Mountain View County council has approved provincial ministry one-page issue summaries outlining county concerns and issues related to seven provincial departments and calling for followup action by those ministries.
The moves came by way of motion during the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
Prepared by the county’s inter-governmental communications committee, the summaries identify topics of concern and the county’s response to each.
In the summary being sent to the minister of Agriculture and Forestry regarding agricultural plastic recycling, the committee calls on the department to support the Ministry of Environment and Parks in “developing and adopting regulations regarding agricultural plastics and the safe handling and disposal of said products to reduce potential harm to the environment and people.
“There are jurisdictions in Canada, including Saskatchewan and Manitoba, which have developed regulations successfully. Collaboration with all three Prairie provinces would benefit all levels of government and simplify regulations for businesses.”
In the summary being sent to the minister of Environment and Parks regarding the provincial gravel pit code of practice, the committee calls on the department to “amend the code to include an obligation for timely progressive reclamation including obligation deadlines that are enforceable, ensure securities reflect liability and provide sufficient incentive for progressive reclamation, and ensure municipal land use and development approvals are obtained prior to the province issuing pit registrations or accepting changes to existing pit regulations.”
In the summary being sent to the minister of Health, the committee calls on the department to “review the current health funding models and arrive at a single consistent funding approach for all health regions in the province.”
In the summary being sent to the minister of Justice and Solicitor General, the committee calls on the department to address rural crime concerns.
“Like many of our rural counterparts, and as articulated by the Rural Municipalities of Alberta, there is continued concern within rural and remote communities in Alberta regarding the trends in criminal activity in these areas,” the committee said.
“We are also concerned with the lack of successful prosecutions due to an over-burdened criminal justice system which results in very little deterrent for criminal activity and a heightened potential for repeat offenders.
The committee asks the department to “develop a strategy to relieve the backlog of cases currently facing the provincial court system, through ensuring an adequate number of judges and prosecutors” and “propose amendments to the federal Criminal Code to increase the minimum sentencing perpetrators of property crime can face.”
In the summary being sent to the minister of Municipal Affairs, the committee calls on the department to “work with Alberta Environment and Parks to develop an implementation plan for recommendations that will arise out of the Upper Red Deer river hazard study immediately upon delivery of the finalized study (which examined flood risks).”
The summaries will also be sent to area MLAs.
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