Municipal Affairs

It's been one year since Albertans elected municipal leaders across the province. So, twelve months later, are Alberta's municipalities better off today than they were on election day? From Summer Villages to our province's largest cities, local governments are facing very different challenges, from growth and infrastructure to affordability, finances, and service delivery. Are urban m...

One year ago, Calgarians elected a new mayor and council, setting a new direction for one of Canada's largest cities. Twelve months later, how much has changed, and where does Calgary stand today? On this episode of Municipal Affairs, we're taking stock of Mayor Jeromy Farkas's first year in office. We'll look at the priorities shaping the city, progress on major initiatives, and t...

Every municipality has its own story. A different population, a different set of priorities, a different set of challenges—and a different vision for what the future should look like. But one year after the 2025 Alberta Municipal Election, local leaders across the province are all facing the same fundamental question: how do you turn the expectations of an election campaign into real progress for...

Communities rarely find themselves in trouble overnight. More often, the warning signs are there for years: infrastructure that’s falling behind, difficult conversations that never happen, local businesses that struggle to survive, or decisions that solve today’s problem while creating a bigger one for tomorrow. And the challenge for municipal leaders is recognizing those warning signs before they...

Rural Saskatchewan is the backbone of Canada’s agricultural economy. Its farmers feed the world. Its roads and highways move billions of dollars in goods. And its communities keep the province running. But behind that economic engine are growing challenges — from rural crime and rising fuel costs to aging transportation infrastructure, unreliable broadband, and the future of Canadian agriculture....

A year into a municipal term, there’s a big question worth asking: are Alberta’s communities getting ahead, or are they simply trying to keep up? Across the province, urban municipalities come in all shapes and sizes. From summer villages and smaller towns to regional centres and Alberta’s largest cities, each community has its own priorities. But many are wrestling with similar pressures: afforda...

When we talk about the state of Alberta, it’s easy to focus on the big cities. But across rural Alberta, communities are dealing with their own set of challenges—and making decisions that have a very real impact on the province as a whole. From maintaining roads and infrastructure across vast distances to addressing housing, emergency services, economic pressures, and the challenges of delivering...

The Saskatchewan Legislature has officially opened its fall sitting, following the delivery of the 2026 Speech from the Throne. The government has outlined priorities ranging from public safety and disaster preparedness to community infrastructure and affordability. There are some announcements that matter to municipalities, including support for rural policing, wildfire resilience and community r...

Today we are doing something a bit different.  Today we are going back to 2023, when we attended our very first SUMA Convention in Saskatoon. That's where we first sat down with Saskatoon City Councillor Bev Dubois to discuss the challenges facing her city. At the time, Saskatoon was led by Mayor Charlie Clark. Today, three years later, Cynthia Block is at the helm, a new council is in place,...

One year ago, Albertans headed to the polls to choose the municipal leaders who would help shape the future of their communities. And in Edmonton, that meant a new mayor, a new council, and a new chapter for Alberta’s capital city. But a year into a municipal term, the campaign promises start meeting the realities of governing. Housing affordability, public safety, infrastructure, the cost of deli...

A growing chorus of municipal leaders across southern Alberta is calling on the provincial government to take action on a highway intersection that has been the site of multiple fatalities and life-altering collisions. Foothills County, along with the Towns of Okotoks, High River, Nanton and Diamond Valley, is coming together with one clear message for the Government of Alberta: it’s time to commi...

For more than 120 years, the RCMP has been the face of policing in Grande Prairie, Alberta. Generations of officers have served this growing northern city, building a legacy that, until now, seemed unlikely to change. But on October 21st, 2026, that chapter officially came to a close. The Grande Prairie Police Service has taken over responsibility for policing the city, marking a major shift in ho...

Some people leave a lasting mark not just on their own community, but on the entire municipal sector. Through years of leadership, advocacy, and service, they help strengthen local government, support fellow municipal leaders, and shape the future of communities across Alberta. That kind of contribution deserves special recognition. At the 2026 Alberta Municipalities Awards Gala in Edmonton, the L...

Twenty years is a long time to serve in elected office. It means two decades of community conversations, difficult decisions, changing priorities, and a commitment to showing up for the people you represent. Municipal government is often where residents feel democracy most directly. The decisions made around the council table shape local services, community development, and the places people call...

A chief administrative officer has one of the most important jobs in municipal government.  From supporting council’s direction to leading municipal staff and overseeing the day-to-day operations of a city or town, the role demands experience, sound judgment, and an unwavering commitment to public service. It’s a job that often happens outside the spotlight, but its impact is felt throughout the c...

Leadership in municipal government is about more than holding a seat at the council table. It’s about listening to residents, bringing people together, making tough decisions, and working toward a better future for the community. Across Alberta, elected officials take on that responsibility in communities of every size. Their challenges may differ, but the goal is much the same: to make their muni...

Strong communities don’t happen by accident. Behind every successful municipality is a team of people working together to make decisions, solve problems, and keep their community moving forward. And that kind of leadership takes more than individual talent. It takes collaboration, a shared vision, and a commitment to public service. At the 2026 Alberta Municipalities Awards Gala in Edmonton, the D...

Representatives from 51 summer villages across Alberta gathered in Edmonton last week for the Alberta Summer Villages Association’s annual convention. Mayors, deputy mayors, and other municipal leaders came together to discuss the shared challenges facing their communities, from changing population patterns to the growing demands on municipal infrastructure and services. Across Alberta, many summe...

epresentatives from 51 summer villages across Alberta gathered in Edmonton last week for the Alberta Summer Villages Association’s annual convention. Mayors, deputy mayors, and other municipal leaders came together to share their perspectives and discuss some of the common challenges facing their communities. Among the key issues raised were the changing nature of summer villages, where more peopl...

epresentatives from 51 of Alberta’s summer villages gathered in Edmonton during the first week of October for a two-day convention focused on the shared challenges and issues facing summer villages across every corner of the province. Over the course of the convention, delegates heard from government officials and representatives of organizations whose work directly impacts summer villages and the...

Welcome to Municipal Affairs Live for this Wednesday, October 21st. Municipal politics is often the level of government we pay the least attention to — until something goes wrong. A pothole that never gets fixed. Property taxes that keep climbing. Concerns about public safety, homelessness, housing or the state of our roads and infrastructure.  These are the issues we encounter in our communities...

Across Saskatchewan, municipalities are on the front lines of some of the biggest challenges facing the country — from aging infrastructure and housing shortages to economic uncertainty and the cost of keeping communities growing. But when local governments need support, their voices often have to travel well beyond city hall. Earlier this month, representatives from SUMA, SARM, the Government Rel...

Chris Brown adn Ian McCorack break down the reace and what it means moving forward for municipaliies. ndt ------ Listen To The Show: Apple: https://apple.co/41p5I2I Spotify: https://bit.ly/3tkvb0E   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/crossborderinterviewswithchrisbrown ------ Follow Us On Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crossborderpodcast/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/crossbo...

Good morning, and welcome back to Municipal Affairs. It’s Wednesday, October 14th, and with the 2026 Manitoba Municipal Election entering the final days we are turning our attention again to what happens after October 28th.  For some, that means returning to familiar roles and continuing the work they’ve already been doing. But for many others, it means stepping into municipal office for the very...

For communities across Saskatchewan, the challenges are often local — but the solutions can depend on decisions made hundreds of kilometres away, in Ottawa. Earlier this month, a delegation representing municipalities from across the province travelled to the nation’s capital with a clear message: communities need the infrastructure, economic support, and federal partnerships to keep growing. Repr...