This release was issued under a previous government.

The draft regulations will be available for feedback on the Municipal Government Act (MGA) Review website until Oct. 2.

In the fall of 2015, the province announced that the Capital Region Board around Edmonton would be reformed and that a mandatory growth management board would be put in place for the Calgary region. The draft regulation is a culmination of two years of consultation and collaboration between the province and affected municipalities.

“Our government is committed to promoting responsible growth and development of Alberta’s metropolitan regions. Municipal collaboration through growth management boards will lead to stronger decisions about transportation and transit, infrastructure, economic development, and other key regional services. I am proud we are moving forward to have growth management boards ready for new municipal councils.”

Shaye Anderson, Minister of Municipal Affairs

The growth management boards represent rural and urban municipalities that surround the big cities and have 5,000 or more residents. They will work together to ensure the efficient delivery and funding of key services.

Growth management boards for the Calgary and Edmonton regions are expected to be effective late this year or early in 2018.

Quick facts

  • Similar partnerships/boards are in place in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax.
  • The Capital Region Board, the predecessor of Edmonton’s growth management board, was established in 2008.
  • It had a membership of 24 and focused primarily on land-use planning initiatives. 
  • The board now includes an increased focus on coordination of key services and will operate with a membership of 13: Edmonton, Leduc County, City of Leduc, Beaumont, Fort Saskatchewan, Parkland, St. Albert, Sturgeon, Spruce Grove, Strathcona, Stony Plain, Devon, and Morinville.
  • The Calgary Regional Partnership was formed in early 2000 as a voluntary group of municipalities. It originally included 18 communities.
  • The new Calgary growth management board will have 10 members: Calgary, Chestermere, Airdrie, Rocky View, Okotoks, Cochrane, Foothills, Strathmore, a portion of Wheatland County, and High River.
  • Ministers of Municipal Affairs have met with municipalities included in growth management boards several times since 2015. A discussion paper released in December 2016 and subsequent conversations helped government devise the proposed structure for growth management boards.
  • Administrations have been working collaboratively to develop the draft regulation since early 2017.
  • Growth management boards are part of the overall Municipal Government Act review. Consultation with Albertans has been ongoing since 2012 and has included face-to-face discussions in 20 communities, discussion papers that were open for feedback, and online feedback.