The Capital Region Board (CRB) could definitely use a few tweaks to how it operates, how it votes and for what it is responsible, some of its members seem to agree.
It has been a rough couple of months for the group of Edmonton-area municipalities. Ongoing infighting between some members over developments that have been voted down has spilled into the public domain. Some smaller municipalities have tried to leave altogether. The minister of municipal affairs issued what appeared to be a threat that the CRB get its act together or face amalgamation, and then retracted it. Now Parkland County has filed a court order challenging the legitimacy of the CRB’s existence.
But whether or not it’s fulfilling its original mandate depends on how you interpret what that original mandate was.
“The CRB was supposed to buy the province some breathing room,” said Jim Lightbody, chair of political science at the University of Alberta. “It was intended to be a do-nothing, clam chowder tasting society.”
St. Albert Mayor Nolan Crouse, who serves as chair of the CRB, has a slightly different understanding of the board’s purposed.
“The goal was putting plans in place for a 35-year horizon,” Crouse said. “There’s been a good amount of work done on this.”
The CRB was born out of the ashes of the Alberta Capital Region Alliance, a body of 23 member municipalities. But in 2006 the biggest member – Edmonton – pulled out of the alliance. The alliance required unanimous agreement on all decisions and Edmonton, as the largest service provider in the Capital region, felt it wasn’t being given its due.
Other municipalities started dropping out as well. The province instead established the CRB, which was given authority over land planning in the region. It also works on other projects, such as transportation and affordable housing.
“It’s more to make sure we won’t be stepping on each other’s toes,” said Sturgeon County Coun. Tom Flynn, who has also announced he is running for county mayor.
Sturgeon Mayor Donald Rigney, a long-time CRB opponent, did not return phone calls seeking an interview.
Crouse does contend the CRB has some shortcomings. He says the board has spent a lot more time on land planning and land use matters than was originally envisioned.
“I don’t know that anybody expected that,” Crouse said. “The majority of us haven’t lived through the old regional planning commission days. I didn’t think it was going to be so controversial.”
Some municipalities have accused others of playing politics with development. All developments need board approval. A panel of CAOs is supposed to review all proposals – if all five on the sub-committee give approval, a development doesn’t need full CRB approval. If even one votes in opposition, a development requires a full vote at the next CRB meeting.
St. Albert has twice fallen victim to this as Sturgeon County voted against plan amendments at the sub-committee level. Twice the CRB approved those same amendments. Most recently, Edmonton has accused some rural municipalities of not attending sub-committee meetings as a political delay tactic in approving one of its developments.
Flynn says there are some who feel the rural voice isn’t being heard.
“Some of the smaller sectors and the rural municipalities feel that way,” said Flynn. “I think there really is a voice that listens to that.”
The voting model also irks some municipalities, Flynn said. Edmonton has a de facto veto on all matters as a passing vote requires approval of 17 municipalities representing 75 per cent of the population.
“I would think there has to be a political will to find a little bit better formula to give everyone a better vote,” Flynn said. “That veto Edmonton has gives them an awful lot of power and not a lot of accountability for it. “
The board does have to update its growth plan and has until 2015 to do so, according to Crouse. That might create an opportunity for some changes.
“I think the CRB is achieving what it was supposed to accomplish and I think it’s struggling on land use,” Crouse said. “There’s been a good amount of work done on this.”
