Municipal Alberta
Muniversity: "Managing Contracts: Part II, RFPs"
RED DEER -- Presenter Richard Hutton will focus on owners' responsibilities during design and construction in April's Muniversity much-anticipated session "Managing Contracts, Part II." Only $95 includes instruction, materials, lunch, and refreshments. This is coming up fast, so register today on MuniMall!
Changes To Elections Act
EDMONTON -- A more secure and transparent election process to promote integrity and public confidence in Alberta's municipal electoral system is the goal of Bill 28, the Local Authorities Election Amendment Act, 2006, introduced in the Legislative Assembly on March 23. (Government of Alberta - News Release)
$10M In Unconditional Grants
EDMONTON -- The Alberta government is providing one-time funding of $10 million in unconditional grants through the Targeted Investment Initiative to help municipalities ensure their long-term sustainability. (Government of Alberta - News Release)
$100M Rural Boost
EDMONTON -- The Alberta government approved the establishment of a Rural Development Project Fund to support communities, regional alliances, government departments and not-for-profit organizations in kickstarting community-focused projects that will contribute to the growth and prosperity of rural Alberta. (Government of Alberta - News Release)
Municipal Profile Raised
EDMONTON -- The recent provincial budget did not immediately deliver all that was hoped for concerning the Education Property Tax requisition, but it is evident that the municipal profile has moved up. PDF file. (Alberta Urban Municipalities Association - News Release)
$500G For Smoke Eater Training
EDMONTON --Firefighters from across Alberta will continue to receive high quality, certified, local training through the allocation of $500,000 by Alberta Municipal Affairs for fire services training initiatives. (Government of Alberta - News Release)
Focus On Solid Waste
EDMONTON -- The Alberta Capital Region Alliance Annual General Meeting in April will focus on "New Technologies in Solid Waste Management & Recycling". PDF file. (ACRA - News Release hosted on MuniMall)
Funding Follow-Up
EDMONTON -- At the direction of the AUMA Board, a letter has been sent to the Solicitor General outlining the concerns of AUMA members regarding police funding and requesting a meeting with the Minister. PDF file. (Alberta Urban Municipalities Association - News Release)
Water Treatment Operator Sentenced
CARMANGAY -- A former water treatment operator in Carmangay, Larry Lyckman, was sentenced to three months of house arrest and a year of probation after pleading guilty to providing false information about water treatment operations, according to a press release from Alberta Environment. (Vulcan Advocate)
Salary Adjustment Approved
MEDICINE HAT -- Medicine Hat City Council approved a 3.5 per cent adjustment to the exempt (nonunion) staff salary grid. PDF file. (City of Medicine Hat - News Release hosted on MuniMall)
Think Regionally
AIRDRIE -- Diane Berreth, Calgary Regional Partnership (CRP) project manager of economic development, outlined the three cornerstones on which CRP is based -- prosperity, the natural environment and municipal services -- and provided information to Airdrie council about current projects that flow from these principles. (Airdrie Echo)
Stay Inside, Say Workers
CALGARY -- The City of Calgary's inside workers' union has started an advertising campaign to persuade city council not to contract-out services. (CBC Calgary)
City Bows Out
AIRDRIE -- The City of Airdrie is no longer in the running to be the home of the proposed Alberta Police and Peace Officer College. (Airdrie Echo)
Water Woes Probe
BANFF -- The Town of Banff plans to conduct a thorough investigation into the events leading to the costly boil water advisory. (Banff Crag and Canyon)
New Bylaw
COCHRANE -- Council passed a Water Conservation Fixtures Bylaw, mandating that all new construction in Cochrane must use approved low flow fixtures. (Cochrane Times)
Rec Funding From Developers
CALGARY -- A new policy being developed by the MD of Rocky View could see developers in the region contribute additional funds over and above cash-in-lieu towards the development of future athletic, cultural and multi-use facilities. (Cochrane Times)
Queen's Bench Decides
EXSHAW -- The M.D. of Bighorn will not appeal a decision from the Court of Queen's Bench to allow James Craig to keep his Canadian Eskimo dogs on his land. (Canmore Leader)
Biz Board Appointed
CANMORE -- The Town of Canmore has appointed its first business revitalization zone board. (Canmore Leader)
More Answers Needed
OKOTOKS -- Town council has accepted the schematic design for the new municipal centre as information, but is looking for answers on security and wheelchair accessibility. (Western Wheel News)
International Partnership
SHERWOOD PARK -- Strathcona County has been chosen to take part in an international partnership project with Vung Tau, a port city in the south of Vietnam. (Strathcona County - News Release)
Recycled Pipeline A Winner
EDMONTON -- An award-winning public-private partnership between the Edmonton, Petro-Canada, and Strathcona County is launching a 5.5 km. Recycled Water Line that's the first of its kind in Canada. PDF file. (City of Edmonton / Strathcona Country / Petro-Canada - News Release hosted on MuniMall)
Reservoir Construction Commences
NISKU -- Leduc County broke ground to commence construction of the East Nisku Water Reservoir. PDF file. (Leduc County - News Release hosted on MuniMall)
Municipally Excellent Practices: Hi-Tech Innovation
LEDUC -- Through an active program of sharing new ideas, field testing and trouble shooting, the City of Leduc and Strathcona County have increased the efficiency, accuracy and scope of their Mobile GIS applications. Another innovative practice posted on MENet, Alberta's Municipal Excellence Network. (MENet.ab.ca)
Gas Wells Shut Down
RED DEER -- Alberta's energy regulator is shutting down two gas wells near Red Deer after city officials argued that the wells will restrict residential development. (Red Deer Advocate)
Labour Shortage A Hot Topic
PONOKA -- The labour shortage was a hot topic at a recent roundtable meeting of Central Alberta mayors and politicians. (Ponoka News)
Mayor Hopeful
SUNDRE -- Mayor Roy Cummings says he hopes the town and other municipalities in central Alberta will be able to take advantage of the new fund announced in the provincial budget. (Sundre Roundup)
Waste Transfer Deal In Works
RED DEER -- Red Deer County is close to inking a deal to set up a waste transfer site expected to meet garbage disposal needs for the next 30 years. (Red Deer Advocate)
Full Speed Ahead
MORINVILLE -- Sturgeon council has rejected an appeal by some residents to slow down expansion of the industrial heartland in the east end of the county, where three oil-refining upgraders will be built. (stalbertgazette.com)
Still Mired In Debt
EDSON -- Mayor Greg Pasychny says the provincial budget document does little to assist the province's municipalities, which he says are mired in an estimated $8 billion debt. (Edson Leader)
One Size Doesn't Fit All
FORT MCMURRAY -- Alberta Liberal party leader Kevin Taft says the province should use a special funding formula for Wood Buffalo. "One-size-fits-all for all municipalities doesn't work."
In The Spotlight
SMOKY RIVER -- "The Smoky River region has received a tremendous amount of interest from all over Canada" because of an $782-million upgrader project just south of McLennan, says an excited Greg Radstaak, Smoky River regional economic development officer. (South Peace News)
Focus On Green Space
HINTON -- The town's Draft Thompson Lake Area Structure Plan is online, and the town is looking for input. (Hinton Parklander)
Advisory Board Resurrected
JASPER -- Mayor Richard Ireland and other councillors expressed their gratitude to t A resurrected version of the Jasper Children's Centre Advisory Board for the work they plan to do. (Jasper Booster)
"The Least We Can Do"
PARKLAND COUNTY -- Parkland County has committed $5,000 towards a memorial to honour four Mounties who were shot and killed nearly one year ago on a farm near Mayerthorpe. (Mayerthorpe Freelancer)
$30G Bandaid For Clinic
VERMILION -- The town of Vermilion approved a $30,000 payment to the Midtown Medical Clinic, which the clinic will use for operational costs. (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.
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Municipal Saskatchewan
Infrastructure Dollars For 31 Communities
REGINA -- More than $26 million will be invested in 31 infrastructure projects across the province through the Canada-Saskatchewan Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF). (Government of Saskatchewan - News Release)
Sask Cities Rank High
SASKATOON -- Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert and Moose Jaw all scored well in a survey on the cost of doing business in cities across North America and around the world. (Government of Saskatchewan - News Release)
Collaboration Is Critical
REGINA -- Collaboration is absolutely critical to rural communities, said Rob Greenwood, director of the Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development in his presentation the at the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) convention. (Nipawin Journal)
New City Manager
REGINA -- Glen Davies will be the new City Manager for the City of Regina. (City of Regina - News Release)
Bullying Bylaw
REGINA -- Bullies will soon have a much harder time pushing people around if the city and Regina Police Service get their way. (LeaderPost - canada.com network)
Ice Rescue Team Established
MEADOW LAKE -- The Meadow Lake Fire Department is expanding, after Brian Ritco was inspired to establish an ice rescue team when he attended an annual Life Saving Society meeting. (Meadow Lake Progress)
Too Hasty?
YORKTON -- The hastily passed Yorkton budget leaves a bunch of unanswered questions and outright distrust of the process. (Yorkton This Week)
City Joins Bus Program
PRINCE ALBERT -- Council voted to implement the Saskatchewan Community Resources and Employment discounted bus pass program for one year. (Prince Albert Daily Herald)
Water Plant Upgrade
SASKATOON -- Saskatoon residents can expect softer tap water as the city's water treatment plant switches on a new carbon dioxide treatment system. (StarPhoenix - canada.com network)
Bail-Out Possible
NIPAWIN -- Town council has the ability to exempt non-profit groups suddenly hit with education tax by the school division. (Nipawin Journal)
Walk Of Fame Proposed
WEYBURN -- A city committee is proposing to establish a Walk of Fame to pay tribute to Weyburn residents who have gone on to make their mark nationally or internationally, and are seeking the public's input as to the location. (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.
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Does your municipality have anything new and noteworthy to publicize? Send your release to MuniMall, and reach over 13,000 local government readers from coast to coast.
Municipal Manitoba
$17M For Rural And Northern Communities
NIVERVILLE -- Thirteen communities throughout rural and northern Manitoba will benefit from a $17 million investment in infrastructure, jointly announced by the governments of Canada and Manitoba. (Province of Manitoba - News Release)
Public Safety Proposal
Manitoba's Fire Commissioner and municipalities would have more authority to enhance public safety for all Manitobans as a result of proposed legislation introduced by Labour and Immigration Minister Nancy Allan. (Province of Manitoba - News Release)
Flood Protection Continues
WINNIPEG -- The province and municipalities will soon start work to complete the diking system protecting Lake Winnipeg waterfront communities and property from flooding, Water Stewardship Minister Steve Ashton announced. (Province of Manitoba - News Release)
Pesticide Ban Passed
BRANDON -- City council has passed a new bylaw restricting the use of cosmetic pesticides in many public areas -- the first bylaw of its kind in Manitoba. (CBC Manitoba)
City Hall Abuzz
WINNIPEG -- An encounter between two of Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz's political aides, Premier Gary Doer, and a potential civic election candidate is raising eyebrows at city hall. (CBC Manitoba)
Services-Sharing Agreement
WEST ST. PAUL -- James Allum, a senior strategic management consultant with the City of Winnipeg, led a presentation about the city's new interim service sharing agreement. (Selkirk Journal)
Top Three Priorities
STONEWALL -- James Bezan, recently beginning his second term as MP for Selkirk-Interlake, has asked municipal councils to identify three priorities or concerns he should address in the future. (Stonewall Argus and Teulon Times)
New CAO
PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE -- The Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie will have a new chief administrative officer at the helm. (Portage Daily Graphic)
Cause For Concern
LAC DU BONNET -- Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), which show the Town of Lac du Bonnet's annual water losses for 2005 were twice what provincial guidelines state they should be, cause for concern. (Lac du Bonnet Leader)
Report Received
SNOW LAKE -- The Town of Snow Lake received the annual report on the community's drinking water from Water Stewardship's Northwest Regional Drinking Water Officer. Scroll down.
snow(Underground Press)
"Snookered"
BIFROST -- Council may have handed the province a state of emergency declaration last fall, but that does not tie the rural municipality to footing any share of the bill for an $8-million shoreline protection project, says Reeve Harold Foster. (Interlake Spectator)
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 13,000 local government readers from coast to coast.
Municipal North
Boost For EMS
WHITEHORSE, YK -- Community Services Minister Glenn Hart has announced forthcoming investments in Yukon's emergency response capacity pending the approval of the 2006-07 capital budget while highlighting the important contributions emergency responders make to our communities. (Yukon Government - News Release)
CAO's Last Day
IQALUIT, NU -- Iqaluit's chief administrative officer, Ian Fremantle, worked his last day at the City of Iqaluit, after negotiations for his new employment contract broke down. (Nunatsiaq News)
From Hamlet To Town?
RANKIN INLET, NU -- The hamlet of Rankin Inlet is contemplating becoming a town, a move that would allow its council to raise taxes. (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.
Contribute to MuniMall
Does your municipality have anything new and noteworthy to publicize? Send your release to MuniMall, and reach over 13,000 local government readers from coast to coast.
Municipal Ontario
Thanks For Your Support!
Effective Jan. 2006, MuniMall will no longer publish municipal news from Ontario. This difficult decision was necessitated by the growth of our local government online courses and the resulting demand on MuniMall's time. While we want all eastern-based readers to stay on, we understand why some may want to leave. To unsubscribe from MuniMall, please follow the link above or email unsubscribe@munimall.net.
Municipal Atlantic
Thanks For Your Support!
Effective Jan. 2006, MuniMall will no longer publish municipal news from Atlantic Canada. This difficult decision was necessitated by the growth of our local government online courses and the resulting demand on MuniMall's time. While we want all eastern-based readers to stay on, we understand why some may want to leave. To unsubscribe from MuniMall, please follow the link above or email unsubscribe@munimall.net.
Getting Wired
Register Online
MEDICINE HAT, AB -- Online Swim Lesson registration is available for summer programs. PDF file. (City of Medicine Hat - News Release hosted on MuniMall)
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