Safety and Security

A core mandate of the city is to provide safety and security to its residents. While the overall rate of crime in the city has fallen slightly over the past several years violent and drug related crime is on the rise.

We re also seeing bylaws across the city going unenforced leading to a series of minor issues across the city that undermine the confidence in our system.

There are a few areas I would like to focus on to hep address this growing trend.

Security on the LRT

A significant portion of violent and drug-related crime in our city is concentrated along the LRT system, which presents several serious challenges.

One of the most pressing issues is the resulting decline in public confidence. When people do not feel safe using public transit, they are far less likely to use it. This loss of ridership is reflected in the declining cost

recovery ratio for the LRT, which has dropped from 50% to 24% over the past four years. In practical terms, this means that a growing share of the LRT’s operating costs is being subsidized by taxpayers, rather than fare-paying riders—either because fewer people are using the system, or because those who do are not paying.

To address these issues, I propose two key solutions:

Deploy Uniformed EPS Officers to LRT Stations
Unlike peace officers, who are currently limited to observation and reporting, Edmonton Police Service officers have the authority to intervene, enforce bylaws, and respond directly to incidents. A visible, uniformed presence will not only enhance safety but also serve as a deterrent to criminal activity.
Implement a Proof-of-Payment System
Fare enforcement must become a priority. While implementation may need to be adapted to the varying designs of LRT stations, we must take immediate steps to eliminate fare evasion and restore accountability across the system.

Together, these measures will help restore public trust in the LRT, increase ridership, and ensure that the transit system operates more safely and sustainably for all Edmontonians.

Bylaw enforcement

In simple terms, the City currently lacks sufficient bylaw officers to effectively enforce violations.

Last week alone, between Belgravia and McKernan, there were over 500 parking violation reports submitted to 311 during a single rush hour period—yet only one bylaw officer was assigned to respond.

This highlights a broader issue: enforcement is under-resourced, and as a city, we have not prioritized addressing infractions such as illegal parking, speeding, and other violations.

These not only cause significant inconvenience—and in some cases, pose safety risks—to residents, but also represent missed opportunities to generate revenue through fines.

To address this, our bylaw enforcement team needs increased staffing, improved resources, and stronger institutional support to carry out their responsibilities effectively.