A balanced budget, red tape reduction and opportunities for business were key discussions at the fall Alberta Mid-sized Cities Mayors' and Chief Administration Officers' (CAOs') caucus meeting.
Mayor Chris Spearman and City Manager, Bram Strain attended the meeting which was held at the Galt Museum and Archives on Sept. 12 and 13 along with 21 Mayors and CAOs from across the province. The municipalities discussed a variety of key issues ranging from the mortgage stress test to a provincial drug strategy. A portion of the meeting focused on the MacKinnon Report with the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Kaycee Madu, outlining potential impact of the recommendations for municipalities.
Discussions were also held with Premier Jason Kenney, who spoke to the continuing partnership with municipalities for economic growth, jobs, diversification, innovation and opportunities to grow revenue. Key amongst the discussions were the importance of developing a stable and predictable revenue stream for municipalities.
"This caucus meeting is an opportunity for our cities to come together and strategize collectively for the betterment of our residents," says Mayor, Chris Spearman. "It is crucial to work together in a productive and collaborative way with the Provincial Government to find ways we can align with their strategy but still be beneficial for our residents locally."
"Together, our 22 cities and communities represent roughly one million Albertans," said Mayor Spearman. "We look forward to advancing the needs of those one million Albertans and advocating for the growth and prosperity of our communities."
The Alberta Mid-Sized Cities Mayors' and CAOs' Caucus meets twice a year and together the caucus creates solutions to respond to matters of common interest and advocates for the needs of Alberta's mid-sized municipalities.
For Public Inquiries:
Call 311 | Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Media Contact
Meagan Williams
Communications Consultant
City of Lethbridge
403-359-6532
meagan.williams@lethbridge.ca
