The City of Edmonton has reached an agreement with Leduc County to annex portions of the county, although the piece of land coming Edmonton’s way is smaller than what the city originally requested.
The agreement will see a nearly 9,500-hectare piece of land between 41 Avenue SW and the airport, west of the QEII, annexed from Leduc County, as well as a piece of land south of 41 Avenue SW near 50 Street. (See map below).
“I think our council has signalled a desire to build at higher densities, more efficient use of infrastructure, more preservation of agricultural land,” Mayor Don Iveson said.
“That’s what our public expects from us. It’s also fiscally in the best interests of the region and the City of Edmonton.”
Leduc County Mayor John Whaley called the deal a compromise.
“The reality is, people are moving to this region and they’re going to have somewhere to live, so some obviously has to be given up in the interests of the greater good.”
The land Edmonton originally sought was about 2,584 hectares larger than what’s been agreed upon. The original ask included a piece of land west of the airport.
Edmonton has been trying to annex the land from Leduc County since 2013.
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No decision has been made when it comes to the Edmonton International Airport land. The future of that land will be determined over the next several months in talks between the City of Edmonton, Leduc County and EIA. The airport land is currently the property of Leduc County.
The agreement will also see Leduc retain a piece of land north of the Nisku industrial area.
“Unless mutually agreed, the City of Edmonton’s boundary will not shift again into Leduc County until joint planning for that area has been completed,” read a joint media release between the City of Edmonton and Leduc County.
Iveson said the collaborative approach is a better way to support future economic growth and livable communities in the area.
“We all have high aspirations for the region. This acknowledges both Edmonton and Leduc County’s commitment to balance growth needs while still reducing the region’s overall need for land,” Iveson said in a media release.
Iveson and Whaley also spoke about last week’s decision by the Alberta government to approve the town of Beaumont’s annexation of 21 quarter sections of Leduc County land north of its boundary.
The City of Edmonton had been eyeing the same land.
Whaley called the annexation a “travesty.” Iveson, who was bewildered by the move last week, said Edmonton is still going after that particular piece of land.
For more information on the proposed Leduc County annexation plans, visit the City of Edmonton’s website.