Edmonton’s Fulton Creek Business Park rezoning raises questions by city leader

A business park has proposed a rezoning development of Fulton Creek in southeast Edmonton to expand its industrial footprint in the city. But it comes with some trade-offs, which are making two councillors question the plan.

On Monday, Fulton Creek Business Park proposed a rezoning of the industrial land, which resulted in an estimated 300 – 400 new jobs and shovel-ready land for future industrial development. But the proposal requires relocating part of the creek and removing more than 6,000 trees. Despite the comparison, the city administration supports the proposal.

“They do recognize the impact on the environment, however, they feel that it is mitigated by our industrial action plan. I have questions on that one, whether one overtakes the other,” said Jo-Anne Wright, councillor of Ward Sspomitapi.

While councillor Aaron Paquette remains open to the idea, he argues the city does not need newly redeveloped land at this time.

“We have some over a hundred years of industrial land already waiting to be developed in Edmonton. Why are we looking at geoengineering this parcel with over 6,000 trees right now?” asked Paquette.

But one of the development owners of the Fulton Creek Business Park defended the proposal, arguing there’s only two per cent of industrial land that is shovel-ready.

“In the current economic climate, investment is quite challenging, and so when you have an investor who’s ready to invest, has already invested, is willing to invest, it makes sense to make that pathway as smooth as possible,” said Mark Edwards, the senior director of development at Panattoni Development.

The city reports that there will be risks associated with the re-establishment of the natural ecosystem, but Edwards adds that there has not been wildlife living along the creek, and is committed to planting more trees if the proposed zone is approved.

“You’re going to landscape it, you’re maybe going to put trees here and have a storm pond, and it gets redeveloped in that way, and what we’re proposing is no different, it’s just on a different box,” said Edwards.

CityNews reached out to the Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition but did not get a comment at this time. The River Valley Alliance declined to be interviewed, instead saying that they are “dedicated to achieving its mandate of connecting the longest river valley pedestrian trail in North America, projects such as the Fulton Creek rezoning proposal fall outside of our scope.”

Just in January, the Edmonton police dismantled an elaborate and very large encampment in the Fulton Creek area that had solar panels, fire pits, propane tanks, and a sectional sofa on site.

If the proposal is approved, the land owner will apply to the province, but if the application fails, the land owner will apply for appropriate zoning to keep the creek’s original alignment.