Alberta Municipal Supervisors Association News

CPWA 2026 Equipment Roadeo

Carolyn Caldwell — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 14:00:00 GMT

The CPWA Alberta Chapter is pleased to be back hosting the inaugural Annual Equipment Rodeo at the Olds College. This year we will be hosting the Roadeo in conjunction with a Training Day, Networking Night, and Tradeshow from September 3 – 4, 2026.

https://www.apwa.org/event/alberta-chapter-annual-equipment-roadeo/

REGISTER NOW FOR MARCH PROCUREMENT MONTH WEBINAR

Carolyn Caldwell — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 20:11:36 GMT

REGISTER NOW FOR MARCH PROCUREMENT MONTH WEBINAR

Canoe’s dynamic duo - Stéphanie Dion and Tony De Sciscio - are back at it with their wildest, unexpected, and downright unbelievable tales of their professional procurement careers. Join us on Wednesday, March 25, for an engaging session where Stéphanie and Tony unpack mistakes and share the valuable lessons they’ve picked up along the way.

Register now to secure your spot.

Alberta Bridge Industry Workshop

Jennifer Mazurek — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 16:51:20 GMT

The Alberta Bridge Industry is hosting a workshop on Thursday and Friday April 9 & 10, 2026.

More details and how to buy tickets to attend can be found here

Join Canoe Procurement Group of Canada: Demystifying Job Order Contracting (JOC) for the Canadian Public Sector – Feb 12

Carolyn Caldwell — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 19:00:00 GMT

You're invited to a Canoe webinar for public entities introducing Job Order Contracting (JOC), a collaborative project delivery method designed to streamline renovations, repairs, and minor construction in the Canadian public sector.

Webinar Details

Thursday, February 12

12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. MST

Online. Register here: https://canoeprocurement.ca/joc-webinar

Led by Michael Bevis, a fellow award-winning procurement professional, past Chair of the Center for Job Order Contracting Certification Council, this session will break down what JOC is, why it works, and how it can reduce administrative burden while supporting local contractors.

What You’ll Learn

JOC fundamentals
Best practices from the Centre for Job Order Contracting Excellence
Myths vs. realities
Live Q&A with procurement experts

Speakers

Michael Bevis, Chief Procurement Officer, City of Norfolk
Carl Bonitto, Manager of Purchasing & Risk Management, Northumberland County

Register Now

https://canoeprocurement.ca/joc-webinar

Free webinar with Solar Alberta

Jennifer Mazurek — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 17:48:56 GMT

Join Solar Alberta for a webinar on September 25th at 12pm to learn more about Alberta's Municipal Electricity Generation Rebate Program.

Click here to register

Free Training in Calgary

Jennifer Mazurek — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 19:12:57 GMT

Industrial Machine is holding a free technical training session on September 10, 2025 in Calgary.

Click here for more information.

Summer Newsletter

Jennifer Mazurek — Mon, 26 May 2025 16:35:32 GMT

Click here to read the latest newsletter

Zone 4 Idea Group Meeting Minutes

Jennifer Mazurek — Tue, 13 May 2025 13:53:48 GMT

Please click here and here to find the meeting minutes from the Zone 4 Idea Group Meeting which was held on May 1, 2025

OH&S Proactive Inspection Program

Jennifer Mazurek — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 14:37:03 GMT

OH&S is expanding their proactive inspection program.

Click here for more details.

Zone 5 Meeting

Jennifer Mazurek — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:39:26 GMT

Zone 5 is having a meeting on September 26th at the Hughenden Community Hall.

Check out the agenda here

And RSVP to Marty Biro if you are planning on attending.

U of A Excel Tips and Tricks Sheet

Jennifer Mazurek — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 17:55:22 GMT

Access the tips and tricks sheet here

Winter Newsletter

Jennifer Mazurek — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 17:08:09 GMT

January Newsletter

Winter 2025 Issue of the Road Runner

Jennifer Mazurek — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 17:02:12 GMT

Click here for the latest issue of the Road Runner

Fall Newsletter

Jennifer Mazurek — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 21:16:05 GMT

August 2024 Newlsetter.pdf

Zone 5 Meeting in Camrose

Jennifer Mazurek — Tue, 28 May 2024 14:47:23 GMT

A Zone 5 meeting will be held on October 3, 2024 at the Camrose Resort and Casino.

Click here for a detailed meeting agenda.

Winter 2023-2024 RoadRunner Magazine Now Available

Fri, 05 Jan 2024 14:28:54 GMT

Click here to be directed to the latest RoadRunner magazine.

Zone 5 Meeting

Jennifer Mazurek — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 17:00:20 GMT

Zone 5 meeting September 21, 2023 at 9:15am

See agenda for more information.

Save the Date - Zone 1 Meeting Sept 14

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 18:14:31 GMT

Click here to review the agenda for AMSA zone one members meeting Sept 14.

Location: MD of Willow Creek Administration Building

RoadRunner Magazine Fall 2023 Issue Now Available

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 18:12:01 GMT

Click here to read the latest issue of RoadRunner magazine.

Zone 4 Meeting Minutes

Jennifer Mazurek — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 16:41:06 GMT

Please find attached the meeting minutes from the Zone 4 meeting on June 2, 2023.

Peace Country Ideas Group Meeting Minutes

Jennifer Mazurek — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 14:42:35 GMT

Please see the meeting minutes from the February 17, 2023 meeting between the Alberta Chapter of the APWA and AMSA Zone 4.

Click to read the meeting minutes.

RoadRunner Magazine Winter 2023 Issue Now Available

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 19:30:10 GMT

Click here to read the latest issue of RoadRunner magazine.

AMSA Zone 4 Meeting Minutes and Presentations Now Available

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 14:30:00 GMT

AMSA Zone 4 and Peace Region Idea Group met on November 25, 2022. Click on the links below for minutes and presentations.

PRIG Minutes - November 25, 2022 Meeting

Water Act Presentation - North Region

AE Presentation

Zone 5 Meeting Location Change

Jennifer Mazurek — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 15:48:45 GMT

The location of the Zone 5 meeting on September 20, 2022 has been changed to the Czar community hall.

RoadRunner Magazine Fall 2022 Issue Now Available

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 13:30:00 GMT

Click here to read the latest issue of RoadRunner magazine.

Webinar Small Cities/Rural Communities Perspectives on Transportation

Jennifer Mazurek — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 16:08:14 GMT

Check out the American Public Works Association upcoming webinar "Small Cities/Rural Communities Perspective on Transportation". Join the panel as they discuss smaller town transportation issues and their creative solutions and, of course, funding alternatives.

https://www.apwa.net/MyApwa/Events/Event_Display.aspx?EventKey=LME2025

New Minister of Transportation

Jennifer Mazurek — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 16:01:18 GMT

Prasad Panda was appointed acting Minister of Transportation on June 14, 2022.

https://www.alberta.ca/minister-of-transportation.aspx

County of Northern Lights Drainage Survey Results

Jennifer Mazurek — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 18:35:12 GMT

Check out the discussion forum for the results of the drainage survey!

New Pyke Decision May Create Uncertainty for Municipal Statutory Defences

Jennifer Mazurek — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 18:15:49 GMT

http://news.brownleelaw.com/post/102hmrs/new-pyke-decision-may-create-uncertainty-for-municipal-statutory-defences

AMSA Welcomes New Executive Assistant

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 18:15:28 GMT

Please join AMSA's executive in welcoming new Executive Assistant -

Jennifer Mazurek

As AMSA members will recall, AMSA's strategic plan included adding additional resources to assist with convention, website and membership management functions. Jennifer will be working closely with the Executive Director (Christine) in learning and assisting with growing the association.

Below is a message from Jennifer, who looks forward to meeting you all at fall convention (Save the date for November 8-10).

My name is Jennifer Mazurek and I have recently joined the AMSA in the role of executive assistant. I am excited about taking on this new role and I’m looking forward to meeting everyone.

I have a diploma in Civil Engineering Technology and have been working for Alberta Transportation out of the Stony Plain office since 2008. I work in highway operations where my main focus is administering the highway maintenance contract and supervising our maintenance contractors. I also look after the operation and maintenance of all the traffic signals and street lighting in the Stony Plain/Leduc areas.

Prior to working for Alberta Transportation, I was employed with Parkland County in the planning and development/engineering department. I also spent many summers working on a survey crew for EXH Engineering on base/pave, grading and municipal construction projects.

In my spare time, I volunteer with the Spruce Grove Kinettes and the Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove. I also enjoy getting outdoors to go hiking, camping and to ride my quad. In the winter, I like to snowmobile in the mountains and down-hill ski.

AMSA/APWA Zone 4 Meeting Minutes - from April 29

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 18:44:29 GMT

Please click link for APWA/AMSA zone meeting minutes.

APWA / AMSA ZONE4 Peace Region Idea Group (PRIG) - Toys for Big Boys and Girls on April 29

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 13:27:32 GMT

Plans are being made for a sure-to-be-great APWA / AMSA ZONE4 Peace Region Idea Group (PRIG) show on Friday the 29th of April, 2022, from 10am to 3pm in High Prairie (Big Lakes County).

Including a networking indoor lunch, with a potential weather date of Friday the 5th of May, 2022. Exact location to be determined pending response given about 20 vendors are being invited and about 60 attendees will be invited once the location is definite.

Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group Oct 22 Meeting

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 23:49:03 GMT

APWA/AMSA Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group held a virtual meeting on October 22, 2021.

Click here to see meeting minutes.

Zone 1 Meeting Minutes and Presentations

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 22:34:10 GMT

Click here for the meeting minutes and presentations from sponsors.

Thank you,

Devon Thiele

Zone 1 Director

RoadRunner Magazine Winter 2021 Issue Now Available

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 18:47:41 GMT

Click here to read the latest issue of RoadRunner magazine.

Fall Convention Update and Call for 2020 Peer Award Nominations

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 18:36:31 GMT

On behalf of AMSA's Executive Team, we hope this email finds you, your teams and your community all still doing well. We've had many questions about convention and this email is to let AMSA members know that AMSA is indeed planning for an in-person fall convention in 2021. Please Save the Date as follows:

DATE: November 24-26

LOCATION: Edmonton EXPO Centre

HOTELS: Downtown, usual hotels recommended through RMA Convention

TRANSIT: RMA coordinated bus shuttle services will be available from all RMA hotels downtown to the EXPO Centre on a frequent schedule.

PARKING: There is parking available at the EXPO Centre, although transit is encouraged.

Note these dates coincide with the RMA Convention schedule...getting back to the usual convention practices. The RMA Tradeshow is scheduled to take place November 23 at the EXPO centre, in case you wish to travel early to attend the tradeshow as well.

NOMINATE AN AMSA MEMBER FOR THE PEER AWARD!

AMSA’s Peer Award recognizes long-standing commitment to AMSA and its member development – through peer mentoring, support and best practice sharing. Commitment to AMSA and the field of public works, as well as members contributions to AMSA’s operations are measured, as AMSA members nominate Peer Award recipients annually.

This prestigious award is granted to qualified individuals, following a majority vote of AMSA’s Board of Directors.

Since its inception in 2013, AMSA’s Peer Award recipients list is a small group of members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to support their municipalities, their peers in other municipalities and the best interests of the public works field in Alberta.

If you know of a worthy AMSA member that you'd like to nominate for this award, please send an email to cheggart@amsapw.ca Be sure to include a brief summary describing the members experience, contributions to the association and why they should be selected.

Previous Peer Award recipients:

2019 Dave Dextraze

Fall 2018 Keith Bodin (County of Forty Mile)

Spring 2018 Calvin Fischer (County of Barrhead)

2017 Darrel Szott (Flagstaff County)

2016 Terry Fleming

2015 Phil Lodermeier (Lacombe County)

2014 Jack Dunsmore (MD of Taber)

2013 Brian Adamkewicz (Athabasca County)

Take care and keep healthy.

RoadRunner Magazine Spring 2021 Issue Now Available

Tue, 18 May 2021 22:44:45 GMT

Click here to read the latest issue of RoadRunner magazine.

Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group Meeting April 8

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 13:31:19 GMT

APWA/AMSA Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group held a virtual meeting on April 8, 2021.

Click here to see meeting minutes.

Flagstaff County Invites Bids on Used Equipment

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 18:30:00 GMT

Tender for Used Equipment

Flagstaff County invites tenders for the following used equipment:

1) WT05 – 2003 J.D. 6320 Tractor w/3 Point Hitch and Front Weights – 7,495 hrs, Serial #: L06320P340228

2) PM01 – 1974 GMR200H Seaman Rotovator w/Detroit engine – 2,207 hrs, Serial #: 67-615

3) TR30 – 1982 IHC1900 Oil Distributing Truck – 141,754 km, 6,331 hrs, Serial #: 2HTAF1952CCA14797

4) SN11 – 2011 Hiway E2020XT, 14’ Stainless Steel, In Box Truck Sander – Serial #: 133766

5) PL15 – 2015 Monroe MP41R11-ISCT Two-way, 11’ Truck Plow – Serial #: 15-04-2371

6) FP03 – 2001 Heavy Hitter Post Pounder – Serial #: 00-5-1745

7) GS011 – 2011 Accurate 30’ X 14’ Dump truck scale – Comes with Western M2000A-LSB Electronic Weigh Indicator, Aurora 45 Remote Display, Solar Power charging system and enclosure. Serial #: 8108-0611

8) OT01 – 2000 GLM 400 Barrell oil storage tank with burner – Serial #: 00-08801

9) QU03 – 2010 Polaris Ranger 800 H.D., Side by Side – 240 hrs, Serial #: 4XATY76A7A4904332

10) ADM114 – 2014 John Deere Gator HPX, 4 X 4, C/W Powered dump box – 27 hrs, Serial #: 1M0HPXGSEEM120388

11) PA01 – 2001 3 Shank Paratill – Model 118-320PH, Serial #: 3-7410TPT

12) CN16 – 2015 Monroe MS10312, 8’ Rear cross conveyer – Serial #: 12/15/3395

13) WT012 – 2012 Case IH Farm All 95U Tractor, C/W 3 Point Hitch – 1,612 hrs, Serial #: ZBJL24675

14) FE02 – 1979 IHC Fire truck – 24,890 km, Serial #: AA192KHB13799

15) 3 - 2014 Ford, 1Ton, Long Box Truck boxes – Includes wooden box liner and taillights. End gate included with 2 of them

16) PK113- 2013 Ripper Mounted Packer – Serial #: CR-2013-86

17) Used Alta-Lite Diesel Generator w/8’ x 8’Metal Building

18) Used Natural Gas Wisconsin VH4DG Engine – Serial #: 6010137

19) T077 – 2007 Dodge 1/2T, Quad cab, Short box, 4x4 – 295,050 km, Serial #: 1D7HU18267J616539

20) T212 – 2012 Ford F350 Crew Cab, Short box, 4x4 – 395,050 km, Serial #: 1FT8W3B68CEB63894

21) T310 – 2010 Ford 1/2T, Extended cab, Short box, 4x4 – 294,015 km, Serial #: 1FTFX1EV5AFC00614

22) T033 – 2003 Chev 3/4T Regular cab, Long box, 4x4 – 312,483 km, Serial #: 1GCHK24U03E304412

23) T082 – 2008 Dodge 3/4T Mega-cab, Short box, 4x4 – 353,312 km, Serial #: 3D7KS29D98G209870

24) T312 – 2012 Ford F350, Extended cab, Short box, 4x4 – 357,951 km, Serial #: 1FT8X3B63CEB63895

25) T083 – 2008 Dodge 1/2T, Quad cab, Short box, 4x4 – 277,342 km, Serial #: 1D7HU18298S592443

26) Used Weldco Beales Two-Way, 12’ Truck Plow – Model #: 196-900-004, Serial #: 3-44099-6

27) 2011 Hotsy 1832SS Pressure Washer, 3000psi, 6 GPM, 3 Phase – Serial #: 11096620-100050

28) 1989 GLM 210 Barrell Oil Storage Tank w/Skid

This equipment can be viewed at the County Shop in Sedgewick and will be sold on an “as is basis”. Hours may vary slightly, depending on time of sale.
Click HERE to download a tender form, or contact our Administration Office at 780-384-4123 to receive a tender form.
Please send bids in a sealed envelope marked “USED EQUIPMENT” to Flagstaff County Administration Office, Box 358, 12435 Twp Rd 442, Sedgewick, AB.
Closing date for bidding on items is Friday, April 16th, 2021 at 11:00:00 a.m. MDT. The highest or any tender not necessarily accepted. The tender opening will be live streamed. Watch for a link a few days prior.

For further information, please contact: Kevin Kinzer, Shop Supervisor, at 780-390-0312.

Tender for Heisler Grader Shed

Flagstaff County (the “County”) is currently accepting tenders for the purchase of the Heisler Grader Shed Shop building located adjacent to the Village of Heisler at 43010 Rge Rd 162, within Flagstaff County, Alberta, legally described as Plan 8221991, Block 1, Lot 1.

This property is currently zoned as Agricultural District in the Flagstaff County Land Use Bylaw 09/18, Section 9.3. For more information, please visit: https://www.flagstaff.ab.ca/county-services/planning-development/bylaws-policies-and-related-documents and refer to Section 9.3.1 AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT – Permitted and Discretionary Uses for this parcel.

The tender documents can be obtained at the Flagstaff County Administration Building or by email by contacting the County Office at 780-384-4100.

Tenders must be placed in sealed envelopes, duly marked “Tender – Sale of Heisler Grader Shed Shop”.

All sealed tenders will be received until 11:00:00 a.m. MST on March 25th, 2021 in person, or by registered mail, to the Flagstaff County Administration Building located at 12435 Township Road 442, Sedgewick, AB T0B 4C0, Attention: Darrell Szott, Public Works Superintendent.

Tender opening will follow immediately after tender closing and will be streamed live. Watch it HERE.

For further information regarding the Building and instructions, please contact Darrell Szott, Public Works Superintendent, at 780-384-4100.

Tender for Strome Post Office Building

Flagstaff County (the “County”) is currently accepting tenders for the purchase of the Strome Office/Post Office building located at 5025 – 50th Street, in the Hamlet of Strome, Alberta, legally described as Plan RN 67, Block 3, Lots 6 and 7.

This property is currently zoned as Hamlet Public District in the Flagstaff County Land Use Bylaw 09/18, Section 9.11. For more information please visit: https://www.flagstaff.ab.ca/county-services/planning-development/bylaws-policies-and-related-documents and refer to Section 9.11.1 HAMLET PUBLIC DISTRICT - Permitted and Discretionary Uses for this parcel.

The tender documents can be obtained at the Flagstaff County Administration Building or by email by contacting the County Office at 780-384-4100.

Tenders must be placed in sealed envelopes, duly marked “Tender – Sale of Strome Office/Post Office Building”.

Tender opening will follow immediately after tender closing and will be streamed live. Watch it HERE.

For further information regarding the Building and instructions, please contact Darrell Szott, Public Works Superintendent, at 780-384-4100.

Transport Canada would like to modify the Grade Crossings Regulations

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 19:30:00 GMT

Click this link to be redirected to Government of Canada website with consultation forums at the bottom of the page. Consultation closes February 3, 2021.

Transport Canada wants to hear from stakeholders and the Canadian public. Your opinions and feedback are important.

There are about 14,000 public and 9,000 private grade crossings along more than 40,000 kilometers of federally-regulated railway tracks in Canada.

The Grade Crossings Regulations and Grade Crossings Standards help improve safety by setting broad and enforceable safety standards for both new and existing grade crossings in Canada.

More information about the Grade Crossing Regulations(External link)

The regulations require any railway company, road authority or private owner of an existing crossing to comply with the requirements of the regulations by November 28, 2021.

Over the past year, stakeholders have expressed concerns about the deadline and their ability to meet the requirements.

Public crossings

Due to the ongoing pandemic, municipalities and railway companies are faced with increasing challenges to make the upgrades required by the regulations. With only one construction season left, their ability to meet the 2021 deadline is almost impossible since most public crossings still need work.

Private crossings

Railway companies had issues identifying private crossing owners which delayed their assessments of work to be done, and they have just started communicating the results of these assessments. There are concerns over costs and future access to property. Since only a few private crossings already comply with the 2021 requirements, it is unlikely that all private crossings will be compliant by the deadline.

Transport Canada has looked at the situation and is considering a plan to address it.

Transport Canada is proposing a tiered, risk-based approach to changing the regulations. This approach would help us respond to stakeholders’ concerns while also keeping our original safety goals intact.

1. Change the scope of the regulations so that defined low-risk crossings don’t need to meet all requirements

The regulations would be updated so that low-risk public and private crossings don’t need to meet all requirements. This permanent change would affect grade crossings with very low train and traffic volumes (like many field-to-field crossings used by farmers, as well as public and private crossings on rail lines that are no longer being used). We would develop a measurable way to identify whether a crossing is low-risk.

These changes would address concerns from private landowners who are facing high costs for upgrading crossings that see little traffic. It would also allow companies and road authorities to avoid spending money to upgrade grade crossings that they won’t be using.

2. Extend the deadline using a risk-based approach for all grade crossings

Extending the deadline using a risk-based approach would allow parties to prioritize work and resources to focus on compliance for the highest-risk crossings as quickly as possible. Since the current regulations don’t include such a process and given the amount of work to do, railway companies and road authorities are not able to use the existing framework to address the emerging issues.

Transport Canada is proposing to extend the deadline by:

one year for high-risk grade crossings and
three years for all other crossings

Transport Canada would develop a measurable way to identify whether a crossing is high risk.

Safety at crossings is still a priority. These changes would give all stakeholders the time to agree on work plans, get funding, and make the required upgrades. The safety benefits would be kept by making sure that crossings that are considered high-risk are dealt with first.

For additional information contact Rail Safety Consultations (TC) TC.RailSafetyConsultations-ConsultationSecuriteFerroviaire.TC@tc.gc.ca(External link)

RMA Trade Webinars - First One Kicks off January 13

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 00:05:32 GMT

RMA is hosting informational webinars for RMA and AMSA members.

The series of webinars will generally be scheduled the second Wednesday of the month going forward.

The first 15 minutes of each webinar will feature RMA focused information followed by 45 minute presentations spearheaded by an RMA Vendors.

The details for RMA's first webinar is as follows:

January 13 at 10AM

Presenter: Troy Sawada, Director, Major Accounts, NAPA Auto Parts

Topic: RMA-NAPA Renewed Partnership

Short Description: Late last year, NAPA Auto Parts was awarded as the RMA approved supplier for a renewed and expanded Auto Parts Program. Troy Sawada, the Director, Major Accounts for NAPA, will give members an overview of the benefits available as part of this exciting change!

The webinar will be held via Zoom. Please register in advance.

RMA's next webinar will be February 10 at 10 AM – featuring ARMTEC.

Details for registration will follow.

MD of Provost - Nov 2020 Vehicle Disposal Tender

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 13:30:00 GMT

The M.D. of Provost No. 52 is currently accepting tenders to purchase the following units: Click here for list with pictures.

1. Unit # 44-020 2008 Midland Triaxle Cross Dump Trailer S/N: 2MFB2S4D18R004906

2. Unit # 44-012 2005 Midland Gravel Trailer S/N: 2MFB2S4D25R003386

3. Unit # 56-047 2001 Ford F-450 Cab & Chassis S/N: 1FDXF47F81EC81365

ODO: 187,016 KMS

4. Unit # 55-034 2008 Kenworth T800 S/N: 1NKDLBOX78J934761

ODO: 610,744 KMS

5. Unit # 44-024 2009 Midland Pony Pup Trailer S/N: 2MFA2R7D39R005900

6. Unit # 44-025 2009 Midland Pony Pup Trailer S/N: 2MFA2R7D59R005901

7. Unit # 53-123 2012 International 7600 6x4 Gravel/Sander/Plow Truck

S/N: 1HTGSSJTOCH552295 ODO: 210,929 KMS

8. Unit # 51-057 2009 Ford F-150 4X4 S/N: 1FTPX14V19FA22573

ODO: 318, 375 KMS

9. Unit # 43-130 2014 JD 850K Crawler Dozer S/N: 1T0850KXCEE262918

6548 HRS (Reserve Bid: $165,000)

10.Unit #53-035 2008 Kenworth T800 S/N 1XKDDBOX58J934762

ODO: 696,940 KMS

All of the above are available for viewing by appointment only.

For appointments or more information, please call Tyler Lawrason at 780-753-2434.

Tenders for any or all of the above units are to be submitted in a sealed envelope, clearly marked

“M.D. of Provost 2020 November Vehicle Disposal Tender”

and are to be addressed to:

Tyler Lawrason, Administrator

M.D. Administration Office,

Box 300; 4504 – 53^rd Avenue, Provost, Alberta T0B 3S0

Tenders are to be submitted not later than 12:00 noon on Tuesday, November 24, 2020.

PLEASE NOTE: No faxes or emai ls accepted for tenders .

Faxed amendments will be accepted as long as the original tender is not disclosed. The M.D. reserves the right to reject any or all bids submitted or any part and the highest of any bid will not necessarily be accepted. Please include G.S.T. in the quote.

A decision will be made on Thursday, November 26, 2020.

Items purchased are sold AS IS.

Kneehill County - Sealed Bid Auction

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 13:00:00 GMT

Kneehill County is accepting sealed bids for the sale of assorted equipment. This is a sealed bid auction with set reserves on most items. Bidders and bid amounts will not be made public.

Auction ends November 9, 2020, at 11:59:59 AM.

Click this link to be redirected to the auction website in order to view equipment for auction.

Viewing

Equipment can be viewed, during business hours of 7 AM to 3 PM, at the Kneehill County Maintenance Shop Yard located at 205 – 1st Ave West, Three Hills, Alberta
Due to health and safety regulations viewing will be by appointment only. Please contact the Purchasing Department to arrange a time, 403-443-5541.
Some of the equipment is still in use as they are waiting to be prepared for sale, so current hours or mileage may be more than listed. Where possible, the operator’s and maintenance manuals will be included with the sale of the equipment.

Submission of Bids

Bidders may submit Sealed Bids only up to 11:59:59 AM Alberta Time on November 9, 2020.
Bidder must indicate name and address clearly in the upper left-hand corner of a sealed envelope so that the Bid submission can be identified. Please mark which piece of equipment the bid is for on the front of the envelope.
Sealed Bids will be accepted from Monday to Friday, between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, by hand, courier or mail. Bidders may submit bids at the following location only:
- Main Office: 1600, 2nd Street North East, PO Box 400, Three Hills, AB, T0M 2A0.
  (Please note a secure mail drop box is located outside the County Administration Office.)
Bids by electronic or facsimile will NOT be accepted.

AMSA's Fall Convention Cancelled, AGM postponed until the New Year

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 23:02:49 GMT

AMSA's Executive Team recently made the difficult decision to cancel the Fall 2020 AMSA Convention and to postpone the Annual General Meeting until the new year, with hopes of being able to host in person convention and AGM in March 2021.

AMSA intends to comply with all provincial directives for gatherings to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

At this time AMSA's Executive Team didn't feel the investment to host a virtual convention would provide the same level of engagement and value for AMSA members, and will be working on a plan for continued professional development and networking opportunities moving into the New Year.

AMSA's Executive will develop a plan this fall to continue to engage with AMSA's membership and will be exploring with Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) the opportunity to have enhanced calendar of AMSA zone meetings. Smaller scale regional gatherings, whether in person or virtual, may provide the interim solution until we can all meet again collectively.

AMSA will continue to keep its members posted on leadership and training opportunities and what AMSA has in store into the New Year. Please do stay tuned.

RMA Fall 2020 Virtual Convention - details to come in October

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 13:35:00 GMT

The RMA Fall 2020 Convention will be a virtual event, details coming soon

Due to restrictions on gathering sizes as a result of COVID-19, the RMA Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to move the RMA 2020 Fall Convention to a completely virtual format. To accommodate this format, the Fall Convention is being condensed to two days: November 3 and 4, 2020. The RMA board and staff recognize that not being able to get together in person is disappointing, as one of the key benefits of the convention is the networking opportunities. We will be working hard to ensure that the event continues to be interactive and look forward to engaging with members through a virtual platform.

RMA will share additional details of the upcoming virtual convention in the weeks to come. Below is some initial information related to convention registration and programming.

Registration

Online registration for the fall convention will open in early October.

Convention Program

RMA is making every effort to include the elements that have made past conventions a success. The convention program is being developed with key program items, including RMA’s Annual General Meeting, resolutions session, and elections for board positions. Ministers forum, government plenaries, and educational sessions will also be scheduled.

Convention Hotel Bookings

RMA has cancelled all convention hotel room blocks and there is no need for individuals to call hotels directly to cancel.

Please visit the RMA Convention Website and continue to watch for bulletins in the Contact newsletter for more information.

Cindy Carstairs
Administrative and Convention Coordinator
780.955.4095
cindy@RMAlberta.com

Tasha Blumenthal
Director of External Relations & Advocacy
780.955.4094
tasha@RMAlberta.com

Update to the Wetland Assessment and Impact Form

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 13:00:00 GMT

Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) is pleased to announce an update to the Wetland Assessment and Impact Form (WAIF), which will take effect on September 21, 2020.

The following activity has been added to the list of eligible low risk activities that now require a WAIF rather than a full Wetland Assessment and Impact Report (WAIR):

widening, improvements or maintenance of existing roads that take place within a registered road plan right of way

In the previous version of the WAIF, road activities within 15 m from the centerline of an existing road were allowed to use the WAIF, whereas road work beyond this footprint required a field-based wetland assessment and a more comprehensive report. This change will reduce red tape by allowing more flexible and less costly wetland assessments within a larger project area (i.e., the registered road plan). The WAIF is supported by the desktop-based Alberta Wetland Rapid Evaluation Tool – D (ABWRET-D).

Additional measures to streamline the regulatory process and reduce wait times for Water Act approvals are under development.

To what activities does the change apply?

Tables 1 and 2 have been modified to state that a WAIF will be accepted for “Widening, improvements or maintenance of an existing road within a registered road plan right of way or within 15 m from the centerline of an existing unregistered or private road. This does not include new road construction.” New road construction still requires a WAIR.

A registered road is typically managed by Alberta Transportation or a municipality. An unregistered or private road is typically owned by an individual or company. Examples include a private driveway or access road.

How does this align with the Wetland Policy?

This change aligns with wetland policy requirements to complete a WAIF for activities that are low risk or have minimal permanent impacts to wetlands. The WAIF requires wetlands to be delineated and classified, and impacts to wetlands mitigated, in accordance with applicable wetland policy directives. Alberta Wetland Rapid Evaluation Tool – Desktop (ABWRET-D) results must be obtained, and replacement for the permanent loss of wetland area and relative value is still required for these activities. The WAIF must be signed by an authenticating professional and submitted with a regulatory application.

How will my road widening project be impacted?

The change to the WAIF will impact new applications submitted on or after September 21, and will not impact applications already submitted to the department or under review.

If you are uncertain whether or not a proposed activity is eligible, please submit your wetland assessment question to AEP.Wetlands@gov.ab.ca.

How to download the updated WAIF on the Alberta Wetland Policy Implementation webpage

Click on the following hyperlink to the Alberta Wetland Policy Implementation webpage: https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-wetland-policy-implementation.aspx
Scroll down to the Policy requirements section and click on Wetland Assessment to expand the content
Click on the downloadable WAIF PDF under the Alberta Wetland Assessment and Impact Form subsection

Contact information

For more information, please contact either Angela Burkinshaw, Director, Grants and Program Delivery at angela.burkinshaw@gov.ab.ca, or Matthew Wilson, Wetlands Team Lead, Grants and Program Delivery at matthew.wilson@gov.ab.ca.

RoadRunner Magazine Fall 2020 Issue Now Available

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 23:00:00 GMT

Click here to read the latest issue of RoadRunner magazine.

Great Deals on Bridgestone Grader Tires

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 22:36:37 GMT

Click here to see the latest flyer from RMA approved supplier KalTire.

CANCELLED - AMSA Spring Convention

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 20:23:47 GMT

On behalf of AMSA's executive team, please be advised that AMSA's spring convention scheduled for March 17-18 has now been cancelled. This decision resulted from the growing concern related to COVID-19, many questions from AMSA members, with some municipalities indicating work-related travel restrictions being implemented. AMSA's executive also wishes to remain aligned with RMA's schedule, and have cancelled the AMSA spring convention following RMA's recent cancellation of their trade show and spring convention (see RMA notice in the email below).

Below are a few helpful links to keep up to date about COVID-19.

Alberta Health Services - Emergency Management (click here)

Government of Alberta - Coronavirus Information for Albertans (click here)

Take care,

Christine (on behalf of President Shaune Kovitch)

RMA's cancellation message :

In light of the growing concern regarding the spread of COVID-19, the RMA is cancelling the Spring 2020 Convention and Trade show. Although our program was full with great speakers, and exhibitors, we look forward to offering an exciting program in the future.

All registered delegates and exhibitors will receive a full refund, and reminded that they are responsible for cancelling hotels.

Though the association will take a significant financial hit as a result of this decision, the health and safety of our members, staff, delegates and government partners are of the utmost importance.

We encourage members to continue to visit the Government of Alberta’s COVID-19 website for up to date information and we will continue to communicate information pertinent to municipalities as this issue evolves.

We appreciate your understanding and patience as we work through the logistics of processing refunds and cancellations and will be in communication in the coming weeks regarding how resolutions brought forward will be handled.

AB Transportation - Commercial Carrier Survey

Sun, 08 Mar 2020 22:52:02 GMT

The Government of Alberta is reviewing regulations for the commercial transportation industry to reduce red tape and remove redundant regulations. As part of this engagement, Alberta-based carriers are invited to participate and provide their input to an industry-specific online survey on how Alberta regulates commercial carriers. The online survey will be available from February 26 to April 3, 2020. The results of this engagement will help the Government of Alberta identify opportunities for red tape reduction throughout 2020-2021.

The survey consists of 33 questions on the following six key areas:
1) Alberta's Hours of Service regulations;

2) Adoption of Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs);

3) Implementation of National Safety Code (NSC) Standards;

4) Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT) for commercial drivers;

5) Vehicle weights and dimensions; and

6) Alberta’s overall regulatory environment

You may access the online survey at:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/cchrrindustrysurvey

Please note that the survey may take up to 30 minutes to complete and must be completed in one attempt.

Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group Meeting Jan 30

Tue, 11 Feb 2020 17:08:11 GMT

APWA/AMSA Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group held a joint meeting on Friday January 30, 2020 in Town Peace River.

Please click here to review meeting minutes.

Pavement Design, Evaluation, Management and Rehabilitation Course on March 3-4

Thu, 23 Jan 2020 19:51:28 GMT

Click here to view complete course outline and registration information.

This course provides an introduction to the design, evaluation, management, construction and preservation of pavements.

CTEP-APWA Western Canada Pavement Workshop on Feb 4-5 in Edmonton

Thu, 23 Jan 2020 19:30:00 GMT

www.ctepworkshop.com

Early registration is recommended, especially for those requiring hotel rooms!

RoadRunner Magazine Winter 2020 edition now available online

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 19:30:00 GMT

Click here to read the latest issue of RoadRunner magazine.

Register Online for AMSA's Fall Convention in November

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 18:27:33 GMT

The 2019 AMSA Fall Convention takes place November 13-15, 2019 at the Edmonton Convention Centre.

Online REGISTRATION is now open. If you haven't already done so, be sure to register by October 31 to be eligible for the early bird draw for a 10" Samsung Tablet.

The fall convention agenda features a tour of the Weldo-Beales Manufacturing Facility, keynote speaker Nelson Scott speaking about Hiring the Right People and as well Todd Hirsch returns for a 2019 economic update.

Click here for sneak peak at the upcoming convention agenda.

Stay tuned for the AGM agenda, bylaws and financial report to come by email a few weeks prior to the convention.

We look forward to seeing you all in November.

Register now for Pre-Convention Training

Fri, 02 Aug 2019 16:00:00 GMT

Hosted by National Education Consulting Inc.(NECI), this interactive course will focus on procurement essentials for Municipal Managers as well as new trade agreement obligations.

Date: November 12, 2019

Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: UofA - Alberta School of Business (10230 Jasper Avenue -Enterprise Square)

Cost: $350.00

Click here for the course outline - Procurement Essentials for Municipal Managers

Click here for the course outline - Debriefing Obligations Under the Trade Agreements

Please note: Registration will remain open until Friday October 4. AMSA reserves the right to cancel this course and refund payments, should there be an insufficient interest to warrant providing the course. 20 participants are required to host this course offering.

This pre-convention training day will include a morning coffee break at 10:00am, and light lunch at 12:00pm.

Certificate in Municipal Management & Leadership - next start date in October

Wed, 31 Jul 2019 22:39:38 GMT

The University of Alberta is hosting another Certificate in Municipal Management & Leadership (CMML) course starting in the fall. Although AMSA numbers to host a course were not sufficient, we'd like to pass along the course flyer to AMSA members in case they'd like to attend individually.

Click here for CMML course flyer.

APWA - Alberta Chapter 2019 Awards

Wed, 31 Jul 2019 22:36:35 GMT

The APWA Public Works Project of the Year Award was established to promote excellence in the management and administration of public works projects by recognizing the alliance between the managing agency, the consultant/architect/ engineer, and the contractor who, working together, complete public works projects.

This is awarded in four divisions based on project value:

1. Projects less than 1 million dollars

2. Projects of 1-5 million dollars

3. Projects of 5-10 million dollars

4. Projects more than 10 million dollars

Click here for the 2019 Awards Package.

Click here for the Nomination Package.

Contact APWA directly for any questions.

Congratulations to Dave Dextraze, AMSA's 2019 Peer Award Recipient

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 17:06:51 GMT

Congratulations to Dave Dextraze, AMSA's 2019 Peer Award Recipient. Thank you for your contributions to the Association.

Urban Systems - Asset Management Survey

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 16:52:59 GMT

Urban Systems was present at the RMA trade show and AMSA's convention and took the opportunity to crowd-source some information about what tools, like road classification systems and road construction standards, they are using to make decisions about roads (and communicate those decisions!). The survey link is below, and takes 5-7 minutes to complete. At this time the survey is designed for rural municipalities only. Urban Systems will be sharing out the results of the survey out to those that provide us with their contact information. Thank you for your participation!

https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/a48a5551781f42e580e1e9e1c309247c

Day One of AMSA's Spring 2019 convention underway

Tue, 19 Mar 2019 16:55:01 GMT

Updated RMA Tire Guide

Tue, 12 Mar 2019 18:00:00 GMT

RMA's Tire Guide has been updated, click here to view the 2019 guide.

Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group Meeting Minutes and Mini Trade Show

Tue, 26 Feb 2019 19:00:00 GMT

APWA/AMSA Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group held a joint meeting on Friday January 25, 2019 in Saddle Hills County.

Please click here to review their “Information & Training Session” meeting minutes and pictures from the trade show.

Space Still Available in Erosion & Sediment Control Course

Mon, 25 Feb 2019 17:24:08 GMT

Click here for the Erosion and Sediment Control Manual Course registration form.

Edmonton March 20
Calgary March 27

AMSA members receive the CTEP member rate.

Erosion & Sediment Control Course offered in Edmonton and Calgary

Thu, 31 Jan 2019 22:03:24 GMT

Click here for the Erosion and Sediment Control Manual Course registration form.

Edmonton March 20
Calgary March 27

AMSA members receive the CTEP member rate.

Winter 2019 RoadRunner Now Available

Fri, 25 Jan 2019 20:03:38 GMT

RoadRunner Winter 2019

Update on the Implementation of the Alberta Wetland Policy

Sat, 15 Dec 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The Government of Alberta has provided updates and new tools to assist in the implementation of the Alberta Wetland Policy website.

The Government of Alberta has provided new updates related to the implementation of the Alberta Wetland Policy. The updates or additions to the website include:

Wetland Replacement Fact Sheet
Wetland Replacement Fee Form
Alberta Wetland Mitigation Directive
Directive for Permittee-Responsible Wetland Construction in Alberta
Alberta Guide to Wetland Construction in Stormwater Management Facilities
Wetland Application Checklist

Click here to visit the Wetland Policy Implementation website to learn more.

For enquiries, please contact:

Matt Dow
Policy Analyst
matt@RMAlberta.com

Tasha Blumenthal
Director of External Relations & Advocacy
tasha@RMAlberta.com

Day One of AMSA's Fall 2018 Convention Underway

Tue, 20 Nov 2018 18:15:59 GMT

Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group “Information & Training Session” Summary

Fri, 09 Nov 2018 19:30:00 GMT

APWA/AMSA Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group held a joint meeting on October 18, 2018 in the City of Grande Prairie. Please click here to review their “Information & Training Session” Summary.

Zone 1 - Meeting Minutes (Sept14/18)

Mon, 17 Sep 2018 23:00:00 GMT

AMSA Zone 1 held a joint meeting on September 14, 2018 in Lethbridge County. Please click here to review minutes from the meeting.

AMSA Zone 2 Meeting October 4

Mon, 17 Sep 2018 16:07:07 GMT

Stettler County will be hosting the next AMSA Zone 2 meeting on Thursday October 4th at 10am, with lunch provided. Take a tour of Stettler's new Public Works facility, followed by Zone 2 Meeting. Agenda to follow, please send agenda items to Rick Green.

The Lethbridge County office is located at:

6602 - 44 Ave.

Stettler, AB

Please RSVP to Zone 2 Director, Rick Green.

AMSA Zone 1 Meeting Sept 14

Tue, 21 Aug 2018 13:30:00 GMT

Lethbridge County will be hosting the next AMSA Zone 1 meeting on Friday September 14^th 2018 from 9am – 4pm, please see the attached agenda for details.

The Lethbridge County office is located at:

905 – 4^th Ave South

Lethbridge, AB

Visitor parking is available in the parking lot just north of the building, look for the “Visitor Parking” signs.

Please RSVP to Zone 1 Director, Devon Thiele, by September 7^th.

Free Asset Management Workshops taking place in Calgary and Edmonton

Fri, 17 Aug 2018 15:54:48 GMT

Free Asset Management, GIS & AVL Workshops taking place in Edmonton (September 11) and Calgary (September 18).

Click here for Calgary workshop information.

Click here for Edmonton workshop information.

ABCGA Regional Workshops July 4-5

Mon, 16 Jul 2018 22:44:35 GMT

The Alberta Common Ground Alliance (ABCGA) has partnered with the APWA Alberta Chapter to host a regional workshop series across Alberta.

Join them in Okotoks, Alberta to earn your supervisor-level ground disturbance certificate and attend full day of information sessions where they share the latest opportunities and best practices for damage prevention and excavation safety.

Click here for more information.

Cost:
Day 1: ABCGA Dig Safe Workshop - $399 (+GST)
Day 2: Supervisor-Level Ground Disturbance Training - $199 (+GST)

Only $525 (+GST) for both days

Click here to register now!

Jack Dunsmore to retire

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 22:19:32 GMT

AMSA and its members wish Jack Dunsmore, MD of Taber Director of Planning and Infrastructure and long time AMSA member/AMSA peer award recipient all the best in his upcoming retirement. Here's to your next chapter Jack!

Free Asset Management Workshops in Alberta

Thu, 12 Apr 2018 23:00:00 GMT

RMA and AUMA, with support from Infrastructure and Asset Management Alberta (IAMA), are happy to offer two-day asset management workshops for municipal staff. All workshops are geared towards rural and small urban municipalities with limited asset management experience.

All workshops are made available through funding received from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Municipal Asset Management Program (MAMP). In partnership with the RMA and AUMA, workshops will be offered free of charge.

Click here to view the course brochure with dates and location information.

If you have questions about the details of the Asset Management courses, click on this link for more information.

Alberta Municipal Tire Training event, April 10-11 in Brooks

Fri, 23 Mar 2018 23:00:00 GMT

The Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties (AAMDC), Alberta Municipal Supervisors Association (AMSA), and Michelin are excited to announce Alberta Municipal Tire Training event to be held April 10-11, 2018 in Brooks. Click here for registration details for this free event.

Asset Management Workshops in Alberta

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 18:20:38 GMT

AAMDC and AUMA, with support from Infrastructure and Asset Management Alberta (IAMA), are excited to bring you one-day and half-day asset management workshops for elected officials and senior administration and two-day workshops for municipal staff! All workshops are geared towards rural and small urban municipalities with limited asset management experience.

All workshops are made available through funding received from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Municipal Asset Management Program (MAMP). In partnership with the AAMDC and AUMA, workshops will be offered free of charge.

Click here to view the course brochure with dates and location information.

Centre for Transportation Engineering & Planning (CTEP) Project Management for Grading, Base, Paving Projects Course

Fri, 02 Mar 2018 19:30:00 GMT

CTEP - Project Management for Grading, Base, Paving Projects Course

March 26-28, 2018
Edmonton, AB

Click here to see CTEP's course and registration information.

Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group Meeting Minutes (Jan 18/18)

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 19:30:00 GMT

APWA/AMSA Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group held a joint meeting on January 18, 2018 in Birch Hills County. Please click here to review minutes from the meeting.

Register now for AMSA's spring convention

Wed, 24 Jan 2018 19:30:00 GMT

The 2018 AMSA Spring Convention takes place March 20-21, 2018 in Edmonton, Alberta at the Shaw Convention Centre.

Online registration is now open. If you haven't already done so, be sure to register by February 28 - to be eligible for the early bird draw for a Samsung Tablet.

The spring convention agenda features keynote speaker Corey Poirier presenting The Timeless Secrets of Influential Leaders, as well as Todd Hirsch, ATB's Chief Economist returns to provide an update on Alberta's economic outlook for 2018.

We look forward to seeing you all in March.

AAMDC Tire Guide 2018

Tue, 23 Jan 2018 23:30:00 GMT

AAMDC's 2018 Tire Guide is now available. Click here to view the 2018 guide.

Modular Offices for Sale - County of Stettler

Tue, 16 Jan 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The County of Stettler has for sale a 2160 ft² Modular Office Complex. The complex consists of 3 – 12 X 60 frameless units manufactured ATCO structures, installed on-site July 2014.

Sealed submissions will be accepted up to Thursday February 9, 2018 at 1:30pm local time at the County of Stettler No. 6 Administration Office.

Click here to view the complete sale listing, and see below for pictures below.

PDF layout

AMHSA Update - November 15

Fri, 17 Nov 2017 17:53:50 GMT

Click here to view an update from the Alberta Health ans Safety Association.

Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group Meeting Minutes (Oct 26/17)

Wed, 08 Nov 2017 12:48:52 GMT

APWA/AMSA Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group held a joint meeting on October 26, 2017 at the County of Grande Prairie. Please click here to review minutes from the meeting.

AAMDC National Account - Special Tire Pricing

Thu, 31 Aug 2017 12:32:43 GMT

As you are gearing up for your Fall/Winter tire purchases, AAMDC would like to announce special pricing from an approved National Accounts supplier.

Michelin OTR - X SNOPLUS M&S^®

Click this link for the updated Tire Price Guide with further details. These prices will be available only until the end of 2017, so please take advantage of them while you can!

Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group Meeting Minutes

Fri, 09 Jun 2017 18:35:45 GMT

APWA/AMSA Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group held a joint meeting on May 3, 2017 at the County of Northern Lights. Please click here to review minutes from the meeting.

Aware360 Update for AMSA members

Mon, 05 Jun 2017 23:00:00 GMT

Aware360 would like to provide the following update, including: Support Update and next steps; In-Vehicle Solution Enhancements and next steps; and, CAMS 2 Modernization. Click here to read complete update details.

Alberta Municipal Tire Training Event on April 26 & 27

Fri, 17 Mar 2017 13:20:59 GMT

The Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties (AAMDC), Alberta Municipal Supervisors Association (AMSA), and Michelin are excited to announce the fourth annual Alberta Municipal Tire Training event to be held April 26-27, 2017 in Grande Prairie. Click here for registration details.

ABCGA Dig Safe Conference April 3-4

Thu, 02 Mar 2017 00:19:28 GMT

Alberta Common Ground Alliance (ABCGA) Dig Safe Conference April 3-4

Sheraton, Red Deer

http://albertacga.ca/

Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group Meeting Minutes

Thu, 02 Mar 2017 00:14:46 GMT

APWA/AMSA Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group held a joint meeting on January 25, 2017 at the Town of Peace River. Please click here to review minutes from the meeting.

Vision Zero Advocate Conference hosted by ATS Traffic

Tue, 03 Jan 2017 23:30:37 GMT

The Vision Zero Advocate Conference hosted by ATS Traffic takes place in Edmonton on March 1-3, 2017.

Click here for complete details.

Zone 4 AMSA/APWA Meeting Minutes

Fri, 02 Dec 2016 19:04:21 GMT

APWA/AMSA Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group held a joint meeting on October 20, 2016 at MD of Greenview. Please click here to review minutes from the meeting.

The next Peace Region Ideas Group meeting is scheduled for April 2017.

AMSA's Fall Convention Highlights

Tue, 22 Nov 2016 05:18:10 GMT

Thank you to everyone who attended the fall convention this past week!

To view copies of presentations or take a look at pictures from the fall convention, click here to be redirected to the convention highlights page.

AAMDC National Account - Special Pricing Extended!

Tue, 22 Nov 2016 00:18:28 GMT

AAMDC would like to announce special pricing from Michelin has been EXTENDED!

Michelin OTR - X SNOPLUS^®

These prices are now available until January 31, 2017! Click here to see the updated Tire Price Guide with further details.

If you have any questions about these promotions, please do not hesitate to contact :

Carolyn Caldwell Dave Dextraze

Manager of Client Relations and Trade Manager of Client Relations

carolyn@aamdc.com dave@aamdc.com

780-955-8401 587-671-0105

AMSA's fall convention is a week away....

Tue, 08 Nov 2016 03:07:08 GMT

Last call for registrations for AMSA's fall convention, taking place November 15 - 17, 2016 at the Shaw Convention Centre in Salon 9/10. Click here to register or go to the homepage and click "register" button.

Fall agenda

AGM agenda

Bylaws

And as you may already know, starting this fall AMSA is proud to be coordinating/hosting University of Alberta - Executive Education - Certificate in Municipal Management and Leadership (CMML). This course is scheduled to coincide with spring and fall conventions for the next 3 years. For more information on the CMML course and dates, click here.

It's not too late to register, so if you are interested - contact AMSA's Executive Director.

AAMDC Contact Newsletter

Sun, 25 Sep 2016 13:40:52 GMT

Click here to see the latest version of the AAMDC's Contact Newsletter - which includes information regarding the Government of Canada seeking input on the Species at Risk policies and Infrastructure and Asset Management Alberta (IAMA) workshop in October.

Registration now open for AMSA's fall convention

Tue, 13 Sep 2016 22:50:00 GMT

Registration is now open for AMSA fall convention, taking place November 15 - 17, 2016 at the Shaw Convention Centre in Salon 9/10. Click here to register or go to the homepage and click "register" button.

If you'd like to review the draft agenda for the fall convention, click here.

And as you may already know, starting this fall AMSA is proud to be coordinating/hosting UofA's Certificate in Municipal Management and Leadership (CMML) course in conjunction with spring and fall conventions for the next 3 years. For more information on the CMML course and dates, click here. It's not too late to register, so if you are interested - contact AMSA's Executive Director.

Certificate in Municipal Management and Leadership

Fri, 09 Sep 2016 18:09:00 GMT

AMSA is pleased to offer the University of Alberta's Executive Education program - Certificate in Municipal Management and Leadership (CMML) in conjunction with AMSA conventions beginning in fall 2016.

Click here to view the CMML brochure for complete details.

Module 1: November 13-14, 2016

Module 2: March 19-20, 2017

Module 3: November 13-14, 2017

Module 4: March 18-19, 2018

Module 5: November 18-19, 2018

Module 6: March 17-18, 2019

Contact AMSA's Executive Director to register.

AAMDC National Account - Special Pricing

Tue, 06 Sep 2016 18:30:00 GMT

As you are gearing up for your Fall/Winter tire purchases AAMDC would like to announce special pricing from two of our approved supplier National Accounts.

· Michelin OTR - X SNOPLUS^®

· Bridgestone M775 & L320

Prices will be available only until the end of 2016, so please take advantage while you can! Click here to view the Tire Price Guide with further details.

If you have any questions about these promotions please do not hesitate to contact AAMDC directly:

Carolyn Caldwell Victor Tabamo

Manager of Client Relations and Trade Manager of Client Relations

carolyn@aamdc.com victor@aamdc.com

780-955-8401 780-955-4090

Jubilee Insurance - RiskPro Training Opportunity

Tue, 06 Sep 2016 18:00:00 GMT

Jubilee Insurance announced the presentation of Jubilee RiskPro Module 9 to be held this September at three locations throughout the province. Jubilee will be offering simultaneous sessions to offer a wide variety of content that will be applicable to various departments throughout your organization.

Click here to view the complete invitation letter that details the type of sessions you can expect to see this year, as well as registration form and hotel reservation details.

The tentative agenda can be found at http://aamdc.com/events-programs/jubilee-risk-pro-workshops. Spots are available on a first come, first served basis.

Risk Management and Accident Prevention in Heavy Equipment Operation – Presentation by Olds College

Heavy Equipment operation can be a risky job. Large machines, tight schedules and budgets can lead to shortcuts that my cause big problems and even loss of life. Discover the due diligence that should be considered in Heavy Equipment Operation. Any accident creates effects for an organization. Learn how to manage risk and keep people and property safe by ensuring safety and proficiency is valued, evaluated and increased in your organization.

Equipment Simulator Training – Presentation by Finning Canada

Simformotion™ LLC — a leader in heavy equipment simulator training solutions – is the licensee for Cat® Simulators for Caterpillar Inc. Cat heavy equipment simulators deliver dynamic training technology and outstanding safety results through the power of state-of-the-art virtual training. These training simulators help businesses dramatically lower costs; address initiatives such as safety and production; while ensuring training can be delivered anytime day or night, regardless of weather conditions. Cat Simulators are chosen as training solutions in such markets as mining, construction, government, forestry, and trade and vocational schools. A representative from Finning will be on hand to provide a demonstration and chance for participants to experience the simulator.

Zone 2 Meeting - minutes from June 17

Wed, 06 Jul 2016 18:30:00 GMT

AMSA Zone 2 - Central Region held a meeting on June 17, 2016 at the Lacombe County office. Please click here to review minutes from the meeting.

Road Maintenance Graders for Sale

Fri, 03 Jun 2016 18:40:32 GMT

The County of Stettler No. 6 has two road maintenance graders for sale:

2009 Caterpillar 14M Motor Grader (Unit C89) – approximately 11,477 Hours

2007 Caterpillar 14M Motor Grader (Unit C85) – approximately 11,317 Hours

Each machine is equipped with:

Weldco Beales V-Plow and Wing;
3-Shank Ripper;
Espar Heater;
16 Foot Mold Board
Blade Accumulators;
Air Conditioning.

Asking Price (each) $185,000. Contact for viewing or additional information:

Dennis Nelson, Director of Public Works
Phone: 403-742-4441

Fax: 403-742-1277
Email: dneslon@stettlercounty.ca

Zone 1 (South) & Zone 2 (Central) Meetings

Thu, 26 May 2016 18:30:00 GMT

AMSA's Zone 1 (South) members will be a meeting on June 3, 2016 at the Vulcan County Administration Building.

AMSA's Zone 2 (Central) members will be meeting on June 17, 2016 at the Lacombe County Administration Building.

Click here to see the events listing page, which provides more details and the meeting agendas.

Zone 4 AMSA/APWA Meeting Minutes - April 7

Mon, 25 Apr 2016 18:22:39 GMT

APWA/AMSA Zone 4 - Peace Region Ideas Group held a joint meeting on April 7, 2016 at Birch Hills County. Please click here to review minutes from the meeting.

The next Peace Region Ideas Group meeting is scheduled for October.

If you'd like information for your zone's meeting added to AMSA's website, please email the Executive Director.

Provincial Budget 2016

Sat, 16 Apr 2016 00:00:00 GMT

For information on the Government of Alberta's 2016 budget, click here for the Province's news release.

For AAMDC's initial analysis for budget 2016-2017, click here.

Spring Convention and training this week

Sun, 13 Mar 2016 18:49:02 GMT

AMSA's 2016 Spring Convention kicks off Monday, with a Public Sector Procurement 101 course. Tuesday and Wednesday regular convention agenda.

Safe travels to all convention delegates.

Public Sector Procurement Course on March 14

Wed, 10 Feb 2016 00:27:00 GMT

New this spring...Pre-Convention professional development opportunity.

101: Public Sector Procurement Essentials

Hosted by National Education Consulting Inc. (NECI), in this interactive course participants learn about the fundamental principles that govern public-sector procurement in Canada.

Click here for the complete course outline. Course fee: $395.00

101: Public Sector Procurement Essentials is a stand-alone one-day course, for which participants will receive a certificate.

Please note: Registration will only remain open until Friday February 12.

AMSA reserves the right to cancel this course and refund payments, should there be an insufficient interest to warrant providing the course.

This pre-convention training day will include a morning coffee break at 10:00am, and lunch at 12:00pm.

The Public Sector Procurement Program (PSPP) is accredited by the Canadian Supply Chain Sector through its National Accreditation Program. For more information on additional PSPP courses and accreditation, click here

New AAMDC Approved Supplier - FoxSigns

Tue, 09 Feb 2016 03:02:47 GMT

Please click here to see AAMDC's announcement regarding a newly approved supplier - FoxSigns.

Registration now open for AMSA's Spring Convention

Fri, 22 Jan 2016 19:17:27 GMT

New this spring...Pre-Convention professional development opportunity -

101: Public Sector Procurement Essentials

Hosted by National Education Consulting Inc. (NECI), in this interactive course participants learn about the fundamental principles that govern public-sector procurement in Canada.

Click here for the complete course outline. Course fee: $395.00

101: Public Sector Procurement Essentials is a stand-alone one-day course, for which participants will receive a certificate.

Please note: Registration will only remain open until Friday February 12.

AMSA reserves the right to cancel this course and refund payments, should there be an insufficient interest to warrant providing the course.

This pre-convention training day will include a morning coffee break at 10:00am, and lunch at 12:00pm.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Fri, 18 Dec 2015 22:00:00 GMT

On behalf of AMSA’s Executive, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a safe a healthy New Year. We look forward to seeing you again at the Spring convention taking place on March 15-16, 2016 in Edmonton at the Shaw Convention Centre.

Congratulations to Phil Lodermeier - AMSA's 2015 Peer Award Recipient

Mon, 14 Dec 2015 19:30:00 GMT

Each year at the fall convention, AMSA recognizes one member for their long standing commitment not only to AMSA, but to the enhancement of the field of municipal public works. This year, AMSA congratulates Phil Lodermeier, Manager of Operations from Lacombe County. Phil has been an AMSA member for over 30 years, and was nominated by his peers for dedication to AMSA, through his time on the executive and as President, along with his long successful career working in the field of public works and for his mentorship.

Apply for 2016 Minister's Awards for Transportation Innovation

Wed, 02 Dec 2015 22:00:00 GMT

Alberta Transportation's - Minister’s Awards for Transportation Innovation

The Minister’s Awards for Transportation Innovation recognize innovative people and organizations within the transportation industry. The awards celebrate transportation innovations, large or small, that are paving the way toward a more efficient, sustainable and safer transportation system in our province.

These prestigious awards are part of an ongoing partnership with the Consulting Engineers of Alberta (CEA), the Alberta Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association (ARHCA), the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA), and the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties (AAMDC).

Who can be nominated for an award?

Nominations can be submitted for any public transportation (Alberta Transportation or municipal) project in Alberta related to roads, bridges, multi-modal transportation or transit.

Nomination Categories

Six annual Transportation Innovation Awards will be presented. There will be six separate recipients selected for:

Award of Excellence for Design Innovation
Award of Excellence for Construction Innovation
Award of Excellence for Environmental Innovation
Award of Excellence for Safety Innovation
Award of Excellence for Operational Innovation
Award of Excellence for Transit/Accessible Transportation Innovation

How do I nominate a project?

Read through the complete 2016 guidelines and fill out the attached nomination form. Nominations must be submitted on or before January 22, 2016. You may send in nominations two ways:

Send as an email attachment to Corinna.Mulyk@gov.ab.ca
Print the form and send it in a sealed envelope marked “confidential” to:

Corinna Mulyk
Innovations Engineer
Alberta Transportation
3rd Floor, Twin Atria Building
4999 - 98 Avenue
Edmonton, AB T6B 2X3

Navigation Protection Act response deadline February 16, 2016

Sat, 28 Nov 2015 15:48:06 GMT

Check out the latest issue of AAMDC's Contact newsletter for more information regarding the Fall 2015 AAMDC Convention member endorsement of resolution 3-15F: Local Road Bridge Opt-Outs Under the Navigation Protection Act.

The deadline to contact Alberta Transportation regarding Navigation Protection Act is February 16, 2016.

Federal Cabinet Announcement

Wed, 04 Nov 2015 17:00:00 GMT

Please see CBC News article below.

Full list of Justin Trudeau's cabinet

31-member cabinet includes 15 women, attempt at regional balance

CBC News Posted: Nov 04, 2015 10:50 AM ET Last Updated: Nov 04, 2015 11:36 AM ET

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, stands with Gov. Gen. David Johnston after being sworn in as prime minister at Rideau Hall in Ottawa Nov. 4. (Justin Tang/Canadian Press)

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The full list of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's new 31-member cabinet, in order of precedence, being sworn in today at Rideau Hall in Ottawa (with their province in parenthesis):

Justin Trudeau (Quebec) - Prime Minister, Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth.
Ralph Goodale (Saskatchewan) - Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.
Lawrence MacAulay (P.E.I.) - Agriculture and Agri-Food.
Stéphane Dion (Quebec) - Foreign Affairs.
John McCallum (Ontario) - Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees.
Carolyn Bennett (Ontario) - Indigenous and Northern Affairs.
Scott Brison (Nova Scotia) - Treasury Board President.
Dominic Leblanc (New Brunswick) - Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.
Navdeep Bains (Ontario) - Innovation, Science and Economic Development.
Bill Morneau (Ontario) - Finance Minister.
Jody Wilson-Raybould (B.C.) - Justice and Attorney General of Canada.
Judy Foote (Newfoundland and Labrador) - Public Services and Procurement.
Chrystia Freeland (Ontario) - International Trade.
Jane Philpott (Ontario) - Health.
Jean-Yves Duclos (Quebec) - Families, Children and Social Development.
Marc Garneau (Quebec) - Transport.
Marie-Claude Bibeau (Quebec) - International Development and La francophonie.
Jim Carr (Manitoba) - Natural Resources.
Mélanie Joly (Quebec) - Heritage.
Diane Lebouthillier (Quebec) - National Revenue.
Kent Hehr (Alberta) - Veterans Affairs, and Associate Minister of National Defence.
Catherine McKenna (Ontario) - Environment and Climate Change.
Harjit Sajjan (B.C.) - National Defence.
MaryAnn Mihychuck (Manitoba) - Employment Workforce Development and Labour.
Amarjeet Sohi (Alberta) - Infrastructure and Communities.
Maryam Monsef (Ontario) - Democratic Institutions.
Carla Qualtrough (B.C.) - Sport, and Persons with Disabilities.
Hunter Tootoo (Nunavut) - Fisheries and Oceans, and Canadian Coastguard.
Kirsty Duncan (Ontario) - Science.
Patricia Hajdu (Ontario) - Status of Women.
Bardish Chagger (Ontario) - Small Business and Tourism.

Map shows the regional distribution of ministers in the cabinet of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. (CBC)

Provincial Budget 2015

Wed, 28 Oct 2015 14:00:00 GMT

Please see below for the provincial news release on the 2015 budget, which includes new money for infrastructure, water/wastewater, community facilities grants and additional $100 million in MSI.

Oct 27, 2015

Budget 2015 supports jobs and families

Budget 2015 lays the groundwork for a stronger, diversified economy while stabilizing the frontline public services that all Albertans rely on.

Finance Minister Joe Ceci tabled the new government’s first budget today. This plan will achieve three key priorities for Albertans:

· Stabilizing frontline public services, including health care, education, and social services;

· Setting out a prudent path to return to balance; and

· Stimulating job creation, economic growth and diversification.

“Albertans told us they want a plan that supports good jobs and a strong economy. They told us they want their families’ health care and education to be protected, while ensuring every public dollar is well spent—and that’s exactly what we are going to do.”

Joe Ceci, President of Treasury Board, Minister of Finance

Budget 2015 includes stable funding for Alberta’s hospitals, schools and social services, reversing the previous government’s cuts to frontline services. It lays out a careful plan to return the province’s finances to balance by 2019-20.

As part of government’s strategy to position Alberta as Canada’s best place to start or grow a business, Budget 2015 increases investment in infrastructure, supports trade development, and improves access to capital for small- and medium-sized businesses.

A 15 per cent increase to the capital plan will put $4.5 billion more towards fixing roads, building schools and expanding hospitals in communities across the province. This ambitious infrastructure program will put Albertans back to work and support economic growth.

“This budget lays out a responsible plan that will serve as a shock absorber to our short-term economic challenges, stabilizing programs like heath care and education, while growing the economy over the long term.”

Joe Ceci, President of Treasury Board, Minister of Finance

Budget 2015 Highlights

Supporting Jobs

Budget 2015 takes important steps to support job creation and stimulate economic growth and diversification. Highlights include:

· A 15 per cent increase in capital spending over the next five years to build and repair our schools, hospitals and roads, putting Albertans back to work as the economy recovers. This increase is based on the advice of former Bank of Canada Governor David Dodge.

· An investment of $34 billion over the next five years to support modern, efficient infrastructure for Alberta families and businesses, bolstering the province’s economic recovery. This includes:

o $3.8 billion for schools,

o $4.7 billion for roads and bridges

o $2.2 billion for health facilities and equipment

o $4.4 billion in new projects and programs that will be considered based on transparent and accountable criteria.

· A new two-year Job Creation Incentive Program will provide Alberta employers with grants of up to $5,000 for each new job. It will support up to 27,000 new jobs each year, through to 2017.

· A new Ministry of Economic Development and Trade to expand Alberta’s access to foreign and domestic markets.

· New measures to improve access to capital for small- and medium-sized businesses

Stabilizing Health Care

Budget 2015 stabilizes Alberta’s public health care system with predictable, long-term funding while getting the annual growth of the health budget under control.

3-Year Funding

· 2015-16: $19.7 billion

· 2016-17: $20.4 billion

· 2017-18: $20.9 billion

Targeted investments will be made to reflect the priorities of Albertans, including:

· $120 million over two years (starting in 2016-17) for new long-term care spaces.

· $90 million over two years (starting in 2016-17) to expand public homecare.

· $10 million annually to support mental health services.

· Increased support for seniors’ health care, including drug, dental, optical and supplemental health benefits.

Stabilizing Education

Budget 2015 demonstrates a strong commitment to students and families by ensuring children have good schools, enough teachers and every opportunity to succeed. Stable and predictable funding for our schools will fully cover growth in student enrolment.

3-Year Funding

· 2015-16: $7.6 billion

· 2016-17: $7.9 billion

· 2017-18: $8.1 billion

Highlights include:

· Approximately 380 more teachers and 150 more support staff added to the education system.

· More support for students with special needs in the form of educational assistants and other classroom supports.

· A new school nutrition program to support families and give kids a healthy start.

· A $45 million annual investment to reduce the burden of school fees for families, beginning in 2016.

Stabilizing Advanced Education

Budget 2015 provides stable funding for the post-secondary system, supporting an estimated 250,000 full and part-time students and apprentices.

3-Year Funding

· 2015-16: $5.7 billion

· 2016-17: $5.9 billion

· 2017-18: $6.0 billion

Highlights include:

· A two-year tuition freeze for post-secondary students to help ensure more Albertans have access to affordable higher education.

· $228 million for Student Aid programs in 2015-16, to support scholarships for about 47,500 students and grants for about 16,000 students.

· $579 million in student loans will be disbursed to more than 77,000 students in 2015-16.

Supporting families

Budget 2015 increases support for children and families in most need of help. Highlights include:

· More support for children in care, helping vulnerable families with new funding for the Family and Community Support Services program.

· New annual funding of $15 million to support women’s shelters.

· Increased support for people with disabilities, child intervention, child care, and homeless and outreach supports.

· An enhanced Alberta Family Employment Tax Credit (AFETC) to provide lower and middle-income working families with additional support.

· A new Alberta Child Benefit to help lower and middle income families make ends meet.

Stabilizing Revenue

Budget 2015 introduces new measures to reduce Alberta’s reliance on non-renewable resource revenue and protects Alberta’s overall tax advantage. Albertans will continue to pay the lowest overall taxes compared to other provinces with no provincial sales tax, no payroll tax, no health care premiums, and the lowest gasoline tax.

Revenue changes in Budget 2015 include:

· A five dollar per carton increase to the tobacco tax.

· A five per cent increase to the liquor markup.

· A four-cent increase to the locomotive fuel tax.

· A one percentage point increase on insurance premium tax rates.

Together, with changes already implemented in 2015, this will provide an additional $1.5 billion in 2015-16 and approximately $2.3 billion per year for the next two fiscal years, helping government return to balance while protecting public programs and services. When all changes announced in the budget are fully implemented, Alberta will still maintain an overall tax advantage of at least $8.5 billion.

Back to Balance

Budget 2015 takes a careful and responsible approach to managing government finances, steadily phasing out the deficit without reckless cuts to the frontline services Albertans rely on. This includes:

· Prudent management of expense growth at two per cent each year over the next four years, as revenue grows by an estimated six per cent each year over the same period.

· A salary freeze for Cabinet ministers, MLAs and political staff for the entire term of this Legislature.

· A comprehensive review of Alberta’s Agencies, Boards and Commissions.

· Hiring restraint across the Alberta Public Service.

· A new Fiscal Planning and Transparency Act that will limit government debt to 15 per cent of nominal GDP—half the average of Canadian provinces.

Watch the news conference

Related information

· Budget 2015

Understanding Bridge Opt-Outs Under the Navigation Protection Act

Fri, 09 Oct 2015 18:00:00 GMT

This week's issue of AAMDC's Contact newsletter includes information regarding Bridge Opt-Outs Under the Navigation Protection Act. Click here for more information.

Congratulations to County of Newell for Receiving a Canadian Public Works Association (CPWA) Award

Fri, 18 Sep 2015 18:45:39 GMT

At the American Public Works Association (APWA) International Congress and Exposition in Phoenix, AZ, the County of Newell was announced as the winner of the First Time Entry in the CPWA competition for National Public Works Week.

The County of Newell's award submission included their participation in National Public Works Week (NPWW) by hosting a public BBQ and engaging in local school programs, to name just a few of their NPWW activities.

AAMDC Report: Asset Management for Municipalities in Alberta

Thu, 06 Aug 2015 16:05:02 GMT

Check out this week's issue of AAMDC Contact Newsletter for more information regarding their report titled Asset Management for Municipalities in Alberta: Navigating the Asset Management Journey.

Member Input Requested: Draft Directive to Clarify Alberta’s Aggregate Allocation Policy for Commercial Use

Thu, 30 Jul 2015 18:48:17 GMT

Check out this week's edition of the AAMDC Contact Newsletter for more details on how to provide input into Alberta’s Aggregate Allocation Policy for Commercial Use.

Input is requested by August 11.

More Information Now Available on New Grade Crossing Regulations

Wed, 22 Jul 2015 23:10:21 GMT

For more information, click here to check out this week's AAMDC Contact Newsletter.

Alberta Community Resilience Program Now Accepting Applications for the 2016 Funding Year

Thu, 16 Jul 2015 23:00:00 GMT

Check out the latest edition of AAMDC's Contact Newsletter for more information on the Alberta Community Resilience Program.

Premier Notley and Cabinet Members sworn in May 24

Mon, 25 May 2015 13:30:00 GMT

Please see the provincial news release below for list of new cabinet members and their ministries.

Provincial News Release

May 24, 2015

A new chapter in the story of Alberta

Alberta’s 17th Premier, the Honourable Rachel Notley, and her Cabinet, were sworn in on the steps of the Alberta Legislature on May 24.

Albertans have chosen a strong, stable majority government that will put the priorities of Albertans first – a government that shares in the very same values that built this province and our prosperity.

“Today we open a new chapter in the story of Alberta. From our earliest days, Albertans have worked as hard as anyone to forge a brighter future. People from all walks of life and from every part of the world, have joined together on a common journey. And on that journey we’ve been guided by enduring values. Albertans are hard-working. We are entrepreneurial. And we are relentlessly optimistic. We believe that tomorrow can be a better day. And that we must work hard to make it happen. That’s who we are as Albertans.”
Rachel Notley, Premier

The new Cabinet is lean and efficient, and is firmly focused on solving the challenges that face Alberta. The newly sworn-in Ministers will partner with Alberta’s job creators – in energy, forestry, agriculture, high-tech, tourism and small business – to grow and diversify our economy.

The new Cabinet will focus on the priorities of Albertans:

to give our children the best chance to succeed and get the right start in school;
to protect and strengthen public health care, so it’s there when families need it;
to restore trust and integrity in government – a government that belongs to Albertans; and
to help build a more prosperous, a more caring, and a more hopeful province for every Albertan.

“On this historic day, we are, once again, joining together in pursuit of our common dream – the same dream that has inspired generations of Albertans. It’s a dream founded on the idea that change is possible – and that a better future awaits. It is springtime in Alberta, and a fresh wind is blowing. To harness its potential, the hard work begins today.”
Rachel Notley, Premier

The new Cabinet in order of precedence:

Minister	Ministry/Responsible for
Rachel Notley	Premier Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations
Brian Mason	Minister of Transportation Minister of Infrastructure Government House Leader
David Eggen	Minister of Education Minister of Culture and Tourism
Deron Bilous	Minister of Municipal Affairs Minister of Service Alberta Deputy Government House Leader
Joe Ceci	Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board
Marg McCuaig-Boyd	Minister of Energy
Sarah Hoffman	Minister of Health Minister of Seniors
Kathleen Ganley	Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Minister of Aboriginal Relations
Lori Sigurdson	Minister of Innovation and Advanced Education Minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour
Oneil Carlier	Minister of Agriculture and Forestry
Shannon Phillips	Minister of Environment and Parks Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Deputy Government House Leader
Irfan Sabir	Minister of Human Services

Related information

Cabinet Ministers' Biographies

Multimedia

Video: Swearing-in Ceremony

Media inquiries

Cheryl Oates
587-990-7387

Communications, Office of the Premier

RoadRunner Magazine summer edition now available

Fri, 22 May 2015 19:09:13 GMT

Click here to read the latest issue of RoadRunner magazine.

National Public Works Week May 17 - 23

Tue, 19 May 2015 18:43:00 GMT

This year's theme "Community Begins Here" speaks to the essential nature of Public Works services in support of everyday quality of life. Thank you to all the Public Works professionals across Alberta, for your dedication to the field.

Want to Know More About the Implementation of the Alberta Wetland Policy?

Wed, 22 Apr 2015 22:40:54 GMT

AAMDC's recent CONTACT newsletter provides information regarding Alberta's Wetland Policy and a link to ESRD's fact sheets.

Federal budget 2015

Wed, 22 Apr 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Federal budget 2015: Highlights of Joe Oliver's fiscal plan

By Laura Payton, CBC News Posted: Apr 21, 2015 4:18 PM ET Last Updated: Apr 21, 2015 4:18 PM ET

The federal budget tabled in Parliament Tuesday includes tax breaks meant to appeal to voters in the coming election, while returning the Conservatives to surplus after seven years of deficits. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

Federal Budget 2015

Finance Minister Joe Oliver has tabled his first federal budget in the House of Commons.

Here's a look at the budget's key points:

$1.4 billion surplus this year, down from $6.4 billion projected a year ago and $1.9 billion in November.
Economy expected to grow by 2 per cent this year.
Annual contingency fund cut by $6 billion over next three years.
TFSA annual limit raised to $10,000 from $5,500.
Small business tax rate cut to 9 per cent from 11 per cent by 2019.
Accelerated capital cost allowance for industry extended 10 years.
$360 million this year to pay for Canada's mission against ISIS.
Annual hikes of 3 per cent for National Defence, which has let billions in funds lapse in recent years.
$18 million this year to fight terrorism – rising to $91 million in five years.
$94.4 million over five years for cyber security.
SIRC, the CSIS watchdog, sees budget doubled to $5 million.
Seniors at age 71 can leave more money in tax-sheltered Registered Retirement Income Funds.
EI compassionate care benefits extended to 6 months from current 6 weeks.
Home Accessibility Tax Credit for home renovations for seniors and people with disabilities.
$210 million over four years to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday in 2017.
Interns will be brought under the Canada Labour Code.
$1.1 million a year to promote Canadian seal products.
$75 million to implement the Species at Risk Act for next three years.

Tender - Used Scale Shack For Sale

Tue, 07 Apr 2015 18:30:00 GMT

Flagstaff County invites tenders for the sale of the following:

1. Used Scale Shack –
 Shack was built in 2004 on frame and 2 - 5000lb axles.
 Comes with heater, a/c, small fridge, bathroom, counter top and desk.
 Shack dimensions are 10’ wide x 22’ long with 9’ walls.
 This trailer has a Pintle style hitch.
This Scale shack can be viewed at the County Shop in Sedgewick and sold on an “as is basis”.
Please send bids in a sealed envelope marked “USED SCALE SHACK TENDER”.
Closing date for bidding on items is Wednesday, April 29th, 2015 at 11:00am. The highest or any tender not necessarily accepted.
For further information please contact John Guhle at Flagstaff County in Sedgewick at (780) 390-0321 or Steve Kroetch at (780) 390-0340.

Albertans head to the polls on May 5 in early election call

Tue, 07 Apr 2015 17:39:06 GMT

Click here to read the Calgary Herald article.

LAPP NEWS - Board Supports Collaborative Process: Message from the Chair

Tue, 31 Mar 2015 18:16:54 GMT

Message from the LAPP Board Chair Terry Agoto - March 24, 2015

In January, Alberta Finance Minister Robin Campbell called together members of the LAPP Board and other pension Boards to "wipe the slate clean" on pension reform and start afresh with a more collaborative process that would allow each plan to travel its own road and do so with its own stakeholders.

The Minister indicated he favored an approach to pension reform that was the result of employer and employee representatives working together to determine the best way to ensure the plans are well governed and sustainable, with the interests of all stakeholders balanced.

The new process will see stakeholders working together on a new governance model that will give employers and employees who pay for the plan the right to make decisions about the costs and benefits of LAPP. Collaboration would also include agreeing to a Funding and Benefits Policy to set out the guidelines for how costs and benefits will be managed in the future.

"My position is that employee and employer sponsors for each of the plans will be empowered to determine the pension deal," said the Minister. "That deal is decided by them, based on what's best for them."

The LAPP Board welcomes this fresh approach to pension sustainability because, as we have shared with you many times, best practice and experience across this country dictate that those who bear the risks should govern the plan. It is the employers and members of LAPP who secure the pension fund with their contributions and they should determine the pension deal.

In the last round of pension sustainability discussions, the government announced it would legislate benefit changes for Alberta public sector plans that would take effect January 1, 2016. However, the proposed legislation and intended benefit changes were withdrawn by new Premier Jim Prentice, in favour of increased consultation with members and employers to ensure the pension plans are "competitive" and "sustainable".

At the January meeting, the Minister also advised that while discussions are taking place between employer and employee representatives for each plan, it will be up to the Plan Boards to assess and report on any risks to the plans. To that end, he asked the boards to provide a report to him within 30 days, identifying risks and strategies proposed for dealing with them.

Some LAPP stakeholders have interpreted the Minister's request as expecting our Board to suggest changes to Plan benefits in our report. The Board does not believe that was the Minister's intent, nor did the Board take it that way. We did submit a report to the Minister as he requested and I can confirm that we did not recommend any changes to plan benefits as part of our report. Rather, the Board set out the strategy it intends to follow while the sponsor process is ongoing, to address risks facing the Plan over the short, medium and long term. A summary of our report can be found at this link: Summary of February 2015 Report to Minister

As we have communicated to you since 2011 when the Board began its sustainability planning process, there are a number of significant risks that face our pension plan. These risks are no different than those facing other defined benefit plans across the country and around the world, and we continue to assess them and respond accordingly.

We work with our expert staff and professional consultants to devise funding and investment strategies to mitigate these risks on an ongoing basis. We will continue to keep LAPP strong and healthy while our stakeholders, in their important role as Plan sponsors, come to an agreement on the pension plan they want going forward.

To read more about our meeting with the Minister and the new process he has launched for pension discussions in Alberta please read: A New Approach to Pension Renewal

Please keep checking back to the website for news and updates. We want to keep you fully informed throughout the process.

Terry Agoto,
LAPP Board Chair

AAMDC Perspectives on Provincial Budget 2015

Sun, 29 Mar 2015 15:07:11 GMT

Yesterday, the Government of Alberta released their budget for the 2015-16 fiscal year. This is the first budget following the steep fall in oil prices and as a consequence, many areas relevant to AAMDC members have seen a reduction or freeze in spending.

In addition to the budget, the Government of Alberta introduced a ten-year financial plan intended to provide a long term vision of the province’s financial future. This plan is designed to reduce the government’s program delivery budget’s reliance on energy revenues so that in 2019-20, only 50% of energy revenues will go towards government programs.

The following are details of the 2015-16 budget that will be important for AAMDC members:

In an effort to manage revenue volatility in an economy reliant on natural resource revenues, the provincial government is implementing a number of changes to the Alberta government’s revenue structure. This will mean a higher proportion of funding for programs and services will come from taxes and user fees.
Several taxation changes have been introduced in the 2015 budget, including a Health Care Contribution Levy for individuals with taxable income above $50,000, a progressive personal income tax, a four cent increase on the provincial fuel tax, an increase on the provincial tobacco tax, a reduction in the Charitable Donations Tax Credit, an increase in the provincial Insurance Premiums Tax, and a return to determining the Education Property Tax requisition on an annual basis, as was the practice prior to 2013-14.
One tax credit has been enhanced and one has been newly introduced. The Alberta Family Employment Tax Credit has been enhanced to provide greater benefits to low and middle income families. The new Alberta Working Family Supplement will provide a refund to working families earning between $2,760 and $41,222.
The government has continued to zero-fund the Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program, which includes the Local Road Bridge Program and the Resource Road Program. Despite this, it remains a line-item, indicating a possible return in the future. The AAMDC has spent considerable effort advocating on behalf of members for stable, sufficient bridge funding and will continue to do so.
Alberta Community Partnership funding has decreased by 18% to $40 million for 2015.
Funding for the Affordable Supportive Living Initiative increased by 83%, and is being funded at $91.5 million in 2015.

The Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) has been funded at approximately $870 million for 2015-16. This includes $497 million in MSI capital funding, $30 million in MSI operating funding, and approximately $353 million in Basic Municipal Transportation Grant (BMTG) funding, which was transferred from Alberta Transportation to Alberta Municipal Affairs in 2014. BMTG funding is allocated differently for different types of municipalities. Rural municipalities receive their share based on a formula that takes into account kilometers of open road, population, and equalized assessment among other criteria. In addition to the budgeted MSI funding, the Government of Alberta provided $400 million in additional funding in the fourth quarter of the 2014-15 fiscal year, which in effect covers the difference in the MSI reduction in the 2015-16 budget.

The attached backgrounder provides more budget highlights that may affect rural Alberta. The AAMDC will provide additional details through member bulletins as they become available. To view the complete budget and its supporting documents, please click here.

Enquiries may be directed to:

Gerald Rhodes

Executive Director

780.955.4077

Kim Heyman

Director of Advocacy and Communications

780.955.4079

BACKGROUNDER: AAMDC Budget 2015 Details

PROVINCIAL FINANCES

The provincial government is expected to have a $5 billion deficit in the 2015-16 fiscal year. This shortfall will be covered with funding from Alberta’s contingency account.
Alberta’s revenues are expected to decrease by $5.5 billion to $43.3 billion
Total expenditures will see a $400 million reduction to $48.4 billion
Alberta’s natural resource revenues are expected to drop by nearly $6 billion to $2.8 billion.
Personal Income Tax is expected to bring in $11.7 billion in revenue while Corporate Income Tax is expected to bring in $4.5 billion.
Revenue collected through fees and licenses will increase by over $300 million compared to the previous year.
Revenue from Alberta’s fuel tax is forecasted to raise over $500 million compared to 2014-15.
Total education property tax revenue for 2015-16 is forecasted at $2.25 billion, an increase from $2.1 billion in the previous year.

ABORIGINAL RELATIONS

The Aboriginal Consultation Office will receive $15.8 million in funding.

AGRICULTURE

Agriculture Income Support has decreased by 10% to $128 million
The Government of Alberta will be implementing the recommendations of the Rural Economic Development Action Plan (REDAP) although it is unclear whether the funding exists to support these recommendations.
The budget for Crop, Hail and Livestock Insurance has increased by 4% to $477 million in the 2015-16 budget.
Funding to compensate damage to crops and livestock as a result of wildlife remains the same as the 2014-15 budget.
The Livestock and Meat Strategy will see a 13% decrease in funding from $37.1 million in 2014-15 to $32.3 million in 2015-16.
Funding for Agricultural Services Boards and Agricultural Societies remains the same as the previous year

COMMUNITY ISSUES

Alberta Justice and Solicitor General has made it a priority initiative to review and revise the Law Enforcement Framework to respond to changing issues and needs.
The provincial government will be collaborating with municipalities and other relevant stakeholders to develop a mental health and addiction policy to encourage healthy and safe communities.
Alberta First Responders Radio Communication System funding has been reduced by approximately 51% to $64 million. This may be an indication that the project is nearing completion.
Funding for Alberta’s Final Mile Rural Broadband Initiative will see a reduction in funding by over $2.1 million to a total of $4.3 million.
Family and Community Support Services will be funded at the same level as the two previous budgets at $76 million.
The budget for the operation of provincial parks is increased by 26% to over $50 million.
The 2015 Community Initiatives Program budget saw a 4.5% decrease from the previous year.
Library funding will be increased to $36 million
Alberta will retain the same number of police, provincial court judges, prosecutors, and sheriffs.
The Policing Assistance to Municipalities Grant (MPAG) saw a small increase in funding from $83.4 million to $84.6 million.
The provincial government will be developing a new provincial housing strategy to assist in affordable housing.
Effective July 1, 2015, fees for the use of registry services will rise, including services related to acquiring motor vehicle, land title, mortgage and vital statistics documents.
The funding provided to assist in the hiring of new police officers is maintained at $30 million.

EDUCATION

The Small Schools by Necessity Grant will see a reduction of nearly 10% to $53 million.
Student Transportation Services funding will see a modest increase to approximately $287 million
Over the next five years, the government plans to spend $5 billion on schools with $4.1 billion of that funding going towards the construction of new schools.

ENERGY

The Orphan Well Abandonment Program Funding will be nearly doubled to over $30 million.
Bioenergy Initiatives will see a 13% decrease in funding

ENVIRONMENT

As the development of regional plans under the Land-use Framework continue, the budget for the Land Use Secretariat has been increased substantially to just over $30 million in the 2015 budget.
The budget for forest management has increased significantly, from approximately $21 million to $60 million. This is likely in part due to ESRD’s strategic initiative to develop and implement an Alberta Forest Strategy to provide long-term resource management and land use planning for Alberta’s forests.

HEALTH & SENIORS

The overall Alberta Health Services budget increased by 1.2% with the base operating grant being funded at approximately $10.86 billion.
Funding for the Affordable Supportive Living Initiative increased by 83%, and is being funded at $91.5 million in 2015.
Special needs assistances and project grants have been reduced to approximately $24 million in 2015.
The Seniors Property Tax Deferral Program is unchanged from the previous year.

MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS

Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) funding is set at approximately $880 million. This includes $497 million in MSI capital funding, $30 million in MSI operating funding, and approximately $353 million in Basic Municipal Transportation Grant (BMTG) funding, which was transferred from Alberta Transportation to Alberta Municipal Affairs in 2014. BMTG funding is allocated differently for different types of municipalities. Rural municipalities receive their share based on a formula that takes into account kilometers of open road, population, and equalized assessment. In addition to the budgeted funding, the Government of Alberta provided an extra $400 million in funding in the fourth quarter of the 2014-15 fiscal year, which in effect covers the difference in the MSI reduction in the 2015-16 budget.

Alberta Community Partnership funding has decreased by 18% to $40 million for 2015
Support for the ongoing municipal recovery efforts in response to the 2013 floods has been allotted a total of approximately $25 million. Alberta Municipal Affairs will work with federal, provincial and municipal governments to improve province-wide all-hazard mitigation programs, which will include continued investments in flood mitigation and erosion control.
The Ministry’s business plan identifies the continued goal of supporting municipal efforts to maximize regional efficiencies through inter-municipal collaboration and partnerships.

TRANSPORTATION

The Strategic Transportation Infrastructure Program, which includes the Resource Road Program and the Local Road Bridge Program, continues to be zero-funded for the third consecutive budget cycle. It does remain a line-item in the budget, indicating a possibility of returning in the future.
The Federal Gas Tax Fund has remained steady at approximately $209 million
Water for Life capital funding has decreased significantly, and will be funded at a level of $30 million in 2015. Water for Life operational funding was zero-funded this year
The Alberta Municipal Water/Wastewater Partnership has remained unchanged from the previous year, and will be funded at $25 million in 2015-16.
GreenTRIP funding has decreased by 25%, to a level of $185 million
Alberta Transportation’s business plan identifies the need to develop policies and implementation strategies to enable regional transportation services and support rural transit strategies as a key strategic initiative.

Thank you to everyone who attended the spring convention!

Sat, 21 Mar 2015 20:34:44 GMT

Thank you to everyone who attended AMSA's spring convention! All the speakers presentations and community profiles are now available on the AMSA website.

Government amends the Municipal Government Act

Sat, 21 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Government of Alberta News Release

The Government of Alberta has tabled amendments to the Municipal Government Act (MGA) to better serve Alberta’s municipalities.

The proposed legislation represents consensus items that were identified by the Government of Alberta and its municipal partners, during the extensive MGA review process.

“The legislative amendments introduced today are an important milestone for the Municipal Government Act. The proposed changes will give our communities the legislation they need to grow and thrive. We look forward to continuing to work with our municipal partners and key stakeholders over the coming months towards the completion of this important review.”

Diana McQueen, Minister of Municipal Affairs

If the Bill is passed by members of the Legislative Assembly, the MGA review will have entered the second phase of the process, as laid out in Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in January by Premier Jim Prentice, Minister McQueen and the presidents of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) and the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties (AAMDC).

Amendments to the legislation are in line with the recent MOU signed with municipalities and include:

Enhancing Municipal Accountability and Transparency

accountability and conduct of elected officials

public participation

open council meetings

petitioning processes

Enabling More Efficient Municipal Operations

public notification methods

roles and responsibilities of council and administration

Enhancing Municipal Viability

municipal corporate planning

voluntary municipal amalgamation

Strengthening Municipal and Inter-municipal Planning

annexation requirements

hierarchy and relationship of plans

subdivision and development appeal board training

Addressing Emerging Issues

authority to establish civic charters

administration of offsite levies in response to a recent court decision

integrating some current policy into the MGA, in anticipation of regulation expiry dates

The last major consolidation of the MGA took place in 1995, after nearly 10 years of review. The current MGA review began in 2012 and has involved input from more than 1,200 written submissions, and more than 1,500 people at 77 community meetings.

The government and its municipal partners – including AUMA, AAMDC, and the cities of Edmonton and Calgary – will participate in regularly scheduled roundtable discussions as the MGA review continues. Other stakeholders, such as industry representatives, will be invited to discussions when appropriate.

As planned with municipal partners, another round of legislative amendments is expected in fall 2015, and proclamation of all updates to the MGA is expected by the end of 2016.

Policy areas for discussion include: provincial-municipal relations; accountability and transparency; governance; municipal viability; regional decision-making; municipal revenues; property assessment and taxation; and growth management.

For a detailed look at proposed changes introduced in the Assembly, visit mgareview.alberta.ca/whats-changing.

Small Communities Fund (SCF) grant applications now available

Thu, 05 Mar 2015 23:51:41 GMT

Click here to read the AAMDC's latest CONTACT newsletter for more information on the Small Communities Fund (SCF) grant eligibility and application details - of the New Building Canada Fund.

Local Road Bridge Standard Drawings Now Available

Thu, 26 Feb 2015 03:29:19 GMT

Click here to read the AAMDC's latest CONTACT newsletter for more information on Transport Canada's new rail safety legislation and Local Road Bridge standard drawings now available.

Congratulations to Rick Bleau on his retirement

Fri, 13 Feb 2015 18:00:00 GMT

On behalf of AMSA, congratulations on your retirement Rick.

Click here to read letter sent to Herb from AMSA president.

AAMDC Contact Newsletter - Feb 11

Thu, 12 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Click here to review the latest edition of AAMDC's Contact.

New Municipal Government Act (MGA) targeted for 2016

Fri, 23 Jan 2015 00:59:10 GMT

Agreement targets new Municipal Government Act in 2016

The Government of Alberta and representatives of Alberta’s municipalities have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will see a revised Municipal Government Act (MGA) in place in 2016.

New Municipal Government Act to be in place for 2016
L-R: Minister Diana McQueen, Premier Jim Prentice, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi (back), AUMA President Helen Rice, Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson (back), AAMDC President Al Kemmere

The agreement was signed by Premier Jim Prentice, Municipal Affairs Minister Diana McQueen, Alberta Urban Municipalities Association’s (AUMA) President Helen Rice and Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties’ (AAMDC) President Al Kemmere.

“Government remains committed to working with our municipal partners on this important legislation and to concluding the Municipal Government Act review in a timely manner. I would like to thank the thousands of people involved in the review for their significant efforts to date.”

Jim Prentice, Premier

“As Alberta’s second largest piece of legislation, the importance of the Municipal Government Act and its impacts cannot be overstated. We look forward to continuing to work with our municipal partners over the coming months towards the completion of this important review.”

Diana McQueen, Municipal Affairs Minister

The last major consolidation of the Municipal Government Act took place in 1995, after nearly 10 years of review. The current MGA review began in 2012 and has involved input from more than 1,200 written submissions, and more than 1,500 people at 77 community meetings. The MOU sets out timelines for legislation and the completion of the review.

“Alberta’s rural municipalities face unique challenges and need a strong piece of legislation that provides the necessary tools to grow and shape our communities. The AAMDC is committed to working with stakeholders, municipal partners, and the Government of Alberta to develop a Municipal Government Act that promotes sustainability, prosperity, and works for all Albertans.”

Al Kemmere, President, Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties

“The MGA review is a long-awaited opportunity to modernize municipal legislation, establish a new relationship between provincial and municipal governments, and harmonize with other legislation and policies. We have been encouraged by the scope and progress of this review in recent months and look forward to continuing this work as defined in this Memorandum of Understanding for completion in 2016.”

Helen Rice, President, Alberta Urban Municipalities Association

“I am pleased to see that, in addition to the city charters for Calgary and Edmonton, we are moving forward on an updated Municipal Government Act. It will help all of Alberta’s municipalities.”

-Naheed Nenshi, Mayor, City of Calgary

“A modernized Municipal Government Act, in conjunction with big city charters, can better enable all municipalities to address current and future challenges, and meet citizen needs. We look forward to working together to achieve a common vision of a more resilient and prosperous Alberta.”

Don Iveson, Mayor, City of Edmonton
The government and its municipal partners – including AUMA, AAMDC, and the cities of Edmonton and Calgary – will participate in regularly scheduled roundtable discussions. Other stakeholders, such as industry representatives, will be invited to discussions when appropriate.

Work will focus on eight major policy areas and occur in three phases:

· Phase one – identification of areas of agreement with legislative amendments targeted for spring 2015;
· Phase two – identification of items requiring further discussion and review leading to legislative amendments targeted for the fall of 2015.
· Phase three – completion of the MGA review process in 2016.
Policy areas for discussion include:

· provincial-municipal relations;
· accountability and transparency;
· governance; municipal viability;
· regional decision-making;
· municipal revenues;
· property assessment and taxation; and
· growth management.
Listen to the news conference

Related information

· Memorandum of Understanding (pdf)
· MGA Review

http://alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=37624BCC1BDCF-9B8A-2DDC-9CF3E651A60B6A49

Provide Your Input on What Makes a Good Energy Regulator

Thu, 22 Jan 2015 13:54:36 GMT

The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) has engaged the University of Pennsylvania to undertake an intensive eight-month study on how the AER can become a best-in-class regulator.

The study process includes gathering the perspectives of a variety of stakeholders that engage with the AER or are impacted by energy projects in Alberta.

To provide your input on what characteristics a best-in-class regulator should have, complete the brief survey at the University of Pennsylvania’s Best-In-Class Regulator Initiative website.

The AER is the single regulator for energy development in Alberta, and is involved in all stages of an energy project, including application, exploration, construction, abandonment, reclamation and remediation. The AER makes decisions on project applications, monitors the environmental compliance of energy projects, and is involved in all other aspects of energy resource development.

Check out AAMDC's latest CONTACT for further information.

Contest winner....Congratulations to Joe Duplessie from Lac St. Anne County

Fri, 16 Jan 2015 22:40:01 GMT

Congratulations to Joe Duplessie from Lac St. Anne County whose name was drawn as the winner of the show us your license plate contest. Thank you to all the members who participated.

Reminder - Deadline today for license plate contest

Thu, 15 Jan 2015 13:00:33 GMT

Just a friendly reminder that today is the final day to submit your pictures of your truck with your AMSA license plate. Send submissions by email to Executive Director. Winner will be announced Friday January 16.

Input requested for Community Aggregate Payment Levy (CAPL) Regulation

Wed, 14 Jan 2015 23:00:00 GMT

The Community Aggregate Payment Levy (CAPL) Regulation expires on December 31, 2015, and the AAMDC has been invited to provide input into possible changes that could be made to the existing regulation.

Click here to read the January 14 issue of AAMDC"s CONTACT for more information on how to provide input.

Congratulations to Ed Manz on his retirement today

Tue, 30 Dec 2014 18:07:05 GMT

On behalf of AMSA, congratulations on your retirement Ed.

Click here to read letter sent to Herb from AMSA president.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from AMSA

Fri, 19 Dec 2014 16:34:25 GMT

Volvo CE transfers backhoe loaders and motor graders to SDLG to improve profitability

Fri, 19 Dec 2014 13:30:00 GMT

As part of the Volvo Group’s ongoing activities to improve profitability and
reduce costs, Volvo Construction Equipment will discontinue development and
production of its current product line of Volvo-branded backhoe loaders and
motor graders. In the future, these products will instead be manufactured by
Volvo CE’s Chinese company SDLG.

Click here for Volvo's news release.

AAMDC Contact Newsletter - December 10

Wed, 10 Dec 2014 23:30:00 GMT

Check out the latest CONTACT for information regarding Transport Canada's review of the Canada Transportation Act (CTA).

Jack Dunsmore receives 2014 Peer Recognition Award

Thu, 20 Nov 2014 23:00:00 GMT

At AMSA's Fall Convention, Jack Dunsmore from the MD of Taber received the 2014 Peer Recognition Award. Jack has been an AMSA member for 20 years.

Congratulations Jack!

Each year at the fall convention, AMSA recognizes one member for their long standing commitment not only to AMSA, but to the enhancement of the field of municipal public works.

We are now excepting nominations for the 2015 AMSA Peer Recognition Award. If you know of a worthy AMSA member that you'd like to nominate for this award, please click here to send an email to the Executive Director. Be sure to include a brief summary describing the members experience and why they should be selected.

Nominations will be accepted until March 1, 2015.

Each year at the fall convention, AMSA recognizes one member for their long standing commitment not only to AMSA, but to the enhancement of the field of municipal public works.

Nominations will be accepted until March 1, 2015.

Each year at the fall convention, AMSA recognizes one member for their long standing commitment not only to AMSA, but to the enhancement of the field of municipal public works.

Nominations will be accepted until March 1, 2015.

Provincial News Release: New West Premiers and industry work together to support growth

Thu, 06 Nov 2014 23:00:00 GMT

New West Premiers and industry work together to support growth

New West Partnership (NWP) Premiers Brad Wall (Saskatchewan), Christy Clark (British Columbia) and Jim Prentice (Alberta) met with industry leaders today to explore ways to improve the long-term efficiency, reliability, and competitiveness of western Canada’s transportation system.

“We had a really good, constructive discussion. The difficulty we had last winter in moving our products to market was a wake-up call. The current transportation system has served us well but is nearing its limit. What we heard today was a commitment from transporters and everyone who depends on the supply chain to work together and build capacity for long-term growth.”

- Brad Wall, Premier of Saskatchewan

Participants agreed on the following vision for the New West transportation infrastructure system:

An integrated and collaborative system and supply chain that stays apace with demand growth, can pivot to stay ahead of shifts in demand, prioritizes safety and environmental protection and has the right options to move goods efficiently and cost-effectively.

“We heard loud and clear from the participants that we must continue to work with private sector, government and First Nations partners to ensure we have the infrastructure to support the unprecedented growth and greater trade in the Asia-Pacific region.”

- Jim Prentice, Premier of Alberta

Premiers stressed the need for a renewed partnership with the Government of Canada. Premiers called for a federal contribution of $1- to 1.5 billion to support and enhance essential port and transportation infrastructure.

A restructured Pacific Gateway Alliance (PGA) with Ministerial representation will begin work immediately on a cost-sharing partnership with the federal government and the private sector. This includes high-volume marine ports, integrated high-quality highway, rail and pipeline systems to maximize Canada’s export capacity. Expanding and diversifying our trade relationship and improving our trade infrastructure will create jobs and strengthen Canada’s overall competitiveness.

Premiers agree that world-class environmental and safety standards must be a key component of future infrastructure planning and development.

Premiers stressed the importance of the engagement and involvement of Aboriginal Peoples. Aboriginal participation and collaboration will be essential to the success this initiative.

A joint submission by the NWP will identify key projects that will increase international trade in all provinces, address bottlenecks, improve safety, and reduce impacts on local communities across the West.

Enhancements will include:
•Greater port access and capacity, including necessary road and rail improvements in the north and south of British Columbia. Projects would include the removal of level crossings that impede traffic and improvements to Highway 1 and 16.
•Twinning major highways and building perimeter roads in Saskatchewan to increase the flow of goods to key markets.
•Widening major highways in Alberta, bridge improvements and twinning of major arteries to support east-west trade.

“Our competitors will not wait – Canada must move quickly if we want to capture the full benefit of the opportunities in front of us. Canada must create a world class supply chain, coordinated across all modes of transportation. With exports and inbound container traffic expected to double in the next 10 years, ensuring Canada has the best infrastructure system in the world is bigger than any one of us and continuing the dialogue that began today will be essential.”

- Christy Clark, Premier of British Columbia

Premiers noted that the Canada Transportation Act (CTA) review presents a good opportunity to review Canada’s regulations and policies to ensure they support international trade and competitiveness. Premiers agreed that using the CTA review to expand monitoring systems, information-sharing, and cooperation amongst stakeholders would improve the efficiency with which goods and services move across the transportation network. Premiers and industry leaders agree that information sharing and coordination is essential to ensuring the entire network can accommodate current and projected volumes of products.

At the summit, participants agreed on the importance of pursuing the following actions:
•Developing a protocol to handle peak demand in the system
•Investigating incentives to increase surge capacity and supply chain innovation
•Encouraging meaningful service level agreements
•Developing a long term plan for infrastructure to meet a doubling of demand
•Adopting truly common trucking regulations
•Ensuring regulatory approvals are timely to support improvements to the transportation corridors
•Ensuring strong federal government spill response capacity
•Supporting recruitment and training of key occupations in the transportation sector
•Benchmarking the performance of our transportation system
•Ensuring environmental and regulatory issues are addressed among the three provinces.

The Pacific Gateway Alliance will lead this work and report back to Premiers in six months.

Created in 2010, the NWP brought Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia into an unprecedented and historic partnership that established Canada’s largest open, efficient and stable market. With a combined population of more than nine million and a combined GDP of nearly $550 billion, the NWP is an economic powerhouse that continues to grow, strengthening the economy, unleashing the creativity of innovators and expanding its presence around the world.

AAMDC Contact Newsletter for October 15

Thu, 16 Oct 2014 13:00:00 GMT

The current issue of the AAMDC Contact includes link to a new report - Canadian Infrastructure Report Card. Click here to read this week's Contact.

AAMDC Contact Newsletter for October 8

Thu, 09 Oct 2014 13:06:56 GMT

The current issue of the AAMDC Contact notes the National Energy Board (NEB) is looking for input on proposed changes to Pipeline Crossing Regulations. Click here to read this week's Contact.

LAPP & Bill 9 - pension reform off the table

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 18:05:09 GMT

Alberta Legislature prorogued, returns November 17: Prorogation brings to an end all business and legislation on the Order Paper before the Legislative Assembly. This includes the Public Sector Pension Plans Amendment Act (Bill 9) and the Employment Pension (Private Sector) Plans Amendment Act (Bill 10). Bills 9 and 10 will not be reintroduced under the Prentice government.

Government of Alberta News Release - September 18, 2014

The first sitting of the Legislature under Premier Jim Prentice’s leadership will begin with a Speech from the Throne on November 17.

Today, notice was given to the Speaker that the current session of the Alberta Legislature will be prorogued and the government wishes to begin the third session of the 28th Legislature on November 17. The fall sitting will start later but will last the same number of days as previously scheduled.

“A new Premier brings a new vision and direction for Alberta. We will start the fall sitting of the Legislature with a Speech from the Throne to outline the Prentice Government’s agenda to address the priorities of Albertans. Premier Prentice has told Albertans that members of Cabinet who are not currently MLAs will seek seats in by-elections so they can represent Albertans and the government in the Legislature – he will make good on that promise and details regarding the by-elections will be available soon.”

Diana McQueen, Government House Leader

Prorogation brings to an end all business and legislation on the Order Paper before the Legislative Assembly. This includes the Public Sector Pension Plans Amendment Act (Bill 9) and the Employment Pension (Private Sector) Plans Amendment Act (Bill 10). Bills 9 and 10 will not be reintroduced under the Prentice government.

AAMDC Contact Newsletter for September 17

Thu, 18 Sep 2014 13:00:00 GMT

The current issue of the AAMDC Contact newsletter features Floodway Development Regulation Consultation information as well as ARHCA's Transportation Infrastructure Deficit White Paper. Click here to read this week's Contact.

Premier Prentice and New Cabinet Sworn in Today

Mon, 15 Sep 2014 22:17:37 GMT

Alberta’s 16th Premier, The Honourable Jim Prentice, Q.C., P.C. and his Cabinet were sworn-in at Government House in Edmonton on September 15.

The Prentice Cabinet is smaller, more efficient; more focused and better able to defend the interests of the people of Alberta. Premier Prentice and Cabinet will meet for the first time immediately after the swearing-in.

“As of this moment, Alberta is under new management. This is a new government with new leadership, new voices and a new way of doing things. Today and in the days and weeks to come we will take strong and decisive action to bring real and tangible change to the way in which Alberta is governed,” stated Premier Jim Prentice.

The new Cabinet has 16 Ministers and three Associate Ministers, in addition to the Premier, down from the 19 Ministers and 10 Associate Ministers that were sworn-in on December 6, 2013.

The leadership team for Alberta's new government balances experience and fresh ideas. The Prentice Government is moving quickly to change and better serve the people of Alberta and their future by:

Assembling a Cabinet team with strong new voices to move Alberta forward.
Introducing tough new rules to put an end to entitlements and repair the bond of trust between the people and those who represent them. This will include the introduction of the Accountability Act in the fall session.
Bringing new leadership and significant reform to the civil service.
Bringing a new approach to how we operate within Canada and around the globe.
Bringing a new focus to the priorities of Albertans, especially as it relates to key public services.

The Premier and members of Cabinet who are not sitting MLAs will seek seats in by-elections. The Fall session will begin with a Speech from the Throne after the legislature is prorogued, and the Premier will introduce his property rights legislation as Bill 1, followed by the Accountability Act.

Alberta’s Lieutenant Governor, His Honour, Colonel (Retired) the Honourable Donald S. Ethell, administered the oaths of office. Premier Prentice was joined by representatives from First Nations, as well as several faith-based communities from across Alberta.

The following tables list the new Cabinet in order of precedence:

Minister/Associate Minister	Ministry, Responsible for
Jim Prentice	Premier, President of Executive Council, Chair of Agenda and Priorities International and Intergovernmental Relations Aboriginal Relations
Robin Campbell	Finance, President of Treasury Board
Stephen Mandel	Health
Diana McQueen	Municipal Affairs, Government House Leader
Frank Oberle	Energy, Deputy Government House Leader
Gordon Dirks	Education
Manmeet Bhullar	Infrastructure
Verlyn Olson	Agriculture and Rural Development
Heather Klimchuk	Human Services
Kyle Fawcett	Environment and Sustainable Resource Development
Jonathan Denis	Justice and Solicitor General, Deputy Government House Leader
Jeff Johnson	Seniors
Don Scott	Innovation and Advanced Education, Deputy Government House Leader
Maureen Kubinec	Culture and Tourism
Wayne Drysdale	Transportation
Stephen Khan	Service Alberta
Ric McIver	Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour
Teresa Woo-Paw	Associate Minister of Asia Pacific Relations (Reporting to the Premier)
Naresh Bhardwaj	Associate Minister of Persons with Disabilities (Reporting to the Minister of Human Services)
David Dorward	Associate Minister of Aboriginal Relations (Reporting to the Premier)

In addition to the members appointed to Cabinet today, Premier Prentice named the following individuals to their roles and responsibilities:

Government Whip and Caucus Chair (non-Cabinet position):

George VanderBurg

Legislative Secretaries (non-Cabinet positions):

Sohail Quadri, Legislative Secretary to the Premier (Reporting to the Premier)
Pearl Calahasen, Legislative Secretary, First Nations Education and Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour (Reporting to the Premier and the Minister of Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour)
Rick Fraser, Legislative Secretary, Ambulance Services (Reporting to the Minister of Health)
Cal Dallas, Legislative Secretary, Intergovernmental Relations (Reporting to the Premier)

Senior Advisor (non-Cabinet position):

Doug Horner, Senior Advisor to the Premier on Internal Trade and Federal and Provincial Relations

Department Changes

The Department of Seniors has been created to provide dedicated political and departmental leadership to supporting those Albertans who built this province. Minister Johnson and his department will focus their efforts on visiting and consulting seniors across Alberta. Responsibilities include:

Ensuring Alberta has a strong and effective elder abuse strategy in place that focuses on awareness and prevention.
Collaborating with Health and Alberta Innovates-Health Solutions to develop and implement initiatives to raise the awareness of Albertans of effective proactive approaches to brain health and prevention of cognitive decline.
Addressing the fire code and safety issues surrounding existing seniors accommodation in Alberta.
Leading the renewal and renovation of the ASLI program to increase the number of units under development, including new partnerships with Alberta's faith communities.

Continuing to improve Alberta's quality of life is one of the top five priorities for the Prentice Government. Recognizing the many areas of interconnectivity, functions from the former Tourism, Parks and Recreation ministry will be integrated into other ministries. The tourism function will become part of the new department of Culture and Tourism, and parks and recreation will become part of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development. Working together, these new teams will collaborate on strategic approaches to supporting the high level of quality of life Albertans enjoy.

Government Committee Membership

Treasury Board

Robin Campbell - Chair
Kyle Fawcett - Vice-Chair
Diana McQueen
Frank Oberle
Gordon Dirks
Manmeet Bhullar
Jeff Johnson
Stephen Khan
Ric McIver
Pearl Calahasen
Cal Dallas
Everett McDonald
Richard Starke

Agenda and Priorities

Jim Prentice - Chair
Robin Campbell - Vice-Chair
Stephen Mandel
Diana McQueen
Frank Oberle
Gordon Dirks
Manmeet Bhullar
Verlyn Olson
Heather Klimchuk
Kyle Fawcett
Jonathan Denis

Operations Committee

Stephen Mandel - Chair
Diana McQueen - Vice-Chair
Robin Campbell
Frank Oberle
Manmeet Bhullar
Jonathan Denis
Jeff Johnson
Ric McIver
George VanderBurg
Linda Johnson
Jason Luan
Everett McDonald

Note: Online version corrected Sept 15 at 3:15pm. Parks and recreation will become part of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development.

Jim Prentice announced 5-person transition team

Thu, 11 Sep 2014 13:44:21 GMT

Click here for link to CTV or CBC news clips.

Jim Prentice announces transition team members

CBC News Posted: Sep 07, 2014 3:07 PM MT Last Updated: Sep 07, 2014 3:50 PM MT

Jim Prentice addresses the crowd on Saturday after he was elected leader of the Progressive Conservative party by a decisive margin. (Michelle Bellefontaine/CBC News )

Premier designate Jim Prentice has called in one of Edmonton’s former mayors to help as the newly-elected leader of Alberta’s Progressive Conservative Party works to form his government.

Stephen Mandel is one of five individuals named by Prentice as members of his “transition team.”

The other named members are Tim Hearn, the Hon. Robin Campbell, Sarah Raiss and Robert Seidel.

“This is a group of talented, principled, and well respected Albertans who will assist in the transition to a new Progressive Conservative government, and I am honoured to have them on my team,” said Prentice in a statement on Sunday.

“Under my leadership we will restore the bond of trust betweenAlbertans and their elected officials, and return to sound conservative fiscal principles.”

Prentice won the PC leadership Saturday evening in a landslide first ballot election held in Edmonton.

Who’s who

(CBC)

Robin Campbell is the current MLA for West Yellowhead, and also the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development. He has a background in labour relations, acting as a president for the United Mine Workers of America prior to entering politics. He lives in Jasper.

(Hearn & Associates)

Tim Hearn is the former chairman and CEO of Imperial Oil Limited. In the past, he has also sat on boards for the Calgary Homeless Foundation and the new Public Policy School. He is the current chairman of Hearn & Associates, and serves on the board of directors for the Royal Bank of Canada. He lives in Calgary.

(CBC)

Stephen Mandel served as Edmonton’s mayor from 2004 through to 2013, where he spearheaded massive infrastructure upgrades including expanding the city’s LRT system and supporting the construction of the new downtown arena and Blatchford development. He lives in Edmonton.

(Women on Board)

Sarah Raiss sits on the Board of Directors of Loblaw Companies, Canadian Oil Sands, Vermilion Energy, the Alberta Electric System Operator Board and National Board of the Institute of Corporate Directors. In the past, she has worked for TransCanada Corporation and also served as the president of the Calgary Petroleum Club. She lives in Calgary.

(Davis LLP)

Robert Seidel is a partner at Davis LLP where his law expertise is in real estate, energy, environment and natural resources, forestry, commercial lending and project finance. He is a member of the Law Society of Alberta and serves on the City of Edmonton’s Investment Committee. Seidel is also Alberta’s honourary consul for the Kingdom of Denmark. He currently lives in Edmonton.

LAPP & Bill 9 - Update from LAPP Board

Tue, 02 Sep 2014 18:06:22 GMT

On August 15, 2014 the LAPP Board provided a written submission to the Legislative Standing Committee on Alberta's Economic Future. A copy of the presentation, in response to Bill 9, is available here.

The standing committee was asked in May by the Hon. Doug Horner, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance to review pension reform Bills 9 & 10, which passed second reading in the legislature in April. The committee heard presentations from experts and stakeholders of four Alberta Public sector plans, including from LAPP's Board and those presentations are available on the standing committee website.

As part of its review, the standing committee also held public hearings in seven Alberta communities and the transcripts of those presentations are also available on the committee's website. In addition to the presentations and the public hearings, the committee called for written submissions from anyone interested, by August 15, 2014, and will spend the next few weeks reviewing all the feedback in preparation for reporting back to the Legislature in the fall session, as requested by the Minister.

More information on the government's proposal to reform public sector pensions can be found on the Alberta Treasury Board and Finance website, as well as more information on Bills 9 & 10.

The LAPP Board will continue to update you on any developments with respect to pension reform as they occur.

For more information or if you have any questions related to this submission please contact us at the Executive offices of LAPP

AAMDC Contact Newsletter for August 13

Thu, 14 Aug 2014 18:30:00 GMT

This week's AAMDC Contact newsletter contains information regarding stormwater infrastructure webinar and the Tire Recycling Program. Click here for AAMDC's latest newsletter.

Introducing AMSA's new logo and website

Sun, 03 Aug 2014 17:47:55 GMT

Welcome to AMSA’s newly designed website. This summer, AMSA executive undertook a rebranding campaign and developed a new AMSA logo and website for the association. The new AMSA logo features fresh new colours and design. When you looked at the logo, did you see the asphalt with line painting in the two "A"s at first glance?

Within the new website, you will find information about our association, upcoming events, a careers section and links to join AMSA. There is a member only section which includes a discussion board and links to samples and templates. AMSA has also ventured in the social media realm, so be sure to click the Facebook and Twitter links to like and follow us!

Congratulations to Herb Pfau on his retirement today

Fri, 18 Jul 2014 18:28:22 GMT

On behalf of AMSA, congratulations on your retirement Herb.

Click here to read letter sent to Herb from AMSA president.

AADMC Contact Newsletter

Wed, 09 Jul 2014 14:40:06 GMT

Check out the latest Contact Newsletter for New Local Road Bridge Design Guidelines information.

AAMDC's Latest Contact Newsletter

Mon, 16 Jun 2014 19:59:26 GMT

Click here to view the latest issue of AAMDC's Contact Newsletter