Municipal Alberta
Municipal Excellence Launches New Feature
EDMONTON -- The Municipal Excellence Network now features a listserv, a technology which will notify you via email about new content on the website. (MuniMall exclusive from Alberta Municipal Affairs)
Port Of Entry Status Returning
LETHBRIDGE -- The issue of port of entry status for the County Airport moved one step closer to being resolved but there is still the financial impact to be addressed. (Coaldale Sunny South News)
Assessment Appeals Jump
PINCHER CREEK -- Three times as many people this year have expressed concern regarding their assessment notice in the Municipal District of Pincher Creek. (Pincher Creek Echo)
Edmonton Firm To Revitalize Taber
TABER -- It's official: the Edmonton firm Gibbs and Brown will be starting this summer to create a plan for the future of Taber's downtown. Second story down. (Taber Times)
Land Use Changes Eyed
AIRDRIE -- The city is looking to redefine its commercial land use districts in an effort to better manage business development. (Airdrie Echo)
Short Stay For CAO
CALGARY -- Rocky View Chief Administrative Officer Brian Chambers resigned after 5 months on the job. (Cochrane Times)
Racing Car Crackdown
WETASKIWIN -- Despite concerns from some citizens, the City of Wetaskiwin will go ahead with amendments to the nuisance bylaw to get racing cars off the street. (Wetaskiwin Times Advertiser)
Interim CAO Appointed
DIDSBURY -- Robert Wigg has taken over the top position at the Town of Didsbury for the interim, after past CAO Evan Parliament left for greener pastures in BC. (Didsbury Review)
Website Costs Climb
DIDSBURY -- Extra costs of constructing a new and improved Web site for Mountain View County have astounded county councillors. (Olds Albertan)\
Fourth Subdivision Proposed
SYLVAN LAKE -- Opening the gate to development at the north end of Sylvan Lake will help save the lake, not destroy it, says the latest developer with a subdivision plan. (Sylvan Lake News)
Cop Costs Cut
RIMBEY -- A decision in May to discontinue a federal contract for RCMP services won't diminish policing in Rimbey, but will save more than $150,000 annually. (Rimbey Review)
Back In The Black
EDMONTON -- Trimming travel and training expenses and delaying purchases of computers and other equipment has turned the city's projected $8.9-million shortfall into a year-end surplus forecast to be $1.2 million. (Edmonton Journal)
Internship Program Returns
EDMONTON -- Alberta Municipal Affairs is once again sponsoring the Municipal Internship Program for 2003/04. (MuniMall exclusive from Alberta Municipal Affairs)
Plebiscite Snubbed
EDSON -- It started out as a possible tabling motion, then shifted to a possible removal item from the agenda, and finally ended up ignored. (Edson Leader)
Urban Forest Plan Takes Root
FORT SASKATCHEWAN -- Plans for an urban forest in Fort Saskatchewan are starting to grow. (Fort Saskatchewan Record)
Needs Study Trashed
ST. ALBERT -- It appears the City of St. Albert will trash a $10,000 space needs study and instead spend its money on buying land for a future civic campus. (St. Albert Gazette)
Sewer Solution Gets Support
SLAVE LAKE -- After some heated exchanges, Southshore residents gave their municipal representatives thumbs up to proceed with a wastewater system expected to cost millions. (Lakeside Leader)
Conservation Plea Works
MANNVILLE -- Mannville residents are being asked not to water their lawns after one of the three village wells went out of commission recently. (Vermilion Standard)
Costs Soar For Smoke Eaters
FORT McMURRAY -- The Fort McMurray Factor has struck again. (Fort McMurray Today)
Noise Bylaw Gets A Listen
GRANDE PRAIRIE -- Grande Prairie could get a whole lot quieter soon. (Grande Prairie Herald-Tribune)
Municipal Saskatchewan
Crossing Upgrades On Track
LLOYDMINSTER -- Crossing local railroad tracks will become safer and waiting times will be shortened in the near future. (Lloydminster Meridian Booster)
Beat Cops Get Pedal Power
YORKTON -- Residents within the city will soon see a little more of their local RCMP as they will hit the streets on bicycle patrol this summer. (Yorkton This Week & Enterprise)
Water Plant On Tap
MAPLE CREEK -- Plans are under way to install a nano filtration water treatment plant in Maple Creek, and address water quality problems that have plagued the town for the past 14 months. (Maple Creek News)
Two-Hour Parking Gets Nod
WEYBURN -- City council has agreed with a request from the Chamber of Commerce to allow two-hour parking in the downtown core to encourage shopping. (Weyburn Review)
Council, College To Meet
WHITEWOOD -- Town council is attempting to set up a meeting between the town and the Southeast Regional College to determine what the future holds for the local campus. (Whitewood Herald)
RCMP Draw Tourists
REGINA -- Tourism Regina notices what its head calls a "huge spike" in the number of tourist buses arriving on those summer Tuesdays when the colourful Sunset Ceremony is held at the RCMP's "Depot" Division. (Regina Leader-Post)
Safer Stairs For Bridge Pedestrians
SASKATOON -- The next phase in the evolution of Saskatoon's popular weir site will get under way this week with a $253,000 upgrade that includes a new staircase to the train bridge. (Saskatoon StarPhoenix)
Municipal Manitoba
Dog Bylaw Needs More Bite
ST. PIERRE-JOLYS -- The RM of De Salaberry Council recently learned that in order for their municipal dog bylaw to be enforced, it needs to be amended. (Dawson Trail Dispatch)
ILOs Bring Benefits: Study
VITA -- A study conducted by an organization in the RM of Stuartburn has concluded that hog production and intensive livestock operations have been a benefit to the municipality. (Dawson Trail Dispatch)
Reluctant Developers
ALTONA -- Though they admitted to feeling uncomfortable by getting involved in the residential sector, Altona town council agreed they had no choice but to buy lots from Suncrest Development. (Altona Red River Valley Echo)
Poisonous Playgrounds?
WINNIPEG -- The City of Winnipeg is trying to determine whether the sand in city playgrounds is poisonous. (Canadian Press)
Dike Thwarts Development
ST. ADOLPHE -- The community of St. Adolphe is growing, but its dike is hemming in development. (CBC Manitoba)
Liquor Ballot Getting Longer
WINKLER -- The City of Winkler, which will be conducting a liquor referendum in late October, is now looking at three separate questions on the ballot. (Winkler Times)
Municipal North
Cashing In On Cruises
KIMMIRUT, NU -- The Nunavut community of Kimmirut is making some changes before the arrival of the first cruise ship of the season on July 18, in an effort to make the hamlet more interesting to tourists. (CBC North)
Dump Under Fire
IQALUIT, NU -- Former Iqaluit mayor Bryan Pearson says the city's dump is out of control. (CBC North)
Butt Bylaw Ignites Bullying
WHITEHORSE, YK -- City councillors in Whitehorse are being bullied, pushed around, and threatened to back off on the proposed smoking ban. (CBC North)
Municipal Ontario
More Referendum Rage
KENORA -- Kenora city council is dead set against a provincial government proposal forcing municipalities to hold referendums before raising taxes. (Kenora Miner and News)
Province Delays Development -- Again
HUDSON -- Hudson is going to have to wait another year before significant development can occur there because of limitations set by the Province. (Sioux Lookout Bulletin)
Lobbying May Pay Off
SAULT STE. MARIE -- WestJet company officials say they will consider restoring service to Sault Ste. Marie in 2004 if conditions are favourable. (Sault Star)
Staff Face Huge Reorganization
NEW LISKEARD -- When the amalgamation of the municipalities of New Liskeard, Haileybury and Dymond township goes ahead next year, the administration will have four departments. (Northern Daily News)
Development Charges Could Double
BRACEBRIDGE -- Building a house, apartment building or a new commercial development could get a lot costlier in Muskoka if the District approves adding a roads component to its existing development charges. (Huntsville Forester)
Regional Landfill Gaining Steam
PARRY SOUND -- Carling, Parry Sound, Archipelago and McKellar are interested in participating in an expanded landfill site in McDougall Township. (Parry Sound North Star)
Council Opts For More Secrecy
ORILLIA -- Orillia city council has voted to restrict public access to council documents until the day of its meetings. (Orillia Packet and Times)
Township Now Opposes Highway
UTOPIA -- Concerns over the proposed extension of Hwy. 427 through Essa Township are growing. (simcoe.com)
Smoking Fines Set
MIDLAND -- Midland council has set the fines for people caught smoking in a business after Sept. 1. (simcoe.com)
Report Cards Out!
OSHAWA -- Council members of Ajax, Clarington, Oshawa, Pickering, Scugog, and Whitby are rated A plus through F minus in durhamregion.com's annual municipal report cards. (durhamregion.com)
Waging War On Illegal Signs
THORNHILL -- If there's one thing Peter MacLeod hates, it's illegal signs. (yorkregion.com)
Downtown Development Debate Heats Up
OAKVILLE -- Is a 14-storey building a towering monstrosity that will loom over Oakville's downtown, or an upscale residential building offering exactly what the downtown core needs? (Oakville Beaver on haltonsearch.com)
Garages Get Bigger
MILTON -- Council passed a planning and administration committee recommendation to address concerns after results from a survey concluded homeowners in new subdivisions find parking inadequate on their properties. (Milton Canadian Champion on haltonsearch.com)
Council Ducks De-Amalgamation Debate
HAMILTON -- Councillors refused to reopen the door to de-amalgamation in a 9-7 vote. (Flamborough Post on haltonsearch.com)
Brownfields Tax Bonus
BELLEVILLE -- There is hope for some of Belleville's more environmentally contaminated lands in the form of new legislation that allows for tax breaks to companies that purchase and remediate the sites. (Belleville Intelligencer)
Township Fleet Rounded Out
HAVELOCK -- The township has rounded out its roads fleet with the purchase of a $186,000 14-tonne International Tandem Truck. (Community Press Online Daily)
New Top Cop
PERTH -- The Town of Perth has hired a full-time chief of police. First story under photo. (Perth Courier)
Smoke Police Hired
CHATHAM -- It appears that Chatham-Kent residents are mostly complying with the new smoking bylaw, but the municipal council won't be trying to save a few dollars by skimping on enforcement. (Chatham This Week)
Ditch Sewage Worsens
LEAMINGTON -- At issue is raw sewage finding its way into an open drainage ditch, and residents find the stench unbearable. (Leamington Post)
Ag Assessment Concerns Council
LISTOWEL -- North Perth Council was a whole lot less than impressed with the placement of agriculture in the SWOT analysis of a community consultative report. (Listowel Banner)
Reorganization Report Eyed
SEAFORTH -- Hugh Thomas, the author of the report that led to a significant administrative reorganization in Huron County, appeared at a council meeting to discuss the possibility of a similar report for Huron East. Third story down. (North Huron Info)
Rec Needs Study Approved
ELMIRA -- Woolwich Township has approved a 15-year plan to replace aging recreation facilities in the township, as well as create new facilities. (Elmira Independent)
Costly Boil Order
PAISLEY -- Dealing with the boil water situation in Paisley has cost an estimated $85,000 and the figure is climbing. (Shoreline Beacon)
Grandstand Unsafe
RODNEY -- West Elgin council is scrambling to ensure the grandstand will be safe in time for the Rodney Aldborough Fair, after an engineering report recommended it no longer be used. (The Chronicle)
8% Hike
HOWICK -- Howick council increased their tax rate by 8.85 per cent as the 2003 budget was passed. (Wingham Advance-Times)
Municipal Atlantic
New Sewage Facility Sought
CORNWALL, PE -- Cornwall officials want their sewage facility expanded to accommodate the growing population of their town. (CBC - Prince Edward Island)
Smoke Bylaw Makes Customers Cranky
FREDERICTON, NB -- Restaurant goers in New Brunswick's capital city couldn't enjoy a smoke after lunch on Canada Day, unless they got takeout. (Telegraph-Journal)
Strategic Plan Unveiled For Region
SACKVILLE, NB -- Enterprise South East has launched a three-year strategic plan entitled "Charting our Course for the Future."
Sewer Plant Skeptics
YARMOUTH, NS -- Some Port Maitland residents have expressed concerns about a proposed sewer treatment plant for their area. (Yarmouth Vanguard)
Skateboard Park Rolling In
TRENTON, NS -- Trenton should have its own skateboard park open no later than the end of July. (New Glasgow Evening News)
Freedom Of The City Awarded
CORNER BROOK, NF -- The commanding officer and the crew of the HMCS Corner Brook leave the submarine's namesake city today, but have vowed Corner Brook will always have a special place in their hearts wherever they may be. (Western Star)
Timmy Tries Again
ST. JOHN'S, NF -- If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. That's what Tim Hortons has decided in its effort to establish a coffee and doughnut shop on Bay Bulls Road. (The Telegram)
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