This Week
New emergency management regulation creates new rules for municipalities

On November 19, 2018 , the Emergency Management Amendment Act received Royal assent. The new Act required the creation of a Local Authority Emergency Management Regulation, which was was enacted on November 27, 2018. Local authorities will have until January 1, 2020, to meet the requirements established in the Local Authority Emergency Management Regulation.
Webinar Recording: Alberta Nutrition Report Card Part 2  

AUMA and RMA recently hosted the second of a two-part webinar series on the Alberta Nutrition Report Card.

This webinar built on the previous webinar’s overview of the Alberta Nutrition Report Card to highlight areas for action, and provide practical tools and strategies to support healthy food environments. 
AUMA Director a Leading Risk Manager

AUMA’s own Christine Maligec, Director, Risk Management, is featured as a Leading Risk Manager in this month’s Insurance Business Canada magazine. Check out the article on page 33, where Christine discusses risks Alberta municipalities are facing.

Visit the Risk Management page on the AUMA website for more information on this great AMSC business service we offer to municipalities.
In Your Community
Immigration increasing in 2019

The Government of Canada has released its annual immigration plan, targeting to welcome 330,800 immigrants to the country in 2019. All categories will see an increase with the largest rise in the economic category. In total, the 2019 immigration plan represents an increase of 20,800 persons compared to 2018.   
Reminder - Guidance available on elimination of the federal one-third tax exemption for municipal elected officials

The federal government eliminated the one-third tax exemption for provincial and municipal elected officials, which comes into effect January 1, 2019.

AUMA prepared a brief financial analysis that provides sample calculations demonstrating the loss of post-tax income and potential cost to of increasing pre-tax compensation to make up for this loss.  
AUMA staff gift exchange benefits Santa’s Anonymous

This year, 32 AUMA staff participated in the Social Club’s annual “Santa’s Anonymous Gift Exchange,” resulting in a variety of toys, games, puzzles and more going to children in the Edmonton area.

Participating staff drew the name of a co-worker and had to buy a toy that “fits” the recipient, be it work-related, or personal like a hobby or interest. The gifts were wrapped and included a poem or note that explains why that gift was chosen for the individual.

During Tuesday’s lunch break, AUMA staff gathered together and, one at a time, read their notes, and opened “their” gifts. The gift exchange was anonymous, so no one knew who bought their gift or wrote the fun and creative notes and poems.

All the unwrapped toys collected (packaging intact!) will be delivered to Santa’s Anonymous. 
Events
View events, webinars, workshops and more at auma.ca/events

LGAA 60th Annual Conference - Save the date! The Local Government Administration Association of Alberta (LGAA) is hosting its 60 th Annual Conference April 3 -5, 2019, in Red Deer. Registration opens January 1, 2019.
Casual Legal Article

Excluding litigious contractors from bidding on future tenders

A recent decision from British Columbia has upheld a municipality’s right to include a condition in a tender which precludes any party engaged in litigation with the municipality from submitting a bid. The case involved a construction contractor with a business focused on municipal infrastructure for the City of Burnaby. A dispute arose between the contractor and the City over a hidden defect on a contract for sewers, services connections and paving, which led the contractor to file a notice of dispute. 

Note: these articles are available to AUMA members only . To access, you must have a subscription to the AUMA website.

  • If you belong to an AUMA member municipality but do not have your own log-in, simply visit the AUMA website to request a new account.
  • If you have an account, but do not remember your password, you may request a new password.
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What's in the News
Economy, Economic Development and Tourism
  • Lacombe's Main Street Program receives international Envision award
  • They invested $200,000 before cannabis was legal. Now, these retailers are stuck in limbo as Alberta’s supply runs out

Energy
  • Alberta buying its own rail cars to move oil without feds, Notley says
  • Bright future for solar power in Alberta Schools
  • Hard-hit Drayton Valley businesses invite prime minister to talk oil, economy: ‘We need your help’

Environment
  • City OKs $26K in eco-grants

Infrastructure and Transportation
  • Gold Bar sewer expansion reveals 'governance issue,' says councillor
  • 'Unchecked licence': Industry association says NDP changes will cost homeowners

Intergovernmental Relations
  • RCMP allowed Conservative MP to host news conference 'without proper consideration'
  • Alberta announces 'historic' revenue-sharing deal with Calgary, Edmonton
  • Ponoka to withhold taxes if province doesn’t deliver on funding
  • Alberta government approves annexation deal with Edmonton and Leduc County

Municipal Governance
  • Edmonton city councillors missing up to 16% of city meetings
  • Town of Barrhead CAO resigns
  • Sylvan Lake latest to increase council salaries ahead of tax changes
  • Alberta's Utilities Consumer Advocate now mediating water bill disputes
  • Grande Cache dissolving on New Year’s Day
  • Couple claims they were driven out of workplace for being 'too gay'
  • Town of Stettler increases staff Christmas bonuses
  • Councils pondering pay increases

Safe and Healthy Communities
  • First homelessness survey reveals uncomfortable truth
  • Women's shelter concerned over growing domestic violence numbers

Occupational Health and Safety
  • Alberta workplaces no longer allowed to mandate high heels for employees

Marijuana/Cannabis
  • Hanna looked over for Federal funding
  • Mellow out on cannabis enforcement costs in 2019 budget, Edmonton councillor says
  • Calgary city hall calls for cap on Stephen Avenue pot shops

Opioid Crisis
  • City council grants second and third reading for a supervised consumption site
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