Municipal Alberta
Court Backs Resort
BLAIRMORE -- A local resort owner has won a battle with the Municipality in the Alberta Court of Appeals to develop his land. (Crowsnest Pass Promoter)
Sound Signals Installed
OKOTOKS -- It's been a long time coming, but legally blind residents will finally be able to cross the intersections safely. (Western Wheel)
Utilities Upped
STRATHMORE -- In order to meet shortfalls in the 2004 budget, a couple of the utilities require an increase in rate. (Strathmore Standard)
Foreman Says Farewell
LOMOND-- "I never was much of a farmer, so that's why I liked this job so much," said outgoing Lomond village foreman Vic Birkenes. (Vulcan Advocate)
Reorg Report Rapped
BANFF -- The $75,000 review of town of Banff operations should be sent back for revisions, say some. (Banff Crag & Canyon)
Curbside Recycling Eyed
CALGARY -- Two thousand homes could have curbside recycling next year, as the city tests out whether it's economically viable to pick up newspapers and bottles. (CBC Calgary)
CEA Support Has Catch
SYLVAN LAKE -- Sylvan Lake has agreed to budget $15,000 for completion of the proposed Cumulative Effects Assessment (CEA) of the lake, but with one small stipulation for Lacombe County. (Sylvan Lake News)
Debenture Approved
DRAYTON VALLEY -- Brazeau County council included $4.3 million of debentured road upgrades as part of the 2004 budget approved Dec. 9. (Drayton Valley Western Review)
Water Plan On The Table
STETTLER -- The provincial government will shortly receive the County of Stettler's application for a water licence diversion, which will set in place a plan for a comprehensive regional water system. (Stettler Independent)
Water Delays Costly
LACOMBE -- Each day that construction doesn't begin adds $3,000 to a project to pipe water from the Red Deer River to several municipalities. (Lacombe Globe)
New Energy Provider
NISKU -- Leduc County is expecting to save thousands of dollars after signing a three-year fixed rate energy contract with Constellation New Energy. (Leduc Representative)
4% Solution
OLDS -- It was frustrating to say the least, said Mayor Norma Duncan of the 2004 budget. (Olds Albertan)
Gas Pains
EDMONTON -- Add higher gas bills to the list of price increases Edmontonians face in the new year because of the city's 2004 budget. (Edmonton - canada.com network)
Annexation Tax Fears
ST. ALBERT -- Sturgeon residents in the area of the county St. Albert proposes to annex could expect their taxes to almost double once the area is fully taken over by the city. (stalbertgazette.com)
Lagoon Closure Bad News
LAMONT -- A decision by the Landfill Commission to close a sewage lagoon in the village of St. Michael elicited a commanding response from citizens in Lamont County council chambers. (Fort Saskatchewan Record)
$65G Smoke Eater Review
SHERWOOD PARK -- Fire Chief Laird Burton wants to see a $65,000 service delivery review of his department to determine the future of emergency services. (Sherwood Park News)
Crisis Line Crisis?
GRANDE PRAIRIE -- County officials are investigating how much it would cost to revive the recently-cancelled PACE crisis line after losing faith in the ability of the provincially-run crisis line to protect local "in need" residents. (Daily Herald-Tribune)
Regional Dispatch Deal Done
PEACE RIVER -- Peace River's fire and ambulance emergency calls will be dispatched from Grande Prairie when the Town's integrated fire/ambulance service begins next month. (Peace River Record Gazette)
10% Tax Hike Possible
HIGH PRAIRIE -- M.D. of Big Lakes residents could see a 10% increase in their taxes for 2004. (South Peace News)
Snow Must Go
VERMILION -- The Town of Vermilion recently adopted a formal snow removal policy that establishes priority areas in town that will be cleared directly after a major snowfall. (Vermilion Standard)
Municipal Saskatchewan
New Top Cop
PRINCE ALBERT -- Prince Albert's beleaguered city police service has named a new chief. (CBC Saskatchewan)
Airport User Fees Cleared For Takeoff
LLOYDMINSTER -- The city has launched a new package of fees for airport users. (Lloydminster Meridian Booster)
Water Fees Pumped Up
MELFORT -- City residents will welcome in the New Year with a 17 per cent increase in the basic monthly service fee for water and sewer service. (Melfort Journal)
Not A Thing Of Beauty
TISDALE -- Garbage cans once left in the respectable, discreet back alley, in the stands constructed for them, now have to be man handled out to the front curb to be displayed. If this makes sense to you then you should consider running for town council as you would feel right at home. A photo essay. (FTLComm)
Clubs Exempted From Smoke Ban
MOOSE JAW -- A parade of private club members appeared before city council and were successful in convincing members to defeat a motion that would include private clubs in the smoking ban set for next February. (Moose Jaw Times-Herald)
$75G Rec Grant
ARCOLA -- The Town of Arcola has been awarded $75,000 from the Centennial Facilities Grant Program to assist with the construction of a new three-sheet curling rink and multipurpose building. (Government of Saskatchewan Press Release)
Municipal Manitoba
New Fire Chief
OAKBANK -- The new year will mean a new chief for the Springfield Fire Department. (Beausejour Review)
Flood Of Concern
BEAUSEJOUR -- With expansion of the Floodway all but a done deal -- despite numerous concerns raised by much of rural Manitoba -- three municipalities are doing what they can to protect their water source and lifestyles. (Beausejour Review)
'New Deal' Defended
WINNIPEG -- A city councillor tried to stop further promotion of the mayor's proposed "New Deal" for municipal taxation reform with a motion at City Hall. (CBC Manitoba)
Shared Services Supported
SANFORD -- Is there room in Manitoba for more administrative efficiency at the municipal level, shared services, even amalgamations? (Headingley Headliner)
Animal Bylaw Unleashed
STONEWALL -- Stonewall's new animal control bylaw, which takes effect on Jan. 1, is far more comprehensive than the former statute, which dealt exclusively with dogs. (Stonewall Argus and Teulon Times)
Municipal North
Debt Dead
TALOYOAK, NU -- The Nunavut hamlet Taloyoak has cleared its huge debt burden. (CBC North)
Dry Tradition
RANKIN INLET, NU -- The mayor of Rankin Inlet hopes a traditional holiday ban on liquor permits will keep alcohol-related problems to a minimum. (CBC North)
Clean And Green
IQALUIT, NU -- The City of Iqaluit says meeting its obligations under the Kyoto Accord could save money. (CBC North)
Minister Criticized
DAWSON CITY, YK -- The former government supervisor of Dawson City says Community Services minister Glenn Hart is wrong in keeping back loan money set aside for the town. (Whitehorse Star)
Manager, Supervisor Spar
DAWSON CITY, YK -- Dawson City's town manager is concerned about the government-appointed supervisor spreading private information around town. (Whitehorse Star)
Municipal Ontario
Council Chooses $12M Pipeline
EXETER -- It's official -- South Huron council has decided to construct a new Lake Huron water pipeline to upgrade the municipality's drinking water. (Exeter Times Advocate)
Mail-In Voting Draws Raves
RIPLEY -- In a report to Huron-Kinloss council, Clerk Laura Haight indicated that use of the vote-by-mail system increased voter turn-out to 52.98 per cent from 34.54 per cent in 1998. Fifth story down. (Kincardine Independent)
. . . And Mixed Reviews
SIOUX LOOKOUT -- It was the first time that the Municipality of Sioux Lookout used a mail-in voting system for its election, but it remains to be seen if the system will be used again in 2006. (Sioux Lookout Bulletin)
. . . And Legal Action
ELORA -- Issues with the municipality's mail-in vote system has sparked an application for legal proceedings against the Township of Centre Wellington and the Township's clerk, Carolyn Hacking. (Fergus-Elora News Express)
Recount Rejected, Court Date Sought
OAKVILLE -- Town Council won't ask for a recount of the Nov. 10 election, but instead will let a court challenge by Rob Burton, the failed mayoral candidate by 15 votes, have its day in open court next March. (haltonsearch.com)
Council Raise Considered
WYOMING -- Lambton County councillors are expected to decide early in the new year whether to give themselves a raise, according to Warden Todd Case. (Sarnia Observer)
Council Rollback Rejected
PELHAM - Paid roughly 65 cents per person, John Durley figures Pelham councillors are worth every cent of the $11,000 a year they are paid, and then some. (Welland Tribune)
Staff Raise Granted
LISTOWEL -- North Perth councillors said the recommended 2.9 per cent increase for its employees is something the town can live with. (Listowel Banner)
OMB Overhaul Begins
TORONTO -- The McGuinty government is introducing legislation to bring fundamental change to land use planning in Ontario. (Government of Ontario Press Release)
. . . Maybe
NEWMARKET -- One day after promising to restore planning powers to Ontario municipalities, Municipal Affairs Minister John Gerretsen usurped that authority by declaring a moratorium on development on a huge tract of land around the Golden Horseshoe. (Yorkregion.com)
Slow Plowing Brings Flurry Of Complaints
COBOURG -- Street cleaning following Cobourg's first big snowfall wasn't good enough given it was in the last of the Christmas shopping season, some downtown merchants say. (Northumberland Today)
Door-Crashing Councillors
KAWARTHA LAKES -- At least 3 city councillors are planning to crash a meeting between the mayor and the minister of municipal affairs in mid-January. (mykawartha.com)
More Assessment Surprises
KINGSTON -- Normally, when an investment increases sharply in value, the owner is thrilled. (Kingston Whig-Standard)
. . . And Bashing
BROCKVILLE -- Taxpayers do not trust the property assessment system, the head of city council's finance committee said as council called on the province to freeze reassessments. (Brockville Recorder & Times)
Smoke Case Goes To Court
BRACEBRIDGE -- The only case resulting from charges laid under Muskoka's no smoking bylaw will arrive in Huntsville court 3 weeks before the law's one-year anniversary. (Bracebridge Examiner)
Tech Upgrade Urged
DRYDEN -- Dryden city council might invest $150,000 in a new state-of-the-art geographic information system asset management system. (Chronicle-Journal)
Municipal Atlantic
Burning Predicament
BURIN, NF --The Burin Volunteer Fire Department isn't sure whether or not to respond to fire calls from Lewin's Cove. (The Southern Gazette)
Poll Tax Axed
GANDER, NF -- The town of Gander has scrapped its controversial poll tax.
(CBC - Newfoundland & Labrador)
Councillor Ejected
ST. JOHN'S, NF -- A councillor was ejected from St. John's City Council when he refused to apologize for his remarks about Mayor Andy Wells. (CBC - Newfoundland & Labrador)
New Elections Ordered
CHARLOTTETOWN, PE -- New elections were ordered in the Island communities of Miltonvale Park and Eastern Kings. (CBC - Prince Edward Island)
Huge Losses Alleged
SUMMERSIDE, PE -- A Summerside Councillor said Summerside lost as much as $10 million over the past six months in residential development. (Journal Pioneer)
Fido Fit To Be Tied
HALIFAX, NS -- Dog owners won't get extra leash-free time to let their pets run free in Halifax parks. (CBC - Nova Scotia)
Councils Kiss And Make Up
SHELBURNE, NS -- Feathers were ruffled and then smoothed over between Lockeport town and Shelburne municipal councils. (The Coast Guard)
Taxes Up
FREDERICTON, NB -- Fredericton city council approved a 2004 budget with no tax rate changes, but taxes will still go up. (The Daily Gleaner -- canadaeast.com)
City Shortchanged, Claims Mayor
MONCTON, NB -- The mayor of Moncton, Brian Murphy says he feels cheated by the New Brunswick government because his city didn't get its share of the province's capital budget. (CBC - New Brunswick)
Getting Wired
Provincial E-Waste Program Pondered
AIRDRIE, AB -- Albertans are being asked to help shape the province's proposed e-waste recycling program. (Airdrie Echo)
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