WHEREAS the Municipal Government Act provides municipalities with natural person powers;

WHEREAS in the past the Government of Alberta has legislated rural municipalities into the Capital Region Plan with little or no consultation;

WHEREAS there appears to be a desire to legislate a form of regionalization upon rural municipalities;

WHEREAS through sub-regional plans rural municipalities are at risk of being forced into sub-regional planning resulting in a loss of their ability to effectively represent their local constituents;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the AAMDC develop a position paper on forced regionalization in regards to its impact on rural municipalities; in particular the impacts on autonomy and local decision making provided for in the Municipal Government Act;

FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that the AAMDC work with member municipalities when involved in regionalization discussion (ex. The Calgary Metropolitan Plan).

Within the regions there are provisions for the development of sub-regional plans of which the Capital Regional Plan has already been mandated and imposed upon municipalities within the Capital Region. In addition, within the Calgary Region, the Calgary Regional Partnership has developed the Calgary Metropolitan Plan and the Government of Alberta is considering adopting this plan which would be then imposed upon three rural municipalities despite their objections.  Prior to the implementation of the Calgary Metropolitan Plan and other sub-regional plans centered around large urban centres, there is an urgent need for the AAMDC to develop a position on this matter which could place serious limitations and restrictions on municipal autonomy as is evidenced in the Capital Region.

Due to a letter from the Minister of Municipal Affairs requiring a resolution to the Calgary Metropolitan Plan prior to the end of the year, it is urgent that the AAMDC become involved in this process. This letter was sent subsequent to the resolution deadline and was dated March 18, 2011.  That is why this item has come forward as an emergent item.

The AAMDC has no active resolutions directly related to this issue.

The AAMDC has met with members impacted by the Calgary Regional Partnership to understand the issues at hand and discern how the association can be of assistance.  Simultaneously, the AAMDC developed a position paper entitled Finding Local Solutions: Examining the Impacts of Forced Regionalization.  This position paper was brought to the members at the Fall 2011 convention for endorsement. Therefore, the intent and direction outlined in this resolution has been achieved.