The Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties (AAMDC) released its position paper, Finding Local Solutions: Examining the Impacts of Forced Regionalization, Nov. 29.
The paper, completed after a joint resolution made by Rocky View and Wheatland counties and the MD of Foothills last spring, spells out the Association’s opposition to forced regionalization, such as happened in the province’s capital region in 2008.
“Forced regionalization in this province has a history of creating as many problems as it solves,” said AAMDC President Bob Barss. “Municipalities have a justifiable concern when elected councils no longer have the power to govern as granted by the Municipal Government Act.”
The paper indicates the organization’s support for regional cooperation and voluntary agreements, however, it also identifies 10 principles for cooperation including the need for political autonomy, voting equity, voluntary participation and consensus decision-making.
The paper goes on to say there are options to imposed regionalization, except in the most extreme of circumstances exhibiting four conditions. Those conditions include the Province proving a basic and material regional need is not being met; exhausting all other options; agreement between the municipalities that a stalemate exists; and demonstrating the benefits outweigh the negative impacts for the jurisdictions.
“These solutions have served us well in the past,” said Barss. “We believe that, when individual municipalities act in good faith, these approaches can continue to address any and all regional concerns.”
The paper, accepted by the membership at the annual fall convention in November, was well received with about 90 per cent support, according to Kim Haymen, AAMDC’s director of advocacy and communications.
Haymen added a great deal of work went into creating the paper including input from AAMDC’s staff and board and a hired consultant.
“It certainly was a process and the board was really involved… and are quite happy with it,” said Haymen. “In the event something happens in the future, now our board of directors have a position that the members have approved of that they can advocate for.”
Rocky View County’s Reeve Rolly Ashdown said the position paper is a boon to the municipality’s stance on staying out of the Calgary Regional Partnership.
The County made the decision to opt out of the partnership in 2009, citing loss of autonomy amongst other reasons for leaving.
“We were looking to find out what the position of the majority of the rural municipalities would be,” said Ashdown.
According to Ashdown, the County’s position regarding the partnership hasn’t changed.
“Rural development is different from urban development and it needs to be considered differently,” he said. “Our position has never changed, we can’t have city-sized lots in the country, and we can’t give up our autonomy.”
