City Councillor Helen Rice is calling the first Alberta Urban Municipalities Association fall conference since the election of Alberta’s new NDP government a success. Rice, who recently vacated her position as president of the AUMA, says one of their biggest victories at the conference was the announcement made by the Minister of Municipal Affairs about the future of the Municipal Government Act.
“He plans on tabling the amendments to the Municipal Government Act in the spring 2016 session. We’ll look for development and reaction to the regulations over the summer, with a view to it being passed in the spring of 2017.”
A major overhaul of the legislation was begun earlier this year under the PC government. The last overhaul of the Municipal Government Act was done in 1995.
Rice says between that announcement and the news that the province would be increasing their funding for FCSS organizations, the mood at the conference was a celebratory one.
Rice is succeeded in her presidential position by Morinville Mayor Lisa Holmes, and is now seeking a position on the AUMA’s board, but says it is being decided in a paper vote and won’t be announced until October 21.