Background: Local Governance and the Status of Summer Villages in Alberta

Alberta is one of the few remaining provincial jurisdictions in Canada to provide for a “Summer Village” as part of its catalogue of authorized local authorities (municipalities). The Municipal Government Act (MGA), which regulates the formation, operation and oversight of local authorities in Alberta, has evolved in regard to summer villages over the past several decades. Recent changes to the regulations, as well as core funding framework formulas, such as the new Local Government Fiscal Framework (LGFF), have reignited the debate on what it means to be a summer village in Alberta, and indeed whether it remains a viable option to keep this special designation.

While Alberta continues to protect the status of existing summer villages under the Act, and summer villages remain a strong and vibrant class of local authority in the province, several significant shifts in the status quo require local councils to reflect on the best path forward for the communities they represent, and the Summer Village of Silver Sands is in this same boat. In considering the options before them, councils need to balance the pros of retaining the “summer village” status – including special protections in the legislation, especially those under the Municipal Government Act and Local Authorities Election Act (see below for more detail) – with the very real drawbacks – chiefly the new LGFF formula which is seen to be unduly discriminatory to the disadvantage of summer villages.

Council wants the community to be aware of this issue and to get feedback from stakeholders on next steps. This survey, which contains several pages of relevant information and dialogue, concludes with a few important questions we are asking you to share your thoughts on. Please take the time to read this survey completely and answer the questions in the space provided. If you require assistance in accessing, completing or submitting the survey please contact the office at 780-967-0271 or by email at administration@wildwillowenterprises.com.

The survey will remain open until 11:59pm on November 27, 2024, so please submit responses before this deadline. Electronic submissions are preferred, however paper copies of the survey can be obtained through the office on request (780-967-0271 or email administration@wildwillowenterprises.com).

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