TAMRMS#: B0
8.4
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Alberta Community Partnership Grant
Presented by: Trevor Duley, Manager, Government Relations
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RECOMMENDED MOTION
recommendation
That Council approves the City of St. Albert’s submission of the proposed “City of St. Albert/City of Edmonton Intermunicipal Planning Framework” grant application to the Government of Alberta’s Alberta Community Partnership program with the City of Edmonton.
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PURPOSE OF REPORT
The Alberta Community Partnership (ACP) is a grant program administered by Alberta Municipal Affairs and is intended to support intermunicipal and regional projects (i.e. initiatives that involve two or more municipalities) across Alberta. The Province has budgeted $25.4 Million for this program in 2021/22.
A supporting motion from the council of each grant applicant is a requirement for the ACP.
It is believed necessary council motions from each partner for the project will be in place prior to the grant submission deadline of January 5, 2022.
ALIGNMENT TO PRIORITIES IN COUNCIL’S STRATEGIC PLAN
Strategic Priority #1: Growth Policy Framework: Develop a robust policy framework to guide growth.
Corporate Initiative 1.3) City of St. Albert Annexation of City of Edmonton land
Strategic Priority #3: Building a Transportation Network: Integrated transportation systems.
Corporate Initiative 3.3) Implement the prioritized inventory of approved arterial network improvements.
ALIGNMENT TO LEVELS OF SERVICE DELIVERY
N/A
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL DIRECTION OR MANDATORY STATUTORY PROVISION
N/A
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Through Corporate Initiative 1.3, Annexation of City of Edmonton land, and emerging transportation, infrastructure and land-use opportunities and interface challenges, an opportunity to complete and Intermunicipal Planning Framework (IPF) between the City of Edmonton and City of St. Albert has been identified. The maximum grant award through the ACP is $200,000 with estimated total cost for the project at $200,000.
The project is anticipated to start in April 2022, subject to receipt of grant funding from the Government of Alberta. The project is anticipated to be completed by Q4 2023. If no funding is received, the project will not proceed.
The City of St. Albert and City of Edmonton applied to Municipal Affairs for funding for this initiative in 2021 but did not receive funding as part of the intake. Since then, staff from Edmonton and St. Albert have sought advice from Municipal Affairs on ways to strengthen the grant application.
The intent of the IPF is to develop an integrated planning and infrastructure service delivery within a defined study area within the shared boundary between the City of Edmonton and City of St. Albert.
Specifically, the Intermunicipal Planning Framework (IPF) will:
a) Formalize a shared, high-level land use concept and preliminary policies to guide development in the study area. The Intermunicipal Planning Framework will be aligned with regional policy such as the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Growth Plan. The Intermunicipal Planning Framework will be non-statutory but will guide policy direction in each municipality’s respective statutory plans.
b) Develop a high-level transportation and hard and soft servicing concept to support the shared land use vision (e.g., transportation, water, sewer, stormwater management, recreation, emergency response needs etc.), including details on the associated capital, operating and maintenance costs.
c) Introduce a communication, information-sharing and conflict-resolution protocol to facilitate ongoing, exploratory discussions on collaboration, coordinated decision-making and effective intermunicipal relations between the two partners.
d) Analyse and report on the feasibility and desirability of joint governance of shared-interest infrastructure assets. Through the Intermunicipal Planning Framework, the Partners will investigate the potential opportunities and challenges of joint infrastructure governance, including: method of evaluating infrastructure needs, prioritization of needs, and maintenance and monitoring policies for the entire lifecycle of the asset.
e) Analyse and report on the feasibility of inter municipal bylaw governance and enforcement within the shared planning area.
f) Identify collaborative service opportunities in the areas of transportation/transit, utilities, environment and parks, emergency response, economic development, development levies, and cost-sharing within the study area.
This project will result in achieving multiple ESG (environmental, social, governance) outcomes:
- Improve infrastructure effectiveness and efficiency by jointly planning for future needs
- Develop potential to jointly govern infrastructure assets to improve efficiencies even further
- Facilitate sustainable growth through the seamless integration of infrastructure and complementary land uses
- Support an investment-friendly environment by reducing administrative barriers and facilitating faster decision-making on development decisions
- Strengthen inter municipal relations through joint and collaborative activities, and establishment of appropriate communication processes
- Joint land-use concept and coordination of development levies will provide greater certainty for residents, businesses, and developers, while reducing red-tape
- Joint land-use concept in proximity to environmentally sensitive areas, including Lois Hole Provincial Park
- Utilization of a GBA+ framework through the duration of the project
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
City of St. Albert Administration has been in communication with the City of Edmonton to coordinate this initiative. Public engagement on the IPF project will be determined during the project planning phase, which will occur upon successful award of the grant.
IMPLICATIONS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Financial:
None at this time. Status of the grant application approval should be received by end of Spring 2022. If grant funding is not received, this initiative will not proceed.
Legal / Risk:
None at this time.
Program or Service:
None at this time
Organizational:
Staff time is required to support this initiative.
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
If Council does not wish to support the recommendation, the following alternatives could be considered:
Alternative 1. Council could choose not to support the grant application, and the City of St. Albert would cease work on this initiative.
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Report Date: December 6, 2021
Authors: Karrina Jung and Trevor Duley
Department: Office of the CAO
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer: Kerry Hilts
Chief Administrative Officer: Kevin Scoble