Municipal Alberta
Incumbents Fall
CALGARY -- There are a number of new mayors across the province, including Stephen Mandel in Edmonton. (CBC Calgary)
AUMA Prez Turfed
CLARESHOLM -- The winds of change have swept clean the political landscape in Claresholm, as one-term councillor Rob Steel defeated longtime incumbent mayor Ernie Patterson. (Claresholm Local Press)
Stunning Upset
TURNER VALLEY -- Former councillor Marjorie Straub scored a stunning upset in Turner Valley's race for the mayor's chair, defeating incumbent Kelly Tuck. (Western Wheel News)
Election Fraud Probed
CALGARY -- Criminal investigators are sifting through piles of rejected mail-in ballots in a suspected vote-rigging scandal that could nullify election results in Ward 10. (Edmonton Sun)
. . . But Alderman Stands Her Ground
CALGARY -- Margot Aftergood, elected alderman in a ward where the police were called in to investigate possible voting fraud, says "We believe we did nothing wrong except facilitate the voter turnout, which we believe was within the spirit of the mail-in ballot process." (CBC - Edmonton)
Scandal Scuttles Incumbent?
DRAYTON VALLEY -- Wes Tweedle is the new reeve of Brazeau County, winning the municipal election by a huge margin over incumbent Bart Guyon. (Drayton Valley Western Review)
Dark Horse Victory Explained
EDMONTON -- Everyone has a pet theory on how Mandel came from just 7% in pre-election polls to scoop 40% of the votes in this election - 8% more than the second-place Smith. Opinion piece. (Edmonton Sun Online)
St. Albert Squeaker
ST. ALBERT -- The mayoral race in St. Albert was a squeaker by anybody's standards, as former mayor Paul Chalifoux nudged out incumbent Richard Plain by 168 votes. (stalbertgazette.com)
Incumbent Loses Close One
HINTON -- What was expected to be a tightly contested mayoral race between incumbent Alex Galbraith and Coun. Glenn Taylor ended up being as close as predicted. (Hinton Parklander)
Ratepayers On Hook
HIGH RIVER -- High River and M.D. ratepayers will pay $15G to help pay for a $220,000 shortfall for the 2004 Alberta Summer Games. (High River Times)
Errant Alderwoman Not Giving Up
LETHBRIDGE -- A former southern Alberta alderwoman found guilty of public mischief for sending lurid stalking letters to herself is appealing her conviction and sentence. (globeandmail.com)
Abattoir Battle Rages On
CALGARY -- It's rapidly becoming a war of words between the City of Calgary and the MD of Rocky View after the latter approved a controversial application to build an abattoir and meat processing facility in the Balzac area. (Cochrane Times)
Fired Chief Sues
CALGARY -- Al Musser, the former chief of the MD of Rocky View's special constable department, has initiated legal action against the municipality after being terminated by former MD CAO Valerie Schmaltz. (Cochrane Times)
Regional Partnership Gets $60G
AIRDRIE -- Stronger economic growth and diversification for the Calgary area will result from a $60,000 grant announced by Mark Norris, Minister of Economic Development. The Calgary Regional Partnership received the grant as government's support of their economic initiatives. (Government of Alberta - News Release)
Excellence Award
CALGARY -- Representatives from The City of Calgary, Corporate Properties & Buildings, will be presented with an internationally recognized Award of Excellence from the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) at the World Workplace Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. (City of Calgary - News Release)
. . . And Honourable Mention
PINCHER CREEK -- The town of Pincher Creek has been recognized for its involvement in the Oldman River Region Urban GIS Project, receiving an honourable mention for the 2003/2004 Minister's Award for Municipal Excellence. (Pincher Creek Echo)
High-Speed Ahead
RED DEER -- City officials are climbing aboard the high-speed rail bandwagon that is gaining momentum after a recently released report suggests the service is now feasible into Red Deer. (RedDeerExpress.com)
Photo Radar Pulled, Huge Refunds Possible
DEVON -- A private photo-radar operation in the Town of Devon has been shut down by the Alberta Solicitor General's Department, acknowledged Devon Chief Administrative Officer Chris Jardine. Some $725G in speeding tickets could be refunded to irate motorists. (Edmonton Sun)
New CAO Speaks
NISKU -- Leduc County has a new county manager and while Lt. Col. Doug Wright's experience is more military than municipal, he said there are still parallels that will serve him well. (Leduc Representative)
New Manager Sets Priorities
FORT SASKATCHEWAN -- Newly hired City Manager Lorna Rosen says residential growth and the City's shifting assessment base will be the new council's major challenges in the next three years. (Fort Saskatchewan Record)
Affordable Housing Scores Big Bucks
EDMONTON -- Approximately $27.1M in federal and provincial funds has been allocated to facilitate the development of 10 affordable housing projects that will create 622 units of affordable housing in Calgary, Camrose, Canmore, Edmonton, Hythe, Red Deer and Rocky Mountain House. (Canada-Alberta Affordable Housing Program)
AUMA Backs Reservists
EDMONTON -- The AUMA suggests that your Municipality consider writing a letter of support for Canada's Reserve Force. PDF file. (AUMA - Information Bulletin)
Municipally Excellent Practices: Rural Tourism Development Initiatives
MORINVILLLE -- To enhance the future of agriculture, diversify the rural economy, and encourage rural partnership opportunities, Strathcona County and Sturgeon County devised a number of agricultural tourism product development initiatives. Hosted on MENet, Alberta's Municipal Excellence Network, this best practice just won the Minister's Award for Municipal Excellence in the Partnership category. (MENet.ab.ca)
Blooming Beautiful
COLD LAKE -- Communities In Bloom has received their latest recognition from the province for helping make Cold Lake the beautiful place it is. (Cold Lake Sun)
Region Shares Ag Services
CLEAR HILLS -- It's official, Clear Hills is in with the MDs of Peace and Fairview on future AESA (Alberta Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture) programming. (Fairview Post)
Massive Development Proposed
SLAVE LAKE -- If a massive retail development in Slave Lake goes ahead as proposed, it will include three large stores and seven smaller ones plus parking for 1,552 vehicles and three entrances off Hwy. 2. (Lakeside Leader)
Support For Assisted Living
FALHER -- Plans for a new assisted-living facility to serve the Smoky River region are being supported by the Town of Falher. (Smoky River Express)
Alberta Municipal Contact Info
To track down municipal officials in Alberta, MuniMall recommends starting with Municipal Profiles, a very current set of listings maintained by Alberta Municipal Affairs.
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Municipal Saskatchewan
Unfair Playing Field?
REGINA -- While the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) welcomes the Canada-Saskatchewan Feeder Calf Set-Aside Program, it is concerned that the province is "nickel and diming" producers. PDF file. (SARM - News Release)
Slaughterhouse Proposal Stays Alive
MELFORT -- The Community Development Manager for the City of Melfort is excited about funding for a feasibility study on the proposed slaughter facility in Melfort. (Melfort Journal)
Slogan Contest A Winner
WHITE FOX -- White Fox council held a contest to show off town pride, with $100 as a prize for the best slogan. (Nipawin Journal)
Creative City Network
REGINA -- More than 80 delegates, representing over 60 Canadian municipalities, gathered in Regina to launch the third National Creative City Network Conference. (City of Regina - News Release)
Flood Law Riles Residents
CORMAN PARK -- Residents of the South Saskatchewan River valley hope to be spared from a law that forces them to build their homes atop dirt berms. (Saskatoon StarPhoenix - canada.com network)
Pet Project
SASKATOON -- The City of Saskatoon's Animal Services Program is launching an initiative to develop more community involvement in responsible pet ownership, from both pet owners and non-pet owners alike. (City of Saskatoon - News Release)
Saskatchewan Municipal Contact Info
To track down municipal officials in Saskatchewan, MuniMall recommends starting with the Municipal Directory System, maintained by Saskatchewan Government Relations and Aboriginal Affairs.
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Municipal Manitoba
Leftie Dumped
WINNIPEG -- Mayor Sam Katz dumped left-leaning Coun. Jenny Gerbasi from his powerful executive policy committee (EPC), replacing her with Peter De Smedt, a pro-business politician. (Winnipeg Sun)
Speed Fines On Shaky Ground
WINNIPEG -- Hundreds of speeding tickets handed out over the past 4 years by a private company in Manitoba may be deemed invalid, and municipalities could be on the hook for refunds. (CBC News)
. . . But Municipalities Unfazed
SELKIRK -- The province's Justice Department may be unsure about who is responsible for the debacle surrounding a private bylaw enforcement company in Manitoba, but the municipalities who employ that company say the picture is clear. (Selkirk Journal)
Warm Welcome
PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE -- The Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) welcomes the newly appointed Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Trade, Scott Smith. PDF file. (AMM - News Release)
$75G Affordable Housing Grant
NEEPAWA -- An upgrading project in Neepawa to improve apartment units for people on low incomes is being supported with funding of over $75,000 from the governments of Canada and Manitoba. (Province of Manitoba - News Release)
Sewage Outrage
GIMLI -- More than 60 angry residents packed the Gimli chamber to voice their displeasure at a 44 per-cent increase in the cost to haul sewage from their holding tanks. (Interlake Spectator)
Communication Problem
LAC DU BONNET -- Most of Lac du Bonnet's town council learned about a request for a 7-year loan extension for the Lac du Bonnet Community Centre from the newspaper, a shock that Mayor Paul Chapman pins on the RM. (Lac du Bonnet Leader)
Town Drinks To Vodka Study
MORDEN -- The Town of Morden is chipping in some money to study the feasibility of building a vodka distillery in the region. (Morden Times)
Manitoba Municipal Contact Info
To track down municipal officials in Manitoba, MuniMall recommends starting with Manitoba Municipal Profiles, maintained by Manitoba's Department of Intergovernmental Affairs.
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Municipal North
Ex-Mayor Mourned
WHITEHORSE, YK -- Yukoners are planning a low-key memorial for a well-loved politician after former Whitehorse mayor Bert Wybrew passed away in Vancouver. (CBC North)
Smoking Rooms Pitched
WHITEHORSE, YK -- With the city-wide smoking ban scheduled to come into effect for bars on Jan. 1, the B.C. and Yukon Hotels Association is pushing for an amendment to the bylaw to permit smoking rooms. (Whitehorse Daily Star)
Infrastructure Funding Promised
CORAL HARBOUR, NU -- John Godfrey, the secretary of state for infrastructure, says Nunavut will receive new funding for housing, roads, sewage and water systems, and other municipal facilities. (Nunatsiaq News)
Bingo Bucks Scrutinized
IQUALUIT, NU -- The charity work done by the John Howard Society hangs in the balance as Iqaluit city council reviews the group's books to find out how they spend profits from their lucrative weekly bingo. (Nunatsiaq News)
Municipal North Contact Info
To track down municipal officials in the Northwest Territories, MuniMall recommends starting with the MACA Community Database, maintained by the NWT's Municipal and Community Affairs. For Yukon contacts, try Yukon Community Profiles. Best contact listing by far in Nunavut is the Nunavut Association of Municipalities Communities Directory.
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Municipal Ontario
$680M To Refuel Transit
TORONTO -- Public transit systems across Ontario will get $680M from the provincial gasoline tax over the next three years, the lion's share of which -- $355.3 M -- will go to the Toronto Transit Commission. (TheStar.com)
No Transit, No Gas Tax
TORONTO -- Ontario municipalities that don't have public transit systems will not get a share of the province's gas tax, Finance Minister Greg Sorbara said. (CBC Toronto)
Pit Bull Practicalities
TORONTO -- The Association of Municipalities of Ontario will work to ensure that proposed legislation to ban Pit Bull Terriers in Ontario is practical, affordable and effective for Ontario municipalities. (AMO)
Walkerton Brothers Cop Plea
WALKERTON -- The two brothers charged in connection with the E. coli outbreak in Walkerton will plead guilty and avoid a trial, the Crown announced. (CBC News)
. . . While Province Tries To Prevent A Rerun
WALKERTON -- The McGuinty government is establishing a new agency to focus on improving training for water systems operators. (Ontario Ministry of the Environment - News Release)
More Police Dollars
OTTAWA -- Premier Dalton McGuinty wants to give Ontario more police officers -- if municipalities can pick up half the cost. (CBC Ottawa)
Nuke Waste Host Selected
KINCARDINE -- The Municipality of Kincardine has signed a hosting agreement with Ontario Power Generation (OPG) for the long term storage of low and intermediate nuclear waste, which provides Kincardine and surrounding communities with a benefit package worth over $39M over the next 30 years. (Kincardine News)
Smoke Eaters Get New Chief
HAMILTON -- Hamilton native Jim Kay was recently installed as the city's new fire chief, replacing Glen Peace who was appointed city manager earlier this year. (Ancaster News)
Councillor Stripped Of Duties
DUNDALK -- In an unprecedented move, Coun. Pat Chapman has been stripped of his last official duty as a councillor on the Economic Development Committee of Southgate (EDCS). (Mt. Forest Confederate)
Water Upgrades Pricey
ILDERTON -- Upgrades to the Kilworth/Komoka water treatment facilities could cost Middlesex Centre Township over $5.3M. (Strathroy Age Dispatch)
Ward Of Discontent
WIARTON -- Despite the fact that an open election was turned down in a referendum by South Bruce Peninsula ratepayers, some councillors are still determined to move away from the present Ward system. (Wiarton Echo)
Union Fights Outsourcing
ST. CATHARINES -- CUPE says City council made a hasty, behind-closed-door decision to outsource jobs at the new four-pad arena, say city workers determined to fight contracting out of municipal services. (CUPE News)
Traffic Tickets Busted
TORONTO -- A justice of the peace has ruled that a "no left turn" sign in Toronto is unenforceable because it is not written in both English and French. The ruling could result in thousands of traffic tickets being dismissed. (CBC News)
Model For Safe Communities
OAKVILLE -- Internationally-renowned planner Andres Duany said downtown Oakville is as good as it gets when it comes to planning that works in North America. (haltonsearch.com)
Regional Dispute
BRAMPTON -- A deal-broker appointed to help regional councillors settle the simmering issue of Peel governance means controversial plans for a new $50 million facility will be back on the table for discussion in January. (Brampton Guardian)
Region's Money Flows To City
NEWMARKET -- York Region politicians are complaining the Greater Toronto Area pooling scheme is getting deeper and wider, with local taxpayers likely on the hook for more than $85 million next year. (Yorkregion.com)
More Enviro Woes
VAUGHAN -- A longtime source of frustration for residents, a Maple waste transfer station that already faces charges under the Environmental Protection Act continued to spew thick grey smoke from a trash fire. (Yorkregion.com)
Regional EcDev Support
COBOURG -- The Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is investing $125G to help municipalities in Northumberland County develop a co-ordinated marketing strategy to attract national and international investment to the region. (Community Press Online)
Flood Of Frustration
PETERBOROUGH -- Downtown business people whose shops were damaged by Peterborough's July 15 flood are frustrated by the way they were treated by city adjusters and by the length of time being taken to settle their claims. (Osprey Media Group - Peterborough Examiner)
MPAC Slammed (Again)
CAMPBELLFORD -- The Municipality of Trent Hills council passed a resolution slamming the way the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) does its work, calling it "deeply flawed, unfair and unbalanced." (Osprey Media Group - Lindsay Daily Post)
Pay Controversy Continues
TRENTON -- City politicians hope the mayor's recent statement will put an end to the controversy surrounding pay increases for non-union city staff, most of whom happen to be in senior management. (Osprey Media Group - Trenton Trentonian)
Financial Framework Hyped
OTTAWA -- City of Ottawa staff presented a new framework for financial reporting that will, if adopted by City Council, make the City the municipal leader in best-practice financial reporting focused on the information needs of Council and the public. (City of Ottawa - News Release)
Towns Dispute Landfill Costs
DEEP RIVER -- Garbage may yet turn out to be the thing that drives a wedge through the new spirit of cooperation between Deep River and Laurentian Hills. (North Renfrew Times)
Rapid Rise To CAO
ORILLIA -- After only five months on the job, Ruth Coursey, Orillia's director of planning and development is leaving her post to be CAO for the Township of Tiny. (Osprey Media Group - Orillia Packet and Times)
Clerks Get Another Power
PARRY SOUND -- The provincial government has announced changes to the Marriage Act that allow municipal clerks to perform civil marriages, giving those headed to the altar more of choice when it comes to saying their "I dos." (Parry Sound Beacon)
Suspended Mayor-Cop Clears Hurdle
MARATHON -- A suspended Ontario Provincial Police officer appears to have met one set of conditions that would prevent him from having a conflict of interest while serving as a police officer and mayor of Marathon. (Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal)
Ontario Municipal Contact Info
To track down municipal officials in this province, MuniMall recommends starting with Community Profiles, maintained by Ontario Economic Development.
Contribute to MuniMall
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Municipal Atlantic
Rurals Demand Infrastructure Action
CHARLOTTETOWN, PE -- Municipalities on the Island want the Binns government to deliver on a new infrastructure program. (CBC - Prince Edward Island)
No Prisoners In Dutch Elm Battle
SUMMERSIDE, PE -- The City of Summerside isn't letting private property stop it from fighting Dutch elm disease. (CBC - Prince Edward Island)
Signage Showdown
MONTAGUE, PE -- Subway in Montague has erected a new sign at its Main Street location without getting a permit from the town and despite warnings from the town's bylaw officer. (PEICanada.com)
Rurals Have Preem's Ear
PORT BLANDFORD, NL -- Premier Danny Williams and Kathy Dunderdale, Minister responsible for the Rural Secretariat, said discussions in Port Blandford were very constructive and provided solid direction on the further development of the Rural Secretariat. (Government of Newfoundland and Labrador - News Release)
Infrastructure Gets $700G. . .
ST. STEPHEN, NB -- Six New Brunswick communities will receive an additional $700G added to their previously announced Canada-New Brunswick Infrastructure Program investments. (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency - News Release)
. . . And Nearly $600G
PORT ELGIN, NB -- Three water and wastewater infrastructure project amendments totaling $582,328 were announced under the Canada-New Brunswick Infrastructure Program. Municipalities partnering in project amendments announced were Port Elgin, Rexton and Saint-Louis-de-Kent. (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency - News Release)
. . . Plus Another $700G Or So
NACKAWIC, NB -- An additional $690,479 towards infrastructure upgrades in two New Brunswick communities were announced. (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency - News Release)
Sunday Shopping Scuttled
HALIFAX, NS -- In a binding, province-wide plebiscite, with 49 of 55 municipalities reporting, the unofficial total provincial vote opposed to Sunday shopping was 55 per cent. (Nova Scotia Department of Justice - News Release)
Biosolids Contract Close
HALIFAX, NS -- Halifax Regional Council agreed to enter into agreements with SGE Acres Limited and N-Viro Systems Canada Inc. to design, build, commission and operate a biosolids processing facility at AeroTech Park to handle waste materials from the Harbour Solutions project. (Halifax Regional Municipality - News Release)
Municipal Atlantic Contact Info
To track down municipal officials in Prince Edward Island, MuniMall recommends starting with the PEI Municipalities web page maintained by InfoPEI. For Nova Scotia officials, try Municipal Contacts from Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations. For contacts in Newfoundland and Labrador, check out the Municipal Directory on this province's Municipal and provincial Affairs website. Though incomplete, the best online directory for New Brunswick municipalities is the Municipal Information list maintained by the Government of Canada Depository Services Program. If you can recommend other municipal contact lists on the Internet, please email us.
Contribute to MuniMall
Does your municipality have anything new and noteworthy to publicize? Send your release to MuniMall, and reach over 9,000 local government readers from coast to coast.
Current Events
The Next 30 Days:
-
Urban Design: Designing Integrated Neighbourhoods course
-- Fort Calgary Historic Park, Calgary, AB October 22-23, 2004.
-
Creating & Enforcing Municipal By-Laws 2nd Annual Conference
-- Four Seasons Hotel, Toronto, ON October 25-26, 2004.
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Local Government Leadership (LGL) Development Program
-- Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC October 25-28, 2004.
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Conference: "What is Good Public Policy in Canadian Municipalities?"
-- Ottawa Marriott Hotel, Ottawa, ON October 28-29, 2004.
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Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties Annual Convention
-- Edmonton, AB November 15-18, 2004.
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Alberta Urban Municipalities Annual Convention
-- Edmonton, AB November 17-20, 2004.
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Association of Manitoba Municipalities 6th Annual Convention
-- Winnipeg Convention Centre, Winnipeg, MB November 22-25, 2004
More Events on MuniMall
See the MuniMall website for a much more comprehensive listing of regional municipal events.
List Your Event
Have an event to publicize? It's easy to inform us.
Getting Wired
Web Profile Winners Announced
HINTON, AB -- Three Alberta communities have earned Community Profile Awards from Alberta First.Com Ltd. in recognition of their efforts to develop dynamic and effective web profiles on www.albertafirst.com: the MD of Lesser Slave River, the Town of Slave Lake and the City of Wetaskiwin in their categories of small, medium and large communities respectively. PDF file. (Alberta First.Com release hosted on MuniMall)
Collaboration Enables Info Sharing
EDMONTON, AB -- Alberta First.Com Ltd. announced a new collaboration with Bellamy Software that will benefit several Alberta municipalities by making it easier to securely share local business directory information. PDF file. (Alberta First.Com release hosted on MuniMall)
Purchasing Portal
WINNIPEG, MB -- The Canada-Manitoba Economic Partnership Agreement will provide SEED Winnipeg with $98,550 to set up an online database to link Winnipeg's core businesses and encourage the sale and purchase of goods and services. (Province of Manitoba - News Release)
Union Website Tracks Privatization
OTTAWA -- CUPE has launched an online database that tracks past and present incidents of privatization, contracting out, and public-private partnership. To check it out, visit http://cupe.ca/www/database. (CUPE News)
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