TAMRMS#: B06
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City of St. Albert - City of Edmonton Recreation Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework
Presented by: Trevor Duley, Manager, Government Relations
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RECOMMENDATION:
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That Community Living Standing Committee recommend to Council that the Recreation Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework with City of Edmonton be approved.
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PURPOSE OF REPORT
Corporate Initiative 4.4 includes the completion of Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks (ICFs) specific to recreation with the City of St. Albert’s immediate neighbours, the City of Edmonton and Sturgeon County.
Intermunicipal discussions have occurred for over a year with the City of Edmonton’s Administration, and now the Framework between the two municipalities is ready for Council consideration and approval.
City of Edmonton is scheduled to endorse the Framework at their January 17th Intermunicipal and Regional Development Committee. It will likely proceed to Edmonton City Council on January 20th, 2020.
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL STRATEGIC PRIORITY
Strategic Priority #4: Infrastructure Investment: Identify and build needed capital assets.
Corporate Initiative 4.4: Support intermunicipal partnerships for shared infrastructure investment.
ALIGNMENT TO SERVICE DELIVERY
N/A
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL (OR COMMITTEE) DIRECTION OR MANDATORY STATUTORY PROVISION
The Municipal Government Act was amended in 2017, requiring municipalities within the Edmonton Metropolitan Region to complete mandatory Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks (ICFs) for municipal services not contemplated within the EMRB’s Servicing Plan by April 1, 2020. This legislation therefore triggered a requirement for the City of St. Albert to complete ICFs with its two immediate neighbours, the City of Edmonton and Sturgeon County, specific to Recreation.
On November 18, 2019, the Government of Alberta introduced Bill 25: Red Tape Reduction Implementation Act which changes Section 708 of the Municipal Government Act to the following:
Municipalities that are members of the same growth management board may create a framework with other members of the same growth management board in respect of matters that are not addressed in the growth plan or the servicing plan.
Therefore, this work is now considered voluntary, and there is no legislated timeframe assigned, as once was when this project was initiated. The Municipal Government Act includes provisions of what should be included within an ICF, and that it be adopted by Council resolution by each partner.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The ICF outlines a process, method and accountability structure for the City of Edmonton and City of St. Albert to explore opportunities for joint recreation service-delivery, funding, and/or planning in the future. The ICF includes the following components:
- Objectives: to enhance collaboration; explore more effective cost-effective service delivery and partnership options in the future; and enhance the quality of recreation services available in the region
- Working Group Governance: within three months of the Framework being approved, appropriate staff from both municipalities will meet to establish a Terms of Reference and meeting frequency to achieve the objectives identified within the Framework
- Service Inventory: includes pertinent schedules of facilities broadly classified as “recreation”
- Analysis Tool: provides criteria to identify municipal, intermunicipal and regional facilities/services
- Commitment to collect and share recreation data
The ICF does not commit the partners to cost-sharing; it commits the partners to share information and connect with one another and seek partnership opportunities when it makes sense to. Notwithstanding the reversal of the ICF requirement within Bill 25, Administration has continued to pursue completing the City’s two ICFs, as they are a tool to promote and facilitate future conversations on how to best plan, deliver, and fund recreation services strategically and equitably across municipal boundaries.
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
Public Engagement is not required and was not undertaken as part of the ICF process. City of Edmonton and City of St. Albert representatives have been working to complete this Framework since February 2019 through productive intermunicipal discussions.
IMPLICATIONS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Financial:
None at this time.
Legal / Risk:
The ICF presented complies with the ICF requirements contained within the Municipal Government Act and associated regulation respecting ICFs.
Program or Service:
None at this time.
Organizational:
Subject to the Terms of Reference for the Working Group, Administration will meet regularly with staff from City of Edmonton. In the past, discussions have occurred in a more ad hoc manner; this change is not anticipated to require additional resources.
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
Alternative 1. Committee could choose to suggest that the City of Edmonton incorporate changes to the ICF.
Alternative 2. Committee could recommend not to complete the ICF with the City of Edmonton, now that Bill 25 does not require municipal neighbours within the EMRB to complete ICFs.
Alternative 3. Committee could refer this item back to Administration for further refinement.
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Report Date: January 13, 2020
Author(s): Trevor Duley
Committee/Department: Office of the Chief Administrative Officer
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer: Kerry Hilts
Chief Administrative Officer: Kevin Scoble