A new resource on municipal management of brownfields

Brownfields are located throughout Alberta and can contaminate the environment, detract from the appeal of communities, and hinder economic and social development. In turn, brownfield redevelopment can provide environmental, economic and social benefits for Albertans. The fourth and final publication in the Environmental Law Centre’s Municipalities and Environmental Law Series for the Community Conserve Project explores how brownfields are managed and regulated in Alberta.

The publication addresses a wide range of topics including:

• What role does the province play in regulating brownfields and their redevelopment?
• What role do municipalities play?
• How do recent changes to the MGA impact a municipality’s ability to regulate brownfields, if at all?
• When is a municipality liable for a brownfield?
• Is it possible to transfer liability for a brownfield through a transfer of ownership, a contractual agreement, or otherwise?
• What protections exist for municipalities against civil and regulatory liability for brownfields?

Municipalities and Brownfields answers these questions and more.

GET INVOLVED

Community Conserve only works if municipal personnel participate. Post ideas, and vote on the ideas already there – no registration required!

The Community Conserve team converts the ones with the most votes into Project Plans, and posts them back on the site.

 If a project looks like it will help your municipality, and you think you can help fund it, go to Fund a Project and let Community Conserve know you are thinking about it.

This article is Part 4 of the Municipalities and Environmental Law Series developed as part of the Community Conserve Initiative. Community Conserve is a forum for Alberta municipalities to identify common environment and conservation issues, then pool their resources to address them. It is managed by the Miistakis Institute and Environmental Law Centre with the support of AUMA and RMA.