Municipal Alberta
Infrastructure Cash For 17 Communities
CALGARY -- Seventeen communities benefited from the announcement of $5.6 million in community infrastructure projects approved through the Infrastructure Canada-Alberta Program. (Government of Alberta Press Release)
Funding Nudged To Sludge Treatment
STRATHMORE -- Strathmore Town Council approved the first of three phases that will see a sludge drying bed created at the water treatment plant. (Strathmore Standard)
Condo Tax Break Nixed
VULCAN -- A resident from Whispering Creek Condos says he is not done with the fight to lower his municipal taxes after Vulcan Town Council voted not to. (Vulcan Advocate)
Annexation Confusion Reigns
AIRDRIE -- There is a significant difference between what the City of Airdrie and the M.D. of Rocky View agreed to in a mediated annexation agreement last year and the agreement which the province approved this August -- leaving officials from both municipalities to decipher where to go from here. (Airdrie Echo)
Gas Tax Transfer Lauded
CALGARY -- A commitment by Parliament to share more fuel-tax revenues with cities should pave the way to more money for roads in Calgary, according to Mayor Dave Bronconnier. (Calgary - canada.com network)
New Managers
CALGARY -- The MD of Rocky View announced an appointment to the newly created position of Utility Services Manager, as well as the hiring of a new Fire Chief to replace the chief terminated in June. (Rocky View Times)
Curfew Debates Heats Up
DRAYTON VALLEY -- Evansburg residents of all ages came together last Wednesday night to offer suggestions on a proposed curfew. (Drayton Valley Western Review)
Ec Dev Group Serves Everyone
HANNA -- According to Hanna Mayor Pat Burns, being part of the Palliser Economic Partnership (PEP) is "good in the sense that everyone is on the same page regardless of the size of the community." (Hanna Herald)
Expansion Options Scrutinized
CAMROSE -- No matter how you look at it, rebuilding City Hall is a costly venture. (Camrose Canadian)
Year-Long Bash Begins
EDMONTON -- Officials kicked off Edmonton's year-long birthday bash by announcing 12 months' worth of centennial events and activities. (Edmonton Journal - canada.com network)
School Tax Scrap Brewing
EDMONTON -- The province's cities and towns will fight any plan that takes more money from local property taxes for education, according to the new president of the AUMA. (CBC Calgary)
Integrated Policing Extolled
SHERWOOD PARK -- Creating a separate and integrated RCMP district surrounding Edmonton will lead to better policing throughout the region, says the new commander of the Provincial Capital District. (Sherwood Park News)
City Unveils Annexation Bid
ST. ALBERT -- Mayor Richard Plain is confident the province won't order St. Albert to share commercial tax revenues with Sturgeon County when it hands down its decision on an application to annex 1,320 hectares of county land. (stalbertgazette.com)
. . . And County Fights Back
MORINVILLE -- Sturgeon has no choice but to enter into a lengthy and expensive legal battle over St. Albert's annexation application, says county Mayor Lawrence Kluthe. (stalbertgazette.com)
Staff Will "Thai" One On
EDSON -- Five delegates from Satun, Thailand will be in Edson this week to learn how to deal with administrative and financial issues from town staff. (Edson Leader)
Emerg Upgrades Slimmed Down
FORT McMURRAY -- A scaled-down version of a $2-million emergency communications upgrade got a much smoother ride from regional councillors than a previous version did in the spring. (Fort McMurray Today)
County Pulls Out Of Partnership
PEACE RIVER -- Failing to find ways a regional co-operation project would benefit them, Northern Sunrise County opted to pull out of the application that has faced confusion over whether it was duplicating a similar grant. (Peace River Record Gazette)
Municipal Saskatchewan
Water Upgrades On Tap
LLOYDMINSTER -- City council has accepted, in principle, a plan to go ahead with water treatment plant upgrades and a new reservoir worth nearly $7 million -- but it's a plan that has its detractors. (Lloydminster Meridian Booster)
Smoke Eaters Stay Busy
NIPAWIN -- The Nipawin Volunteer Fire Department has been the busiest in the Northeast, responding to 47 calls ranging from house fires to farm to bush blazes to motor vehicle accidents and even stuck elevators. (Nipawin Journal)
Candidates Concur
MOOSE JAW -- Two mayoralty candidates defended a council decision this week to defer a youth centre request for a tax break on a vacant Main Street store. (Moose Jaw Times-Herald)
Economic Disaster Area
WHITEWOOD -- The Rural Municipality of Willowdale has passed a motion declaring the R.M. as an economic disaster area. (Whitewood Herald)
Spending Concerns
REGINA -- The city's contributions to two major projects might not be as pain-free for taxpayers as advertised by Mayor Pat Fiaco, said Coun. Fred Clipsham. (Regina - canada.com network)
Race Gets Ugly
PRINCE ALBERT -- The investigation into a police cover-up is the most important election issue in the Prince Albert mayoralty race, according to one of the men running for mayor. (CBC Saskatchewan)
Municipal Manitoba
Good Riddance To Rink
ALTONA -- The town of Altona wants the old curling rink gone by the end of November, and if someone doesn't come forward to tear it down for salvage, the rink will be demolished. (Altona Red River Valley Echo)
Arsenic Cleanup
WINNIPEG -- Winnipeg will clean up a dozen play structures that have tested positive for small amounts of arsenic compounds. (Winnipeg - canada.com network)
Looser Liquor Laws Needed
WINKLER -- Economic development consultant Walter Siemens has definite thoughts about how relaxed liquor laws, or the lack thereof, would impact Winkler's dream of building a convention centre. (Winkler Times)
CAO Clarifies "Special Meetings"
DUNNOTTAR -- Dunnottar council's decision to meet at the home of an elected official represented a radical departure from generally-accepted procedures; in particular those proscribed by the Manitoba Municipal Act. (Interlake Spectator)
Prolific Piggery Planned
STEINBACH -- The owners of a Tourond-area hog farm are asking permission from the RM of Hanover to double the size of the operation. Ninth story down. (The Carillon)
Municipal North
Tax Sale Heads To Court
IQALUIT, NU -- The city of Iqaluit is taking its effort to sell three houses to the Nunavut Court of Justice. (CBC North)
Former Manager Sues
IQALUIT, NU -- A former City of Iqaluit manager is suing his old employer for the way he was treated during a nasty municipal strike two years ago. (CBC North)
Booze Vote Set
BAKER LAKE, NU -- On Nov. 10, voters in Baker Lake, Kugluktuk, Rankin Inlet and Resolute Bay will decide whether they want to change their communities' restrictions on the sale, distribution and consumption of booze. (Nunatsiaq News)
Electorate Has "Pet" Peeve
WHITEHORSE, YK -- It's a dog-eat-dog election race as candidates are quizzed endlessly about the pet and smoking bylaws. (Whitehorse Daily Star)
Municipal Ontario
Gag Bid Killed
BRANTFORD -- City Coun. Vince Bucci's controversial resolution to ban negative comments at public forum meetings is dead. (Brantford Expositor)
Manure Bylaw Changes Not Sticking
RIPLEY -- Huron-Kinloss council was evenly divided on whether to change its nutrient management bylaw or leave it alone. Fifth story down. (Kincardine Independent)
New Logo Gets A Look
KENILWORTH -- Wellington North Township will soon have a new logo to promote itself. (Mt. Forest Confederate)
Rising Reno Costs Concern Council
WALKERTON -- Amid concerns about a mounting price tag, Bruce County Council is going ahead with the expansion and renovation of the Bruce County Museum and Archives in Southampton. (Shoreline Beacon)
Deficit Looms
SARNIA -- The city is headed for a $171,000 year-end budget deficit. (Sarnia This Week)
Vengeance On Vandals
WINGHAM -- Angered by the costly and senseless acts of vandalism in the ward of Blyth on the weekend, North Huron council decided the time had come to say enough. (Wingham Advance-Times)
Affordable Taxes Mayor's Priority
BURLINGTON -- The city must get tough on tax increases, says Burlington's mayor. (haltonsearch.com)
Growing Influence
ORANGEVILLE -- If 230 more Orangeville residents sign up to vote in the upcoming municipal election, the town will get two extra votes at Dufferin county council. (Orangeville Banner)
Council Backs Welfare Hike
KESWICK -- As the Georgina Community Food Pantry faces the most crucial campaign in its history, council endorsed a call to increase welfare rates Monday. (Yorkregion.com)
Resignations Smoke Drug Unit
DURHAM -- Durham's drug squad is in disarray after officers quit the unit en masse, incensed over an ongoing OPP probe into alleged misconduct. (durhamregion.com)
Vandals, Violence Plague Park
OSHAWA -- Just weeks after the opening of the skateboard park at Donevan Recreation Complex, Mike Nicholson says drugs, violence and vandalism are plaguing the park. (durhamregion.com)
De-Amalgamation Candidate Clear
LINDSAY - City of Kawartha Lakes residents who want to vote 'Yes' to deamalgamation have one clear choice when it comes to picking a mayor while those who want to vote against deamalgamation have a choice of four candidates. (Lindsay Daily Post)
Performance Measures Published
BROCKVILLE -- The cost per household of police services in Brockville went up by more than a quarter last year, despite a drop in the number of violent crimes, the city's latest performance measures show. (Brockville Recorder & Times)
Credit Abuse Tough To Stop
OTTAWA -- About one out of four city purchasing cards had to be suspended because of inadequate authentication of receipts -- even after a scathing auditor's credit card report in February revealed sloppy controls on the corporation's plastic. (Ottawa - canada.com network)
New Fire Hall Opens
LAURENTIAN HILLS -- The new fire hall in Laurentian Hills' east end was unveiled to the public just one year after construction of the building began. (North Renfrew News)
Climbing Cost Can't Kill Complex
ORILLIA -- Staggered but not floored by the shock of a $28-million jump in price, Orillia council hasn't thrown in the towel on the plan to use former industrial land as the site for the long-awaited sports complex. (Orillia Packet & Times)
Herbicide Ban Wilts
OWEN SOUND -- After more than 18 months of study, Owen Sound has backed away from a proposed ban on the cosmetic use of herbicides and pesticides. (Owen Sound Sun Times)
City Eyes Vision
TIMMINS -- The City of Timmins is seeking public input so the community can help develop a vision for the future. (Timmins Times)
Rural Docs May Score More Incentives
SUDBURY -- City council is considering offering added incentives to family physicians that set up in outlying communities of the City of Greater Sudbury. (Sudbury Star)
Vote Is In The Mail
KENORA -- In the Nov. 10 municipal elections, about one million voters in 109 municipalities will be able to vote by mail. (Kenora Daily Miner and News)
Municipal Atlantic
Plebiscite Pushback
CHARLOTTETOWN, PE -- Councillor Kathleen Casey says her colleagues are being selfish by not allowing a plebiscite question on changing the way civic politicians are elected. (CBC - Prince Edward Island)
Music To Municipal Ears
FREDERICTON, NB -- New Brunswick Finance Minister Jeannot Volpe is considering sharing gasoline and commercial property taxes with cities, towns and villages to help them raise more money. (CBC - New Brunswick)
Pig Farmer In A Poke
DRUMMOND, NB -- A village in northwest New Brunswick is taking one of its residents to court over a pig farm. (CBC - New Brunswick)
Outage Outrage
HALIFAX, NS -- After days of fielding calls from angry residents affected by hurricane Juan, one Halifax regional councillor is suggesting the municipality run its own power grid. (CBC - Nova Scotia)
Robbing Peter To Pay Paul?
SHELBURNE, NS -- Shelburne Town Council authorized a grant of $800 to the Shelburne Arena so that it could pay its outstanding water bill to the Town and avoid having its water cut off. (The CoastGuard)
Big Screen Buy-In
BRIDGEWATER -- Town council got its first look at the movie-theatre plan last week and wasted no time advancing the proposal to a public participation meeting later this month. (Lighthouse Publishing)
ED Workshop Enlightens
CORNER BROOK, NF -- Municipal leaders learned of their important role in economic development at a workshop held jointly between the Humber Economic Development Board and the Department of Industry Trade and Rural Development. (Western Star)
Getting Wired
New Training Options
MEADOW LAKE -- Training opportunities for northern Sask. residents will improve with the installation of broadband video conferencing technology in 12 communities. (Meadow Lake Progress)
Losers Keep Laptops
BRANTFORD -- From now on, any city councillors who retire or lose their seats in an election get to keep their laptop computers. (Brantford Expositor)
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