Work has begun on the Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework in the Grande Prairie region. A steering committee has been put together with members from Horse Lake First Nation, the City of Grande Prairie, Town of Wembley and Town of Sexsmith.
Senior Associate and Planning Discipline Leader with Stantec Truper McBride says the initial steps is conversation.
“We have been asked to look at water, waste water, emergency services, transportation, recreation and culture. Those are some specific areas we were asked to take a look at. We were also asked to look at what isn’t being provided.”
The start to the frameworks were prompted by changes in the Modernized Municipal Government Act with Bill 21 in December 2016. This holds municipalities to work together with other communities with common borders within two years of it coming into play.
“To take a look at how services are being provided right now, what services are being provided and get a sense, is there a way these services could be provided better?”
At the end of the ICF pre-work, the group will come up with a gap analysis. The project is funded by a $100,000 Alberta Community Partnership Grant. It is being guided by Stantec Consulting Ltd..