The City of Edmonton faces yet another funding shortfall, entirely due to a lack of planning and attention to reality. The bus fleet is in a sorry state, with the majority rated as being in poor or worse condition. Buses operating in harsh environments were expected to last more than double the typical lifespan of buses in North America. Buses wear out and need replacement on a predictable basis, yet proper planning has been neglected.
Missed opportunities and vanity projects
Proper planning and running the business of operating a city of over a million people have been overshadowed by support for endless vanity projects, placing Edmonton in a huge financial hole. This has led to even more tax increases due to inept and shortsighted decision-making and continuing wasteful spending. Notably, the current mayor, who served on council for 12 years before becoming mayor, has been a consistent player in this budgetary fiasco.
Reader perspectives
Bob Thompson, Edmonton writes that the agitation for a totally new fleet must be coming from manufacturers. He argues that buses have parts that wear and require regular maintenance, but engines and drive train parts are reliable and technically advanced. Most capital cost is in the chassis and bodywork, and a complete refurbishment at some frequency is needed. New buses would be similar to current ones, and taxes are already high enough.
Emil Bizon, Edmonton echoes that bus replacement needs are overstated.
UCP exploiting family caregivers
Another letter highlights a larger population ignored in planning for the Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP). Family caregivers are the largest workforce in Alberta, providing an invisible subsidy. ADAP will cause unintended harm, as family members are opting out of caregiving due to compounded cuts over the last 30 years. ADAP is described as "poverty laundering" that transfers more responsibility to caregivers.
The UCP's clawback for the Canada Disability Benefit and ADAP furthers family imbalance, leading to fewer volunteers. Caregivers are the backbone of the protection system for the disabled, keeping them out of hospitals, jail, homelessness, and group homes. They are the unpaid social safety net missing from ADAP's formula, and their labour is not limitless.
