Big City Charters
Creating Big City Charters for Edmonton and Calgary
In October 2014, the Government of Alberta, the City of Calgary, and City of Edmonton signed an agreement to develop Big City Charters to support the cities’ unique needs, strengthen their relationship with the province and benefit all Albertans by building strong, vibrant cities that attract trade, investment and economic diversification.
Work began to create special legislation to provide Alberta’s two largest cities with tools that recognized their sophistication, and gave them the ability to better manage the challenges of rapid population growth and the subsequent demands put on social programs and infrastructure systems. Calgary and Edmonton must offer excellent transportation networks, high quality infrastructure, and attractive communities so they remain globally competitive and attract investment, capital and skilled workers.
Premier Rachel Notley (second to left) and Municipal Affairs Minister Danielle Larivee (left) meet with Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson and Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi
On November 18, 2015 and January 26, 2016, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi and Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson met with the Premier and members of the cabinet to present their vision for a strengthened relationship between the province and the two cities. The mayors emphasized the need for formal collaboration, rather than ad-hoc or piecemeal approaches, and identified their priorities as housing, transit, policing, poverty reduction and infrastructure.
All three parties are working collaboratively and remain committed to develop city charters by 2017. The development of city charters has proceeded in two main directions:
- Tools that enable Edmonton and Calgary greater flexibility and authority. For example, some items under discussion are allowing city councils to determine their own code of conduct with enforcement provisions, have more say in sub-division and development processes, as well as city assessment programs. In addition, the cities and the government are discussing ways to collaborate on key priorities such as housing, poverty reduction and environmental stewardship.
- Review a new fiscal framework for the two cities, so that they and the province can provide programs and services to citizens to optimize efficiencies and build strong, economically vibrant cities.
Consultation will occur in the fall of 2016, and all three partners are eager to hear feedback from the public and stakeholders.
Check this website for updates and other information. Head to the City of Edmonton and City of Calgary websites for their charter stories.
If you have any questions or comments, please email ma.citycharters@gov.ab.ca.
Timeline
Summer 2016: Alberta’s Municipal Affairs Ministry will travel to 20 Alberta cities and towns to collect input and thoughts about the Modernized Municipal Government Act, which guides how all municipalities in Alberta shape their communities.
Fall 2016: Following the MGA review, engagement will begin on Big City Charters for Edmonton and Calgary. Stakeholders, members of the public and elected officials will review and provide feedback in a series of sessions with project experts.
Fall/Winter 2016: Review of what we heard and how your feedback is informing the work.
Winter 2017: City charters will be drafted for Calgary and Edmonton in order to best meet the needs of their residents and communities. Each city charter will be a regulation under the Municipal Government Act.
Spring 2017: Draft charter regulations are posted online for 60 days for public comment.
Summer 2017: City Charters are enacted.
Why Charters?
Calgary and Edmonton are currently governed by the Municipal Government Act, a one-size-fits-all approach to serving Alberta’s 344 municipalities. The two biggest cities follow the same rules as Gadsby, the province’s smallest town of 25 people in central Alberta, have the same powers as summer villages such as Ghost Lake farther south, and are guided by the same governance principles as Improvement Districts or Special Areas.
Calgary and Edmonton are Alberta’s main centres, and face a unique set and scale of population pressures.
- They are home to approximately two-thirds of the province’s population.
- Of the 100,000 newcomers who move to Alberta each year, seven out of every 10 people make Edmonton or Calgary their home.
- Nine out of every 10 immigrants who move to Alberta head to the two urban centres.
- Urban indigenous populations also continue to grow.
Edmonton and Calgary must provide top-notch services to local citizens, but also to Albertans who converge on the major hubs for work, pleasure and to access specialized services and goods.
- City growth puts pressure on roads, playgrounds, bridges, sidewalks, recreation centres, sewage and water systems.
- More people put high demand on social systems, including hospitals and schools.
- And citizens everywhere expect high quality services.
City Charters will help address these challenges by providing the two large urban governments more flexibility and tools than small municipalities to respond to local matters. The charters will clarify roles and responsibilities so the strengths of all parties are best used to find innovative solutions.
