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Edmonton city council spent thousands of dollars going to Calgary Stampede in recent years, raising questions about the value to the public as costs for the trips increase.
Edmonton city council spent thousands of dollars going to Calgary Stampede in recent years, raising questions about the value to the public as costs for the trips increase.
Five councillors, plus the mayor, together expensed just under $15,900 at Stampede last year, significantly more than the two trips taken by the last council, and more than $9,265 for 2022. Some billed for lengthy hotel stays — Coun. Aaron Paquette charged more than $900 per night for three of his four nights — while others, including the mayor, kept costs down by staying at budget hotels or shortening trips.
Postmedia obtained council’s receipts and expense forms for the Calgary Stampede through a freedom of information request and reviewed public expense reports. These documents show that by 2023, more council members attended and billed higher costs since 2018. Costs for councillors’ trips this summer haven’t been tallied.
Making connections
Mayor Amarjeet Sohi told Postmedia his two trips as mayor helped in building relationships with the provincial government, particularly because Edmonton doesn’t have any members in the governing UCP. His first trip as mayor in 2022 was particularly useful, he said, because he hadn’t yet spoken much with the provincial government leaders.
“We always try to strike this balance of public expenditures on travel and the value for those. It’s not a perfect science, but I have seen the value of being there and building a relationship with the government,” he told Postmedia in late June.
“We have seen more engagement from (the premier and ministers) with our city, which I appreciate. So if I’m going, my motivation will be to strengthen those relationships and open more dialogue.”
Coun. Sarah Hamilton, who has attended five times since 2018, including this summer, agrees it’s important for building relationships.
“It’s no vacation and it’s no party,” she said, laughing. “We pack our schedules.
“So much of intergovernmental relations happen not just in meetings, but outside the meetings. It happens in small talk.”
