About Local Improvements

What is a Local Improvement?

A local improvement is a project that benefits your neighbourhood more than the municipality as a whole. It is typically undertaken near or adjacent to your property, and is paid in whole or in part by benefitting property owners through a local improvement tax.

Types of Local Improvements

• Alley renewal (reconstruction and resurfacing)
• Sidewalk reconstruction
• Decorative streetlighting
• Curb and gutter, and crossing
• Street and alley lighting
• Streetscape improvements
• Paving gravel alleys and streets

The Local Improvement Process

A local improvement can be initiated by the City of Edmonton based on an infrastructure assessment and the need for repairs or replacement. Alternatively, it can be initiated by property owners who wish to have improvements carried out near or adjacent to their property. This is done formally via an Expression of Interest (EOI), where it must be proven that majority support of property owners (from a simple majority to 2/3 support, depending on the type of local improvement) in order for the Local Improvement to move forward.

Specific procedures and timelines vary depending upon the type of local improvement. The City mails such details to property owners in a Local Improvement Notice. Once the notice is issued, residents have 30 days to petition against the local improvement. A majority of the affected residents need to sign the petition in order to defeat the local improvement. A valid petition must include the signature of all titled owners, and the titled owner signature must be witnessed and the witness must swear an affidavit before a Commissioner of Oaths.

Outcomes

• If the petition protest is unsuccessful, City Council approves a Local Improvement Bylaw, after which construction must proceed within three years.
• If the petition protest is successful, the proposed improvement does not proceed.

Costs and Cost Sharing

There are typically three roadway related local improvements that could be part of the Neighbourhood Renewal reconstruction/ rehabilitation projects:

• City Initiated Sidewalk Reconstruction : Cost is shared 50-50 between the City and property owners.
• Community Initiated Decorative Street Lights : Property owners pay 100% of the cost above the cost of replacing street lights with standard galvanized poles.
• City Initiated Alley Reconstruction : 100% of the total costs to reconstruct are paid by the property owners.

Property owners have two payment options:

Lump sum payment: The full cost is paid at one time.

Local Improvement Tax: The full cost is amortized over a local serviceable lifetime, which varies based on the type of local improvement (usually between 5-20 years), with the payments added to your property taxes. Funding for these projects is borrowed from the Province, with the cost of borrowing passed on to those who amortize their payments as interest. The tax stays with the property. Should you move, the payments become the responsibility of the new owner.

For More Information

Neighbourhood Renewal Construction