Municipal share of the tax dollar
| Fact | Municipalities receive only 8 cents of every tax dollar while the provincial governments receive 42 cents and the federal government receives 50 cents. |
| Action | As Councillor for the City of St. Albert, Len worked with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) and the federal government to achieve balanced stable funding for municipalities. |
| Outcome | The Government of Canada provided stimulus funding, gas tax revenue, GST rebate, and the Canada Alberta Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (CAMRIF) to support municipal infrastructure. The Alberta Government provided the Alberta Municipal Infrastructure Fund (AMIF) and the Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI). This has added billions of dollars of federal/provincial funding to municipalities across Alberta and throughout Canada. For example, St. Albert received an additional $132.11M since 2005. |
| AdditionalActionIn ProgressIn 2012 | We continue to build on the Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan through the partnership of all orders of government, the private sector and key stakeholders to develop a Long Term Infrastructure Plan. The planning phases include:
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Eliminating the down loading of senior housing debt to the next generations
| Fact | Lodges for seniors were financed through a 35 year debenture by the federal and provincial governments. In the 1990’s, with the interest rates of the time, a $2.2M lodge would end up costing Canadian taxpayers $6.6M as was the case of North Ridge Lodge in St. Albert. This debt was handed down to our children and grandchildren. |
| Action | As Councillor for the City of St. Albert, Len pressured the federal government to reduce or eliminate the 35 year debentures. |
| Outcome | One year later the federal government eliminated the 35 year debentures. This saved Taxpayers across Canada hundreds of millions of dollars. |
| AdditionalActionRequired | With the costs of the aging population increasing, all orders of government, the private sector and NGOs must work together to address the needs and find cost efficient solutions. |
Partnering with the Private Sector and Utilizing Private Sector Expertise
| Fact | Road maintenance and repairs cost taxpayers 10 to 15 times more when timely maintenance is delayed. The advantage of adding preventive maintenance to the life cycle of an asset is demonstrated in the following diagram. |
| Action | As Councillor, Len brought best practice information regarding road maintenance, taken from a study completed by the Alberta Road Builder Association, to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) to encourage timely road maintenance Best Practices. |
| Outcome | Best practices were implemented in municipalities across Canada saving Canadian taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars a year. |
| AdditionalAction Required | Best practices need to be continued and implemented in all municipalities across Canada. |
Life Cycle Maintenance and Replacement Plan for St. Albert
| Fact | St. Albert had an infrastructure debt of millions of dollars |
| Action | As Councillor, Len is the driving force for a life cycle maintenance and replacement plan for all infrastructure. New infrastructure must have an operating budget included in the business case with life cycle maintenance and replacement funding. |
| Outcome | St. Albert is a leader in Alberta with the implementation of an infrastructure life cycle maintenance and replacement plan. St. Albert has a 100 year Utility Plan that is cost recovery. |
| AdditionalActionRequired | This plan must be continually reviewed and revised to meet current needs. |
Senior Lodges in Alberta were in disrepair and needed upgrading
| Fact | Senior lodges across the province needed upgrading |
| Action | As MLA and Municipal Affairs Critic, Len pressured former Minister West to upgrade all lodges in Alberta according to a 5 year plan. |
| Outcome | The government implemented a five year plan (1994 – 1999) to upgrade all lodges in Alberta. Chateau Mission Court, in St. Albert, was upgraded in 1999. |
| AdditionalActionRequired | A life cycle maintenance replacement plan should be implemented for all lodges in Alberta. |
Municipal Sustainability Plans
| Fact | Municipality’s need 25 to 50 year sustainability plans to meet the needs of the future. |
| Action | Len promoted the development of sustainability plans for all municipalities (economic, environmental, social and cultural). Municipalities must determine their infrastructure debt and develop a long term plan to address the shortfalls and plans for growth. |
| Outcome | All municipalities are now required to have a municipal sustainability plan to address the present needs and plan for the future. |
| AdditionalActionRequired | Completion of all municipal plans so municipalities can be accountable to residents and federal and provincial governments. |
Municipal Trail System
| Fact | Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer and Lethbridge received provincial funding for trail systems. |
| Action | As a provincial MLA candidate and Councillor for the City of St. Albert, Len championed a trail system for St. Albert. |
| Outcome | The City of St. Albert received $9.8M and the Red Willow Trail System was developed. Red Willow Trail goes within 400 meters of every residence in St. Albert. In addition, all municipalities in Alberta can apply for funding for trail systems. |
| AdditionalActionRequired | Continue funding trail systems in municipalities and re-introduce the Urban Parks program. |
Environmental Sustainability
| Fact | Big Lake in St. Albert is a major North American migratory bird flyway that needed to be protected and used for environmental education, research and recreation. |
| Action | As MLA and Councillor for the City of St. Albert, Len lobbied the Provincial government and surrounding municipalities to designate Big Lake as a provincial park. |
| Outcome | As the result of the hard work of many people and Ducks Unlimited, Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park was established on April 19, 2005.John Poole Walkway in Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park was completed in 2011 with additional asphalt trails targeted for completion in 2012. |
| AdditionalActionRequired | An educational/research/interpretive center is in the concept planning stage to be built through a partnership with the Province of Alberta, Ducks Unlimited and the private sector. The vision for this interpretive site includes a myriad of nature trails, boardwalks, viewing platforms anddiscovery stations. This site will serve as an outdoor classroom, and will play an important role in DU Canada’s education and public awareness programs. |
25 Year Clean Air Strategy for Alberta
| Fact | Increased economic activity in Alberta required a new clear air strategy for Alberta. |
| Action | As Board Member for the AUMA, Len was appointed to the Clear Air Strategic Alliance (CASA) Board of Directors. A new clean air strategy was needed for Alberta and Len participated in this working group. |
| Outcome | A new 25 year clean air strategy for Alberta was developed through partnerships with the private sector, governments and NGOs. |
| AdditionalActionRequired | The plan for the clean air strategy is scheduled to be implemented in 2012. |
Building Municipal/Aboriginal Relations
| Fact | Building relationship and partnerships among aboriginals and municipalities benefit all parties. Aboriginals need to share in the prosperity of the Alberta economy through education, jobs and business creation. |
| Action | As Councillor for the City of St. Albert, Len worked through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and with former Councillor Michael Phair of Edmonton to bring the issues of urban aboriginals forward for discussion and action. Len also worked to bring aboriginal/municipal issues forward for discussions with the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA). |
| Outcome | The FCM signed an agreement with the Canadian Friendships Centers to work together on urban aboriginal/municipal issues. As Director of Cities, (AUMA), Len signed a historic agreement on September 29, 2007 on behalf of the AUMA with Jim Short, President of the Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association to work together on the Provincial Common Ground projects. Common Ground projects were initiated in Rocky Mountain House, Red Deer, High Prairie, and Slave Lake where 30 to 40 people representing many organizations work together to pool resources and find solutions to local issues.Len lobbied the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to work more closely with aboriginal organizations and took part in the development of the First Nations-Municipal Community Infrastructure Partnership Program (CIPP), Service Agreement Toolkit. The toolkit can be used across Canada to enhance municipal/aboriginal relations through the building of partnerships and service agreements resulting in reduced costs. |
| AdditionalActionRequired | Increase the aboriginal/municipal partnerships and work to build more service agreements and reduce costs through the utilization of (CIPP) across Canada. |
University Transit Pas (U Pass)
| Fact | Auto pollution is increasing health costs and is resulting in 16,000 deaths a year across Canada. |
| Action | City Council in St. Albert gave leadership in establishing the U pass for students travelling to post secondary institutions in Edmonton. |
| Outcome | Edmonton and the County of Strathcona passed similar motions and the U pass became a reality. The number of university students using public transportation continually increases. NAIT and Grant MacEwan students are now also using the U pass. |
| AdditionalActionRequired | Work is being done to have all post secondary institutions use the U pass program. St Albert, Edmonton, and the County of Strathcona need to work with the Chambers of Commerce and businesses to develop incentives for employees to use the transit system. |
Rural and Northern Caucus at the Federation of Canadians Municipalities (FCM)
| Fact | Cities are the engines of economic growth for Canada while rural Canada provides the fuel (oil, gas, agriculture, ranching, forestry and mining) for development. FCM has historically focused on the needs and issues of the cities while rural and northern issues were a lower priority. |
| Action | Len and other FCM members promoted the rural caucus and the establishment of the northern caucus to examine and address rural and northern issues. |
| Outcome | The work of the rural and northern caucuses (committees) resulted in the following benefits:
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| AdditionalActionRequired | Canada must continue to build sustainability in rural and northern Canada by:
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New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA)
| Fact | Provincial trade barriers cost Canadians $6 Billion a year. |
| Action | As MLA for St. Albert, Len lobbied the Alberta government to eliminate provincial barriers starting with provincial agreements. As AUMA Director, Len worked on the governance committee to ensure municipal issues were addressed in agreements. |
| Outcome | Premiers Klein and Campbell established The Trade, Investment andLabour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) to remove trade barriers between Alberta and British Columbia. Saskatchewan was the third province to join Alberta and British Columbia under the New West Partnership Trade Agreement that creates Canada’s largest, barrier-free, interprovincial market and presents opportunity for continued growth in all three provinces. |
| AdditionalActionRequired | This New West Partnership Trade Agreement needs to be implemented in all provinces and territories in Canada. |
Support Our Troops
| Fact | Our members of the armed forces put their lives on the line and allow Canadians to have the quality of life and democratic freedoms we enjoy today. Military families need our support. |
| Action | Council initiated Red Friday to honour our troops with a fundraiser to support the work of the military through enhanced education in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Residents are also asked to support military families in their neighborhoods. |
| Outcome | Red Friday raised $7600 for schools and education in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan 360 exhibit was displayed in the lobby of St. Albert Place and an information session was led by military personnel to raise awareness. |
| AdditionalActionsRequired | St. Albert continues to support our troops through activities on Canada Day and fundraising. |
Incorporating the Alberta Municipal Service Corporation (AMSC)
| Fact | Municipalities purchase products and services in quantities resulting in reduced costs which saves municipal taxpayers money. Current products and services that municipalities buy in common include electricity and gas supply, benefits services, general insurance services, insurance reciprocal, pension funds, energy management tools, and casual legal services. |
| Action | Len was on the AUMA Board that incorporated the Alberta Municipal Service Corporation (AMSC), a wholly owned subsidiary of the AUMA in 2005. |
| Outcome | The AMSC does $130M in business/year providing the above services to municipalities. This benefits the taxpayers by lowering the costs for these products and services. Len has served on the AMSC Board, AMSCIS Board, Apex Board and Munix Board. |
| AdditionalActionRequired | Continue to pursue new business opportunities for the AMSC. |
