(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Ashley Lavallee-Koenig

"INCREASE ALREADY STRAINED BUDGET"

Blackfalds requests financial assistance for Bill 20 changes

Jun 26, 2024 | 5:01 PM

In response to a letter submitted by the Town of Blackfalds, Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver provided clarification on specific components and the purpose of Bill 20, the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, 202, on behalf of the provincial government.

In the June 11 letter, McIver began by clarifying that under the Canadian Constitution, only provincial and federal levels of government are defined, meaning that specific authorities are delegated by the provincial government to the municipal government.

As a part of this, the provincial government has always had the authority to dismiss a councillor, as it demonstrated in the case of Chestermere in December of 2023. Bill 20 allows for an expedited process in the circumstances that need it.

Similarly, McIver said the Municipal Government Act (MGA) already gives cabinet the ability to intervene in planning and development bylaws, although the ability has never been used. Bill 20 enables the government to repeal bylaws through a more expedited process but, “would only be used in rare circumstances,” he said.

McIver shared that with the goal of encouraging transparency and trust in local leaders, the following changes have been made:

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• Eliminating electronic tabulators and reverting to hand-counted ballots
• Enabling optional criminal record checks as a part of candidate nomination packages
• Allowing local candidates to identify with political parties without direct affiliation to provincial or federal parties
• Enabling corporation and union donations at a cap of $5,000 per municipality, with public records of the unions, corporations, and individuals supporting candidates
• Introducing an expense cap for municipal campaigns to limit donations collected and keep focus on current elections

He stated that currently, municipal candidates may organize into political parties, however there are not clear rules on the process. Bill 20 adds rules to this process, and joining a political party will not be a requirement, it will be voluntary, he said.

Finally, it includes amendments to the MGA to encourage housing development in municipalities. The goal of these amendments is to create “balance between appropriate engagement with residents and stakeholders and prompt municipal planning and development decisions,” said McIver.

The Town of Blackfalds responded to this letter on June 18, with Mayor Jamie Hoover writing on behalf of council and residents.

He stated that their primary concerns arise from the elimination of electronic voting tabulators.

“Not only will the Town have to increase already strained budget and resources the mandating of the hand counting will increase the time required to compile results and increases the risk of error,” he said.

Using electronic counters, the Town can get election results to voters within two hours of the polls closing.

Hoover requested that if the use of electronic tabulators is not re-considered, that they receive financial assistance to accommodate the increased costs to come with hand-counting.

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