aamdc election candidate resource guide 2015

RURAL ALBERTACANDIDATE RESOURCE

PROVINCIALELECTION 15‘

GUIDE

Table of Contents

THE AAMDC – AN OVERVIEW 2

RURAL MUNICIPAL SUSTAINABILITY 3

MUNICIPAL FUNDING AND REVENUE SOURCES 3

INDUSTRIAL TAXATION 4

TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE 4

ENERGY AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT 5

ENVIRONMENT 5

AGRICULTURE 5

AAMDC STRUCTURE AND CONTACTS 6

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The AAMDC – An Overview

The Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties (AAMDC) advocates on behalf of

Alberta’s sixty-nine rural municipalities to the provincial and federal governments, as well as other

organizations. Our relationship with the Government of Alberta allows us to work collaboratively

towards policy solutions for Alberta.

Rural municipalities govern every corner of Alberta. As such, the AAMDC advocates on a large

and diverse variety of issues. Nearly every decision made by other levels of government has a

unique impact on rural Alberta, and the AAMDC provides a unified voice for our members on

issues that are felt in rural municipalities across the province.

AAMDC members host the majority of industrial development in Alberta. It is rural municipal

infrastructure and land use planning that supports Alberta’s continued economic growth. The

AAMDC and its members are proud of the positive relationship we have developed with the

Government of Alberta in supporting Alberta’s economic growth, and we consider this document

the first step in continuing that relationship with new candidates and strengthening that

relationship with those running for re-election.

The AAMDC is guided by a mission, vision, and values. These inform our advocacy and business

goals and ensure that we serve the interests of Alberta’s rural municipalities.

Mission

AAMDC empowers its members through proactive leadership, strategic partnerships, effective

advocacy and collective business services

Vision

Strong, vibrant and resilient rural communities

Values

The AAMDC is committed to the following values:

Lead in a proactive, responsive and collaborative manner

Operate with integrity and honesty

Accountable and transparent in our actions

Connected with and trusted by our members

Be stewards of the environment

This document is intended to provide you, as a candidate for provincial office, with insight into the

priority issues for Alberta’s rural municipalities. Rural Alberta is “Where it All Starts.” Our province

was built on rural resources and rural values, and continues to rely on rural municipalities for its

economic development.

For more information on the AAMDC, check out the AAMDC Position Statements on our 2015

provincial election web portal at elections.aamdc.com.

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Rural Municipal Sustainability

To properly support their communities, municipalities must have the governing authority to

implement local decisions, and must be engaged with other levels of governments on decisions

that have a local impact. Municipalities must also have the adequate tools to manage growth and

industrial development within their jurisdiction to ensure developers and industry have the social

license to operate at the local level.

Rural municipalities must be able to provide their residents with the community services that they

expect and deserve. Schools, libraries, healthcare facilities, and high-speed internet are vital to

recruiting and retaining rural residents, and the true importance of these services go far beyond

the direct benefits that they provide. They strengthen rural economies strong and make rural

Alberta a place for families and businesses to grow.

As Alberta’s communities grow, the need for inter-municipal collaboration and regional

cooperation is expanding. Therefore, it is imperative that rural municipalities are engaged and

involved in regional decision-making, while maintaining the autonomy to represent the interests

of their residents.

For more information, check out our Municipal Planning and Development, our Community

Services, and our Health Position Statements at election.aamdc.com.

Municipal Funding and Revenue Sources

As the government closest to the people, the financial sustainability of municipalities is essential

to Alberta’s prosperity. Despite the limited options to raise revenue, municipalities provide an

array of services including road maintenance and water/wastewater.

With property taxation as their primary funding source, municipalities must cover their operating

and capital expenses with available tax revenues. To cover the rest, municipalities rely on a

patchwork of grants and loans which fluctuate from year to year.

The AAMDC is seeking stability in provincial grant funding to allow Alberta’s municipalities to plan

for long-term development, as well as greater autonomy for municipalities to develop revenue

generating tools that meet local needs. For example, some municipalities would benefit from

expanded authority to charge development levies within their jurisdiction to ensure newly

developed areas have adequate services. The current off-site levy regulations restrict the

application of levies to a one-time charge per parcel of land and omit many types of infrastructure

including fire halls, transit, and police stations.

For more information, check out our Municipal Finances Position Statements at

election.aamdc.com.

Page | 4

Industrial Taxation

Industrial taxation refers to the taxes that industry pays to municipalities for the placement of

industrial infrastructure within municipal boundaries. Industrial taxation includes taxes on linear

property and machinery and equipment (M&E) property. Municipalities tax industrial property

through powers outlined in the Municipal Government Act (MGA).

Much like residential property taxes that support infrastructure used by residents of a municipality,

industrial taxes help off-set local impacts of industrial development. These impacts include

anything from the strain that truck traffic puts on local roads and bridges to the impacts that a

major development may have on municipal land-use planning. Rural municipalities host the

majority of industrial development in Alberta, and are therefore reliant on industrial taxation

revenues. Industrial taxation is critical to the continued maintenance of Alberta’s rural

transportation network. This network helps develop the provincial economy and provides market

access to Alberta’s vast natural resources.

Rural municipalities also use these revenues to help meet regional infrastructure and service

delivery needs by funding cost-sharing initiatives with urban partners. These regional projects

often include fire services, libraries and recreational facilities. Since 2004, transfers through direct

payments and cost sharing arrangements between rural municipalities and urban municipalities

have increased, reaching $130,000,000 in 2013.

For more information, check out our Industrial Taxation Position Statements at

election.aamdc.com.

Transportation and Infrastructure

Transportation infrastructure is a priority in rural Alberta. Rural roads and bridges are vital to rural

communities and support Alberta’s economy by providing access to natural resources. AAMDC

members are responsible for approximately 75% of roads and 60% of bridges in the province.

A lack of funding for rural bridges has had significant consequences for rural municipalities,

including the decommissioning of bridges that are no longer structurally sound. While closing

bridges is a last resort for rural municipalities, the costs of maintaining aging infrastructure further

strained by industrial traffic has forced municipalities to make difficult decisions with what little

bridge funding they are able to access.

Despite this, the Government of Alberta zero-funded the Local Road Bridge Program (LRBP) in

2013. With a bridge infrastructure gap that will take $70 million per year for the next ten years to

close, rural municipalities are struggling to keep local roads. Zero-funding the LRBP may not be

immediately felt at the provincial level, but the decision already impacts rural municipalities, which

are home to the resources that drive Alberta’s economy. It is vital that any candidate running for

provincial office understand the critical role that road and bridge funding plays for both rural

municipalities and Alberta as a whole.

For more information, check out our Transportation & Infrastructure Position Statements at

election.aamdc.com.

Page | 5

Energy and Resource Development

Alberta’s economy is built on energy and natural resource development. In most cases, rural

municipalities are home to resource development sites such as oil wells and aggregate (gravel)

pits. The majority of the province’s pipeline system also runs through rural municipalities. As such,

AAMDC members have a major stake in energy development.

Energy development in rural municipalities produces a local challenges associated with issues

such as industrial taxation, land-use planning, environmental impacts, and community safety.

While Alberta’s economy is strengthened by energy and resource development, rural

municipalities must be able to balance local benefits with challenges.

For more information, check out our Industry and Resource Development Position

Statements at election.aamdc.com.

Environment

Environmental considerations impact municipalities in multiple ways including land-use planning,

water management, development approval requirements, and the need to manage growth

responsibly. As the host of industrial development, agricultural production, tourism, and residential

living, rural municipalities must practice environmental management to balance local economic

growth with the need to protect the land.

Land-use planning is a key municipal responsibility which takes into consideration the

environmental impacts of growth, development or land-use changes. Municipalities work within a

legislative framework established by the federal and provincial governments to ensure

environmental impacts are considered during decision-making processes and work with

neighbouring municipalities and landowners to promote environmental stewardship.

For more information, check out our Environment and our Water Position Statements at

election.aamdc.com.

Agriculture

Agriculture is an important contributor to Alberta’s economy. Rural municipalities host a variety of

agricultural operations and work with multiple stakeholders to ensure a balance between

agricultural operations, environmental priorities, and socio-economic demands.

Agricultural practices continue to evolve with the creation of new technologies and research

development efforts. The AAMDC advocates to protect and promote the agriculture industry to

ensure it evolves and remains a contributor to Alberta’s economy. This involves participating in

the development of regional plans under the Land-use Framework, working with the Government

of Alberta to protect the industry from pests, and advocating for the availability of transportation

to move Alberta’s agricultural products to market.

For more information, check out our Agriculture Position Statements at

election.aamdc.com.

Page | 6

AAMDC Structure and Contacts

The AAMDC’s membership is divided into five districts. The members of each district elect a

representative onto the AAMDC Board of Directors. A President and Vice-President are also

elected by the AAMDC’s entire membership. The Board of Directors holds a formal meeting each

month to set the AAMDC’s strategic direction.

The AAMDC Board of Directors regularly interacts with MLAs through formal meetings and

informally as issues arise. As a candidate for provincial office, feel free to contact any member of

the Board of Directors for the rural view on a policy issue. Each Director is an expert on province-

wide issues, as well as the key concerns within their District.

Each district also has a District Chair, who organizes two to three district meetings each year.

This allows members to interact at a regional level.

AAMDC Current Board of Directors

AAMDC President

Al Kemmere (Councillor, Mountain View County)

[email protected] | 403.507.3345

AAMDC Vice-President

Carolyn Kolebaba (Deputy Reeve, Northern Sunrise County)


Director: District 1, Foothills-Little Bow

Bob Jones (Councillor, County of Warner)


District 1 AAMDC Members

Cardston County Cypress County MD of Foothills County of Forty Mile County of Lethbridge County of Newell MD of Pincher Creek

MD of Ranchland MD of Taber Vulcan County County of Warner MD of Willow Creek Municipality of Crowsnest Pass

Director: District 2, Central

Earl Graham (Deputy Reeve, Clearwater County)


District 2 AAMDC Members

MD of Acadia MD of Bighorn

Ponoka County Red Deer County

Page | 7

Clearwater County Kneehill County Lacombe County Mountain View County County of Paintearth

Rocky View County Special Areas Board Starland County County of Stettler Wheatland County

Director: District 3, Pembina

John Whaley (Mayor, Leduc County)


District 3 Members

Athabasca County County of Barrhead Brazeau County Leduc County MD of Lesser Slave River Thorhild County Lac Ste. Anne County

Parkland County Sturgeon County Westlock County County of Wetaskawin Woodlands County Yellowhead County

Director: District 4, Northern

Tom Burton (Councillor, MD of Greenview)


District 4 Members

Big Lakes County Birch Hills County Clear Hills County MD of Fairview County of Grande Prairie MD of Greenview Mackenzie County County of Northern Lights

Northern Sunrise County MD of Opportunity MD of Peace Saddle Hills County MD of Smoky River MD of Spirit River RM of Wood Buffalo

Director: District 5, Edmonton East

Soren Odegard (Councillor, County of Two Hills)


District 5 Members

Beaver County Camrose County MD of Bonnyville Flagstaff County Lac La Biche County Lamont County County of Minburn

Smoky Lake County County of St. Paul MD of Provost Strathcona County County of Two Hills County of Vermilion River MD of Wainwright

aamdc election candidate resource guide 2015

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