With the next provincial budget set to be tabled in less than a month’s time, Alberta’s municipalities are calling on the Smith government to address pressing needs in cities, towns and villages.
The Alberta Municipalities Association (ABMunis) issued an official statement last week urging the government to give due consideration to key issues facing its member communities, which include municipalities across this district.
According to ABMunis those issues are provincial funding for community infrastructure, affordable housing, provincial property taxes, and grants in place of taxes.
Whether the UCP regime will answer the call for help remains to be seen.
What is known is that Alberta's government has an obligation to adequately fund and support municipalities, including smaller towns and villages.
Funding being provided through the Local Government Fiscal Framework program remains wholly inadequate to meet municipal infrastructure needs, the association says.
“If more provincial funding for local infrastructure is not provided, municipal councils will face one of two difficult choices - either significantly increase property taxes on Albertans or delay the replacement and building of community roads, transit, water and wastewater systems, recreation centres, and other facilities that Albertans use each day,” the statement reads.
The steep and ongoing growth of Alberta’s population has created heavy pressure on municipalities to meet the need for affordable housing.
As such, ABMunis is asking for an “opportunity to discuss the provincial government’s plan for affordable housing see we can provide an update to our members and help them plan their communities’ futures.”
The association is also calling on the provincial government to “review how provincial property taxes could be changed so municipal councils have adequate funding to deliver the services for which municipalities are responsible.”
With Premier Danielle Smith deeply engaged with national and international issues these days, there might be a temptation for her to set aside or even ignore these calls for help from towns and villages.
That would be a mistake sure be very poorly received by Alberta families and businesses.
Dan Singleton is an editor with the Albertan.
