After the Election: A Clear Mandate for a Safer, More Connected Edmonton

Edmontonians have spoken — now it’s time to turn vision into action

The votes are in, and one thing is clear: Edmontonians are ready to move forward.

This election wasn’t just about who sits around the council table. It was about the kind of city we want to build — one where people can move safely, affordably, and freely, no matter how they get around.

The results show that residents value progress. They want more choice in housing, real options for transportation, and safer streets for everyone — drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike. In short, Edmonton wants to grow smarter, not just bigger.

A City Growing Into Itself

Over the past decade, Edmonton has been quietly transforming. The Valley Line is finally running, the West extension is under construction. Neighbourhood renewal projects are adding safer crossings and better sidewalks. New housing types are appearing in older communities.

None of these changes have been easy — but they’re proof that Edmonton can adapt and thrive. The majority of voters reaffirmed that direction, choosing stability and steady progress over fear and nostalgia.

And while the election is over, the real work of city-building never stops.

Moving Beyond Buzzwords

If Edmonton truly wants to reach Vision Zero, climate targets, and mode-share goals, we need to move past buzzwords and start delivering projects that actually live up to their names.

We build “Local Street Bikeways” that don’t meet any accepted definition of a bikeway.
We plan “Bus Rapid Transit” that lacks dedicated lanes or signal priority.
We implement “traffic calming” that doesn’t slow traffic — or worse, sparks backlash because it feels inconsistent or unsafe.
We design “LRT” that doesn’t prioritize the most important users of transit: pedestrians.

Edmonton can’t afford to keep doing things halfway. Half-measures don’t meet the goals, and they don’t build public trust to keep going.

If we’re serious about safety, affordability, and climate action, we have to be serious about how we implement the work. Words aren’t enough — outcomes matter. We can, and must, be better.

Where This Council Can Make a Difference

At the YEG Bike Coalition, we believe this new council has both the opportunity and the responsibility to make Edmonton’s streets truly work for everyone.

Here’s how that can happen:

Go Beyond the Bike Plan

The Bike Plan Implementation Guide (2027–2030) must be funded — that’s the baseline. But it’s time to aim higher.
Painted lanes aren’t safe or comfortable for most people. Let’s replace them with protected infrastructure, fix dangerous intersections where lanes already exist, and start building an Active Transportation Arterial Network — a citywide grid of continuous, all-ages-and-abilities routes.

Use Complete Streets to Deliver Real Change

The Complete Streets Policy is the mechanism that can make it all happen. Every renewal project should automatically deliver safer options for walking, cycling, and transit — not just repave the same car-centric design.

When we say “complete,” we need to mean it.

Make Winter Maintenance Truly City-Wide

A connected network must also be a four-season network. That means coordinating between city departments, schools, contractors, and private property owners so snow clearing doesn’t stop at the edge of a map or a jurisdiction.

Let’s pilot this coordination in 2026, identify the residential gaps on the bike map, and make sure winter routes are continuous, reliable, and safe.

Put Climate and Safety Ahead of Car Convenience

Edmonton is getting better at integrating active transportation into renewal projects, but now we need courage. De-prioritize cars where it makes sense.

Every reconstruction should move us closer to our modal share and climate goals — not farther away.

Prioritizing people over traffic flow isn’t radical; it’s responsible.

Defend Local Decision-Making

Edmonton must have the freedom to plan for Edmonton.
Local planning, zoning, and safety decisions should be made by the people who live here — not by external interests or provincial politics. City Hall needs to protect that right and use it to build a city that reflects local needs.

Building the Future We Voted For

This election was a vote of confidence in the work already underway — but also a reminder that ambition alone isn’t enough.
We have the policies. We have the plans. What Edmonton needs now is follow-through.

Because when we deliver projects that truly meet their intent — when a bike lane is safe, a bus is fast, a crossing is humane — we don’t just meet our goals. We build trust, pride, and momentum.

The message from voters is clear: keep going, but do it right.

Let’s make the next four years the moment Edmonton moves beyond words and starts delivering the connected, people-first city we’ve been talking about for decades.