To improve reporting on resolution advocacy, the RMA shares a bi-annual bulletin highlighting recent actions undertaken on expiring resolutions.
The Expiring Resolution Update Bulletin is a way of routinely highlighting expiring resolutions, offering members a more detailed insight into the work being carried out on their behalf. Although expiring resolutions will continue to inform RMA’s approach to advocacy on a related issue, the bulletin will be RMA’s final official reporting on a resolution. For the latest formal statuses and reactions to all resolutions, view the RMA’s Resolutions Database.
The November 2025 edition of the Expiring Resolution Update Bulletin features the following resolutions:
| Resolution ID | Resolution Name |
| 1-22F | Volunteer Firefighters as Medical First Responders |
| 2-22F | Laboratory and X-Ray Technologists Training for Rural Healthcare |
| 3-22F | Provide for a Uniform Method of Auditing and Enforcing Compliance with Community Aggregate Payment Levy Bylaws |
| 4-22F | Well Drilling Equipment Tax Regulation |
| 5-22F | Fertilizer Emission Reduction Target Impacts |
| 6-22F | Financial Burden of Emergency Service Response on Crown Lands |
| 7-22F | Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework Reform |
| 8-22F | Rural Mental Health Advocacy |
| 9-22F | Renewable Energy Project Reclamation Requirements |
| 10-22F | Sustainability of Small Rural Schools |
| 11-22F | Disparity in Electricity Distribution and Transmission Rates |
| 12-22F | Restore Grants-in-Lieu of Taxes for Public Housing Management Authorities |
| 13-22F | Enhanced Wetland Replacement Program |
| 14-22F | Third Party Inspections for Gravel Pit Reclamation |
| 16-22F | Exemption of Natural Gas and Propane for Agriculture Under the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act |
| 17-22F | Government Funding For Nurse Practitioners |
| 18-22F | Regulations for Motorists Passing School Busses with Amber Lights Flashing |
| 19-22F | Portion of Funding from Public Lands Camping Pass Directed to Municipalities |
| 20-22F | Lost Road Closure Files |
| 21-22F | Loss of Agricultural Land to Renewable Energy Projects |
| 23-22F | Small Scale Generation Regulation – Interconnection Challenges |
| 24-22F | Improved Crop Insurance for Market Gardens |
Municipal Governance and Infrastructure
This resolution calls for the creation of a defined mechanism or framework for the audit of Community Aggregate Payment Levy (CAP Levy) shipment reports, inclusive of defined penalties and noncompliance reporting standards. The CAP Levy is an amount imposed on shipments of sand and gravel, and is based on a uniform rate (set in 2018) of up to a maximum of $0.40 per tonne shipped. The associated regulation was set to expire in 2024, but – after consultation with RMA and other advocacy groups – was extended until 2028 to determine a proper course of action on this issue. Conversations remain ongoing. While this resolution is set to expire with a status of Intent Not Met, advocacy work will continue for the foreseeable future including the lead up to the new 2028 regulation expiration date.
Resolution 4-22F: Well Drilling Equipment Tax Regulation
The removal of the Well Drilling Equipment Tax (WDET) regulation occurred in 2020 as part of a broader strategy to support the oil and gas industry through the effects of the 2019 oil crash and COVID pandemic. By 2022, it became clear that oil and gas companies were back in the black, but the Alberta Government had not returned to its previous taxation policies. Resolution 4-22F called for the reintroduction of WDET regulations or otherwise providing funding to restore lost municipal revenue streams. To support the resolution, RMA created the Below the Drill advocacy campaign which explained that municipalities had lost $332 million in rural municipal tax revenue between 2021 and 2023 as a direct result of the Alberta Government’s policies and decisions. The enforcement and collection of unpaid oil and gas municipal taxes – a separate but linked issue that is being address through the Property Tax accountability Strategy working group – expands on the work done in respect of Below the Drill and Resolution 4-22F. While Resolution 4-22F will expire with a status of Intent Not Met, advocacy work that was first inspired by the resolution will continue for the foreseeable future.
Resolution 7-22F: Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework Reform
In response to the legislation of Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks (ICFs), RMA members passed Resolution 7-22F to seek clarity on certain contentious issues. The resolution asked the Government of Alberta to clarify or specify “core municipal services” that must be included in ICFs, mandate the presentation of verifiable costs to justify cost-sharing under an ICF, and remove mandatory participation in ICFs of growth management boards (GMB)s. RMA advocated for changes that aligned with the requirements of this resolution. In 2025, the Alberta Government passed the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act (Bill 50) which – among other things – clarified required services and established cost-sharing rules and data requirements. This involved “good faith” negotiations without requirements to make shared information verifiable. Concurrently, Bill 50 did not change requirements related to GMBs; however, all major GMBs stopped receiving funding in 2024 and have effectively dissolved making any requirements moot. While the definition of “core mandatory services” is a welcome amendment, the failure to mandate verifiable costs prevents the full completion of the resolution’s requirements. Resolution 7-22F retires with a status of Accepted in Part.
Resolution 18-22F: Regulations for Motorists Passing School Busses with Amber Lights Flashing
Resolution 18-22F calls for setting a maximum speed limit of 60km/hour or slower on all roadways, in both directions, when passing school buses with flashing amber lights or providing regulations for roadside signage for school bus stops on primary highways in Alberta. Currently, the law requires motor vehicles that are approaching a stopped school bus with flashing amber lights to reduce their speed and pass “in a cautious manner.” The Government of Alberta accepted a letter from RMA on the issue, forwarding it to the appropriate minister. While there was some conversation on the issue, the specific requirements of the resolution remain unfulfilled. Resolution 18-22F retires with a status of Intent Not Met.
Resolution 20-22F: Lost Road Closure Files
This resolution calls on the Government of Alberta to create and maintain a digital tracking system that would not only ensure that bylaws or resolutions are not misplaced or lost by Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors, but also streamlines the approval process associated with municipal road closures. The Ministry of Transportation and Economic Corridors launched and then updated the Roadside Planning and Application Tracking Hub (RPATH) application to streamline the municipal road closure process. However, there remains no transparent publicly available tracking system that tracks and stores bylaws and resolutions that relate to municipal road closures. There does not appear to be interest expressed by the government in including or adopting this feature in the future. This resolution retires with a status of Accepted in Part.
Rural Landscape and Industry
Resolution 5-22F: Fertilizer Emission Reduction Target Impacts
This resolution supported the removal of the mandatory 30% fertilizer emissions reduction target to help minimize agricultural revenue loss resulting from this restrictive emissions reduction policy. Immediately after endorsement, RMA sent this resolution to the Government of Canada (Agriculture and Agri-Food). Although a response was not received, the fertilizer emissions reduction target continues to remain voluntary as of November 2025. Furthermore, various studies conducted over the years recognize the national and international value of Canadian agricultural producers and support voluntary rather than mandatory emissions reduction policy approaches. Resolution 5-22F expires with a status of Accepted.
Resolution 9-22F: Renewable Energy Project Reclamation Requirements
Resolution 9-22F called for the mandated collection of reclamation security for renewable energy developments and for these securities to accurately represent projected reclamation costs using data driven calculations. Initial developments concerning the asks of this resolution represented minimal progress. However, the Government of Alberta implemented policy changes following the AUC’s Rule 007 Inquiry that required proponents to submit reclamation security as a condition of beginning renewable developments, which partially addressed resolution 9-22F. Unfortunately, the Code of Practice for Solar and Wind Renewable Energy Operations, released in May 2025, does not mandate a full cost accounting of reclamation security and continues to rely on a “dual stream” approach that would allow some landowners to hold reclamation securities instead of a provincially held security. While these measures represent a change in policy, they also encourage inconsistency in the reclamation system and call into question the validity of reclamation cost calculations. RMA is not yet confident that the current requirements will lead to the collection of adequate securities, as requested by the resolution. Resolution 9-22F expires with a status of Intent Not Met.
Resolution 11-22F: Disparity in Electricity Distribution and Transmission Rates
Although the initial government response to resolution 11-22F acknowledges the significant disparity in distribution and transmission rates between urban and rural residents, minimal policy changes were implemented until the Ministry of Affordability and Utilities launched an engagement survey related to transmission policy in late 2023 and again in late 2024. These engagements culminated in Bill 52, tabled in 2025, aimed at restructuring the province’s power grid and introducing a day-ahead reliability market. Although these policy changes are appreciated, it is unclear whether Bill 52 successfully addresses inequitable transmission and distribution costs for rural residents. Resolution 11-22F expires with a status of Intent Not Met.
Resolution 13-22F: Enhanced Wetland Replacement Program
Resolution 13-22F called for the Government of Alberta to expand the eligibility for projects under the Wetland Replacement Program (WRP), given that rural municipalities would benefit greatly from wetland restoration and construction that includes wetlands enhancements such as storm and/or wastewater services within WRP projects. Although the initial government response did not address the intent of the resolution to expand WRP eligibility, the response indicates that the Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program (WRRP) enables wetland enhancements, and several rural municipalities have applied and received funding towards wetland and watershed rehabilitation projects from each program. Resolution 13-22F expires with a status of Accepted in Principle.
Resolution 14-22F: Third Party Inspections for Gravel Pit Reclamation
Resolution 14-22F sought to remedy reclamation security backlogs and staff shortages through the amendment of the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act to allow qualified third parties to conduct gravel pit inspections. The initial government response recognized this issue and took action by hiring more inspectors and expanding the Digital Regulatory Assurance System (DRAS), but no legislative amendments were tabled as requested by the resolution. In 2025, the Government of Alberta launched a task force among stakeholders in the aggregate industry to identify potential policy changes aimed at ensuring the balance between economic development and environmental protection. RMA has used our involvement in this task force as an opportunity to advocate for the asks of this resolution. Resolution 14-22F expires with a status of Intent Not Met.
Resolution 16-22F expressed rural municipalities’ concerns with the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (GGPPA, also known as the Carbon Tax), which applied fuel charges on natural gas and propane used for agricultural operations, as well as other industrial and municipal uses. Although the purpose of the GGPPA was to limit carbon emissions, the impacts of this policy were significant and disproportionate to rural Alberta, where the agricultural sector is reliant on the fuel that is subject to the Carbon Tax. This policy also had far-reaching impacts outside of Alberta considering how the province’s agricultural sector sustains and contributes to food supply systems for the whole country as well as internationally.
RMA did not receive a response from the Government of Canada but continued to express interest in participating as a witness in the debate for Bill C-234, which would include amendments to exempt agricultural producers from the carbon tax. Although this bill passed third reading in the Senate in late 2023, proposed amendments to the bill sought to remove clauses that would exempt agricultural producers from the carbon tax.
The Carbon Tax was removed in April 2025, providing much needed economic relief to rural Alberta, and especially the province’s agricultural sector. Resolution 16-22F expires with a status of Accepted.
Resolution 21-22F: Loss of Agricultural Land to Renewable Energy Projects
This resolution highlighted the importance of preserving agricultural land while balancing support for the renewable energy industry in Alberta. In 2023, RMA formed the Quasi-Judicial Agencies Member Committee (QJAC) to review quasi-judicial agencies in Alberta. The committee’s final report included recommendations for the Government of Alberta and the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) to support the preservation of agricultural land:
- The AUC should specifically include a consideration of the land and soil type for the proposed project, as well as other considerations such as current and historical land use, climate and weather trends, drought and flood risk, etc. within their project review process.
- Rural municipalities have a long history of balancing preservation of agricultural land with development, and their input should be weighed in the approval process.
- That the GOA and quasi-judicial agencies work with stakeholders to develop an approach to integrating land use impact assessments and reclamation requirements into project approvals.
- That the GOA and quasi-judicial agencies work together and with stakeholders, including municipalities, to regularly adapt approval processes to industry changes.
- That the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) and AUC adopt the Natural Resources Conservation Board’s (NRCB) requirements related to aligning projects with municipal development plans.
- That municipalities have automatic status as directly affected parties and automatic standing at hearings.
In early 2024, the AUC began considering the Land Suitability Rating System (LSRS) to determine the limitations to new renewable energy developments; in late 2024, the Electric Energy Land Use and Visual Assessment Regulation (EELUVAR) was released by the minister. Both newly implemented policies followed an “agriculture-first” approach and outlined the guidelines and requirements for both proponents and host municipalities with regard to renewable energy developments. These policy changes represented encouraging steps towards fulfilling the asks of this resolution and provided support and balance towards both the agricultural and renewable energy sectors. However, EELUVAR was not developed with meaningful feedback with municipalities, who were only invited to provide input at later stages of the consultation process. It is important for the needs and interests of rural municipalities to be directly accounted for when policy changes are made concerning agricultural land preservation. Resolution 21-22F expires with a status of Accepted in Principle.
Resolution 23-22F: Small Scale Generation Regulation – Interconnection Challenges
Resolution 23-22F calls for changes to the connection requirements for small scale and community generation projects to streamline processes and ensure that electrical distribution companies provide grid connections in a timely manner. The government’s response recognized the benefits of small scale and community generation projects but indicated that the government was not considering connection study exemptions for projects under 5 MW. The Small-Scale Generation Regulation was updated in March 2024 and section 4 outlined that small scale generating utilities must be connected to the distribution system “within a reasonable time” but did not specify what that time should be or describe accountability measures if the stated requirements are not adhered to. Enforcing and clarifying adherence to timelines and providing exemptions for connection studies would have supported rural municipal autonomy and economic development, as well as provided supplementary benefits towards preserving agricultural land, oilfield land reclamation, and enhancing the reliability of the province’s electrical grid. Resolution 23-22F expires with a status of Intent Not Met.
Resolution 24-22F: Improved Crop Insurance for Market Gardens
Resolution 24-22F highlighted the gap in crop insurance coverage for market gardens, particularly following the hailstorms in the summer of 2022 that caused significant damage in central Alberta. The Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) engaged with market garden producers and implemented an insurance coverage increase to $19,000 per acre and increased the maximum size of insurable land from 30 acres to 60 acres. These are encouraging changes which help to support economic development for producers in the market garden industry and ensure sufficient food supply and options for local communities. RMA will continue monitoring and assessing these coverage changes for their effectiveness for market garden producers. Resolution 24-22F expires with a status of Accepted in Principle.
Strong Rural Communities
Resolution 1-22F: Volunteer Firefighters as Medical First Responders
The Government of Alberta made several announcements related to the Medical First Response (MFR) program, including funding for supplies, equipment, and training, some funding for operational expenses, and funding for new MFR programs between spring 2023 and 2025. RMA understands that all of the MFR funding announced was one time only funding and therefore did not meet the resolution’s operative clause for a sustainable bill per response MFR funding model. RMA assigns this resolution the status of Intent Not Met and will continue to monitor announcements pertaining to rural EMS, fire departments, and the MFR program.
Resolution 2-22F: Laboratory and X-Ray Technologists Training for Rural Healthcare
Combined Laboratory and X-Ray Technologists (CLXT) perform essential work that supports rural hospitals and helps rural residents access diagnostic testing close to home. Resolution 2-22F requested that the Government of Alberta increase the number of training seats. RMA is unaware of any health funding from the Government of Alberta that is specific to CLXT training.
Resolution 2-22F’s final status is Intent Not Met. RMA will continue to monitor the Government of Alberta’s fall 2025 announcement that some diagnostic services can be accessed privately for its impact on rural healthcare access.
Resolution 6-22F: Financial Burden of Emergency Service Response on Crown Lands
Rural municipalities operate core municipal services like fire departments and search and rescue and employ Community Peace Officers charged with ensuring public safety. Resolution 6-22F highlighted that although Crown land is outside of their jurisdiction, rural municipalities provide these services, amongst others, on Crown land to users who are not their municipal residents. Rural municipalities would like to be compensated through a fee-for-service model for the services they provide on Crown land.
The responses RMA received from the Government of Alberta indicated that some aspects of Medical First Response (MFR) are compensated for those members who have opted for MFR programs. RMA participated in the Government of Alberta’s Plan for Parks engagement where RMA input included funding for municipal emergency response on Crown land. RMA also recently released a related report from the Eastern Slopes Taskforce recommending similar payment for municipal services on public land.
Resolution 6-22F expires with the status Intent Not Met. RMA will continue to draw attention to Resolution 6-22F as a response from the Government on the Eastern Slopes Taskforce is received.
Resolution 8-22F: Rural Mental Health Advocacy
In Fall 2025, RMA learned that despite their previous messaging, the Government of Alberta had not yet taken action on their commitment to legislate counselling therapists under the College of Alberta Psychologists. The College of Alberta Psychologists has not yet received provincial funds for the administrative and regulatory work of accepting new members. They continue to advocate for the change with the Association of Counseling Therapists of Alberta. RMA sent a letter to the Minister of Mental Health in Addiction, to express support for legislating the change in the fall 2025 legislative assembly.
Given the lack of up to date information, the RMA board last assigned Resolution 8-22F the status Accepted in Part. RMA will update members on any further related announcements.
Resolution 10-22F: Sustainability of Small Rural Schools
RMA assigns Resolution 10-22F the status Intent Not Met. In Summer 2025, RMA met with a series of rural education school board stakeholders to hear about the wins and challenges of rural education from their perspective. RMA also provided feedback on the Government of Alberta’s Real Property Governance changes. RMA is currently preparing a report highlighting challenges in access to rural primary and post-secondary education, which should be released in 2026.
Resolution 12-22F: Restore Grants-in-Lieu of Taxes for Public Housing Management Authorities
To date, the Government of Alberta has responded positively to one of three of this resolution’s operative clauses and increased funding towards the Rent Assistance Benefit program. The Government of Alberta has not reinstated grants-in-place of taxes for housing units operated by public housing management bodies or made this a requirement under the Alberta Housing Act.
RMA completed two affordable housing surveys in 2025 to learn more about affordable housing, seniors’ lodges, and working relationships with Housing Management Boards. An RMA board member sat on the Lodge Review Panel (Final Report of the Lodge Review Panel). RMA staff are reviewing the final report’s recommendations for alignment with multiple RMA affordable housing resolutions. This analysis will be combined with survey findings and released in an RMA report in 2026. Resolution 12-22F’s final status is Accepted in Part.
Resolution 17-22F: Government Funding for Nurse Practitioners
Resolution 17-22F expired with the status Accepted in Principle. Since Resolution 17-22F was ratified, the Government of Alberta established a salary-based funding model that would allow Nurse Practitioners to work in rural local care facilities and clinics. RMA was pleased to see this change and will continue to monitor Nurse Practitioners’ important role in providing care in rural communities.
Resolution 19-22F: Portion of Funding from Public Lands Camping Pass Directed to Municipalities
Eight RMA members on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains formed an RMA supported taskforce to better understand park-related pressures and develop recommendations for solutions to these challenges. Learn more about the taskforce and read the final report, which has been shared with the Minister of Foresty and Parks. RMA assigns Resolution 19-22F the status Intent Not Met.
Warren Noga
Manager of Policy and Research
825.319.2285
warren@rmalberta.com