Alberta will be able to seize power from local authorities to respond to emergencies, such as wildfires and floods, under proposed legislation that threatens to further erode already tense relationships with municipal leaders.
Premier Danielle Smith on Thursday introduced an omnibus bill aimed at improving public safety during natural disasters. As The Globe and Mail reported earlier in the day, it includes plans to move Alberta’s fixed election date from May to October to avoid springtime hazards, determine water-use priorities and take over emergency efforts from municipalities with or without their consent.
“When we’ve had these major catastrophes in the past, whenever the post mortem is done, it’s always why didn’t the province step in earlier? Why wasn’t the province pro-active,” Ms. Smith said. “When that happens, time and time and time again, you have to start listening and that’s what we’re doing.”
The United Conservative Party has been under intense scrutiny from municipal leaders after introducing two recent bills: one giving the province authority to dismiss city councillors and overturn local bylaws and another that gives it control over funding agreements between municipalities and Ottawa. Local leaders have painted the proposed moves as a threat to democracy.
Ms. Smith said she doesn’t expect pushback to the latest legislation, however, city leaders need time to review it. They weren’t consulted beforehand. She added that the province has no interest in stepping in when municipalities have an emergency situation under control but must be prepared to do so under “extreme circumstances.”
Under the legislation, the province could assume control when local resources are exhausted, mutual aid is unavailable, local leaders specifically request provincial authorities to take over an emergency response or where “local actions are at cross purposes with broader regional or provincial actions.”
Ms. Smith and Forestry Minister Todd Loewen, when asked by reporters, did not provide any examples of a municipality working at “cross purposes” with the province. Mr. Loewen said “we just want to make sure that alignment is there.”
The legislation does not include safeguards to protect against potential overuse of this power.
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek, early on Thursday, told reporters that the city’s emergency management agency has an “excellent relationship” with its provincial counterpart, which was demonstrated last summer when residents from the Northwest Territories poured into Alberta to escape wildfires.
“If they think that they need to change legislation to make that relationship better, I’m struggling to understand how much better it could be,” said Ms. Gondek, who said she is interested to see the legislation, considering there was no consultation. The office of Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, in a statement, said more time is needed to understand its implications.
Ms. Smith didn’t directly answer questions from reporters about consulting with municipalities before introducing the legislation. “Sometimes things are so obvious, you have to act,” she said, and added that she respects stakeholder input.
A day earlier, the UCP came under fire for its lack of consultation with Alberta Municipalities, which represents the majority of the province’s cities, towns and villages.
Association president Tyler Gandam, also the mayor of Wetaskiwin, said, despite repeated attempts, he has been unable to get an audience with Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver to discuss Bill 20, which gives cabinet the power to fire councillors if it’s in the “public interest.”
On Thursday, Mr. Gandam reiterated his feelings, saying he wishes the province had consulted municipalities prior to tabling the new legislation.
“I’m seeing a pattern here where it doesn’t matter whether or not the province feels like there needs to be any consultation with municipalities, they’re not going to do it anyways,” he said in an interview. “It’s frustrating that we continue to have a provincial government not willing to partner with municipalities.”
The next provincial election will be Oct. 18, 2027, if the new legislation passes. Most provinces already conduct their elections in October.
Ms. Smith said the change would decrease the likelihood of an election coinciding with a natural disaster, which caused difficulty last year. Wildfires, and the subsequent evacuation of around 30,000 northern Albertans, upended the campaigns of Ms. Smith and New Democratic Party Leader Rachel Notley, forcing them to cancel some events as they set aside partisan differences to address the crisis.
Ms. Notley said Thursday she is not against changing the election date but that the government should have consulted with the Official Opposition if it was truly a “good faith” decision – especially since it extends the government’s term by six months.
She told reporters that her party has yet to see the bill but the proposed amendments continue a “pattern” by the UCP to consolidate power. “It seems to be an opportunity where they exploit crisis in order to accrue power and to undermine democracy and also transparency,” Ms. Notley said.
Alanna Smith