Local democracy depends on municipal autonomy

The Government of Alberta's recent intervention in municipal planning should concern every municipality, not just Edmonton. 

Last week, the provincial government announced it would override parts of Edmonton's zoning bylaws and restrict certain forms of high-density infill housing. Alberta Municipalities was quick to respond, with President Dylan Bressey participating in Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack’s October 8 news conference and issuing a statement from ABmunis’ Board of Directors later that day. 

It’s no secret that municipal leaders hold a wide range of views when it comes to housing, zoning, roads and bike lanes. But councils listen to residents, hold public hearings and make decisions based on what works for their communities. 

Local democracy and municipal autonomy go hand in hand. Albertans elect their local councils to make decisions close to home, and councils need the authority to do that work. When the Government of Alberta overturns local decisions, it weakens the connection between residents and the people they elected to represent them. 

While the provincial government’s intervention directly affects Edmonton, the precedent matters to every municipality. If developers or other groups think they can bypass a council and ask cabinet ministers to reverse a local decision, public hearings and local planning processes begin to lose their meaning. 

This is not an isolated event. In the last two years, municipalities have faced changes to local election rules, restrictions on traffic enforcement, limits on how councils govern their own conduct, additional steps to access federal infrastructure funding, and legislation that reversed a local tax decision. 

The principle is the same, no matter where in Alberta you live: local decisions are strongest when they are shaped by local residents and made by the councils they elect. 

The ABmunis Board of Directors will meet on October 15 to determine the association's next steps. Details of this meeting will be shared with our members soon afterwards. 

At its heart, this issue is about who should make decisions that shape our communities. Alberta Municipalities believes those decisions are strongest when they are made locally, by councils that are accountable to the people they serve.