Reforming Intermunicipal Governance and Multi-Jurisdictional Planning in Alberta

Abstract

The enactment of the Municipal Government Act (MGA) and disbandment of Alberta's system of Regional Planning Commissions in 1995 has resulted in an environment where municipalities forsake long-term management in favour of short-term fiscal and economic development considerations. This erosion of intermunicipal cooperation and multi-jurisdictional planning has led to two primary issues addressed in this report: (1) inequitable municipal services funding and (2) inefficient infrastructure duplication. The contemporary patchwork of local, metropolitan and regional-scale intermunicipal governance and multi-jurisdictional planning in unable to effectively address these issues.