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Reports & Toolkits
Below is a comprehensive list of all our reports, toolkits, and guides that will help you in your advocacy efforts.
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Understanding Municipal Financial ReservesBuilding on our Apples to Apples report, this report is intended to assist provincial stakeholders, industry partners, and the public to better understand how municipalities’ reserves are used in prudent financial planning.Download the full report |
RURAL ECONOMIC STUDYRural Alberta’s economy is a dynamic and diverse network of economic actors that operate in many different industries including agriculture, oil and gas, and manufacturing. Rural Alberta is generally characterized by low population densities and large geographies which can mean that providing services to rural communities can come with increased costs. This can render them under-served when compared to urban communities where density and economies of scale allow for higher levels of service. Despite this, rural Alberta continues to play a significant role in Alberta’s economy.Download the full report |
Municipal Wind and Solar FactsheetsRenewable solar and wind energy developments are increasing in various areas of Alberta. The regulatory process for renewable energy developments involves numerous agencies and requirements. |
Climate Change Advisory Committee - Overview ReportIn 2016, the RMA (formerly known as AAMDC) established an ad hoc committee to analyze the impacts, challenges, and opportunities of various climate change policies on Alberta’s rural municipalities. The RMA Climate Change Advisory Committee’s (CCAC) work commenced on February 27, 2017 and was completed by August 17, 2017.Download the full report |
ASSET MANAGEMENT FOR MUNICIPALITIES IN ALBERTA: NAVIGATING THE ASSET MANAGEMENT JOURNEYThe RMA report, Asset Management for Municipalities in Alberta: Navigating the Asset Management Journey is a comprehensive high-level report for RMA members and all municipalities in Alberta. Asset management is not a one-time action or a report to be left on the shelf, it is a journey of continuous improvement. When municipalities make a strong commitment to the sustainability of their communities through the maintenance of their assets and infrastructure, it is the local residents who reap the benefits. By discussing the need to engage with stakeholders both internal and external to the municipality, and linking asset management with the municipalities broader vision and goals, RMA hopes that asset management implementation will be strengthened and refined across municipalities in Alberta. |
EXAMINING MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT MODELS FROM THE ALBERTA PERSPECTIVEThe study is intended to provide RMA members with a resource to participate in discussions about Alberta’s municipal government structures, as there has been considerable commentary during the past year regarding regionalizing municipal government. The study examines several municipal models in jurisdictions across Canada and the United States, as well as Alberta’s municipal district and specialized municipality structure. Each model is evaluated based on a number of criteria that contribute to a municipality’s effectiveness. |
RMA AUMA CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT SOCIAL MEDIA RESOURCE GUIDECitizen engagement serves an important role for gathering feedback and advising residents of municipal initiatives and decisions. Social media has challenged traditional engagement practices and, to prepare municipalities for enhanced citizen engagement, RMA (as AAMDC) and AUMA released a Social Media Resource Guide for municipal citizen engagement in January 2015.Download the full resource guide |
APPLES TO APPLES: RURAL FINANCE IN ALBERTAWant to know more about linear taxation and why it is vital for rural municipalities? Check out RMA’s Apples to Apples report that looks at the current state of rural municipal finances to determine if the current taxation system can support the long-term financial viability of rural municipalities. The report highlights both expenses and revenue, which must be considered in any discussion on municipal finances.Download the full report |
GOT GRAVEL? SECURING GRAVEL FOR RURAL MUNICIPALITIESCompetition for gravel in Alberta is high because of the significance of its use in the construction and maintenance of both public and private sector infrastructure. The cooperative approaches recommended enable the public, government, and commercial interests to be met. Implementing the recommendations made in this report set the stage for better aggregate management in Alberta, specifically for the identification and allocation of strategic reserves to accommodate future public works needs.Download the full report |
FUNDING OPTIONS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES IN ALBERTAThe funding of law enforcement in Alberta has been a discussion topic for many years with a variety of differing opinions on appropriate funding levels, who should pay, and fair allocation of cost. The Solicitor General has published a law enforcement framework that proposes a new model of governance, new and enhanced services, as a well as a revised funding model. RMA has prepared an analysis of the funding proposal and this report presents the results of that work.Download the full report |
FINDING LOCAL SOLUTIONS: EXAMINING THE IMPACTS OF FORCED REGIONALIZATIONLocal governments in the Province of Alberta have an enviable record of working together to address service delivery needs within their region. Historically they have recognized that by combining forces in a cooperative effort they can effectively and efficiently find and implement regional solutions without compromising the integrity of individual municipalities.The success of these regional alliances has not been without challenges but the collective will and spirit of cooperation has been such that solutions have been secured. With this in mind, the RMA has prepared this position paper on forced regionalization. Download the full report |
COST SHARING WORKS: AN EXAMINATION OF COOPERATIVE INTER-MUNICIPAL FINANCINGMuch has been written and discussed about the financial condition of local government throughout Canada and the United States. For the most part the discussion focuses on how and why local municipalities are debit ridden and unable to sustain the range and level of services that are demanded by their communities.RMA has researched and evaluated various models of sharing throughout the province and has come to the conclusion that the residents of communities that are served regionally are best served by cost-sharing arrangements that are based on payment for benefit received. Download the full report |
ENSURING ALBERTA’S FUTURE: A FRAMEWORK FOR MUNICIPAL VIABILITY THROUGH COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITYWith the recent changes in the economy, some municipalities in the province are struggling to continue to offer basic services to their citizens. In order for Alberta to prosper, action needs to be taken to discover new ways to ensure the long term success of our municipalities.This paper provides a discussion on what it means for a municipality to be viable and offers some guidelines on how to assess viability. Through an assessment using various indicators, municipalities will be able to understand where their specific areas of challenge may lie and think about the different options available that will improve viability in the future. Download the full report |
ONE VISION, MANY VOICES: HOW TO BUILD A SUSTAINABLE RURAL CANADAIn July 2008, the RMA hosted a national symposium – Rural Matters! Forging Healthy Canadian Communities. The goal was to bring together delegates from across the nation to discuss important issues pertaining to rural Canada.Based on the common themes of these priorities and other discussions held during the symposium, seven recommendations were derived to be presented to governments and stakeholders on how to build sustainable rural Canada. Download the full report |
EQUITABLE ECONOMICS: INTER-MUNICIPAL FINANCIAL PARTNERSHIPSNow more than ever, municipalities are feeling increased pressure to provide a high level of service to their residents. However, providing these services is often very difficult when operating with modest budgets and limited human resources. Through inter-municipal collaboration, municipalities across Alberta can negate part of this difficulty by working together to meet the demands of citizens while retaining their autonomy.This paper examines three different approaches to inter-municipal agreements: cost sharing, delivery sharing, and revenue sharing. An overview of these is discussed and a high level framework for constructing such agreements is provided. Download the full report |
WORKABLE SOLUTIONS: A LABOUR FORCE STRATEGY FOR RURAL MUNICIPALITIESThis document presents the results of an extensive process of research, consultation, and analysis to prepare Workable Solutions: A Labour Force Strategy for Rural Municipalities.The word “strategy” implies a plan of action over some period of time. The recommendations presented here span time periods ranging from the immediate to a longer term of five or more years. The intent is to offer a variety of different strategies that will address potential opportunities, threats, and barriers that exist in many rural municipalities. Download the full report |
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION POLICIES AND PUBLIC NOTIFICATIONPublic participation and engagement is key to informing decisions made by municipalities and, as of October 2017, municipalities are required to develop a Public Participation Policy. Public Participation Policies, as outlined in Section 216.1 of the Municipal Government Act, must be publicly available and must identify how municipalities will approach public participation and engagement.Download the full report |
INTERMUNICIPAL COLLABORATION FRAMEWORK (ICF) WORKBOOKThis workbook was developed to help municipalities develop ICFs with their neighbouring municipalities. It provides tools and information-based resources to better inform municipal processes, decision making, and implementation related to the development of ICFs. The AAMDC, in partnership with the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association and Alberta Municipal Affairs, is pleased to announce the release of a tool for municipalities to implement the recent changes to the Municipal Government Act (MGA). The Councillor Code of Conduct: A Guide for Municipalities is a tool to help municipalities develop their local codes of conduct (S. 146).Download the workbook |
COUNCILLOR CODES OF CONDUCTThe RMA, in partnership with ABmunis, has released Councillor Codes of Conduct: A Guide for Municipalities (2023 Version). The 2023 version of the guide provides updated information and support for municipalities in how to review and (if needed) update codes of conduct, and how to use codes of conduct to support good governance and decision-making. The guide was developed by Brownlee LLP through funding provided by the Government of Alberta.Download the full report |
EOEP – MUNIS 101 WORKBOOKIn this first component of the course, we will be setting the stage by spending a bit oftime considering the context of municipalities in Canada and, more specifically, the role of municipalities in Alberta. Download the workbook |
BOARD GOVERNANCE REVIEW COMMITTEE – FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONSIn this first component of the course, we will be setting the stage by spending a bit of time considering the context of municipalities in Canada and, more specifically, the role of municipalities in Alberta.Download the full report |
MUNICIPAL GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES STUDYIntermunicipal relationships are complex in Alberta. As the province’s economy and population continues to grow, this becomes more and more the case. Whether it is accessing funds to expand critical infrastructure, providing an ever-growing list of services to municipal residents, or addressing emerging land use and development priorities related to natural resource development, municipal issues are rarely contained within municipal boundaries. |
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT GUIDEThe RMA and the AUMA, with support from Alberta Municipal Affairs, have developed a step-by-step guide to help you fulfill Public Engagement Policy requirements. The guide can be supplemented by the Public Engagement Workbook, which provides templates for planning and implementing your approach to involving your residents in your municipality’s decision-making process. |
RMA GUIDE FOR DECLARING MUNICIPAL AGRICULTURE STATES OF EMERGENCYSteps used towards declaring a municipal agricultural disaster can bring awareness to a developing situation; inform residents, industry, and provincial and federal governments; and enable collaboration with impacted producer groups. This guide is intended to be used as a tool to enable municipalities to use informed decision making process prior to making a formal declaration of agricultural disaster as conditions evolve. Municipal declarations do not automatically trigger access to increased funding programs, provincially or federally.Download the guide |
COST SHARING FOR SUCCESS TOOLKITOpportunities, successful practices, limitations, and impediments to successfully negotiating agreements were reviewed and documented. Recommendations of the task force build on the experience, expertise, and best practices taking place throughout the province. The Cost Sharing for Success Toolkit includes practical cost-sharing information on relationship-building, preparing for cost-sharing negotiations, selecting a type of agreement, negotiations, communications, and evaluating success.Download the toolkit |
RURAL STILL MATTERS! MOVING LOCAL GOVERNMENT FORWARDThe RMA forwards the ideas and priorities outlined for moving local government forward in Alberta. There’s been a lot of discussion about municipalities and how they interact with other levels of government. With change on the provincial political horizon, the time is right. It is encouraging that the dialogue is getting more attention; it is an excellent opportunity to remind decision makers that Rural Still Matters!Rural municipalities are more than just land banks - we are a vital part of this province’s economy, culture, and future. Long-term funding is a critical component of success and must acknowledge the unique needs of rural municipalities. JOIN THE DISCUSSION! Member municipalities are being asked to support the RMA in a renewed effort to build on this long-time position that Rural Still Matters! Utilize the materials below to become local and vocal champions for municipal and rural issues. It is a shared responsibility to move these ideas forward and work towards a positive outcome in the best interest of all Albertans. It is time to join the discussion! |
MUNICIPAL CAREERS AWARENESS TOOLKITThe Municipal Careers Awareness Toolkit assists with municipal recruitment and retention strategies and is the culmination of a multi-organizational partnership that included ARMAA, AUMA, LGAA, and SLGM.In the course of development, it was discovered that Albertans’ awareness of the breadth, diversity, and benefits of municipal careers is lower than it ought to be. Without an effort to raise the general public’s awareness about municipal careers, Alberta’s municipalities will continue to face challenges in attracting and retaining employees. This toolkit was developed to help you produce a simple campaign to raise awareness about the benefits of employment with your municipality. It provides several different tactics that will bring positive attention to municipal employees and raise the public’s interest in municipal career opportunities. Each of the five sections provides the basic chronological map and “how to” guide for developing and executing a customized municipal careers awareness campaign specific to your community, including three proven awareness building tactics: media relations, advertising, and social networking sites. Elements
Download the full toolkit |
PLANNING FOR CANNABISWith the legalization of cannabis quickly approaching in summer 2018, municipalities across Canada are struggling to prepare themselves to address challenges related to land use planning, emergency response, enforcement, public education, and many other issues as federal requirements and the legalization date are being finalized.RMA has been working hard to keep track of evolving municipal challenges and opportunities associated with cannabis legalization, and to pass information on to members. The Planning for Cannabis hub provides a variety of information and links to outside resources to support RMA members in preparing for what is a challenging and unpredictable issue. Learn more |
STUDY OF HIGH SPEED RAIL IMPACTS ON RURAL ALBERTAHigh speed rail (HSR) has recently enjoyed a resurgence of public interest in both Canada and the United States. HSR has previously been proposed as a means of better connecting Calgary and Edmonton and potentially communities in-between.CPCS has been engaged by the RMA to address this gap. The present study provides the RMA and its members with the necessary facts, insights, and supporting analysis to engage in an informed and productive fashion with the Government of Alberta and others regarding any future HSR planning, and to ensure that the interests of its member municipalities are well and clearly represented in this discussion. Learn more |
RMA Issue Backgrounder - Broadband SeriesThe RMA is excited to launch a series of four articles designed to help members understand broadband and rural internet issues. |
Municipal Structures: An Alternative Dialogue for Municipalities in Alberta Report and ToolThe RMA has released Municipal Structures: An Alternative Dialogue for Municipalities in Alberta along with an accompanying executive summary and a municipal self-assessment tool. The report examines the link between how municipalities address the numerous and increasingly complex challenges that they face and the role of municipal restructuring (dissolution, annexation, amalgamation, etc.) as a potential solution.
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RMA Internet Speed Testing Summary ReportThe RMA has concluded the internet speed testing project, which ran for two years to collect internet speed data in RMA member municipalities. Over this period, more than 35,000 tests were run in rural municipalities, and this would not have been possible without the support of our members.Download the full report |
Seeking Balance: Voting Inequalities in Alberta’s Growth Management BoardsThe RMA has released a report titled Seeking Balance: Voting Inequalities in Alberta’s Growth Management Boards. The report takes a close look at how decisions are currently made within the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board and Calgary Metropolitan Region Board, and how the current provincially-mandated voting structure used in both boards fundamentally disempowers rural growth management board (GMB) members.Download the full report |
Unpaid Oil & Gas Tax Survey SummaryIn early 2023, the RMA requested that all members complete a survey providing an update on their unpaid oil and gas tax burden as of December 31, 2022. The survey builds on previous member input on this issue from2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019. This briefing provides an overview of survey results, and what these trends mean for rural municipalities using the most up to date data provided by all RMA members. The data collected is accurate as of December 31, 2022. Download the full report |
Rural Perceptions of Policing in AlbertaAn online survey in February delivered by Leger and sponsored by the University of Lethbridge’s Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy and the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) shows a distinct lack of support for the creation of a provincial police force among rural Albertans.Download the full report |
RMA and Brownlee Guide to Special LiensIn 2021, the Government of Alberta amended the Municipal Government Act to clarify that municipalities have a special lien on linear and machinery and equipment property used by oil and gas companies. While the special lien provides municipalities with another tool that may help in recovering unpaid oil and gas property taxes, many RMA members expressed confusion on how to utilize special liens to recover taxes and how a special lien aligns with other tax recovery tools. In response to those concerns, the RMA and Brownlee created a guide for special liens.Download the guide |
FCSS Service Delivery Challenges in Rural AlbertaFor several years, the RMA has heard from members that reduced availability of provincial social services in rural communities combined with stagnation in provincial funding for municipally operated family and community support services has led to unprecedented pressure on Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) agencies to act beyond their mandate. As social challenges are often over-looked and under-reported in rural Alberta, the RMA prioritized the need to dig deeper into this issue and determine the severity of the issues faced. The RMA partnered with the University of Alberta’s Centre for Sustainable Rural Communities (ACSRC) to develop a report that outlines the issues faced in local rural FCSS programs.Download the report |
Victim Services Unit RegionalizationThe RMA has released an issue backgrounder outlining rural municipal concerns with the Government of Alberta’s (GOA) regionalization of victim services. The transition is currently underway, and the current zonal model is scheduled to be implemented beginning in Spring 2024. The RMA has expressed concerns with the proposed regionalization approach since it was first proposed by the GOA in 2020.Download the backgrounder |
RMA Carbon Tax ReportIn 2022, RMA members passed resolution 2-22S: Negative Impact of Carbon Tax on Rural Albertans. Based on the resolution’s direction, the RMA contracted Nichols Applied Management to undertake an analysis and develop a report examining the rural impacts of the federal carbon tax. The report has been completed. |
RMA Member Committee on Quasi-Judicial AgenciesIn May 2023, the RMA formed the Quasi‑Judicial Agency Member Committee (QJAC) in response to member concerns related to the lack of municipal input into developments approved by quasi‑judicial agencies. The committee developed a full report that is available on the RMA website. |
Quasi Judicial Agencies Review PaperThe Quasi Judicial Agencies Review Paper was prepared by Brownlee LLP for the RMA. This report delves into the regulatory approach and practices of the three agencies through the lens of if and how their current project approval processes consider municipal perspectives on the possible risks and impacts of the project, as well as if and how they protect municipalities from such risks.Download the full report |