Municipal Alberta
New Deputy Minister
EDMONTON -- Buried deep in a GOA press release about deputy ministerial changes, readers discover that former DM Brad Pickering has moved on to Sustainable Resource Development, and that the new Deputy Minister of Municipal Affairs is Dan Bader. (Government of Alberta Press Release)
Ambulance In Jeopardy?
CROWSNEST PASS -- According to some members of Council, the future of ambulance service in the Pass could be in jeopardy. (Crowsnest Pass Promoter)
Increased Police Funding Sought
HIGH RIVER -- High River's mayor says he is looking to the provincial government for increased funding for municipal policing to help cover costs of policing in High River's growing community. (High River Times)
Flood Map Meeting
OKOTOKS -- After years of wrangling over the town's flood lines, residents and town officials are hopeful that the issue will be settled when environment officials view the river valley for themselves. (Western Wheel News)
New Manager
OKOTOKS -- Infrastructure manager Rick Quail has been promoted to the post of municipal manager. (Western Wheel News)
Municipally Excellent Practices: Safety Codes Compliance
STRATHMORE -- The Town of Strathmore developed a process for monitoring Safety Codes compliance in the Building, Plumbing, Gas, Electrical, and Fire Disciplines to ensure that its Uniform Quality Management Plan (QMP) criteria were met. Another innovative practice just posted on MENet, Alberta's Municipal Excellence Network. (MENet.ab.ca)
Junket Gets Thumbs Up
AIRDRIE -- It may have been a flying trip, but the recent junket to Toronto to introduce Imperial Oil employees to the Calgary region proved positive for Airdrie's new mayor. (Airdrie Echo)
Irregularities Force Resignation
CALGARY -- Ald. Margot Aftergood -- whose campaign was at the centre of voting irregularities in the civic election -- has resigned, after the city agreed to pay some of her legal fees. (CBC Calgary)
Pump house back on tap
COCHRANE-- After years of dormancy and then months of debate and discussion, a pump house proposed for the edge of West Terrace along the Bow River will go ahead. (Cochrane Times)
$135G Green Grant
CANMORE -- Representatives of the Towns of' Canmore and Banff, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities announced a $135,500 Green Municipal Funds' (GMF) grant for Canmore to put into practice the international award-winning community sustainability program -- The Natural Step. (FCM - News Release)
Manager Celebrates 25 Years
ECKVILLE -- Town foreman Randy Cole is celebrating 25 years with the town. (Eckville Echo)
High Tech Upgrades
RED DEER -- High-tech ultraviolet irradiation technology designed to wipe out pesky microscopic bugs in city drinking water is the next stage of a major treatment plant refit. (Red Deer Advocate)
Summer Villages Urge Structure Plan
SYLVAN LAKE -- Five summer villages around Sylvan Lake want a more detailed development plan created for the whole area. (Red Deer Advocate)
Guilty On Fraud Rap
DRAYTON VALLEY -- Former Drayton Valley town councillor Kathy Resler is awaiting sentence after pleading guilty to fraud. (Drayton Valley Western Review)
Manager Moving On
SPRUCE GROVE -- Spruce Grove's City Manager, Mr. Simon Farbrother, announced his intention to step down and accept the role of Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Waterloo, Ontario. PDF file. (City of Spruce Grove news release hosted on MuniMall) See related story in Municipal Ontario.
Airport Decision Under Attack
EDMONTON -- Alberta's new economic development minister is speaking out against a decision to end passenger service between Lethbridge and the downtown airport in Edmonton. (630CHED.com)
Higher Taxes Done Deal
MORINVILLE -- Morinville town council might not raise taxes for the 2005 fiscal year, but an increase within the next two to three years is a virtual certainty, the town's mayor said. (stalbertgazette.com)
New Corporate Manager
FORT SASKATCHEWAN -- The City of Fort Saskatchewan has a new manager for their Corporate Services Department. (Fort Saskatchewan Record)
Beginnings For Butt Bylaw
JASPER -- The first step in creating a smoking bylaw in Jasper took place when residents sat down to provide their input at a public meeting. (Jasper Booster)
Group Aims To Improve Communication
BONNYVILLE -- Jeff Ryder, who ran for MD council on a platform of having better communication between council and the public, asked council for its co-operation in forming a citizen advisory committee. (Bonnyville Nouvelle on the Web)
Keeping Busy?
COLD LAKE -- If their workloads weren't straining at the seams already, the mayor and six city councillors have been appointed to an additional 15 ad hoc committees. (Cold Lake Sun)
Regional Cooperation Pledged
SMOKY RIVER -- Council of the Municipal District of Smoky River is willing to work with neighbouring municipal districts and counties to help develop roads as the Peace River Oil Sands develops just north of the Smoky River region. (Smoky River Express)
Still Safe
VERMILION -- The third quarter crime statistics are in and they show that Vermilion is still a pretty good place to live. (Vermilion Standard)
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.
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.
Municipal Saskatchewan
Mayors Seek Funding Formula
REGINA -- Twelve city mayors from across the province want the provincial government to share money with them based on a set formula tied to provincial revenues. (Swift Current Online)
$110M In Education Tax Relief
REGINA -- The Honourable Harry Van Mulligen, Minister of Finance, announced that the province would be keeping its promise by providing 30% of the new $367M in new equalization money to provide education tax relief. PDF. (SARM - News Release)
Mill Rate Mix-Up
LLOYDMINSTER -- Despite an oversight the city made when making amendments to the charter, Lloydminster school divisions will still be able to set their own mill rates. (Lloydminster Meridian Booster)
Budget Almost Complete
ESTEVAN -- The City's 2005 financial plan is waiting for the final assessment figures from the Saskatchewan Assessment Review Agency (SAMA). (Estevan Mercury)
Slaughterhouse Study On Track
MELFORT -- A feasibility study for a slaughter facility in Melfort could be complete as early as the summer of 2005 according to the city's Community Development Manager. (Melfort Journal)
New Channel For Complaints
REGINA -- An independent body has been established to review citizen complaints about their dealings with the City. (City of Regina - News Release)
Police Change Pondered
WEYBURN -- The City of Weyburn has asked the police commission to investigate the cost of having the city policed by the RCMP. (Weyburn Review)
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.
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.
Municipal Manitoba
New AMM Prez
WINNIPEG -- Delegates at the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) 6th Annual Convention showed their confidence in former Urban Vice President and Mayor of Birtle, Ron Bell by electing him President of the organization. (AMM News Release)
Rural, Muni Themes In Throne Speech
WINNIPEG -- Rural Manitoba was a key focus in the Throne Speech read by Lieutenant Governor John Harvard. The speech marks the opening of the third session of the 38th Legislative Assembly. (Selkirk Journal)
Rural Tax Relief Well Received
DUFFERIN -- The Manitoba Government's recent announcement that they were offering tax relief for farmland owners was welcomed by local reeves. (Carman Valley Leader)
LUD Members Demoted
GIMLI -- Gimli's Local Urban District (LUD) committee is to be replaced in 2005 by two special service areas to be created in the weeks ahead by the RM of Gimli. (Interlake Spectator)
Alberta Practices Studied
MORDEN -- Morden development officer Stacey Dunnigan visited 3 Alberta communities that have successfully modeled their retail sectors around a theme. (Morden Times)
Annexation Recommended
WINNIPEG -- Winnipeg should annex some of its bedroom communities to ensure residents pay a fair share for services supplied by the city, senior councillors say. (Winnipeg Sun)
Councillors Berated
ARMSTRONG -- Reeve Garry Wasylowski is running out of patience with some of his councillors. (Interlake Spectator)
EcDev Body Gets New Member
DUNNOTTAR -- The Village of Dunnottar has become a first-time member of the Interlake Development Corp. (IDC), a provincial government-funded agency that stimulates economic development in Interlake municipalities. (Interlake Spectator)
Curfew Bylaw Has Teeth
THE PAS -- Officials in The Pas, Manitoba have started fining parents if their children break the town curfew. (canada.com network)
Private Policing Solution Sought
WINNIPEG -- The flap caused by a recent private policing dispute between the province and several municipalities who use those services has created hard feelings between both parties, but an official from Manitoba Justice says the need for adequate police resources has never been in dispute. (Selkirk Journal)
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.
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.
Municipal North
Projects Funded
WHITEHORSE, YK - The Community Development Fund (CDF) is contributing $202G towards 12 approved projects under Tier 1 criteria. (Yukon Government - News Release)
. . . More Project Dollars
WHITEHORSE, YK - The Community Development Fund (CDF) is contributing $598,273 towards 13 approved projects under Tier 2 criteria. (Yukon Government - News Release)
Troublesome Ambulance Shipped North
DAWSON CREEK, YK -- The new ambulance that was supposed to be used in Whitehorse is being shipped to Dawson City because of staff complaints and workers' compensation board claims. (Whitehorse Star)
Mayor Sentenced
YELLOWKNIFE, NT -- The mayor of Rae has been sentenced to four months in jail after pleading guilty to impaired driving causing bodily harm. (CBC North)
NAMA AGM Report Online
IQALUIT, NU -- The Nunavut Association of Municipal Administrators (NAMA) AGM Report is now available online. (Nunavik Municipal Knowledge Network)
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.
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.
Municipal Ontario
Planning Reforms Touted
TORONTO -- The Ontario government is bringing local accountability back to land-use planning with the proclamation of the Strong Communities (Planning Amendment) Act, 2004. (Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing - News Release)
Downloading Discord
MITCHELL -- West Perth Council is seeking legal advice and considering an appeal of Perth County council's recent decision to transfer the responsibility of boundary bridges from the county to the lower tier municipalities to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). (Mitchell Advocate)
Water Victims Angry
WALKERTON -- Some victims of the tainted water tragedy in Walkerton are angry about the terms of a plea bargain deal accepted by the brothers who ran the town's water supply when it became contaminated in May 2000. (CBC News)
Water Protection Pledged
TORONTO -- The Dalton McGuinty government has proposed to invest more than $12.5 M to protect Ontario drinking water sources. (Lakeshore Advance)
CAO Appointed
WATERLOO -- Waterloo City Council is pleased to announce the appointment of Simon Farbrother, who will assume the role of CAO. (City of Waterloo - Media Release) See related story in Municipal Alberta.
Consultant Well Paid
HAMILTON -- Documents obtained through Freedom of Information reveal that former Calgary police chief Christine Silverberg was paid nearly $50,000 a month for dealing with opponents of the Red Hill Creek Expressway -- far more than previously admitted by Hamilton officials. (Citizens at City Hall -- CATCH)
Manager Backs Off Ban
HAMILTON -- City Manager Glen Peace has withdrawn his threat to ban the chair of Friends of Red Hill Valley and co-founder of CATCH from city hall meetings. (Citizens at City Hall -- CATCH)
Massive Waterworks Planned
LONDON -- A massive multi-year, $350M proposal to upgrade and expand the region's water system needs the federal and provincial governments to get on board with funding. (London Free Press)
Split Over Proposal
OAKVILLE -- A Daniels Oakville Corporation proposal to build a 14-storey condo on the site of Sharkey's Dockside Cafe has split planning, public and political opinion in Oakville -- and that couldn't be more clear than at the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). (haltonsearch.com)
CAO Pay-Out Perplexing
GEORGETOWN -- Despite claims that Halton Hills CAO Steve Andrews' surprise resignation in July 2003 was for personal reasons and the town was obligated to pay him a settlement, Andrews' contract indicates the Town should only have paid him if he was fired. (Independent and Free Press)
Fast Tracked Transit
MISSISSAUGA -- A transit system in which passengers can travel from Mississauga to the other end of the GTA with a swipe of a card, is on the way. (Mississauga News Online)
Longtime Staffers Honoured
STOUFFVILLE -- Ruth Armstrong and Connie McVicar were recognized for 25 years of municipal service. (yorkregion.com)
Council Raises Criticized
OSHAWA -- Oshawa city councillors should not give themselves a raise of more than 30% at the same time as they are settling with city workers in the range of 3%, says Sid Ryan, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario. (CUPE - News Release)
. . . While Staff Settles
OSHAWA -- City of Oshawa outside workers, members of Local 250 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), voted to accept an agreement. (CUPE - News Release)
Growth Act Worries City
PETERBOROUGH -- The powers at City Hall are concerned about provincial plans for growth; the proposed plan to limit Peterborough's ability to expand its boundaries may also limit the City's ability to grow, say councillors and staff. (mykawartha.com)
Regional Transit Draws Flak
CANNINGTON -- It didn't take long for Brock council to find fault with the Region-wide transit plan. (mykawartha.com)
Finance Manager Takes Jail Job
LINDSAY -- Greer Thornbury, manager of budget and financial planning for the City of Kawartha Lakes, has accepted the position of deputy superintendent, performance and financial management, at the Central East Correctional Centre. (mykawartha.com)
New CAO
BELLEVILLE -- Stephen Hyndman has accepted the position of chief administrative officer (CAO) for the city of Belleville. (Osprey Media Group - Belleville Intelligencer)
Joint Services: Simple Goal, Difficult Task
BROCKVILLE -- Ensuring that every taxpayer in Leeds and Grenville with the same assessment pays the same contribution to joint services is proving difficult for the joint services subcommittee comprised of representatives from three different area councils. (Brockville Recorder)
MOE To Review Landfill
ORILLIA -- The Ministry of the Environment will conduct a review of the City of Orillia's operations at the Kitchener Street Landfill, Environment Minister Leona Dombrowsky announced. (Ontario Ministry of the Environment - News Release)
Police Probe County Finances
MIDHURST -- The provincial police have launched an investigation into alleged financial irregularities within Simcoe County administration. (Osprey Media Group - Orillia Packet and Times)
Audit Clears Mayor
STAYNER -- Clearview Township taxpayers can rest assured in the knowledge that their mayor ran a clean campaign in 2003. Even if that knowledge cost them $5,420. (Osprey Media Group - Collingwood The Enterprise Bulletin)
"Slap In The Face"
BRACEBRIDGE -- In what District chair Gord Adams called "a slap in the face," the province introduced legislation to finalize Muskoka's cut from Northern Ontario just hours before a meeting to discuss it; in addition, both Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Ontario Finance Minister Greg Sorbara cancelled their attendance. (Bracebridge Examiner)
Angry at Gas Deal
CALLANDER -- Gas tax money being funneled to transit in Toronto and other major urban centres is giving local northern officials a case of road rage. (Almaquin News)
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
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.
Municipal Atlantic
Planning Department Decimated
CHARLOTTETOWN, PE -- Another person has quit Charlottetown's planning department, becoming the fifth employee to leave in six weeks. (CBC - Prince Edward Island)
Update On New Deal
ST. JOHN'S, NL -- Funding for the "new deal" will start in the fiscal year of 2005-06 with a total federal commitment over five years of five billion dollars. (Government of Newfoundland and Labrador - Ministerial Statement)
Communities Amalgamate
TRINITY BAY NORTH, NL -- The communities of Port Union, Catalina and Melrose are amalgamating, and will now be known as Trinity Bay North. (CBC - Newfoundland and Labrador)
Bus Strike
ST. JOHN'S, NL -- About 14,000 public transit users in two Newfoundland cities had to find other ways to travel after more than 100 bus drivers and maintenance workers walked off the job. (CBC News)
New Housing For Seniors
SHEDIAC, NB -- Twenty-eight housing units will be constructed in Shediac, thanks to funding under the Canada-New Brunswick Affordable Housing Agreement. (Communications New Brunswick - News Release)
Affordable Housing Funded
INKERMAN, NB -- Ten new affordable housing units will be created in Inkerman for non-elderly individuals, disabled people and seniors, thanks to funding under the Canada-New Brunswick Affordable Housing Agreement (Canada-NBAHA). (Communications New Brunswick - News Release)
New Councillors Go To School
HALIFAX, NS -- More than 135 newly elected municipal councillors gathered in Halifax to learn more about their new jobs. Among the featured speakers was NACLAA Program Director Jack Novack. (Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations - News Release)
Bush Visit Pleases
HALIFAX, NS -- Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly says the visit by U.S. President George W. Bush went off without a hitch, and he couldn't be any happier with the results. (CBC - Nova Scotia)
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.
Getting Wired
Water Quality Online
CAMROSE -- City of Camrose engineer Ted Gillespie informed council about a pilot project, developed by the province, that will see water quality data posted on the Internet. (Camrose Canadian)
Rural High Speed Closer
LEDUC -- High-speed Internet access for rural portions of Leduc County may be a few mouse clicks away if county council has its way. (Leduc Representative)
Election Info Online
IQALUIT, NU -- In preparation for the upcoming municipal elections, all required materials are on the Nunavik Municipal Knowledge Network website ready for download. (Nunavik Municipal Knowledge Network)
Successful City Site
MISSISSAUGA, ON -- With over 41.5 M page views annually, Mississauga's full service Web site continues to set the benchmark for online government services one year after launching. (City of Mississauga - News Release)
Complain Online
WINDSOR, ON -- Citizens of the City of Windsor can now file complaints using the online services on the City's website. (City of Windsor - News Release)
This email was not sent without asking your prior permission. Please follow this link to subscribe or unsubscribe. All subscriptions are free.
The MuniMall
Newsletter is published biweekly via email from
Government Studies at the University of Alberta.
Comments, concerns, suggestions, submissions? Email MuniMall Editor John Sinclair at
john.sinclair@ualberta.ca or call John at 780-492-2783.
MuniMall respects your privacy. We use redirects and pixels in the Newsletter to better understand the likes and dislikes of our readers and to create a better product in the future. For more information, please see our Privacy Statement.
Copyright © 2004 University of Alberta
