FOOTHILLS COUNTY, ALTA – The Calgary Metropolitan Regional Board (CMRB) still stands following a vote on March 11 and Foothills County Reeve Delilah Miller is less than pleased.
Since 2018, the board — which supports the long-term sustainability of the metropolitan region through means such as economic and policy development and land-use planning — involved 10 municipalities, including Foothills County, the Town of Okotoks, the Town of Cochrane and Rocky View County.
A vote on whether the CMRB regional plan would move forward, thereby solidifying the existence of the board, was held during the regular meeting but needed two-thirds of its membership's support for the plan to pass, Miller said.
Foothills County, alongside Rocky View County and Wheatland County, voted to defeat the motion, which was ultimately passed by the majority.
However, two weeks later, the Town of Strathmore and Wheatland County both submitted requests to the ministry to be removed from the board and subsequent regional plan.
That request was accepted, citing both members' distance from Calgary, small populations and costs associated with memberships which make their continued participation "less practical than for other members of the CMRB."
Foothills County has been adamant on its stance regarding the board for some time.
Miller said despite the approval of the plan the County will continue to pursue what they want most: to get out.
"We're not giving up, we're going to keep fighting for our residents and for our county," she said. "We just don't even want to be in this plan and with them allowing those two to vacate, we just don't see the reason to have us in there at all.
"We're not willing partners, we don't want to be here, we've never wanted to be here and we've been very consistent about that."
Miller raised questions about the results of the vote, given one of the parties who voted to pursue the plan subsequently asked to be removed.
"Strathmore voted for the plan one week prior and then one week after, requested to be taken out of the plan," she said. "Had they voted accordingly, we wouldn't even be talking about this plan right now, it would have been completely put aside and we wouldn't even have to be here.
"We're irritated that two of our allies, so to speak — Strathmore and Wheatland — are removed and that just leaves us and Rocky View County to fend for the rurals, to have that rural voice."
The voice of urban municipalities consistently outweighs the voice of the rural municipalities, Miller said, adding that CMRB is touted as a partnership, something she said doesn't seem to be the case.
"Any partnership I've ever been a part of – you have to have willing partners in order to make the partnership work and we're certainly not a willing player, we would certainly like to be out of this," she said.
The reeve said members have until April 19 to submit their feedback to the minister's office. Foothills County plans to send a letter voicing its concerns surrounding the vote and membership removal.
Some concessions around development in employment and residential areas are being considered by McIver, according to Miller. She said those proposals are not enough for the County to change its mind.
"There's not enough concessions in the plan to make it palatable for us," she said. "Until they want to look at something where we're a valued partner, then we're not interested in being part of this."
She also expects urban members will push back in their feedback to the minister and it is likely that McIver will be persuaded to that perspective.
But that isn't going to stop Foothills County from fighting for what they want.
"We're still going to keep up the fight as long as we can," she said.
