Rocky View County (RVC) council emerged from a closed session on Dec. 10 at its regular council meeting and voted to withdraw by a vote of 4-3 from the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB).
The motion to withdraw its membership was not publicly listed on council's agenda package for the Dec. 10 meeting, but was brought onto the agenda as an emergent item, which was added to the Closed Session of council.
The public was not privy to the debate or factors which led to Rocky View County making its decision to withdraw. Council simply emerged from the Closed Session and Division 5 Coun. Greg Boehlke made the motion. No comments were made by any on council publicly, but the vote was 4-3, with Division 3 Coun. and Reeve Crystal Kissel, Division 2 Coun. and Deputy Reeve Don Kochan, Division 5 Coun. Greg Boehlke and Division 7 Coun. Al Schule all voting in favour.
Councillors Kevin Hanson (Div. 1), Samanntha Wright (Div. 4) and Sunny Samra (Div. 6) voted against.
The move follows the provincial government's recent decision to make membership in the CMRB, which is intended to foster closer municipal collaboration on development between its urban and rural members, voluntary instead of mandatory. The government also stated it was withdrawing its annual financial support for the body.
Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver wrote that when the Metropolitan Region Boards (CMRB, EMRB) were established, they were always intended to be self-funded.
“That is why funding has always been single year,” McIver wrote. “The boards have worked hard. We are hopeful that they will choose to continue to work together to responsibly plan and manage development. Our government is open to suggestions on how each board can work collaboratively. We look forward to their ideas as we move forward.”
Evidently, Rocky View County council felt it was not in its best interests to continue any formal relationship with other nearby jurisdictions under the auspices of the CMRB.
History of Disputes
Last year Rocky View County engaged in a high profile dispute with the CMRB over its proposed Janet Area Structure Plan.
The County’s original Janet Area Structure Plan (ASP) was overruled and rejected by the Calgary Metropolitan Region Board (CMRB) during its May 19, 2023 meeting of the board, causing several within Rocky View County council and administration to chafe at this interference in County affairs.
The CMRB cited in its rejection that the RVC Janet ASP was, “inconsistent with the (CMRB’s regional) Growth Plan.”
The main reason for the CMRB’s rejection was the lack of full servicing available in the Janet area for the proposed future business uses on the 989 hectare site.
The CMRB went on to say before the ASP could be approved it must, “connect to municipally owned services, or piped water and wastewater services provided by others.”
But this was not the first time the County and CMRB have been at odds.
CMRB members include Calgary, Airdrie, Chestermere, Cochrane, Okotoks, High River, Foothills County and Rocky View County. Members of the board were previously mandated to be a part of the CMRB when it started in 2018.
In 2021, the rural municipalities of Foothills County, Rocky View County and Wheatland County voted against the CMRB Growth Plan, but the plan passed with votes from the board's urban members. Wheatland County later cut ties with the board at that time.
Recently Foothills County stated it welcomed the option to leave the CMRB, but would stay for now. Both the City of Airdrie and Town of Cochrane stated they also remained committed to collaboration with current board members.
The Rocky View Weekly has reached out for further comment from the County.
-With files from Riley Stovka/ Rocky View Weekly.