Municipal Affairs

Welcome to Municipal Affairs. Last week, mayors from across Saskatchewan gathered in Regina for a very unique event: Summer School.  But this wasn’t the kind of summer school you might remember. Hosted at the University of Regina, this two-day program, exclusively for mayors, focused on the fundamentals of municipal leadership — from governance and conflict of interest to strengthening leadership...

Welcome to a special edition of Municipal Affairs.  While we traditionally focus on the municipal picture on this show, today we are talking about an issue that has been on the top of minds for families in every single municipality in the province of Alberta.  That is the uncertainty surrounding the start of the new school year.  With just days before students return to classrooms, negotiations be...

In this roundtable edition of Municipal Affairs, we pull back the curtain on what it’s really like to serve as a rural municipal politician in Alberta.  The work can be demanding—long council meetings, tough decisions that affect neighbours and friends, and the constant balancing act of public service and personal life. But it also comes with wins—both big and small—that remind leaders why they st...

Across Canada, the face of political leadership is changing. More women are stepping forward, taking their place at council tables, in provincial legislatures, and even on Parliament Hill. They bring new perspectives, fresh priorities, and lived experiences that are reshaping the way our governments serve their communities. Bit by bit, our institutions are beginning to reflect the diverse populati...

Welcome to Municipal Affairs. We are now entering the home stretch of the 2025 Alberta Municipal elections.  Across the province, candidates are stepping forward with visions for stronger communities, smarter growth, and more responsive local government. Joining us in this episode is Aaron Paquette, Council Candidate for Ward Dene for the City of Edmonton. Aaron has served on Edmonton City Council...

We are now entering the home stretch of the 2025 Alberta Municipal elections.  Across the province, candidates are stepping forward with visions for stronger communities, smarter growth, and more responsive local government. Today, we are joined by one man who wants to lead Albert’a Capital City.  Joining us in this episode is Tim Cartmell, Candidate for Mayor of the City of Edmonton, running unde...

Welcome to Municipal Affairs We are now entering the home stretch of the 2025 Alberta Municipal elections.  Across the province, candidates are stepping forward with visions for stronger communities, smarter growth, and more responsive local government. Today, we are joined once again by Calgary Mayoral Candidate Jeff Davison, who sat down with us back in 2024.  Jeff Davison is a former city counc...

What does it really take to lead a municipality in Alberta? Behind the ribbon-cuttings, council meetings, and community barbecues lies a role that demands resilience, diplomacy, and a whole lot of coffee. With Alberta’s next municipal election coming up on October 20th, some of you might be wondering what it would be like to step into the mayor’s chair yourself. This episode is for you—and for any...

Welcome to Municipal Affairs. We are weeks away from municipal election day here in Alberta.  Across the province, candidates are stepping forward with visions for stronger communities, smarter growth, and more responsive local government. Today, we continue our coverage with a conversation that's for Beiseker residents and voters.  Joining us in this episode is Neil Young, Council Candidate o...

Welcome to Municipal Affairs. We are weeks away from municipal election day here in Alberta.  Across the province, candidates are stepping forward with visions for stronger communities, smarter growth, and more responsive local government. Today, we continue our coverage with a conversation for Medicine Hat Voters and Residents. Joining us in this episode is Troy Wason, Council Candidate for the C...

Welcome back to Municipal Affairs . In recent decades, Canada’s municipalities have seen steady—and substantial—fiscal growth. From 1990 to 2023, local government revenues rose by more than 30% in real per-capita terms, outpacing both inflation and population growth. But here’s the key question: Is this money being spent wisely? Are municipalities delivering the value that Canadians expect and des...

Welcome to Municipal Affairs. We are weeks away from municipal election day here in Alberta. Across the province, candidates are stepping forward with visions for stronger communities, smarter growth, and more responsive local government. Today, we continue our coverage with a conversation that’s for Edmonton voters. Joining us in this episode is Jesse Watson, Council Candidate for the City of Edm...

Welcome to Municipal Affairs. We are weeks away from municipal election day here in Alberta.  Across the province, candidates are stepping forward with visions for stronger communities, smarter growth, and more responsive local government. Today, we continue our coverage with a conversation that’s for Cold Lake voters. Joining us in this episode is Sherri Buckle, Mayoral Candidate for Cold Lake, A...

Welcome to Municipal Affairs . Today we’re diving into a critical program that touches nearly every corner of our province—Family and Community Support Services, better known as FCSS. FCSS has been a cornerstone in supporting preventive social services in Alberta for decades. Whether it's youth outreach, mental health programs, senior support, or community development initiatives, FCSS helps m...

Welcome to Municipal Affairs. We are weeks away from municipal election day here in Alberta.  Across the province, candidates are stepping forward with visions for stronger communities, smarter growth, and more responsive local government. Today, we continue our coverage with a conversation that’s especially timely for Calgary voters. Joining us in this episode is Sonya Sharp, Candidate or Calgary...

Welcome to Municipal Affairs. We are weeks away from municipal election day here in Alberta. Across the province, candidates are stepping forward with visions for stronger communities, smarter growth, and more responsive local government. Today, we continue our coverage with a conversation that’s especially timely for Lethbridge voters. Joining us in this episode is Ryan Mennie — a candidate for L...

Welcome to Municipal Affairs. Today, we’re heading to the rugged coastline of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia—a place known for its natural beauty, tight-knit communities, and resilient people. For over five years, residents near the Donkin coal mine have been battling an invisible but relentless intruder: a low-frequency industrial hum, emanating from massive ventilation fans—fans that have been running...

Welcome to Municipal Affairs. Today we’re diving into one of the most important—yet often overlooked—questions in local governance: Are we getting good value for our municipal tax dollars? A new report from the Fraser Institute has brought this question into sharp focus. The study, The Expanding Finances of Local Governments in Canada, reveals that municipal government spending across the country...

Welcome to Municipal Affairs. It’s July 2025 — which means we’re under three months away from municipal election day here in Alberta. Across the province, candidates are stepping forward with visions for stronger communities, smarter growth, and more responsive local government. Today, we continue our coverage with a conversation that’s especially timely for Edmonton voters. Joining us in this epi...

Welcome to Municipal Affairs,  Today’s were heading south to the City of Brotherly Love, The City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where Canadian municipal leaders were continuing important work to build international bridges. Earlier this month, two representatives from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities—Neal Comeau, Chair of FCM’s Rural Forum, and Alysson Storey, Councillor from Chatham-Ken...

Welcome to Municipal Affairs. Today, we’re taking you more than 10,000 kilometers from Saskatchewan to the West African nation of Benin — where local leadership is stepping up, and Canadian municipalities are playing a unique role in supporting that growth. At the heart of this story is a remarkable collaboration between SUMA — the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association — and the Associatio...

Welcome to Municipal Affairs. In this episode, a major step forward in Alberta’s policing landscape — the appointment of a new Chief for the Independent Agency Police Service. It's the latest move to give municipalities more options when it comes to local policing, while also supporting public safety efforts across the province. (Speech from Smith) The new Chief, Dale Parhar, brings over 25 years...

Welcome to Municipal Affairs.  Across Canada, small cities and towns are grappling with a problem that feels all too familiar: a small group of repeat violent offenders who seem to cycle through the justice system without meaningful intervention. In Saskatchewan’s Battlefords region, that cycle has pushed local leaders to speak out—demanding change. This summer, the Government of Saskatchewan, alo...

Welcome to a special live edition of Municipal Affairs . I’m your host, Christopher Brown, and Today, we turn our attention to a topic that many in public service know all too well—but far too few are openly discussing. Across boardrooms, council chambers, and community halls, a troubling shift has been unfolding. The treatment of elected and appointed officials, staff, and even members of the pub...

Welcome to Municipal Affairs. This spring, municipal leaders from across Atlantic Canada—mayors, deputy mayors, wardens, and more—convened in Saint John, New Brunswick for the Atlantic Mayors’ Congress. Against a backdrop of growing cross-border trade tensions between Canada and the United States, the theme of this year’s gathering was clear: collaboration. From large urban centres to small rural...