City looks at capping cost of major Edmonton projects
![Edmonton city hall Edmonton City Hall in an undated aerial photo. (CTV News Edmonton)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/2/23/edmonton-city-hall-1-6781499-1708732227232.png)
City council is mulling ways to limit the cost of major Edmonton infrastructure projects to better budget for them and to potentially increase local jobs.
One city councillor says capping such costs could lead to more local jobs and better infrastructure.
A new analysis has found the city completes most of its biggest infrastructure projects on time and on budget, but that isn't translating to the largest, most complex projects such as the $1.8-billion Valley Line LRT, a private-public partnership (P3) undertaking that opened in November — five years after it was originally slated to start operation.
Tim Cartmell, the city councillor for Ward pihêsiwin who wrote a blog post on Thursday calling for the city to limit the size of projects, thinks when a project gets that big, it leads to costly miscommunications between managers and contractors.
He said he believes breaking up so-called mega projects into segments that cost millions, not billions, to build will allow more local companies to bid on them.
"When they get so big, then we're getting large consortiums that come ... and build these projects, and that often includes team members of those consortiums that come from some other place that are used to working on the $1-billion, $2-billion, $3-billion project," Cartmell told CTV News Edmonton on Friday.
"What I am saying is that when the projects get down to that $200-, $300-, $400-million (size), then it's the local contracting companies that deliver those, which means it's local people, people that live here, people that have made their living here, people that have built this city over time here that are doing the next project.
"I feel that makes a substantial difference in the performance of the project, I think there's local ownership that comes to play."
Cartmell also says he thinks the city could save money by building multiple recreation centres or fire halls using one template instead of drafting new designs each time, and that maintenance costs could come down by using more common materials for finishes such as siding and flooring.
"It's being pragmatic with the projects we select, being pragmatic with how we design them," he said.
"An arena is square. Let's make it square. It does not have to be dolled up and dressed up with all kinds of fancy flooring, fancy siding and fancy roofing, and a weird shape. Put two sheets of ice in it, put dressing rooms in the middle and let the kids play.
"Let's get back to that, and let's do that effectively time after time, and we will get the reputation back that the city knows how to retain contractors to deliver projects for us."
Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said while the city needs "to look at best practices, absolutely learn from experts in this," taxpayers are "investing a lot of money" and should expect that investment benefits the community as much as possible.
"We're investing close to $6 billion in infrastructure," Sohi told CTV News Edmonton.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6778341.1708561001!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
'I got no remorse': Greg Fertuck, convicted of murdering missing spouse, sentenced to life in prison
Greg Fertuck will spend life behind bars with no chance of parole until he is 90 years old, a judge ruled on Thursday at Saskatoon's Court of King's Bench.
'Ford's dry summer begins': All LCBO stores closed as workers go on strike
All LCBO stores are closed on Friday as thousands of workers hit the picket lines after their union and employer failed to reach an agreement.
Britain's Labour on track for landslide victory, exit poll suggests, amid anger with Conservatives
Britain's Labour Party headed for a landslide victory Friday in a parliamentary election, an exit poll suggested, as voters punished the governing Conservatives after 14 years of economic and political upheaval.
Saskatchewan has the lowest hourly minimum wage. How does it stack up to the rest of Canada?
Hourly minimum wages increased in several Canadian provinces this spring with more on the horizon, which economists say will likely impact workers and businesses differently.
Trying to sell or buy a home this summer? What a realtor says you should know
In the first few weeks of summer, the real estate sector is experiencing an upturn marked by more housing inventory, a Canadian realtor says
No Frills grocery stores drop 'multi-buy' offer
As receipts tick ever higher for Canadians at the grocery store and shoppers continue to search for savings, one Canadian grocer has ended a perceived deal.
Hurricane Beryl churns toward Mexico after leaving destruction in Jamaica and eastern Caribbean
After leaving a trail of destruction across the eastern Caribbean and at least nine people dead, Hurricane Beryl weakened as it chugged over open water toward Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday, going from the earliest Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic to Category 2 by the afternoon.
CSIS director David Vigneault stepping down after seven years on the job
David Vigneault says he is stepping down from his job at the head of Canada’s spy agency. The director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, who spent seven years at the helm, is leaving the public service altogether.
Biden tells Democratic governors he needs more sleep and plans to stop scheduling events after 8 p.m.
U.S. President Joe Biden told Democratic governors during a meeting at the White House on Wednesday that part of his plan going forward is to stop scheduling events after 8 p.m. so that he can get more sleep, according to three sources briefed on his comments.