The MacEwan Rezoning Decision

Last week, Edmonton City Council made a difficult decision regarding the current church site at 11520 Ellerslie Road SW. I know many of you in MacEwan and neighbouring communities have been following this closely. I want to communicate about how the vote went, the strategies used on the floor, and why I voted against the final rezoning.

For those not up to date on what the MacEwan rezoning is, it’s a proposal to turn the old church lands into a residential hub. This is part of Edmonton’s broader City Plan to handle our growing population. While I support the need for more housing options, and a need to live sustainably within our existing footprint, what I spoke about during the election and have continued to advocate for since, is ensuring our infrastructure keeps pace with upward growth. Unfortunately, when I started this term, we were already behind.
Throughout this rezoning process, I have listened to many of you via emails, phone calls, social media, and at public hearings. The community engagement has been largely collaborative and positive.

I specifically heard some of these following issues:

  • Traffic Capacity: The existing pressure on 111 St and Ellerslie Rd, and the limited exit points from our neighbourhood.
  • Green Space: The loss of our beloved park space behind the church.
  • School Space: Concerns regarding the strain on our local schools. Of note is that public school spaces and new school construction fall under provincial jurisdiction, not municipal. The city has no formal process for compelling a private landowner to build a school. However, as your Councillor, I continue to work with our provincial partners to ensure school infrastructure matches our residential growth, and keep in touch with MLAs and school trustee members to advocate on your behalf.
  • Fire Safety: Memories of the 2007 condo fire remain vivid to some residents of MacEwan. Ensuring modern safety plans are non-negotiable.
  • Privacy: To address the concerns of residents backing onto the site, the builder has committed to decreasing building heights and increasing the setback from the property line to minimize impact to privacy rights.

How the vote went down

During the Public Hearing, I pushed for two critical additions to the motion: upgrades to the intersection at 111 St and MacEwan Rd SW and the inclusion of dedicated public park space.

However, we hit a technical hurdle. City Administration informed us that tying these upgrades directly to the rezoning motion would conflict with provincial legislation that we must abide by. If we kept them bundled, the entire thing would likely have been struck down, leaving us with zero leverage to push forward, which is why I split the motion.

Despite City Administration’s report claiming upgrades weren't required, I know from traveling that route multiple times a week that 111th St NB and MacEwan Rd EB are already under significant strain. With only two exits out of the new rezoning proposal, more homes will inevitably result in more gridlock. By creating a subsequent motion outside the rezoning process, we gained unanimous support from Council to push up the evaluation for these upgrades. This gives us a jumpstart in understanding the options we weren’t provided with at public hearing and that we can then fight for come budget time.

The second motion for park space was a harder climb. Losing the green space that many in MacEwan love was a hard ask. In my eyes, green space is part of a complete and walkable community. In a tight 6-6 vote, we lost the public park portion of the motion due to the prioritization of housing by Council and the builder. While the builder has committed to "funding in lieu" for other park space, I recognize that doesn’t help those currently living in MacEwan.

Because we failed to secure that dedicated public park space, I could not in good conscience support the final rezoning, and ultimately, voted against it.

What happens now?

The rezoning passed, but the work to protect our quality of life is just beginning. Here is what is currently on my desk:

  • Fire Safety & Traffic Calming: I’ve already met with Streetside Developments to build communication pathways for the concerns of residents, including fire safety. I look forward to continued conversations around traffic calming measures that further divert flow toward Ellerslie Road rather than through the heart of the MacEwan neighbourhood.
  • Opening Up Amenities: Despite the decision at the public hearing, I’ve heard there may be private park amenities included in the project. My hope is to work with the developer to see how we can open those spaces up to the entire community.
  • March 20th Meeting: I met with the Streetside on March 20th. After speaking with them, I believe we’re aligned on the goals and design we want to see for this neighbourhood and that they are willing to listen to the needs of our ward and work closely with the community to ensure a space that is welcoming, creative, and well-suited to all residents. My team will continue to schedule regular check-ins with their project managers to ensure we have a direct conduit for community concerns and feedback.

CTV News - March 10, 2026

I hear your concerns about traffic and the loss of park space. While we didn't win every vote during the public hearing, we secured a unanimous commitment to evaluate the intersection at 111th and MacEwan, and I won't stop pushing to ensure the new MacEwan development respects the people who already call our ward home as we welcome new neighbors to our area.