ABmunis in the News: Q1, 2024

As the unified voice of our members, Alberta Municipalities works hard to bring attention to our members’ priorities. Alberta Municipalities appeared in the news many times during the first quarter of 2024 (Q1, 2024), representing the interests of our member communities in which 85% of Albertans live and bringing public attention to the issues facing Alberta’s communities.

Municipal-federal agreements

Municipal-federal agreements made news in January 2024, as local governments worked to meet the Government of Alberta’s January 31 deadline to submit information on all Government of Canada funding they received in 2022. In a January 23 interview with then-Edmonton Journal reporter Lisa Johnson, President Tyler Gandam said many of the organization’s member communities were confused and concerned. “I can’t think of another time that we’ve been asked for information like this,” he said.

President Gandam said he hoped the provincial government would clarify what it intended to do with the information. “If it’s solely for creating a wedge between the municipal governments and the federal government, then I’m absolutely opposed to it. If it’s a way for the provincial government to help municipalities receive more federal funding, equitable to what the rest of Canada is seeing, then I support that,” he said.

Alberta Budget 2024

The 2024 Alberta Budget was introduced on February 29. Alberta Municipalities issued an official statement outlining its initial reaction – one of disappointment – on February 29, and followed up with a technical briefing for media and a second official statement on March 1. President Gandam spoke with Global News Calgary reporter Carolyn Kury de Castillo about ABmunis’ perspective on Budget 2024 on March 2. He said municipalities were hoping for $1.75 billion from the provincial government this year. Instead, they received less than half that ($722 million). “What we would like from the provincial government is a plan,” said Gandam. He called on the Government of Alberta to produce a long-term strategic plan that addresses population growth, infrastructure, healthcare and education.

While ABmunis wholeheartedly endorsed Premier Smith’s vision that “Albertans deserve to live, work and play in strong, safe communities with unfettered access to world-class services”, the association pointed out that world-class services require serious commitment and significant investment. President Gandam and others noted that provincial investment in municipal infrastructure seemed detached from population growth and inflation.

Creation of provincial police agency (Bill 11) introduced March 13

Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis announced the provincial government’s intention to create a provincial police agency on March 13, one day before the start of Alberta Municipalities’ Spring 2024 Municipal Leaders’ Caucus. The rationale Minister Ellis gave for this move was that the Government of Alberta needed to be ready to provide local policing in case the RCMP pulled out.

President Gandam noted that no consultation between the provincial government and municipalities took place on the elevation of sheriffs' roles. He wondered where the money was coming from to pay for this initiative, noting that the 2024 Alberta Budget didn't include funding for the new force. "I'm not interested in not having the RCMP. I am interested in improving community safety," said Gandam in a March 14 interview with CTV Edmonton's Nav Sangha. "Expanding the (sheriffs') mandate could help with some of those elements,” said Gandam.

Introduction of political parties in local elections seems increasingly likely

President Gandam appeared on CTV’s Alberta Primetime on February 20 to talk about the potential introduction of political parties at the local level. More than 25 reporters from across Alberta took part in the association’s live-streamed media event to hear Gandam and Director Krista Gardner (Towns-West) explain why ABmunis’ members are deeply troubled by the idea. Their remarks were widely covered in publications ranging from The St. Albert Gazette and The Lethbridge Herald to The Globe and Mail. Stories also aired on television (CBC, CTV and Global News) and radio and were published online.

An opinion piece in The Edmonton Journal made many of the same points and outlined ABmunis’ reasons for objecting to the introduction of political parties at the local level. A February 27 Weekly article neatly summarized ABmunis’ position. Our association's message to the Government of Alberta and special interest groups that are eager to see partisan politics at the local level remains clear, unwavering, and unequivocal – listen to regular Albertans who have repeatedly said they simply are not interested.