Savaryn Drive in the Summerside neighbourhood. (CTV News Edmonton)
A human rights group wants the City of Edmonton to rename a street that honours a man with a Nazi military past.
The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) urged the city on Wednesday to remove the name Savaryn Drive from the Summerside neighbourhood. The street is named after Peter Savaryn, who served in a Nazi military unit during the Second World War.
Background on Savaryn
Savaryn came to Edmonton in 1951. He later served as chancellor of the University of Alberta from 1982 to 1986. He died in 2017.
In 1987, Savaryn received the Order of Canada. The Governor General’s office later apologized in 2023 for granting him the award after details of his military service emerged. His name became linked to the same controversy that surrounded Yaroslav Hunka, a veteran from the same unit.
How the Street Got Its Name
The City of Edmonton explained that a local charity suggested honouring Savaryn in 1994 for his long-standing work promoting Ukrainian language and culture in Canada. Edmonton has a deep Ukrainian heritage, and his name was added to the city’s Names Reserve List.
Peter Savaryn (Source: ualberta.ca)
In 2007, a developer working in Summerside requested the name Savaryn for one of the neighbourhood’s streets. At the time, all new roads in the area had to start with the letter “S.” The city’s Naming Committee approved the request before learning about Savaryn’s wartime history.
Renaming Rules and Process
City policy requires that any change to a street name must come from a resident or business owner in the area. At least 75 per cent of affected homeowners, businesses, and property owners must agree to the change for it to go ahead.
FSWC’s Concerns
The FSWC says keeping the street name is harmful.
“The continued existence of these street names causes pain to Holocaust survivors, the Jewish community, and all Canadians who cherish human rights and historical truth,” said Jaime Kirzner-Roberts of the FSWC.
She added that honouring a Nazi-linked figure disrespects the 45,000 Canadian soldiers who died fighting against fascism.
