Edmonton 15 Minute City： From Conspiracy Theory to Reality
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166.45224
Summary
Over the next three days, Edmontonians will hear from residents and representatives from the construction industry, childcare, community leagues, and students on the city administration s plan to deal with a growing population through 15 minute cities. The plan also calls for half of all future travel to be done by transit and for residents to access all their daily needs within 15 minutes.
Transcript
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The planning city administration is presenting its vision to accommodate a population of two
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million people through 15-minute cities. Three days of public hearings on the plan began at
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City Hall this morning. Shailan Skulski has more. I'm here to express my concerns. Shelly
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Motorshead is one of more than 70 speakers scheduled to be heard at City Hall. Over three
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days, councillors will hear from residents and representatives from the construction industry,
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childcare, community leagues, and students on administration's plan to deal with a growing
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population. We are building a cohesive city with opportunities for local living. Population is
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rapidly growing and we have to be able to accommodate for that. Right now the plans we
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have are kind of Frankenstein together over decades. The 50 new district plans and corresponding bylaws
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will replace 54 existing planning documents dating back to the 1980s. The city is growing
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and the more we can accommodate with an existing infrastructure and existing neighborhoods,
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better it is for the taxpayers as well. Administration says the goal is to accommodate
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600,000 new residents in redeveloped areas with 50 percent of all new home units added through infill.
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The plan also calls for half of all future travel to be done by transit and for residents to access
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all their daily needs within 15 minutes. Not everyone supports the plan. My understanding is that this
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means I will need to stay within my district to meet all my needs so that the city can meet its climate
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plan objectives. I don't think Edmontonians can afford to be part of a renovation experiment
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of this size so quickly. I think unfortunately a lot of the district plan in particular have been derailed
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by 15-minute cities, conspiracy theories, you know, world economic forums, etc. At the end of the day,
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this is about land use. Others were concerned about possible impacts on the river valley, affordable
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housing and called for stricter rules for developers. Approved policies will be reviewed this summer and
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could come into effect by fall. Shailan Skolsky says.