LATEST NEWS

The RMA’s Quasi-Judicial Agencies Committee held its final meeting

On September 13, 2023, the Quasi-Judicial Agencies Member Committee held its final meeting. This committee began in May 2023 and gathered information on several quasi-judicial agencies in Alberta, particularly to gather an understanding on how their approval processes impact rural municipal land use planning.

The following members participate on the committee:

• District 1: Kelly Christman, County of Newell


• District 2: Brent Ramsay, Red Deer County


• District 3: Doug Drozd, County of Barrhead


• District 4: Tyler Airth, Big Lakes County


• District 5: Cindy Trautman, Camrose County

Any questions about the committee can be directed to these representatives or to the committee chair, Vulcan County Reeve and District 1 Director, Jason Schneider.

At the final meeting, the committee reviewed the draft report, which will be released to members in Fall 2023. The committee also met with Brownlee LLP to discuss the outcomes of a second report that the law firm is undertaking on the same issue: exploring quasi-judicial agency issues from a legislative perspective.

Karrina Jung
Policy Advisor
780.955.4085
karrina@RMAlberta.com   

Wyatt Skovron
Manager of Policy & Advocacy
780.955.4096
wyatt@RMAlberta.com

Four seats on the RMA Board of Directors are up for election at the RMA 2023 Fall Convention

The RMA 2023 Fall Convention will take place November 7 – 9 with the following four seats on the Board of Directors being up for election.  All positions will serve a two-year term (2023 – 2025):

• Vice President


• District 2 Director


• District 3 Director


• District 5 Director

RMA Board Elections Policy and Procedures

Based on recommendations identified by the 2021 Board Governance Review, the RMA has adopted a Board Elections Policy and related procedures, which guide the process for all elections.

Complete eligibility requirements for members of the RMA Board of Directors are outlined in section E of the RMA Bylaws, including that the individual must be a duly elected official for a full RMA member municipality. For the position of district directors, individuals must represent a municipality that is within the district that is up for election.

RMA full members interested in joining the Board of Directors are requested to review the Fall 2023 Board of Directors Election Information Package for detailed information on board roles and responsibilities, the commitment required, and related RMA governance policies. The RMA also encourages members interested in pursuing an RMA board seat to contact a current board member or Executive Director Gerald Rhodes to gain a full understanding of the responsibility and commitment required.

As per the RMA Board Elections Policy, candidates are able to submit nomination papers for both the position of Vice President and the available District Director position that represents their member municipality. In this case, candidates must submit two separate nomination papers and, in the event that the candidate is successful in the Vice President election, their nomination for District Director will be rescinded.

All complete nomination papers must be submitted electronically by 4:30 pm on Monday, October 23, 2023, to the RMA Returning Officer, Olly Morrison, at olly@RMAlberta.com.

For enquiries, please contact:

Gerald Rhodes
Executive Director
789.955.4076
gerald@RMAlberta.com

Tasha Blumenthal
Director of External Relations & Advocacy
789.955.4094
tasha@RMAlberta.com

Registration will be available on the RMA website

The RMA 2023 Fall Convention and Tradeshow will take place November 6 - 9, at the Edmonton Convention Centre. We look forward to welcoming our members as we gear up for an action-packed agenda.

Online registration for the 2023 Fall Convention and Tradeshow will open on September 5. Members are also encouraged to register for the EOEP course that will take place Monday, November 6 through the convention registration system.

The RMA’s preferred convention hotels are available and are filling up fast, so make sure you have your municipality booked in so you don’t miss out.

Members are encouraged to review the draft convention agenda, which outlines convention programming and key events. Our tradeshow will offer a chance for our delegates to visit 170 booths for products and services that will be important to their municipalities.

We are please to announce that Anna Maria Tremonti, journalist, and expert on current events will be our opening keynote speaker in November.

Watch for future bulletins in the Contact newsletter for the 2023 fall resolutions package and ongoing information on 2023 RMA Board of Director elections.

Cindy Carstairs
Administrative & Convention Coordinator
780.955.4095
cindy@RMAlberta.com   

Tasha Blumenthal
Director of External Relations & Advocacy
780.955.4094
tasha@RMAlberta.com   

The RMA values the opportunity to recognize members for their dedicated service

Recognition of members through the R.W. Hay Award, Long Service awards, and In Memoriam will take place during the RMA 2023 Fall Convention. Celebrating the commitment of the RMA’s elected officials and administrators is an important component of every fall convention.

Please ensure you submit names and nominations as soon as possible, and before the deadline of October 6, 2023 through the links provided below.

Awards and Recognition

• R.W. Hay Award for Administrative Excellence
  
  
  
  • The RMA, in partnership with the Society of Local Government Managers (SLGM), extends an invitation to member municipalities to nominate outstanding rural administrators. Any chief administrative officer who served or is serving in the current calendar year in an RMA member municipality is eligible to be nominated.
  
  
  
  


• Long Service Award
  
  
  
  • The RMA recognizes the long-term service by rural elected officials or administrators for the terms of 9, 15, 20, 25 years (and every 5 year increments after).
  
  
  
  


• In Memoriam
  
  
  
  • The RMA values the opportunity to recognize municipal leaders and administrators who have passed on since the last convention.
  
  
  
  

Please visit the RMA Convention web page and continue to watch for bulletins in the Contact newsletter for more information on the upcoming RMA 2023 Fall Convention.

Cindy Carstairs
Administrative & Convention Coordinator
780.955.4095
cindy@RMAlberta.com 

Tasha Blumenthal
Director of External Relations & Advocacy
780.955.4094
tasha@RMAlberta.com

To improve reporting on resolution advocacy, the RMA is releasing a monthly bulletin highlighting recent actions undertaken on select active resolutions

The Monthly Resolution Update Bulletin is a way of routinely highlighting a selection of the over 70 currently active resolutions, offering members a more detailed insight into the work being carried out on their behalf. For the latest formal statuses and reactions to all resolutions, view the RMA’s Resolutions Database.

The August 2023 edition of the Monthly Resolution Update Bulletin features the following resolutions:

8-20F Enhancing Support for Farmers When a State of Agricultural Disaster is Declared

The RMA is in the process of engaging with a few municipalities that have faced agricultural challenges due to excessive moisture or drought over the past three years. The aim of these consultations is to delve into the unique challenges farmers encounter due to the declared state of agricultural disaster and the support offered by municipalities. The information gathered will be used in discussions with the Government of Alberta to present a strong case as to why provincial support for agricultural disasters is needed.

In addition to these ongoing efforts, please note that the RMA's Agricultural Disaster Guide has been recently updated. This resource provides essential information for declaring municipal agricultural disasters in Alberta.

5-22F Fertilizer Emission Reduction Target Impacts

Despite previous efforts, the RMA has yet to receive a formal response from the Government of Canada concerning this issue. The RMA is redirecting its focus to initiate research, specifically aimed at comprehending the implications of emission reduction targets within the fertilizer sector. This research aims to strengthen the RMA's position by providing insights into the consequences that the proposed 30% emission reduction target could have on the competitiveness of agricultural operators. The insights gathered will serve as essential input for future discussions with both the Government of Canada and other stakeholders involved.

3-22F Provide for a Uniform Method of Auditing and Enforcing Compliance with Community Aggregate Payment Levy Bylaws

The RMA is in the preliminary stages of engaging with municipalities that have enacted CAPL bylaws, specifically focusing on those with firsthand experience and insights into the challenges of auditing and enforcing these regulations. The consultations will seek examples of companies not complying with CAPL bylaws to support the RMA’s argument that compliance requirements are needed.

Stay tuned for future editions of the Monthly Resolution Update Bulletin, to get continued updates on selected resolutions.

Emmanuel Chukwuma
Policy & Research Analyst
587.689.5484
emmanuel@RMAlberta.com

Wyatt Skovron
Manager of Policy & Advocacy
780.955.4096
wyatt@RMAlberta.com

The AUC will continue to process new and existing applications for renewable energy projects up to the approval stage while conducting an inquiry into renewable energy generation

On August 3, the Government of Alberta directed the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) to pause approvals of new renewable electricity generation projects over one megawatt until February 29, 2024 and conduct an inquiry into the development of renewable electricity generation. The review will include:

• The use of agricultural land and public land for wind and solar projects and land reclamation.


• The role of municipal governments in land selection for project development and review.


• Development of power plants on specific types or classes of agricultural and environmental land.


• The impact of power plant development on Alberta’s pristine viewscapes.


• Mandatory reclamation security requirements for power plants.


• Development of power plans on lands held by the Crown.


• The impact of the increasing growth of renewables on Alberta’s generation supply mix and electricity system reliability.

On August 22, the AUC announced their approach to addressing existing and new renewable energy applications during the approval pause. The AUC will proceed with an “approval hold only” approach. Applicants will be required to follow the process outlined in AUC Rule 007, but the AUC will supplement Rule 007 with new, interim information requirements related to issues such as agricultural land, viewscapes, and reclamation security. While this approach is likely to minimize industry impacts linked to the approval pause, it will be important that any interim measures introduced by the AUC not be used as baselines or precedents for options discussed within the inquiry process.

At this point, the AUC has not provided the RMA with details as to how they will engage with municipalities as part of the inquiry. However, AUC has connected with the RMA to emphasize that they view the RMA and its members as key stakeholders in the inquiry and expect to provide details as to how input will be gathered in the coming weeks.

The RMA has been advocating for changes in regulation and approval processes with the AUC and initiated several projects related to the approval processes currently in place. The RMA currently has a member committee on quasi-judicial agencies that is gathering information on the experiences of members in interacting with quasi-judicial agencies such as the AUC in relation to project approvals. The RMA is also working with Brownlee LLP to develop a formal set of recommendations based on current legislation and is actively working on several resolutions including resolution 21-22F: Loss of Agricultural Land to Renewable Energy Projects and resolution 9-22F: Renewable Energy Project Reclamation Requirements.

The renewable energy industry is crucial to the future of rural municipalities and the province as a whole. The RMA looks forward to working with the Government of Alberta, AUC, industry, and other stakeholders to ensure Alberta continues to be a premier destination for renewable energy investment.

Karrina Jung
Policy Advisor
780.955.4085
karrina@RMAlberta.com   

Wyatt Skovron
Manager of Policy & Advocacy
780.955.4096
wyatt@RMAlberta.com