Town of Blackfalds concerned with Bill 20 

Blackfalds Town Council authorized Mayor Jamie Hoover to write a letter to the provincial government expressing concerns over proposed Bill 20: Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, during the May 14 regular meeting of council.  

On behalf of town council, Hoover sent a letter to Premier Danielle Smith, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Honourable Ric McIver, and MLA Jennifer Johnson.  

The letter states that council authorized Hoover to send a letter on behalf of the Town of Blackfalds, recommending that the Government of Alberta rescind Bill 20, the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, due to extensive concerns raised by municipal leaders across Alberta, including Blackfalds Council, and that the Government of Alberta engage municipal governments through a collaborative and trust-based consultation process to update the Local Authorities Election Act and Municipal Government Act to assist municipal governments to effectively govern in the interests of their residents and deliver on the future needs of each community in Alberta.  

“The Town of Blackfalds shares the concerns voiced by the Alberta Municipalities Association and the significant majority of its members that Bill 20 should be rescinded, and adequate consultation should be had with the municipalities to address the many concerns that Bill 20 raises,” Hoover said. “Blackfalds Town Council strongly opposes this legislation in its current form.”  

The Alberta Municipalities organization put out a poll during a recent webinar, in which 76 per cent of Alberta Municipality members voted for Bill 20 to be rescinded.  

The overall concerns raised are:  

• Increase divisiveness  

• Prioritization of the interests of the Province over the interests of the Municipalities  

• Creation of tax inequities between individuals and corporations as it relates to donations to municipal candidates  

• Power granted to the Province to remove a councillor without clear criteria, taking away the autonomy of the residents who elect councils  

• Increased costs for election by having to hand count election results as opposed to voting tabulators, which are more efficient and cost-effective  

• Allow councillors to claim that they have a perceived conflict of interest and avoid making politically charged decisions  

• Removes the decision-making authority from council to determine what studies are required for developments  

• Fails to address the flaws of the recall system  

• Fails to give municipalities the option to require candidates to file financial disclosures prior to election day  

• Other unforeseen consequences because of the short window of time and lack of full input from municipal governments  

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