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The Calgary Metropolitan Board has Approved the Regional Growth and Servicing Plans
The Regional Growth Plan is of Great Concern to Foothills County because it:
Why should YOU care?
- Shuts the door on rural opportunity;
- Limits economic development for rurals;
- Creates red tape and economic uncertainty;
- Involved insufficient public engagement;
- Is biased against rural municipalities creating an unlevel playing field;
- Will cost taxpayers money.
TAKE ACTION! SIGN THE PETITION!
We ask that you join us in sending a strong message to the Minister of Municipal Affairs that we, the residents of Foothills County, do not support this plan and wish to be removed as a member of the CMRB. For more information visit www.calgarymetroregion.ca.
Go to www.change.org/Say-no-to-CMRB to have your say!
What is the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board?
In accordance with Provincial legislation, The Calgary Metropolitan Region Board was required to complete the Regional Growth Plan, the Regional Servicing Plan and a Regional Evaluation Framework by June 1st, 2021.
In March, Foothills County put out a “Call to Action”, alerting our residents of the phase 3 consultation being undertaken by the CMRB on the Growth and Servicing Plans. We asked that you participate in the consultation and help us to send a message to the CRMB and the Province that this regional plan is harmful to the rural members of the region. Thank you to all of you that participated in the consultation and sent letters to the MLAs and the Minister of Municipal Affairs. The consultation results are very clear, being that there is little support for these plans in any municipality. Not surprisingly, the CMRB accused Foothills of “hijacking” the consultation and determined that the results of the public consultation were meaningless. Please review the “what we heard report” on the CMRB webpage to see the results.
On May 21st, 2021, the Calgary Regional Growth Board voted to approve the Regional Growth Plan, the Regional Servicing Plan and the Regional Evaluation Framework. The seven urban municipalities on the Board all voted to approve the plans, while the three rural municipalities voted against approving the Plans. The voting structure of the CRMB is a based on a 2/3rd majority vote having 2/3rd of the population, meaning that Calgary needs to be in support of the motion for it to pass. If there had been four votes against approving the Plans, the Plans would not have passed.
Foothills County has been working hard with the CRMB on the Growth and Servicing Plans since 2018. Our goal has always been to ensure that the Regional Growth and Servicing Plans were reasonable, fair and maintained a regional viewpoint, not a prescriptive local level focus.
These plans are the results of years of work and millions of public dollars. All three rural municipalities have significant concerns with the Growth Plan. This Regional Plan provides the City of Calgary and other urban municipalities with control over planning and growth in rural landscapes.
You can read a detailed report on the Growth Plan, the Servicing Plan and the Regional Evaluation Framework here.
You can read a list of the mandated work and commitments required to be undertaken by the Growth and Servicing Plans here.
The Board approved Regional Growth Plan and the Regional Servicing plan, as well as the Regional Evaluation Framework below:
What happens now?
The Plans do not go into effect until approved by the Minister of Municipal Affairs, so they must now be sent to the Minister for final approval. Working together with Rocky View County and Wheatland County, we will be writing letters and hoping to meet to ensure that the Ministry knows our concerns.
We ask that you continue to write, email and call your MLA and the Minister of Municipal Affairs. We have provided draft letters below for your use. We are not going to stop our fight against this undemocratic waste of tax-payer money. Thank you for your continued support.
Read:
Write a Letter to the Minister of Municipal Affairs or your MLA:
You may also wish to send your concerns to the Minister of Municipal Affairs or your MLA.
For your convenience we have provided some fillable form letters that you can use to send a message to the Minister or your MLA:
The Honourable Ric McIver, Minister of Municipal Affairs: minister.municipalaffairs@gov.ab.ca; 310.0000 + 780.427.3744
Highwood MLA RJ Sigurdson: Highwood@assembly.ab.ca; 403.995.5488
Livingstone-Macleod MLA Roger Reid: Livingstone.Macleod@assembly.ab.ca; 825.212.2000
Banff-Kananaskis MLA Miranda Rosin: Banff.Kananaskis@assembly.ab.ca; 403.609.4509
CMRB in the News:
Okotoks Today Article: "Foothills petitioning to be removed from CMRB"
High River Online Article: "Foothills Launches Petition Over Development Disadvantage"
Strathmore Article: "Where Does Strathmore Stand with CMRB?"
CBC News Article: "Growth Plan for Calgary Region Sent to Province for Final Say"
Okotoks Today Article: "Editorial: Plan denied rural voice"
Okotoks Today Article: "UPDATE: CMRB Growth Plan Approved Despite Rural Opposition"
Cochrane Now Article: "Stark reminder that Calgary is 'King' in Regional Planning"
Cochrane Now Aritcle: "RVC steps up push to get rid of Regional Growth Board"
Okotoks Today Article: " Concerns over CMRB's Plan"
High River Online Article: "Foothills County Issues "Call to Action" Over CMRB Growth Plan"
Okotoks Today Article: "Foothills County call to residents"
Western Standard Article: "Rural Rebellion against the development plan"
Okotoks Today Article "Okotoks in support of regional plan"
Watch: Calgary Metropolitan Regional Board Meeting Where the Urbans Vote to Approve the Growth & Servicing Plans Depsite Rural Objections:
May 21, 2021 - Agenda - Minutes - Youtube Link
To view more CMRB Agendas and Minutes, please visit the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board's website.
