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A Chinatown community organization is pulling its support for the City of Edmonton’s project to build the neighbourhood’s new gate, citing a list of reasons including a lack of meaningful consultation.
The Chinese Benevolent Association (CBA) said in a Wednesday news release that the $8.7 million gate’s cost is too high and that the funds should be directed to revitalization initiatives in hopes of increasing safety, business recovery and sanitation for the struggling district.
“The CBA cannot support a project where cultural partners are treated as symbolic rather than substantive contributors,” said the statement attributed to spokesperson Billy To.
The new gate under construction on 97th Street between Jasper Avenue and 101A Avenue, replaces the Harbin Gate on 102nd Avenue that was dismantled in 2017 for LRT construction.
The CBA specifically mentioned Coun. Anne Stevenson, who is overseeing the gate project, in its statement. It noted the project has failed to meet the group’s standards of responsible stewardship, cultural authenticity and genuine collaboration.
Stevenson, whose Ward O-day’min includes the Chinatown neighbourhood, doesn’t see it that way.
On Wednesday, the councillor told reporters that city staff have “worked in earnest” with the CBA over many years regarding the gate.
The CBA did not specify how Stevenson had fallen short.
LISTEN | Learn more about the Harbin Gate replacement:
Edmonton AM7:35Replacing Edmonton’s old Harbin Gate
Construction of the new Harbin Gate in Edmonton’s Chinatown is expected to begin later this month. The previous gate was removed in 2017 during the construction of the Valley Line Southeast LRT. The total budget for the new gate project is $8.7 million, and it’s expected to be completed in early 2027. Joanna Wong is a director with the Chinatown Transformation Collaborative Society of Edmonton.
Stevenson refuted the association’s claim that it was shut out of the consultation process.
“The city has no reason to build this gate except for community. That was the purpose and the intent,” she said.
Stevenson said she had been aware the CBA had concerns about the project, and that the group expressed discontent regarding a committee tasked to select art to go on the gate.
The city has no reason to build this gate except for community. That was the purpose and the intent.- Anne Stevenson
The CBA was invited to be part of the committee and attended a few meetings, Stevenson said, before eventually deciding not to continue.
“I think that was maybe the breaking point for them,” she said.
Stevenson did not provide further details on what exactly the concerns were, but said she is “proud of the work that’s been done and the groups that have been able to be engaged.”
Edmonton Coun. Anne Stevenson speaks to reporters about the Chinatown Gate Project on June 10, 2026, at city hall. (Kevin Sabiston/CBC)Gate’s price tag too high, community group says
In 2023, the city initially approved $6 million to design and build the new gate. The cost has ballooned to $8.7 million.
Economic pressures, like global supply chain disruptions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent tariffs on steel products, forced the city to modify the design to stay within budget.
“The original design was actually going to be closer to $10 million, so there’s a lot of work done by city staff to scale that down,” Stevenson said.
She told CBC News in 2024 that council proposed a shift away from using clay materials to reduce costs, causing concern for community members who wanted to see the material’s inclusion.
WATCH | Inside the construction of the new Chinatown gate:
Construction on new $8.7M Edmonton Chinatown gate to start next week
Work begins Monday on the new gate replacing Edmonton’s original Harbin Gate in Chinatown. While many welcome the landmark’s return, others are voicing concerns around preserving tradition and culture in the project’s development.
Stevenson said the CBA wanted to move forward with the project when she met with them in February.
“We did mention that, at this point, we didn’t feel that we could sort of halt, redesign and end up with anything cheaper, as we know costs are escalating quite significantly,” she said.
The CBA said it believes the project funds “would deliver greater public benefit if invested in initiatives that directly support residents and local businesses.”
Despite the CBA’s withdrawal, Stevenson said she is looking forward to continuing to work on the gate with other Chinatown groups.
“In having the chance to work with the Chinatown community over the past five years, what I’ve really come to see is that it’s not a single voice. It’s a very diverse community.”