Tag: Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo

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Alberta Canada Ft Mac Politics

The Municipal Council Meeting Prayer in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo is Eliminated

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, municipal council meeting prayer

The municipal council meeting prayer for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo has been eliminated and will no longer be offered when the council members meet. This change is the result of a ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada which was handed down last week. Fort MacMurray Mayor Melissa Blake discussed the issue with other Canadian mayors when she attended the Mid-City Mayor’s Meeting. Mayor Blake believes that there really was no alternative to making the change and canceling the prayer. On April 15 the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that religious practices which are performed at a public meeting cause a breach of the duty of neutrality that the state has. Mayor Blake said “It’s been sort of at the forefront of my mind. Certainly the rule of law is what we must comply with, and the Supreme Court ruling makes it pretty clear that it’s inappropriate to have Christian prayers at the start of the meeting.”

Some disagree with the decision by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo to eliminate the municipal council meeting prayer. Mayor Blake defended the change by saying “We try to keep as neutral as it can be, it can make reference to God, but … it’s not one that was ever intended to incite controversialism. It’s just always been there, and now we’ve got a challenge to that through the court ruling.” Blake also said the change will not affect the business that the council handles, and commented “In our community, we’re filled with multiculturalism and a variety of beliefs. Nobody loses their ability to share their faith, they just can’t do it in the council chambers. It’s a different start as well, so it’s not that we have nothing left to bring the meeting in focus. We’d be happy to put singers on stage for the national anthem.”

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Economic Ft Mac

Twin Arenas Cost Slashed by Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Council

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Twin Arenas

The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo council has voted for a cost reduction with the first phase of the Twin Arenas project. This change came about because of the review of capital projects made necessary due to falling oil revenue and lower oil prices on the global market. The Northside Rec Centre saw a total cost reduction for phase 1 which was a little more than 17% at $7.3 million. Now it is up to the Regional Recreational Corporation to determine how these savings can be achieved. The council members expressed confidence that the cost reductions are possible given the current depressed economy. Councilor Keith McGrath commented “I believe it’s something that’s achievable. This economic climate has certainly changed in the last three months. One of the ways we can is through an open book contract … Show us your real costs.”

The Twin Arenas project was just one of many projects that was reviewed by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo council. Since the area is an oil boom town the impact of lower oil prices is more significant. The reliance on the energy industry in the area can make long term planning and fund allocation more difficult for the municipality. Mayor Melissa Blake stated that contractors have talked about a project cost decrease that is usually 20%-30% because of the economic condition right now. Blake said “I’m hopeful that this council has been prudent in this decision as well and that we’ll be actually able to have evidence of that.”

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Economic Ft Mac

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Hopes Municipal Census Shows Growth

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, municipal census

The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo is conducting the municipal census, and the hope is that the census shows growth in the region. Mayor Melissa Blake predicted that the census will show that there is growth in the region. “As we go through this period of economic recession, people may be worried that we are really not the community that we used to be. I challenge that. The way I can make evidence available is by saying, we’ve gone from this population up to something in the (80,000)s in the regular residents. The importance of accuracy is that it really is a big indicator of how we’re going to spend our resources. It’s not insignificant, when you add up to 80-85,000 people, that gives us a great opportunity to do some meaningful projects in our community.”

The municipal census recently started in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo and efforts are being made to ensure that everyone is counted in the region. According to RMWB acting director of planning and development Brad Evanson each house will receive a miailout that contains a PIN number, and these mailouts allow residents to respond to the census inquiry online, with the goal being to capture 100% of the people who live in the region on April 1. Evanson stated “We want to make sure we capture as many people, even the people that might not be captured in a basement suite or as rental tenants.: Mayor Blake also explained that the responses can not be tracked back to individuals, and said “Whatever your hindrance is or fears might be, put them aside, because there’s (a) far greater benefit.”

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Alberta Breaking News Economic

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Gives Approval for Alberta Separation

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Alberta separation

An Alberta separation has been unanimously approved by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo council, setting the stage for a province of Wood Buufalo with former Mayor Melissa Blake being named premier. During the council meeting on Tuesday there was no debate, all of the councillors voted for Wood Buffalo to secede from the Alberta province within 6 minutes. The proposal was put forward by Councillor Tyran Ault, who argued that the council was always being asked to bail out the province. Ault said “It was a real eureka moment for me after I said that. Why not become our own province if we are already doing the province’s work?” This means that royalties and other financial assets will no longer be sent to Alberta, and the region will have better control over local matters.

The Alberta separation move by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo may be costly due to constitutional challenges, and the municipality is in the process of gathering together a large legal team in order to fight any challenges that are issued. New premier and former Mayor Melissa Blake said “I’ve been very vocal that this is the time to catch up on infrastructure and review policies, but that requires lobbying the province and Ottawa. Council realized if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.” Lawyers willing to work for the separation will receive free housing and be generously compensated in an effort to attract talented lawyers with the legal knowledge necessary to make the separation happen.

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Economic Ft Mac Politics

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Makes $80 Million in Budget Cuts and Cancels Projects

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, budget cuts

During a recent council meeting the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo council agreed to $80 million in budget cuts and cancellation of future projects in an effort to bring spending under control and offset dropping revenues which resulted from lower oil prices. The council cut $14 million from the operating budget alone, and the rest of the savings was seen by canceling or at least delaying 10 different capital projects. The Wood Buffalo region must strike a balance between much needed improvements and infrastructure upgrades which contribute to further growth and economic health and downsizing to take into account the fact that revenues are down because oil prices have plunged in recent months. Coun. Tyran Ault stated “I’m very happy, I think we saved a significant amount of money for taxpayers today.” Not everyone was on board though, and some have voiced concerns that too much cost cutting could have a negative impact when oil prices start to rise again.

Some of the projects that were canceled as part of the recent Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo budget cuts included a permanent Conklin waste water treatment plant project expected to cost around $39 million and an energy supply pipeline expected to cost around $27 million. According to Fort MacMurray Mayor Melissa Blake “What I experienced is that it was quick and easy. Sometimes administration had recommendations for … holding or deferring some of these projects and saving us money, so it wasn’t a wasted process by any way shape or form.” The review of projects was finally stopped at 10 pm even though there were still 5 projects left to go over.

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Economic Ft Mac

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Operating Budget to be Slashed by Millions

Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, operating budget

The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo council will examine the current operating budget in an effort to cu around $14 million out. This is a precaution in case oil revenues do not pick up and the municipality faces future losses of revenue as a result of lower oil prices. At an audit and budget committee meeting a plan was proposed to eliminate 2.8% of the operating budget, an amount that is a little more than $14 million. The money used to slash the budget numbers will come from discretionary spending that may include contracted resources for projects that are not critical, training, business travel, and goods and supplies ordered. According to Sheldon Germain, who is the committee chair, “I’m very appreciative that we looked at our 2015 operating budget and found close to $15 million dollars. We’re going to continue to monitor the revenue side and the cost side at the end of the first quarter and see if there’s other areas or opportunities that we can be more efficient.”

The council for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo will vote on the discretionary spending cuts in the operating budget at the meeting on March 24, and further options may also be possible once the first quarter fiscal report is available. During the meeting Germain inquired about whether the administration could provide a plan showing what the operating budget would look like with cuts of 5%, 7%, and 10%. RMWB Chief Financial Officer Elsie Hutton explained that the analysis for these plans would not be possible until the first fiscal quarter report is provided.