WHEREAS member owned municipal utilities help ensure the survival and economic growth of rural Alberta through provision of safe, reliable and cost-effective utilities such as natural gas, electricity and water to rural residents of Alberta;AND WHEREAS rural utilities including rural electrification associations, natural gas co-ops and municipally-owned utilities are facing an uncertain future through the actions of investor-owned utilities approaching government for a review of operations of rural utilities;AND WHEREAS the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties has a mandate to protect the interests of rural Alberta;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties support rural electrification associations, natural gas co-ops, water co-ops, and municipally-owned utilities by urging the Government of Alberta to ensure existing legislation and regulations remain in effect and are enforced to allow member owned rural utilities and municipal utilities to continue to provide a competitive alternative to investor-owned utilities.

The AAMDC accepts the governments response, and will continue to work to protect the interests of rural utility customers, member-owned rural utilities, and municipal utilities through the newly formed Alberta Rural Utility Association (ARUA) comprised of representatives from the AAMDC, the Federation of Alberta Gas Co-ops, the Federation of REAs, Gas Alberta, Prairie Power, and the Alberta Water Co-ops.