EDMONTON — Alberta’s minister of municipal affairs didn’t have to beg for applause from rural councillors, but he did have to ask twice after announcing that proposed changes in the municipal governance bill will be voluntary.
“I’m going to say it one more time. We’re going to explicitly say in the bill that it’s voluntary and it’s your initiative, not mine,” Doug Griffiths told rural councillors at the recent Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties (AAMD&C) convention.
The provincial government introduced the Municipal Governance Act, or Bill 28, on Oct. 28, but tabled it two days later after rural councillors and opposition politicians voiced their concerns about the bill, which would force municipalities to join together to form regional planning boards.
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The new bill would give the government the power to determine the board’s objectives and goals.
“There has been so much misinformation around Bill 28 and I take full responsibility for that,” Griffiths said.
“I owe all of you an apology for not communicating more what our intentions were for Bill 28. I let it get away from me. There are a lot of assumptions of what exactly is in Bill 28.”
Councillor Richard Harpe of Grande Prairie County said not knowing the underlying reason for the bill, including making regional boards mandatory, is a real concern.
“It really makes you wonder what their agenda is, if there is one,” said Harpe, who questioned why changes were even needed to the Municipal Governance Act.
“The MGA generally works and works really well so I am a little leery of redoing our MGA.… Is there another agenda or isn’t there. I have no way of knowing.”
AAMD&C president Bob Barss said the biggest concern with the MGA is the worry that municipalities will be forced to join together in regional boards that would overrule municipalities.
“Being the minister has said over and over again it is voluntary, and we have pushed for voluntary to be in the legislation, we have some comfort it is another tool, but until we see the end result we will wait,” said Barss, who added he has talked to the minister about the association’s unease with the bill.
Griffiths said it wasn’t the government’s intention to force municipalities to join together. Instead, regional growth boards were simply another tool to help municipalities manage the province’s expected growth.
“It’s a tool you will be able to voluntarily choose if you like,” said Griffiths.
Barss said he’s also pleased Griffiths has dropped wording that said reeves who don’t provide information to the new boards can be fined $10,000 and sent to jail.
“As we move forward in discussions, we will have to see what the new amendments are to the bill. We will have to see what they say,” said Barss.
“It’s too soon to start cheering about what we’ve been told.”
Wildrose critic Joe Anglin said he was pleased to see the minister apologize for the poorly explained legislation.
“He has promised to remove a couple of the key provisions that we brought forward at the legislature,” Anglin said.
“We think this is extremely important. At least we will let elected officials make the proper decisions for their communities.”
The following day, Alberta premier Alison Redford reiterated the government’s new mantra that regional boards will be voluntary.
“We’ve created creative ways to co-operate across municipal boundaries only where it makes sense to do so, decided by you, and not by us at your request,” she said.
“We want to make sure we get that regional co-operation right and we know the best examples of that regional co-operation is when you decide to co-operate,” said Redford, who admitted the bill was poorly implemented.
Convention delegates later passed a resolution asking the government to withdraw Bill 28 until there is further consultation.
