city," Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said.
Coun. Michael Janz voted against the project last January because he doesn’t like seeing any public money being used for a pedway to a private development.
Council voted 10-3 to uphold the deal with councillors Anne Stevenson and Jo-Anne Wright agreeing with Janz.
Now, he’s using the sole-source contract to renew his call for a municipal lobbyist registry, similar to what is done in provincial and federal politics.
"This is just good governance, I don't think anybody should object to it, and again, there may be very valid reasons for this contract but it’s just asking administration and those involved to show their work," Janz said.
The Ward Papastew councillor insists he’s not implying foul play in the case of the Ledcor contract. Rather, Janz sees it as a natural opportunity to increase transparency at city hall.
"If there’s a contract coming forward, and proprietors have been lobbying administration or councillors or the mayor for months and months or even years beforehand, that’s something that we should be aware of in our deliberation,"Janz stated.
It’s something the mayor says he's open to but worries a lobbyist registry will be expensive.
"They end up costing taxpayers millions and millions of dollars, and that’s something that we don’t want to create here," Sohi said.
A spokesperson for Ledcor declined to comment on the contract process but said roughly $20 million of the budget will be paid to subcontractors and those details will be shared with the city in "a fully transparent manner."
On Wednesday, the city's executive committee voted 5-0 to recommend that the sole-source agreement with Ledcor be granted. The deal still requires final approval at a future meeting of all councillors.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.