Strengthening Alberta Municipalities’ Voice to the Province by Increasing the Resolution Voting Threshold
IT IS THEREFORE RESOLVED that Alberta Municipalities conduct member engagement on Resolution Policy No. AP002 to identify areas for improvement to the resolution process, including exploring the potential benefits of increasing the voting threshold required for the adoption of resolutions from a simple majority (50% plus one) to a two-thirds (66%) majority of votes cast, representing at least two-thirds of its members.
WHEREAS the Alberta Municipalities’ (ABmunis) Resolutions Policy No. AP002 sets the process for members resolutions during the annual ABmunis convention.
WHEREAS the Resolutions Policy currently requires a simple majority of votes cast (50% plus one) for a resolution to be adopted;¹
WHEREAS resolutions adopted with narrow margins may not clearly represent the collective position of Alberta’s members, which can reduce the effectiveness and credibility of ABmunis’ advocacy with provincial and federal governments; and
WHEREAS increasing the voting threshold for resolutions would ensure that only those resolutions with substantial and demonstratable member support are advanced, thereby strengthening ABmunis’ advocacy focus and improving alignment with its strategic priorities;
¹ Alberta Municipalities, Resolutions Policy No. AP002, approved December 19, 2024.
Available at: https://www.abmunis.ca/system/files/2025-05/ABmunis%20Policy%20AP002%20-%20Resolutions.pdf
BACKGROUND:
The ABmunis’ Resolution Policy No. AP002 is intended to establish a clear and consistent process for resolutions that align with ABmunis broader advocacy initiatives. ABmunis mission is to be the voice of urban municipalities and provide visionary leadership, solutions-based advocacy, and service excellence on behalf of over 260 municipalities who are facing a variety of complex issues.
The Resolution Policy sets out the process for:
- The call of resolutions,
- Requirements of movers and seconders,
- Researching, writing, and submitting resolutions,
- The process for emergent resolutions,
- ABmunis Review of resolutions,
- The process of the resolution session during convention, including the introduction and debate of resolutions, amendments, and voting, and
- The action on adopted resolutions following convention.
To ensure clarity in the Resolutions Policy, member engagement is important to gain insights on where the resolution process could be improved. For example, the Resolution Policy establishes the voting threshold for resolutions to be approved as a simple majority (50% plus one of votes cast).
According to ABmunis, between 2017 and 2025, its members adopted 162 votes on resolutions based on the 50% plus one threshold. If a two-thirds majority were required for those votes to be successful, it would have reduced the number of successful resolutions to 146.
Raising the voting threshold would ensure that ABmunis resolutions reflect strong, broad-based member support. This would result in fewer endorsed resolutions and provide clearer direction to the Board, staff, and provincial and federal decision‑makers on where there is true municipal consensus.
A review of other provincial municipal associations shows that approaches to resolution voting thresholds vary, with some organizations maintaining a simple majority while others employ higher or supermajority requirements to strengthen mandate clarity:
| Association | Voting Threshold | Relevant Policy |
| ABmunis | 50%+1 | abmunis.ca/resources/policies |
| Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) | 60% | rmalberta.com/advocacy/resolutions/ |
| Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) | 50%+1 | suma.org/advocacy/resolutions |
| Union of BC Municipalities | 50%+1 | ubcm.ca/resolutions/resolutions-process |
Provincial municipal associations take differing approaches to resolution voting, with most using a simple majority while some implement higher thresholds to reinforce stronger consensus and mandate clarity.
