The provincial government renewed its support for the Capital Region Board, as the provincially-mandated body continues to plan for the region’s future.
On Thursday, Municipal Affairs Minister Deron Bilous awarded the board with $3 million in base funding from the Alberta Community Partnership – the same amount allocated last year under the Progressive Conservatives.
St. Albert Mayor Nolan Crouse, who chairs the CRB, said that the board also submitted an application for additional funding during a private meeting with Bilous, immediately following the announcement.
The CRB is asking for an extra $315,000 to support project work, as well as $375,000 to complete an update to the Growth Plan, said Crouse.
The province requires the Growth Plan – CRB’s long-term planning document – to be updated every five years. The current version was approved in 2010.
Crouse said the revision, which is underway, will strengthen policies surrounding provincial public transit policies and outline the proposed new and extended LRT routes to Sherwood Park, Mill Woods, St. Albert, Lewis Estates, the Heritage Valley Town Centre and northeast past Anthony Henday Drive.
“These are routes that we want to see in the future. We’re building them into the plan so that we can start executing against it,” said Crouse.
The plan will also more clearly define regional density targets, and set out measures to protect the area’s agricultural lands.
The regional population sits at 1.2 million. That number is expected to grow by over 50 per cent by 2044, at a rate of 30,000 new residents per year.
By recognizing the particular housing needs of each area within the region and simultaneously reinforcing densification, the board aims to lessen the impact of urban sprawl.
“An important component of that is how do you preserve agricultural lands and densify as you grow,” said Crouse.
As it stands, the plan is silent on agricultural land policy, as well as an economic development strategy. These issues will all be addressed in the new plan, said Crouse.
