April 8, 2025
Dear Chief Elected Officials:
I am pleased to share that today, our government tabled Bill 50, the Municipal Affairs
Statutes Amendment Act, 2025. Bill 50 makes amendments to the Municipal
Government Act (MGA), Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA), New Home Buyer
Protection Act (NHBPA), and the Safety Codes Act (SCA) to modernize municipal
processes.
The proposed amendments will strengthen local governance and reduce conflict by
repealing code of conduct provisions and granting Ministerial authority to establish
procedures of council. The amendments also clarify the accountability of chief
administrative officers and strengthen oversight authorities of appointed Official
Administrators.
Also included are amendments regarding Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks
(ICFs) which would clarify the required content of ICFs and strengthen the dispute
resolution process to ensure ICFs are adopted and implemented effectively.
Changes are also proposed to the LAEA to clarify administrative requirements in
advance of the October 2025 municipal and school board elections. In addition, we are
allowing for the use of elector assistance terminals which enable voters who live with
visual or physical impairments to vote independently and privately. We are also
proposing amendments to residency requirements so that residents displaced by last
year’s wildfire in Jasper can vote and run for office, provided they intend to return to the
community.
Finally, proposed changes to the NHBPA and the SCA address stakeholder concerns
with the current new home buyer protection program, the quality of new homes,
affordability, and red tape.
I invite you to read Bill 50. A copy of the Bill can be found here:
https://www.assembly.ab.ca/assembly-business/bills/bills-by-legislature. Additional
information about the proposed amendments is also available here:
www.alberta.ca//modernizing-municipal-processes.
I will be hosting a town hall for stakeholders to share additional information and answer
questions about the proposed amendments. The town hall will take place virtually on
April 16, 2025, at 6:00 PM. Please send the names and email addresses of your
representative(s) who will attend to [email protected]. Individuals identified by
your organization will receive a link ahead of the town hall.
Sincerely,
Ric McIver
Minister