Shared Facilities Funding
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association work with and encourage the Minister of Municipal Affairs and the Government of Alberta to assist municipalities that are seeking equitable solutions in their quest for fair, sustainable cost-sharing agreements for regional facilities when an equitable solution cannot be reached.
WHEREAS it is the role of Municipal Government to provide good, responsible and fair government to their respective communities;
WHEREAS the Minister of Municipal Affairs desires to promote open communication creating good planning and development of shared facilities throughout the Province;
WHEREAS the Minister of Municipal Affairs further brought forward Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) Program for the purpose of communities working cooperatively;
WHEREAS AUMA and AAMD&C have co-operatively worked on the development and promotion of a
Cost-Sharing Toolkit entitled “Cost-sharing for Success” for municipalities;
WHEREAS this toolkit was intended for use within a co-operative spirit in finding solutions to issues
regarding equitable negotiation of cost-sharing arrangements in circumstances of inter-municipal use of facilities; and
WHEREAS circumstances persist where municipalities bearing the cost for facilities used by surrounding municipalities have no firm recourse when those surrounding municipalities resist making fair contribution.
Nov 23, 2011 – Municipal Affairs
Through the Municipal Dispute Resolution program, Municipal Affairs offers two initiatives uniquely positioned to address the issue of shared facilities funding.
The Intermunicipal Dispute Resolution Initiative provides funding to assist municipalities involved in intermunicipal negotiations to retain external mediation/facilitation services. Ministry staff work closely with the municipalities involved to ensure that the specific issues under negotiation are clearly articulated, that the right parties are involved, and appropriate mediation support is retained.
The Collaborative Governance Initiative provides financial and staff support to assist municipalities in negotiating Intermunicipal Cooperation protocols. These protocols lay out parameters as to how the signatories will work with each other and have been used to develop agreements related to joint funding of infrastructure projects.
AUMA considers this response