WHEREAS the federal government in cooperation with the provincial government increases the size of First Nations reserves from time to time; AND WHEREAS the land added to the reserve is Crown land, which is provincial property and therefore part of a municipality; AND WHEREAS this land is taken from Crown inventory and municipal assessment without consulting local municipal authorities; AND WHEREAS this arbitrary distribution of Crown land has an effect on municipal planning in many cases, especially if the land in question is bordering municipal development either urban or rural;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties urge the Federal and Provincial Governments to implement a public hearing process similar to the annexation process for municipalities, and that this public process be applicable to land annexed for First Nations Reserves.

Many municipalities have First Nations reserves either as part of or bordering their municipality. It has been the practice in the past of the federal government in cooperation with the provincial government to increase the size of these reserves. This arbitrary increase in size in many cases affects neighbouring urban and rural municipalities. The lands taken from the Crown and added to the reserve in many cases cause problems with respect to road access to lands for development, access to major waterways, or main lines such as gas lines for municipal purposes. The annexation of land to Native reserves should be a public process whereby all affected parties including municipalities should have the right to address the issues in the annexation process. Delegates to the 2000 AUMA Convention have endorsed this same resolution.

The AAMDC currently has no resolutions in effect on this specific issue.