'Toxic governance culture': Edmonton council erupts over secret shelter debate

Councillors complain of ‘toxic governance culture’ At least one city councillor says too many council meetings are held in private with not enough notice. Alison MacKinnon explains.

Allegations were flying at Edmonton City Hall Wednesday after a document about how to fund services for homeless people was debated in secret.

Ward sipiwiyiniwak Coun. Sarah Hamilton called the process "extremely problematic," "really poor governance" and "absurd fiscal mismanagement."

"This is just profoundly abusive, frankly, of the residents of the City of Edmonton and making this kind of decision without their consent or knowledge is not right," Hamilton said shortly after the meeting returned to public debate.

"And it's become indicative, frankly, of the toxic governance culture that has developed here at this (council) table over the last 365 days."

Hamilton, and everyone else on council, could not say exactly what was in the document because of privacy legislation.

She told reporters afterwards that it related to an Oct. 1 provincial announcement to invest $187 million to address addictions and homelessness.

Hamilton said that the document ignored the advice of city staff and approving it would jeopardize relationships within the community and with other forms of government.

"She said it far more articulately and far more patiently and quietly than I could possibly do today," an upset Coun. Tim Cartmell said about Hamilton's objections.

A motion to add the secret document to a city report was then defeated by a vote of 8-5.

Councillors Michael Janz, Andrew Knack, Ashley Salvador, Anne Stevenson and Jo-Anne Wright voted to attach the document.

Mayor Amarjeet Sohi voted to dump it, along with Hamilton, Cartmell and the remaining councillors, but he also defended council's process.

"I think it's a little inappropriate to say that this is bad governance. That's all I have to say. Cause I seek legal advice before I proceed," he said.

He then went on to talk about how supportive housing, mental health and addiction recovery fall under provincial jurisdiction, not Edmonton's, and that he would not stop asking Alberta for more money.

"It may make people uncomfortable, but it's a job I have. It's my job to do so. Sometimes people wonder why we continue to hold other orders of government accountable. Because they have not delivered for us. That is why."

Sohi didn't address Hamilton's allegations directly when asked about them after the meeting. Instead he told reporters that council discussing things like contracts in private is standard procedure and protects the city's "negotiating power."

Following the votes, Cartmell described the private attachment as a "gotcha moment" on short notice. He said it's not the only one over the past few weeks.

"It added to the frustration, for sure, that you come to a meeting expecting to talk and debate about one set of circumstances and you find yourself in another set, unprepared potentially," Cartmell explained.

Council went on to unanimously accept the report on the city's supplemental shelter plan, without the controversial secret document attached.

Edmonton currently has 622 permanently-funded emergency shelter spaces, according to the report. The Oct. 1 provincial announcement commits to adding an additional 450 temporary spaces for the next two winters.

Edmonton will also have an extreme weather bus service to transport people to shelters and the city will continue to fund a warming bus operated by Boyle Street.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Alison MacKinnon