Is Edmonton council ‘normalizing’ the 15-minute city conspiracy theory?

In an unprecedented move, Edmonton city council has addressed a conspiracy theory while crafting a bylaw.

On Wednesday, councillors finished the sixth and final public hearing on the district policy and district plans.

The proposal is meant to outline what can and should be built and where as the city grows to two million people.

But some people saw an ulterior motive.

There were roughly 100 speeches throughout the public hearing, including several from people who raised concerns about “15-minute cities.”

The term “15-minute city” is not a new one. It was coined back in 2016 by Carlos Moreno, an associate professor at Sorbonne University Business School in Paris, France.

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In a 2020 TED Talk, Moreno outlines the idea of the 15-minute city, which boils down to giving area inhabitants access to the essential services they need “to live, learn and thrive within their immediate vicinity.”

Ideally, residents should be able to walk or bike to work, groceries, health care and more, in approximately a quarter of an hour, he says.

But as the idea picks up steam in Canada, it’s also sparked controversy.

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While meant to ensure everyone has stores and other needs within walking distance, some believe the City of Edmonton would restrict where people could go, monitor their movement through surveillance, or even charge them to leave one area.

“There’s no evidence to support this at all — 15-minute cities are just sensible city planning,” said Timothy Caulfield, Canadian research chair in health law and policy at the University of Alberta.

“The conspiracy theory itself is bizarre and the degree to which its taken off is bizarre.”

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The City of Edmonton’s 15 proposed districts. Courtesy / City of Edmonton

In response to concerns, councillors unanimously agreed to add a line into the bylaw.

“The District Policy and the District Plans shall not restrict freedom of movement, association, and commerce in accordance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” the amendment reads.

“If we can bring more clarity by having a preamble in the District Plans that say, you know, everything we do continues to comply with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and if that gives some comfort to some people, I see no harm in it,” Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said about the addition.

But Caulfield says there is harm in it.

“It’s normalizing conspiracy thinking, it’s normalizing the embrace of misinformation and this can only do harm to a democracy,” Caulfield told Global News.

Even after the amendment was made, some members of public continued to share their skepticism with council.

“For the people who don’t trust the government, frankly, this isn’t going to change their mind,” Ward Nakota Isga councillor Andrew Knack said.

“Which is frustrating because it’s even more clear policy that says we can’t do it.

“Not only can we not do it — we don’t want to do it.”

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Caulfield says he understands councillor’s desires to clarify the intention of the bylaw but believes it would be better to have clear, direct and empathetic conversations with those expressing concerns.

Council completed the first and second readings of the necessary District Policy bylaws Wednesday. They will now go to the Edmonton Metropolitan Regional Board for review before returning to council for final approval.

Councillor Knack voted against the plans, saying they do not properly align with the City Plan passed four years ago. He said the two documents could cause confusion for residents in terms of the locations of intended buildings.

Knack said he would like to see clearer maps released before the plans move ahead.