ABmunis Meeting With Minister Williams on Mandate Letter

Alberta Municipalities’ (ABmunis) President Tyler Gandam and CEO Dana Mackie had a cordial and frank meeting with the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Dan Williams on Monday, September 29. They discussed several topics presented in the mandate letter Minister Williams received from the Premier including:  

• Property Taxes
• Respecting Municipal Autonomy
• Recognizing the varying needs of municipalities; and
• Effective Permitting and Approval Framework  

ABmunis is pleased that the Minister Williams was able to meet with us so soon after receiving the mandate letter and provide us some clarity about the government’s intentions. We have always welcomed working in collaboration with the Government of Alberta in support of our member-municipalities. We remain committed to advocating for you as you face simultaneous challenges like, rapid population growth, increasing demand to provide social services, increasing cutbacks to infrastructure funding, and extraordinary inflationary pressures. 

Property Taxes  

We shared our concerns around property taxes and informed the Minister we are launching our “Property Taxes Reimagined” information project this week as we endeavor to open a conversation with Albertans about the future of property taxes. This is an important conversation since the provincial government raised its portion of property taxes by 14% this year and will continue raising them 10% per year in 2026 and beyond. We are keen to work with Minister Williams to ensure the best results for all Albertans, especially those feeling the compounding burden of rising prices.  

Respecting Municipal Autonomy 

We explained that local governments must be permitted to maintain local autonomy so they can continue to make the best decisions for their respective communities. It’s simply the way local democracy works. Just as the province insists on respect from the Government of Canada, our members expect to be respected by the Government of Alberta. 

Recognizing Varying Needs of Municipalities 

The importance of recognizing the varied needs and expectations that exist among Alberta’s many villages, towns, and cities was part of this conversation. Applying solutions to all municipal governments based on the actions of a few individuals does not always achieve the intended outcomes. In addition, municipalities need to be empowered to develop innovative solutions to meet challenges facing their communities, such as the lack of affordable housing. The province needs to support communities in exploring and evaluating various tools rather than limiting options.  

Effective Permitting and Approval Framework 

ABmunis also offered to work with the ministry to explore practical solutions to ensure Alberta has an increasingly effective permitting and approval framework. We were pleased to hear Minister Williams acknowledge municipalities in Alberta are already leading Canada in housing development. While concepts like ‘Automatic Yes’ sound compelling, we are concerned about the unintended consequences that may come from a simplistic “yes-or-no” approach to permitting as it may not meet the unique needs of communities.  

Furthermore, there are significant issues facing municipalities that are not addressed in the mandate letter. ABmunis will continue drawing attention to issues such as unpaid oil and gas taxes and the need to provide guidance on new intermunicipal collaboration provisions to support the efficient and effective use of regional resources. It is important that provincial and municipal capacity be available to focus on these priority issues.  

We look forward to partnering with Alberta Municipal Affairs in determining the next steps so that Alberta’s local governments can continue working in the best interests of their residents, the voters of Alberta.