EDMONTON — The Chinese Benevolent Association withdrew its support this week for the city's construction of a new $8.7 million gate to hang over Chinatown's southern entrance, claiming the project's price tag misaligns with the community's priorities. "The CBA cannot support a project where cultural partners are treated as symbolic rather than substantive contributors, nor can we endorse spending substantial taxpayer dollars for a single, over-budget capital item while urgent needs in Chinatown, including safety, business recovery, and sanitation, remain unmet," reads a CBA press release. "We believe these funds would deliver greater public benefit if invested in initiatives that directly support residents and local businesses." .The City of Edmonton is constructing a replacement gate to hang over Chinatown's 97 St. entrance north of Jasper Ave., after construction for the Valley Line Southeast LRT forced the removal of the original structure located at the 102 Ave. intersection. The project is scheduled to finish in 2027. Edmonton's original Chinatown gate was constructed in 1987 in partnership with the CBA and Edmonton's sister city, Harbin, China. The Gate of Happy Arrival at 107A Ave. was built in conjunction with the original."We have repeatedly offered cultural guidance and practical leadership for the Chinatown Gate Project," the release reads. "Despite our sustained engagement, our input has been sidelined as the project's scope and cost expanded." The project is scheduled to be completed in 2027 and was originally budgeted at $6 million in 2023, but the figure jumped $2.7 million in 2025, following a preliminary design costing exercise. "The city's approval of an $8.7 million design, at a time when Chinatown faces serious economic and social pressures, demonstrates a troubling misalignment with community priorities," the CBA release reads. .Edmonton's city council has taken action and pushed initiatives in recent years that they claim are meant to help address concerns expressed by Chinatown community members.Those efforts include a March motion asking officials to offer options for street cleanup, housing incentives, and work on the 97th Street bridge.The City of Edmonton also offers the Chinatown Recovery Fund, which has spent $1.44 million on 41 projects since 2024 and aims to attract visitors to the area, build community cohesion, and empower residents. "The CBA will continue to work with community partners and elected officials who share our commitment to sustainable, respectable, and community-focused revitalization of Chinatown," the CBA release reads. "We thank community members for their continued support in CBA and for their valued contributions with the Harbin Gate and the Chinatown Gate Project. We wish success to the collaborators of the Chinatown Gate Project."
