Renaming Public Spaces and Buildings
September 18, 2021

The City provides incredible amenities to Edmontonians in the form of incredible public buildings and beautiful green spaces. And because many of these spaces have been around for so long, some are named after problematic figures from our history. 

As our society evolves, it’s appropriate that we reassess our relationships with these figures.

The approach we take to deal with controversies that arise from historic pain and grievances can determine whether we polarize the issue or reconcile the differences. I believe in collaboration, reconciliation, and pulling people together to tackle sensitive issues of naming and renaming public buildings and spaces. I see this as an opportunity to reflect on our past and move forward together to build a better Edmonton. 

It’s time we change the way we name and rename City buildings, parks and spaces, and rethink what statues and monuments we choose to display throughout the city in public spaces. 

A Different Approach to Naming

As it stands right now, the City has a Naming Committee which consists of seven members, who decide how we name our public spaces and buildings. Earlier this summer, City Council asked Administration to develop a new naming policy that provides a greater focus on Indigenous heritage and place names, but in my opinion it doesn’t go far enough.

My plan is to implement a proactive and meaningful, community-focused approach to naming and renaming our buildings, spaces, monuments and statues, rather than the current approach of reactively renaming problematic spaces. By waiting until there is public outcry, we polarize the issue. Our approach should focus on understanding and fostering conversations about our collective history, both the positive and the negative, in a nuanced and respectful way. 

We saw this when the City removed the name Grandin from the LRT station following the heartbreaking discovery of children’s bodies at Residential School sites across the country. Edmontonians raised their voices concerning landmarks that remind survivors of the pain those schools caused. Yes, the City acted, but we should not wait for public outcry. This is particularly true in the case of the name Grandin, which Indigenous leaders and advocates had raised concerns about for many years. I deeply believe that on our path to reconciliation, Indigenous voices should be centred in these conversations, as part of a dialogue engaging our whole community. 

Recognizing our Diversity

When the City names a building or space after a person, we do so for many reasons. We must recognize that for some in our community—particularly those who most impacted by trauma of racism, colonization, and discrimination—naming our spaces after figures who have contributed to their marginalization can be a source of great pain.

Our spaces should also reflect the diversity that our city thrives on, and not those who pursued genocidal policies in the name of colonizing Canada.

If I am elected as your Mayor, I commit to providing the City’s Naming Committee with a mandate to review and update the Naming Policy. Our public spaces are created for Edmontonians to enjoy, so it is critical that we engage with them to determine what values, principles, and criteria should guide our naming processes—including how we should engage in dialogue, education, and discussion with our whole community around the difficult aspects of our shared past. It’s an important step we can make to building an Edmonton for everyone. 

Statues and Monuments

I also commit to developing a Statuary and Monuments committee with a mandate to update the Statuary Policy by once again engaging the public to determine what values, principles, and criteria should guide the selection and placement of statues and monuments.

I will also direct the creation of a joint subcommittee of Indigenous representatives, the Edmonton Historical Board, the Anti-Racism Advisory Committee, the Naming Committee, and the Statuary and Monuments Committee to create a process for identifying statues, monuments, place names and building names that should be considered for removal. This group will also be responsible for identifying approaches that provide greater historical context for places, names, and statues with historical significance.

Imagine a city where people from all backgrounds see their heritage reflected in our statues, monuments and place-names. That’s what I want to build with you as your mayor.

#SOHIFORMAYOR
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