Representatives from both the County of Grande Prairie and Saddle Hills County after signing the Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework (Photo: County of Grande Prairie)

By Shaun Penner

Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework

County of Grande Prairie and Saddle Hills County sign collaboration agreement

May 8, 2019 | 2:27 PM

A formal collaboration agreement has been signed by the County of Grande Prairie and Saddle Hills County.

The Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework covers many areas of shared services between the two municipalities, such as enforcement services, water and wastewater, solid waste, as well as recreational services. County of Grande Prairie Reeve Leanne Beaupre says that this is more of a formality than anything else, as the two have had a good working relationship in the past.

“We signed off on this collaboration basically saying that we will continue to work together as good neighbours,” said Beaupre. “You know, I say good fences build good neighbours and we certainly see Saddle Hills as one of the best neighbours that we can have.”

That sentiment was shared by Saddle Hills County Reeve Alvin Hubert.

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“We are lucky to have good neighbours and, more than just a common boundary, we share a mutual commitment to work with one another.”

ICF’s have become a requirement for all municipalities to have with each neighbouring municipality and regional district, as part of the Modernized Municipal Government Act from 2016. All frameworks must be completed by March 31, 2020. That means the County still has many to finish up, including those with the towns of Beaverlodge, Sexsmith and Wembley, the City of Grande Prairie, the Village of Hythe, plus Birch Hills County and the M.D of Greenview.

These frameworks will also be done alongside the creation of Intermunicipal Development Plans, which lay out issues like land use planning, economic development, servicing and transportation issues that are of joint interest between two municipalities. This is something that the County has had in place with the City of Grande Prairie since 1982 but will need to be done with other towns and villages as the population continues to grow.

“With the other towns and villages, we really have had informal agreements. Usually, if they need to grow, they come and approach the County and we talk to the land owners,” said Beaupre. “As long as the land owners aren’t in opposition of moving into that other municipality, there is usually an annexation that is unopposed by the County of Grande Prairie.”

ICF’s and IDP’s must be completed within the same timeframe, but Beaupre notes that those are all coming along nicely.

“The process is moving along well for all of the other ones that we will be coming out, saying that we’ve signed them. We have a deadline that the government has imposed on it and we’re working towards those deadlines.”