Minister Williams travels to U.K. and France

Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams will meet with peers and experts in urban planning and municipal finance to explore best practices and innovative approaches that could be adapted to Alberta’s needs as the province continues to grow. Minister Williams will travel to the United Kingdom and France from Nov. 6 to 15 to learn how other jurisdictions finance and plan growing communities.

Building on the work of the Minister’s Council for Municipal Financing, the minister will meet with infrastructure finance experts, government agencies and parliamentarians in London and Paris. These meetings will explore ways to address municipal infrastructure funding needs without increasing taxes on Albertans.

He will also meet with urban planning professionals and tour communities including Poundbury, Battersea, Le Plessis-Robinson and Clamart. These conversations will help guide responsible growth as Alberta communities densify, so that new development creates livable, well-planned neighbourhoods.

The minister will attend the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph in Whitehall on Nov. 8. On Nov. 11, he will deliver remarks at the Vimy Ridge Remembrance Day ceremony on behalf of the Government of Alberta.

“As Alberta grows, we’re looking for practical ideas in urban planning and municipal financing that can meet our province’s needs. This visit is also an opportunity to pay our respects at Vimy Ridge on behalf of Albertans and honour those who served and sacrificed for our country.”

Mission expenses will be posted on the travel and expense disclosure page.

Itinerary for Minister Dan Williams, Minister of Municipal Affairs*

Nov. 6	Minister Williams travels to London, U.K.
Nov. 7	Visit Poundbury with the Classical Planning Institute. Meet officials with Duchy of Cornwall.
Nov. 8	Attend the Whitehall Cenotaph Remembrance Day Ceremony. Walking Tour of the Belgravia and Knightsbridge neighbourhoods with local planning officials. Visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum with the Classical Planning Institute.
Nov. 9	Visit the Battersea development with PwC London. Roundtable with PwC partners and infrastructure team. Meetings with sitting and former U.K. parliamentarians on infrastructure financing and neighbourhood development.
Nov. 10	Meetings and roundtable with Create Streets Foundation. Meetings with sitting U.K. parliamentarians. Travel to Brussels, Belgium.
Nov. 11	Travel to Vimy Ridge Provide remarks at the Vimy Ridge Remembrance Day Ceremony on behalf of the Government of Alberta. Vimy Ridge tour. Travel to Paris, France.
Nov. 12	Meetings with PwC Paris officials and French agencies on alternative infrastructure financing and real estate.   Meetings with sitting French parliamentarians.
Nov. 13	Meetings with Le Plessis-Robinson’s mayor and the president of the Congress of New Urbanism. Walking tour of Le Plessis-Robinson with the mayor and commune officials. Walking tour of Clamart with Congress of New Urbanism.
Nov. 15	Return to Canada.

*Subject to change.