Alberta’s Modernized Municipal Government Act (MGA) – Municipal Planning Implications
Are you a municipal employee or Councillor? You will be impacted by recent changes to Alberta’s Municipal Government Act (MGA). B&A’s experienced team of planners is available to assist your municipality in navigating Alberta’s new regulatory environment – from assessing the specific impacts to your community to updating statutory plans and bylaws.
Amendments to the MGA, referred to as the Modernized Municipal Government Act have been in process since 2014 and have now passed through the provincial legislature and received royal assent on December 9, 2016. The changes are extensive and touch on many aspects of the way municipalities plan, operate and create bylaws.
A few of the major changes to the MGA include:
- Mandatory intermunicipal collaboration frameworks to be completed within 2 years
- Mandatory intermunicipal development plans to be completed within 5 years
- Mandatory municipal development plans to be completed within 3 years
- Mandatory public participation and engagement policy
- Ability for municipalities to adopt inclusionary housing policies in the land use bylaw
- Expansion of the scope of off-site levies
- Added provisions for Growth Management Boards in Edmonton and Calgary
- Provisions for the future creation of City Charters
Municipalities, developers, landowners and citizens will all be impacted to varying degrees by the new regulatory framework and authority of municipalities. B&A has been tracking these changes on behalf of our clients, and we can help your municipality to assess and implement the required changes to ensure compliance with the new legislation.
B&A is well-positioned to assist with:
- Assessing the specific impacts on your municipality (including budgets);
- Conducting a gap analysis/scan of local plans and bylaws;
- Creating a list of priority action items; and
- Implementation through creating and updating plans and bylaws.
If you are a current or potential B&A client we would be happy to discuss the potential impacts of these MGA amendments on your municipality. Contact B&A at 403-269-4733 or talk to your planner.
Online Resources:
Municipal Affairs Official MGA Review Website
Modernized Municipal Government Act – Bill 21
