Cash-crunch creating challenges

Premier Rachel Notley's assurance that “municipalities (will) receive reasonable stability in operating and program funding” over the coming year is welcome news if it turns out to be true, says Al Kemmere, president of the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties (AAMDC).

The premier made the commitment during her speech at the 2016 Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) convention in Edmonton.

“It all depends on what the interpretation of reasonable is,” said Kemmere, who attended the AUMA conference as an observer. “I know she also made comments about the reality that the province is in a tight cash crunch so she is hoping for some realistic expectations too.

“If we can get consistent funding for the services that we provide through the province as we've had in the last few years, I think we'll be happy with that. We are all going to see changes with the decreases in assessments over the last year.

“There will be challenges, so if the province holds their financial contributions I think we will be happy.”

The 2016 AUMA conference was held in Edmonton on Oct. 5-7. The association represents towns, cities and villages, but not counties or districts.

Among those in attendance as observers were numerous rural councillors, including from Mountain View County and other AAMDC municipalities.

In her speech to the convention Premier Notley said her government plans to work with urban and rural municipalities.

“We will ensure that all municipalities receive reasonable stability in operating and program funding,” said Notley. “And when all these initiatives are looked at in tandem, municipalities will see a net benefit to all Albertans, to their bottom lines and to their communities.

“We can work together with municipalities, capitalizing on the enthusiasm and innovation that our province is so well known for. We will invest in modern efficient infrastructure that communities across the province need, like schools, like hospitals, like transit, and we will create hundreds of good paying jobs as those projects get underway.

“We will partner with cities and communities as we transition to a lower carbon economy.”

In his speech to the convention, Wildrose Opposition Leader Brian Jean said, in part, that “We (Wildrose) will be the voice of taxpayers and all free-enterprise Albertans who are concerned about the impact government policies are having on their daily lives.”

PC interim leader Ric McIvor said the provincial government has failed to adequately consult with municipalities on key issues such as the carbon tax.

There are numerous benefits of having rural representatives attend AUMA conferences as observers, said Kemmere, who is also a Mountain View County councillor.

“It's a great networking opportunity to be involved in this conference,” said Kemmere. “The province is mandating that we are going to have these inter-municipal collaborative frameworks so it was good to see a good turnout of rural councillors to attend the AUMA convention to try and build understanding. We are trying to build better understanding.”

Rural councillors did not have voting rights at the AUMA convention.

The AAMDC represents 69 rural municipalities, including Mountain View and Red Deer counties. The AUMA represents towns such as Carstairs and Didsbury.