Airdrie voted for change and it seems change has arrived. Evidence of this was on full display at last week’s City council meeting, where aldermen indicated a new commitment to business-friendly policies aimed at ensuring long-term growth in Airdrie.
Council voted to turf limits to office sizes in industrial areas, a change that is long overdue. By trying to force all office-style businesses into the downtown corridor, the City lost numerous businesses and unnecessarily slowed commercial growth in Airdrie. The businesses lost, and the tax revenue they would have brought to the City, may never be fully recovered. But this council realized that when you’re in a hole, the first step to getting out is to stop digging.
City aldermen also showed resolve in tabling the budget, asking administration to change its plans to charge FortisAlberta $913,000 in franchise fees, which are passed on to consumers (see story on page 1). Yes, in the long term, the City will likely have to even the playing field between Fortis and ATCO, which does pay franchise fees. But aldermen wisely recognized that shoe-horning what is essentially a tax increase through a business, while at the same time trying to draw other businesses to the city, would deal Airdrie’s reputation a severe blow. Council is right to avoid this.
There are many other issues the City can address while seeking to grow Airdrie’s commercial sector. We look forward to watching council do exactly that.
