WHEREAS the Canada West Foundation released its report Foundations for Prosperity: Creating a Sustainable Municipal-Provincial Partnership to Meet the Infrastructure Challenges of Albertas 2nd Century in September 2004;AND WHEREAS the report was supported by the Ministers Provincial-Municipal Council on Roles, Responsibilities and Resources in the 21st Century, which includes the AAMDC, AUMA, the cities of Edmonton and Calgary and Alberta Municipal Affairs;AND WHEREAS the report highlights that a critical infrastructure problem exists in Albertas municipalities and must be addressed immediately;AND WHEREAS the report also calls for the establishment of a new governance structure between federal, provincial and municipal orders of government;AND WHEREAS the report recommends solutions to address the inadequacy of municipal infrastructure funding through: A commitment from Albertans and their governments to eliminate the infrastructure debt by 2015; Establishment of an Alberta Municipal Infrastructure Council to identify options for municipal infrastructure funding from expanded taxation options, provincial-municipal revenue sharing and provincial withdrawal from education property tax; Development of principles and mechanisms for the federal government to provide funding for municipal infrastructure (led by the provincial government, in partnership with municipalities); and A set deadline of December 2005 for the legislative changes necessary to give effect to new municipal funding mechanisms.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties (AAMDC) support the recommendations of the Canada West Foundation report Foundations for Prosperity: Creating a Sustainable Municipal-Provincial Partnership to Meet the Infrastructure Challenges of Albertas 2nd Century;AND FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that the AAMDC urge the Government of Alberta to act quickly to implement the recommendations of the Canada West Foundation report.

The Canada West Foundation report Foundations for Prosperity: Creating a Sustainable Municipal-Provincial Partnership to Meet the Infrastructure Challenges of Albertas 2nd Century has been enclosed in all delegate packages for information and review.

The AAMDC has no resolutions currently in effect with respect to this issue.

The Canada West Foundation Report on Infrastructure continues to be an integral tool in the AAMDC lobby on the infrastructure deficit and infrastructure funding in general. The $3 billion Alberta Municipal Infrastructure Program is a positive step forward in beginning to address the infrastructure deficit. The AAMDC will continue to work closely with both the provincial and federal governments on infrastructure funding issues.