Research confirms benefits of ICFs
Alberta Municipalities contributed to research that concludes the mandatory nature of Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks (ICFs) is key to their success.
In follow-up work on collaboration done as part of ABmunis' Future of Municipal Government (FOMG) project, the University of Alberta’s Dr. Sandeep Agrawal and Cody Gretzinger analyzed 228 publicly accessible ICF documents and conducted interviews with municipal representatives. Their research finds that ICFs have clear benefits in terms of deepening collaboration and strengthening services. Their research also identifies challenges and suggests opportunities for improvement, which align with ABmunis’ Recommendations on the Future of Intermunicipal Collaboration.
Recommendations from the research paper, ICFs in Alberta: An Assessment, are outlined below.
Negotiating complex arrangements
- Define what services must be included in IFCs
- Require cost and revenue sharing in regulation
- Provide guidance on cost sharing formulas
- Provide guidance on improved financial transparency including common financial and service metrics.
Arbitration
- Improve legislative clarity and consistency regarding arbitration
- Enhance training of arbitrators.
Legislation
- While legislative and regulatory updates are needed, care should be taken not to make changes in the middle of negotiations.
ABmunis shared an executive summary of its research with Municipal Affairs to further inform the provincial government’s legislative review.
