Municipal Affairs

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Year in Review 2025: FCM Big City Mayors' Caucus

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2 weeks ago

10 minutes 25 seconds

Municipal Affairs

Over the past twelve months, municipal leaders from coast to coast have been navigating a perfect storm of pressures. Housing affordability and homelessness reached levels we’ve never seen before, pushing our shelter systems — and our compassion — to the breaking point.

At the same time, rapid population growth continued to strain the very foundations of urban life: public transit, roads, water systems, community services… all aging faster than we can repair them, and all expected to serve more people than ever.

And then there’s the fiscal reality. Cities faced growing budget stress, making tough choices between raising taxes, cutting services, or delaying vital infrastructure. Residents felt it. Businesses felt it.

And mayors — often with the fewest revenue tools — were stuck trying to balance growing needs with shrinking dollars.

Layer onto that the social challenges of mental health, addictions, and public safety — challenges that don’t stop at municipal borders, yet land squarely on municipal doorsteps.

And hovering above it all is the uncertainty of intergovernmental funding. Cities know they can’t tackle these crises alone; provinces and the federal government know it too… but agreement on the ‘how’ has been harder to come by.

And yet, amid all these pressures, 2025 was also a year of remarkable collaboration and determination. Mayors across the country — especially through coalitions like FCM’s Big City Mayors’ Caucus — spoke in a united voice louder than we’ve heard in years. City leadership showed that these challenges are shared, systemic, and solvable — if Canada’s governments pull in the same direction.

We’re taking a closer look at what the past year has meant for our largest cities, what progress has been made, and what opportunities lie ahead as we move into 2026.

And there’s no better person to help us unpack it than our guest: the Chair of the FCM Big City Mayors’ Caucus, and the Mayor of London, Ontario — Josh Morgan.

We’ll talk about the state of urban Canada, what keeps big-city mayors up at night, and why coordinated action has never been more important.

Stay with us — the conversation starts right after this.

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Year in Review 2025: Alberta Municipalities

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2 weeks ago

28 minutes 55 seconds

Municipal Affairs

Today we’re taking a deep dive into the year that was — 2025, a year that tested Alberta’s municipalities, reshaped policy debates, and reminded us just how essential local government is to the everyday lives of Albertans.

2025 was an election year — on October 20th, nearly every community in Alberta headed to the polls.

However, even before voters cast their ballots, the conversation around local democracy was intensifying. From concerns over new rules banning electronic vote tabulators to questions about how municipal elections should be run in the future, governance itself became a headline.

At the same time, municipalities were wrestling with long-standing fiscal tensions. The province’s budget brought a partial restoration of Grants in Place of Taxes and a welcome boost to infrastructure funding — but it wasn’t enough to quiet the alarm bells ringing across the province.

The theme we heard again and again? Costs rising, responsibilities growing, funding lagging behind. And the frustration didn’t stop there.

But 2025 also brought forward ideas — big ones.

At the Alberta Municipalities Convention, members pushed for expanded local revenue tools, including the much-debated municipal accommodation tax.

Alberta Municipalities pressed the province to take over collection of education property taxes, and they renewed calls for long-term, stable funding that keeps pace with population growth and inflation.

And in the midst of these debates, local leaders continued to innovate, taking on water governance, policing pressures, and regional planning challenges with limited resources but relentless determination.
So today, we’re unpacking the highs, the lows, and the turning points of 2025 with someone who’s had a front-row seat to all of it.

Joining us is the President of Alberta Municipalities, Dylan Bressey.

We’ll talk election changes, funding battles, new revenue ideas, and what municipalities need most as we look toward 2026 and beyond.

This is Municipal Affairs.

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Year In Review 2025: FCM Rural Forum

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2 weeks ago

33 minutes 4 seconds

Municipal Affairs

Over the last twelve months, rural Canada has moved from the margins of national conversation to the centre of some of our biggest policy debates.

Earlier this year, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Rural Forum played an especially influential role—raising the voices of small communities, farm towns, northern and remote regions, and the municipalities that keep Canada’s economic engine running quietly but powerfully in the background.

This was the year FCM released The Future of Rural Canada, a sweeping national roadmap that underscored both the urgency and the promise of rural life today. The report didn’t mince words: rural communities remain rich in potential—innovation, natural resources, economic opportunity—but they’re also carrying disproportionate burdens.

Aging infrastructure. Limited fiscal capacity. Persistent gaps in broadband and cellular service. Housing shortages. Public safety pressures. The accelerating impacts of climate change. These challenges aren’t abstract—they’re shaping daily life and the future viability of communities that feed the country, power it, move its goods, and anchor its cultural identity.

Yet 2025 has also been a year of possibility. The Rural Forum’s work pushed for a renewed relationship between all orders of government—a National Prosperity Partnership built on collaboration rather than siloed policymaking. It reminded us that investing in rural Canada isn’t charity. It’s a strategy.

When rural communities thrive, the whole country becomes more resilient, more competitive, and more connected.

We’re speaking with someone who has been at the forefront of this effort.

Our guest is the Chair of FCM’s Rural Forum and Councillor for Portage la Prairie, Joe Masi.

Few people understand the challenges and opportunities facing rural municipalities as clearly as he does.

This is Municipal Affairs.

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Year in Review 2025: Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities

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3 weeks ago

31 minutes 52 seconds

Municipal Affairs

Today we take a step back and look at the year that was — a year of challenge, change, and unmistakable movement across rural Saskatchewan.

To do so we’re joined by the President of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, Bill Huber, to reflect on a defining year for rural communities and the leaders who serve them.

2025 was a year where rural issues pushed firmly into the provincial spotlight. From the halls of the annual SARM Convention in March — where more than two thousand delegates gathered to wrestle with everything from global trade tensions to the state of rural healthcare — to the long summer days of division meetings that saw SARM leadership travel more than 2,200 kilometres to hear directly from municipalities, it was a year rooted in engagement and action.

It was also a year of major announcements. The provincial budget delivered a record-setting Municipal Revenue Sharing package — over three hundred sixty-one million dollars — giving rural municipalities a little more breathing room in the face of rising costs. And more than thirty million dollars in infrastructure funding targeted the roads, bridges, and culverts that keep Saskatchewan’s economy moving.

But the story of 2025 wasn’t just about dollars and policy documents. It was about real concerns: abandoned buildings and derelict properties becoming safety hazards. An overstretched healthcare system is struggling to reach remote corners of the province. And persistent pressure on producers — from invasive pests to international tariffs — is weighing heavily on rural livelihoods.

Through it all, SARM continued to push forward: calling for support, amplifying local voices, and navigating the balance between environmental regulation, economic reality, and community well-being.

So we’re taking a closer look. What did 2025 mean for rural Saskatchewan? What progress was made? And what remains unfinished as we head into 2026?

SARM President Bill Huber joins us to break it all down. Stay with us — Municipal Affairs starts right now.

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Year in Review 2025: Association of Yukon Communities

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3 weeks ago

36 minutes 32 seconds

Municipal Affairs

It’s been a year of transformation for Yukon communities — one marked by historic investments, renewed partnerships, and a growing sense of momentum.

From Dawson City to Watson Lake, and from the Village of Mayo to the capital in Whitehorse, municipalities saw unprecedented support aimed at strengthening the services and infrastructure that residents rely on every day.

Major federal-territorial funding agreements took shape as well, opening the door to long-term improvements in water systems, roads, recreation facilities, and community infrastructure across the territory.

We saw progress in Whitehorse transit expansion, key upgrades to water and wastewater systems in Mayo and the Hillcrest area, and significant recreation investments — most notably the major new Dawson City Recreation Centre, a project that’s set to reshape community life for the entire Klondike region.

And through it all, municipalities, Yukon First Nations, and the territorial and federal governments continued to work together on shared priorities: housing-related infrastructure, waste-management planning, and the essential groundwork that supports healthy, livable communities.

To help us make sense of this big year — and to look ahead to what comes next — we sat down with the President of the Association of Yukon Communities, Lauren Hanchar.

Our conversation covers the wins, the worries, and the work still to be done.

So stay with us — as we take a look back at a pivotal year for Yukon municipalities, right here on Municipal Affairs.

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Year in Review 2025: Association of Manitoba Municipalities

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3 weeks ago

17 minutes 32 seconds

Municipal Affairs

2025 was anything but quiet in the Keystone Province.

Municipalities faced a complex mix of challenges: rising pressures on mental health response, growing concerns about public safety, vandalism and harassment aimed at local officials, and the day-to-day reality of delivering services with stretched resources.

We watched municipalities call loudly for legislative reform, seek stronger federal commitments on housing, bail, and policing, and push for renewed investment in the water, wastewater, and infrastructure that keep our communities moving.

But 2025 also offered moments of real progress. Municipal leaders saw cautious wins in the provincial throne speech. Communities secured vital infrastructure grants.

Rural and urban councils alike advanced new priorities, passed impactful resolutions, and strengthened their collaboration in the face of adversity. We saw forward-thinking initiatives — like a new toolkit to help municipal leaders combat harassment and hate — setting a precedent for the entire country.

It was a year of highs and lows… resilience and reflection… frustration and hope.

So where do Manitoba’s municipalities go from here? How do local leaders move forward after a year that demanded so much of them — and revealed just how essential they are to the province’s future?

To help us unpack the year that was, and look ahead to the year that will be, we’re joined by someone who has been at the centre of it all: Association of Manitoba Municipalities President Kathy Valentino.

She’s here to talk about the challenges, the triumphs, and the road ahead for every community across the Keystone Province.

Stay with us — this is Municipal Affairs.

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Year in Review 2025: Rural Municipalities of Alberta

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3 weeks ago

23 minutes 31 seconds

Municipal Affairs

We’re taking a deep dive into a year that has been anything but ordinary for rural Alberta.

Over the past twelve months, Rural Municipalities of Alberta have found themselves at a crossroads — balancing real challenges with emerging opportunities. It’s been a year marked by sweeping legislative change, growing financial pressures, and a renewed spotlight on the essential role rural communities play in the province’s economic and social fabric.

From the passage of Bill 50 — which reshaped municipal governance and swept away long-standing codes of conduct — to the sobering reality of more than a quarter-billion dollars in unpaid oil and gas property taxes, rural municipalities have been navigating a landscape where stability can feel increasingly uncertain.

Add to that a rural infrastructure deficit now measured in the tens of billions, and you begin to see the scale of what local leaders are confronting: aging roads and bridges, stretched operating budgets, and the constant pressure to do more with less.

At the same time, these communities continue to demonstrate resilience. New provincial funding streams, targeted infrastructure investments, and collaborative work on tax accountability show that momentum is building in some areas.

And rural Alberta remains at the heart of agriculture, energy, and transportation — sectors that not only drive the provincial economy, but define Alberta’s identity.

Yet the year wasn’t only about policy and finances. Extreme drought conditions forced some municipalities to declare agricultural disasters, reminding us how vulnerable rural economies are to the shifting climate — and how urgently governments must respond.

So today, we ask: Where does rural Alberta go from here? How do municipalities strengthen governance, secure stable funding, and ensure their communities continue to thrive? And what opportunities lie ahead in 2026 and beyond?

To help us untangle these questions, we’re joined by someone who has been at the centre of these conversations: Kara Westerlund, President of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta.

Stay with us, as this is Municipal Affairs.

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Year in Review 2025: Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Assocaition

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3 weeks ago

38 minutes 21 seconds

Municipal Affairs

This year, SUMA has been hard at work — not just hosting events or conventions, but pushing for real change on behalf of urban municipalities.

As part of the 2025‑26 provincial budget cycle, SUMA welcomed major investments in public safety, infrastructure, northern roads and airports, and health services — moves that will materially improve quality of life across the province.

At the same time, SUMA has consistently called on the provincial government to step up when it comes to mental health, addictions, social services, and housing — issues that urban governments are increasingly asked to address, but often lack adequate support to handle on their own.

Recognizing that public safety isn’t just about policing — SUMA has pushed for fully funded, provincially-shared police officers (training, equipment, supplies, benefits) to ensure fairness and equity across municipalities.

SUMA hasn’t limited itself to reactive advocacy: they’re looking ahead.

Through lobbying for a renewed federal‑provincial infrastructure funding program, they’re striving to secure long-term support for critical infrastructure — from water and wastewater systems, to roads, community facilities, and transit services in cities and towns.

Amid economic uncertainty, supply-chain challenges, and rising service demands, SUMA continues to call on provincial and federal governments to provide clarity and support for municipalities. Programs like the Targeted Sector Support Initiative remain critical in funding collaborative projects that strengthen municipal capacity and regional cooperation.

And for communities facing structural and safety risks — like run-down or dilapidated buildings — SUMA is pushing the province for financial assistance and better legislation, so municipalities can assess, maintain, repurpose, or demolish unsafe structures without bearing the full burden alone.

In short: whether it’s infrastructure, public safety, mental health and social services, or cleanup and municipal standards — SUMA is working province‑wide to ensure urban municipalities have the resources, support, and voice they need to serve residents effectively.

That’s what real municipal advocacy looks like — and that’s what we’ll be digging into in today’s Municipal Affairs, with SUMA President Randy Golden.

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Alberta’s Local Economy Unpacked

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3 weeks ago

32 minutes 31 seconds

Municipal Affairs

Today, we’re taking a close look back at the economic outlook of 2025—and what it means as we head into 2026.

2025 has been a year of contrasts. Across Alberta, municipalities have faced the ongoing impacts of global economic uncertainty—rising inflation, volatile markets, and the ever-present chatter about a potential global recession.

At the same time, many communities have shown remarkable resilience, leveraging regional partnerships, strategic planning, and innovative initiatives to maintain momentum and pursue growth opportunities.

So, the big question is this: are Alberta’s municipalities on a steady path toward prosperity, or are we bracing for a year that could be as unpredictable as a rollercoaster?

The answer, as we’ll hear today, is more nuanced—and far more interesting—than a simple yes or no.

Today’s discussion will provide an insider’s view on how municipalities are navigating challenges, what strategies were effective in 2025, and what the priorities and opportunities will be for 2026.

From supporting local businesses and attracting investment to building resilient infrastructure and fostering regional collaboration, our guests will take us behind the curtain on the work being done to grow Alberta’s economy, one municipality at a time.

Joining me for this roundtable discussion are three leaders who are at the forefront of regional economic development: Bob Bezpalko, Executive Director of Alberta HUB; Peter Casurella, Executive Director of the SouthGrow Regional Initiative; and Paul Salvatore, Executive Director of the Central Alberta Economic Partnership.

Each of these organizations plays a unique role in connecting municipalities, supporting local economies, and shaping the growth strategies that help communities thrive.

This is Municipal Affairs.

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A Place To Call Home with ASCHA

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3 weeks ago

1 hour 8 minutes 52 seconds

Municipal Affairs

In this edition of Municipal Affairs, we’re turning our focus to one of the most pressing issues facing communities across Alberta: seniors and community housing.

In 2025, the landscape of affordable and supportive housing continues to challenge municipalities large and small, from the bustling urban centres to the tight-knit rural communities where seniors are seeking to age in place.

At the centre of this conversation is the Alberta Seniors & Community Housing Association, or ASCHA. For those unfamiliar, ASCHA is a non-profit provincial organization that represents approximately 80 percent of Alberta’s seniors and community housing providers. While they do not directly provide housing themselves, ASCHA acts as a vital hub for advocacy, education, and best practices—helping housing providers deliver the best possible accommodations, services, and supports to the Albertans who rely on them.

Collectively, ASCHA’s members house well over 100,000 Albertans across the full continuum of housing, working hand in hand with municipalities, provincial and federal governments, developers, community organizations, and service providers. Their work ensures that communities have access to the data, resources, and guidance needed to strengthen housing options for seniors and other vulnerable Albertans.

Now, we’ll take a close look at the challenges the community housing market faced in 2025, the gaps that still exist as we head into 2026, and the steps municipalities can take—alongside ASCHA—to ensure all Albertans have a place to call home.

Joining us today are two key voices in this important work: James Nibourg, ASCHA President and councillor with the County of Stettler, and Irene Martin-Lindsay, ASCHA’s Executive Director.

Together, they’ll share insights into ASCHA’s accomplishments over the past year, the advocacy efforts that are shaping policy and practice, and the outlook for 2026 as Alberta communities continue to navigate the evolving housing landscape.

Let’s dive in.

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Municipal Affairs is Part of The Cross Border Network

3 weeks ago

48 minutes 28 seconds

Municipal Affairs

LGAZ Comes To Winnipeg

Today, we focus on a remarkable moment of international collaboration.

The Local Government Association of Zambia joined delegates from across Manitoba and beyond at the 2025 Association of Manitoba Municipalities Convention, held from the 25th to the 27th of November in Winnipeg.

This year’s convention carried the theme “Leadership in Motion,” a timely call for pragmatic leadership—leadership that not only imagines the future, but actively works toward shaping it.

Over three days, municipal leaders exchanged ideas, explored new models of local governance, and committed to results.

LGAZ was represented by a five-member delegation led by its President, Vincent Lilanda, attending under the Partnerships for Municipal Innovation – Women in Local Leadership project, implemented in collaboration with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and supported by the Government of Canada.

This bi-national partnership continues to strengthen the capacity of local leaders and elevate women’s participation in decision-making across municipalities.

We were on hand a the 2025 AMM Convention, and we spoke with President Lilanda about the work LGAZ and AMM have been pursuing together, and we heard his reflections on the lessons, inspirations, and opportunities that emerged from the convention in Winnipeg.

Stay with us—Municipal Affairs begins right after this message.

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The Policing Crisis In Northern Saskatchewan

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1 month ago

15 minutes 43 seconds

Municipal Affairs

Today, we turn our attention to a growing crisis in northern Saskatchewan—one that is being felt most acutely in La Loche and its surrounding communities. It’s a crisis rooted not in a single issue, but in a chain reaction: an overstretched RCMP, rising crime rates, strained local services, and a lack of the basic supports needed for residents and professionals alike to live and work safely.

In La Loche, a community of nearly 4,000 people—alongside the neighbouring Clearwater River Dene Nation with another 1,500—the math simply doesn’t add up. A small detachment of officers is expected to police multiple communities spread across vast distances.

When two officers must leave La Loche to respond to an emergency 40 minutes away, the community is left exposed for hours at a time. And criminals know it.

The result? Break-ins. Violence. Repeat offenders cycling through a system that locals describe as “catch and release.” Meanwhile, RCMP officers face burnout, community trust erodes, and residents—teachers, nurses, and other essential workers—are reconsidering whether they can stay.

But the story doesn’t end with policing.

It expands into housing shortages so severe that even when mental health therapist positions are funded, they sit vacant because there’s nowhere for professionals to live. It extends into the lack of detox and addictions services.

And it raises an urgent question: how do northern communities build stability when the supports they need simply aren’t there?

This isn’t just a public safety issue. It’s a community wellbeing issue. A housing issue. A healthcare issue. And ultimately, a northern Saskatchewan issue that requires coordinated action.

Mayor Lyle Herman of La Loche has been sounding the alarm—both as mayor and as Vice President of the Northern Caucus of SUMA, representing 35 northern municipalities.

On November 22nd, Mayor Herman travelled to Ottawa to address the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs.

Last week, we sat down with Mayor Herman to talk about the realities his community is facing, and what solutions he believes must be on the table.

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Whats Going On In Rural Manitoba?

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1 month ago

31 minutes 12 seconds

Municipal Affairs

From healthcare and infrastructure to municipal funding, cell service, and RCMP policing costs, municipal leaders from every corner of Manitoba spent three days tackling the issues shaping communities across the Keystone Province.

We wanted to hear directly from rural leaders about the challenges unfolding in their own communities—and how they’re preparing to address them as they enter the final year of the 2022–2026 municipal term.

We spoke with the Rural Municipality of Cartier, Reeve Christa Vann Mitchell, about the convention and the coming year.

(INTERVIEW – Reeve Vann Mitchell)

In the Rural Municipality of Stuartburn, Reeve Michelle Gawronsky said that the next year will be a year of challenges, but rural municipalities will come through it.

(INTERVIEW – Reeve Gawronsky)

While for the Rural Municipality of St. Francois Xavier, Councillor Bryan Syrenne, the next year will be exciting, one issue, though, is at the top of mind heading into the election cycle.

(INTERVIEW – Councillor Syrenne)
And finally, we caught up with Rural Municipality of Sifton Councillor Scott Philips after the convention about the path forward, and the work that the communities in the western part of Manitoba are doing.

(INTERVIEW – Councillor Philips)

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Manitoba Mayors Sound Off

Municipal Affairs is Part of The Cross Border Network

1 month ago

33 minutes 39 seconds

Municipal Affairs

We wanted to hear directly from mayors about the challenges unfolding in their own communities—and how they’re preparing to address them as they enter the final year of the 2022–2026 municipal term.

We spoke with Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett about the key issues facing his city, including Premier Wab Kinew’s recent announcement on water funding for western Manitoba.

(INTERVIEW – CLIP – FAWCETT)

In The Pas, Mayor Andre Murphy says there is no shortage of concerns for northern communities—but for his town, it all comes down to one core issue.

(INTERVIEW – CLIP – MURPHY)

And in Thompson, while municipal leaders face a long list of priorities, Mayor Colleen Smook says one issue rises above the rest: healthcare.

(INTERVIEW – CLIP – SMOOK)

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Municipal Organizations Travel To AMM

Municipal Affairs is Part of The Cross Border Network

1 month ago

18 minutes 25 seconds

Municipal Affairs

More than 700 delegates from cities, towns, and rural communities across Manitoba gathered at Winnipeg’s RBC Convention Centre last month for the annual Association of Manitoba Municipalities Convention.

From healthcare and infrastructure to municipal funding, cell service, and RCMP policing costs, leaders spent three days debating the issues shaping communities across the Keystone Province.

And while the focus remained on Manitoba, municipal organizations from beyond the provincial borders were also on hand.

Federation of Canadian Municipalities President Rebecca Bligh attended the convention, meeting with delegates throughout the week.

We spoke with President Bligh about what she’s been hearing—and how, despite each province’s unique landscape, the challenges facing municipalities remain deeply interconnected.

(INTERVIEW – CLIP – BLIGH)

For Rural Municipalities of Alberta Vice President Jason Schneider, this convention marked his first trip outside Alberta since being acclaimed to the role just last week in Edmonton.

Schneider spent the week speaking with leaders and comparing how both provinces are navigating similar issues—and why a speech from Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew may have offered a welcome olive branch for rural municipalities back home.

(INTERVIEW – CLIP – SCHNEIDER)

From the land of the living skies, Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities President Bill Huber was also in attendance. He said the conversations happening in Winnipeg echoed the concerns he hears from his own members across Saskatchewan.

(INTERVIEW – CLIP – HUBER)

And finally, Union of British Columbia Municipalities President Cori Ramsay joined this year’s convention to build new connections and discuss shared challenges between B.C. and Manitoba—including one issue top of mind in both provinces: the reliability of cell coverage in rural regions.

(INTERVIEW – CLIP – RAMSAY)

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Municipal Affairs is Part of The Cross Border Network

1 month ago

21 minutes 25 seconds

Municipal Affairs

Leadership In Motion

The annual Association of Manitoba Municipalities convention wrapped up in Winnipeg last week, leaving municipal leaders with a renewed sense of momentum. Delegates spent three busy days debating resolutions, celebrating community achievements, and laying the groundwork for the year ahead—one that will ultimately lead Manitoba into its next municipal election.

More than 700 delegates attended, representing cities, towns, and rural communities from every corner of the province. The strong turnout underscored the AMM’s continued role as a united voice for Manitoba’s municipalities.

We spoke with AMM President Kathy Valentino about this year’s convention and the advocacy efforts the association has carried forward—and will continue to advance—as municipalities prepare for an important election year.

(INTERVIEW – CLIP – KATHY)

AMM Executive Director Denys Volkov also spent the week in conversation with municipal leaders and key stakeholders at the RBC Convention Centre in downtown Winnipeg.

We caught up with Volkov to hear what themes emerged throughout the convention, and how the AMM is working to support municipalities in the lead-up to election season.

(INTERVIEW – CLIP – DENYS)

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Alberta's Municipalities and Nuclear Energy

Municipal Affairs is Part of The Cross Border Network

1 month ago

20 minutes 18 seconds

Municipal Affairs

Alberta is often defined by its oil and gas sector—but a very different kind of energy is taking centre stage.

The spotlight on nuclear power, and small modular reactors, or SMRs is happening in communities across Alberta.

Unlike traditional nuclear facilities, SMRs are designed to be compact, factory-built, and scalable.

Supporters say they’re cheaper, safer, and far quicker to construct.

And importantly, they can be deployed in remote or less-populated regions—places where large-scale power infrastructure is harder to build.

While provinces like New Brunswick and Ontario already rely on nuclear energy—Ontario, in fact, gets more than half of its electricity from it—Alberta is beginning to chart its own path.

The province’s push toward SMRs was even included on Ottawa’s recent list of fast-tracked “nation-building projects,” signalling national momentum behind this emerging technology.

But new technology brings new questions.

For Strathcona County Mayor Rod Frank, the journey toward nuclear power hinges on one essential step: educating the public.

And in northwestern Alberta, one community has already begun that journey. The County of Northern Lights has been exploring the potential implications of nuclear development for its future.

Reeve Terry Ungarian spoke with us about the process, the opportunities, and the potential benefits of nuclear power becoming part of Alberta’s energy landscape.

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Fairview Council Wants Answers

Municipal Affairs is Part of The Cross Border Network

1 month ago

25 minutes 37 seconds

Municipal Affairs

Today we turn our focus to northwestern Alberta, where a major decision in the post-secondary sector is rippling through an entire region.

Students and residents in the town of Fairview are still reeling after Northwestern Polytechnic announced plans to close its satellite campus.

The news broke late on October 29th, following a vote by the institution’s board of governors—leaving many in the community shocked, disappointed, and searching for answers.

The Fairview campus has long been a cornerstone of local opportunity, serving a community more than 550 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.

Its sudden closure raises big questions about access to education, economic stability, and the future of rural Alberta.

Earlier this month, we spoke with Fairview Mayor Gordon MacLeod about what this loss means for his community and how residents are responding.

We also heard from Fairview Councillor Christopher Laue, who shared his reaction to learning about the closure at the last minute—and the concerns he’s hearing from residents.

But the impact doesn’t stop at Fairview’s borders. The closure is sending shockwaves throughout northwest Alberta.

Grimshaw Mayor Stacey Messner joined us to talk about what this decision means for the region as a whole, and why communities across the Peace Country are paying close attention.

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Alberta Villages Sound Off

Municipal Affairs is Part of The Cross Border Network

1 month ago

24 minutes 39 seconds

Municipal Affairs

Last week, more than twelve hundred delegates from communities across Alberta gathered in Calgary for what Alberta Municipalities calls the province’s largest municipal gathering.

For three days, municipal leaders, administrators, and local government partners met face-to-face, sharing ideas and charting a path forward for their communities.

This was the first meeting of municipal leaders since the 2025 Alberta Municipal Election on October 20th, 2025.

We spoke with three village municipal leaders who were in attendance including Village of Holden Mayor Carl Marsh, Village of Amisk Mayor Bill Rock, and Village of Duchess Deputy Mayor Deborah Reid-Mickler.

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