Following the Ministerial Order relative to making payment of municipal property taxes a condition of AER licensing of oil and gas companies, ARMAA was engaged in consultation with Municipal Affairs to comment on procedural matters concerning information collection and efficiencies going forward.

The ARMAA executive is proud that Municipal Affairs values the Input of ARMAA and has offered our organization the opportunity to participate in the development of policy implementation strategies.  This is reflective of the respect our organization has gained with the Provincial Government.

• A review committee for Delia is being established. This is expected to be in place by June 1st.
• Guidelines on petitions for municipalities with ward systems are coming.
• ICF Guidelines and changes – The Province extended the deadline for renewal as a few ICFs have just completed or are still going through arbitration. It was felt that the rules shouldn’t change while some were still being completed and that lessons learned should be developed when these are done. It is likely that some changes to ICF rules or guidelines will occur within the next year and the Province did not want municipalities to put in a lot of work only to have changes be made.
• Communications regarding the AER Regulations pertaining to unpaid oil and gas taxes will be coming soon.
• Municipal Affairs is now in “caretaker” mode in advance of the election. This is essentially a holding pattern until after the election occurs.

  – Attended by Mike Haugen