Message from President Dylan Bressey
I’m deeply honoured to have been elected President at our recent Convention in Calgary. I’m very excited to work with and on behalf of you – our members!
I look forward to helping champion your communities and develop the resources you need to thrive at your council tables. Since it is together that we can gain real ground, I truly believe that it’s through our collective efforts at the local level that we’ll build a prosperous Alberta for everyone.
While I’ve just begun my presidential duties, my first 10 days were a whirlwind of briefings, meetings and events. In addition to a post-Convention media event and the first meeting of our Board of Directors, I had meaningful discussions with Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams, and several other cabinet ministers. I also had a chance to speak with numerous municipal elected officials at last week’s RMA Fall Convention.
The best part of this work so far has been getting to know your new Board of Directors. Each member brings deep experience and great energy to the role. We have a great combination of experienced leadership and fresh ideas around Board table. I’m certain that the team you’ve elected will be effective at supporting and strengthening municipal governance in Alberta.
Municipalities across Alberta face a perfect storm of reduced funding, growing costs, and pressure to lower property taxes, all while replacing aging infrastructure and building for Alberta’s impressive population growth. It’s a monumental task!
Our Property Taxes Reimagined information project, which was introduced in October 2025, is intended to generate constructive discussions on the realities for why property taxes are increasing and how municipalities can work in partnership with the province to ensure local public services are adequately funded. Through this project, we want to ensure Albertans understand where increases to their property taxes are coming from and which level of government is responsible for them. Judging from the conversations I’ve had since Convention wrapped up, I’d say Property Taxes Reimagined is already making an impression.
I’m grateful to Minister Williams for speaking to delegates on Nov. 14, participating in our Ministers’ Dialogue sessions and then hosting a working lunch for our 2025-26 Board of Directors. At lunch, he spoke about resetting the relationship between the provincial government and municipalities, and the importance of forging strong partnerships between the two levels of government. I look forward to working towards this with him and the Government of Alberta in the weeks and months ahead.
It was great to have Premier Danielle Smith address our 1,300 delegates at Convention and talk about some of her government’s initiatives. I was especially encouraged to hear her commit to advocating for increased funding for Family and Community Support Services (FCSS). Alberta’s cities are grappling with pressures created by rapid population growth, while smaller communities struggle with inadequate social ‘safety nets.’ We know how much ABmunis’ 264 member communities benefit from preventative social services. Increased FCSS funding will improve the care our residents receive and prevent massive future costs to taxpayers. Prevention is always more cost-effective than intervention.
My fellow Board members and I look forward to speaking with and meeting many more of you in the coming months. I encourage you to contact your Board of Directors, including me, to discuss any issues you and your municipalities might have.
