By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

cutting through the weeds

Lacombe County submits ideas for slashing red tape

Jul 19, 2019 | 11:27 AM

Lacombe County, upon request of the provincial government, has submitted a list of areas where it thinks red tape can be cleared up.

The Government of Alberta is asking all residents of the province to provide feedback on the matter in its bid to reduce red tape by one-third.

County council approved the following list of items for Associate Minister Grant Hunter’s consideration.

1. Eliminate the requirement for intermunicipal development plans and intermunicipal collaboration frameworks between municipal districts that share a common boundary.

2. Reduce the length of time it takes Alberta Municipal Affairs to approve MSI grant applications. The current approval process takes 10 – 12 weeks.

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3. Establish a consistent date for notifying municipalities of the provincial education tax requisition.

4. Grant municipalities more authority regarding its activities within road allowances, particularly with respect to wetlands.

5. Expand opportunities for earning wetland credits.

6. Consolidate and improve the wetland and public land on-line application portals.

7. Streamline the wetland application and approval process.

8. Expand the list of approved/accredited wetland restoration agents to include municipalities.

9. Ensure that constructed or restored wetlands are developed in the same region as the disturbed wetland.

10. Discontinue the requirement for subdivision appeals on properties containing bodies of water to be heard by the Municipal Government Board (rather than the local authority).

There is currently no timetable for approval of Bill 4, the Red Tape Reduction Act.