by Morinville News Staff
The 24-municipality Capital Region Board met Thursday for what may have been its final meeting, using the time to reflect back on what it sees as 10 years of collaboration and regional success.
A new provincial regulation for the Capital Region Board coming soon raises the prospect of a significant Board change, reducing the membership to 13 municipalities, including Morinville.
The current 24-municipality membership took time to celebrate the past decade and make plans to transition to the smaller Board of 13.
“As 24 we have created a state-of-the-art Growth Plan for the long-term prosperity of our region, we’ve coalesced around a more fitting name – Edmonton Metropolitan Region, and we’ve gotten the ball rolling on regional economic development to enhance our global competitiveness,” said Board Chair Nolan Crouse. “That’s fulfilling the vision in our tagline, Regional Action, Global Opportunity.”
The 13 member municipalities who will make up the new Board are to be those in the region with a population of 5000 or more.
The transition will take place with the passing of Bill 21, the Modernized Municipal Government Act.
The 11 municipalities departing after Bill 21 is passed were recognized for their “key involvement in the successes of the CRB” at a celebratory luncheon for all regional municipal elected officials that followed the Board meeting.
“I think we can also be very proud of the collaborative spirit we’ve fostered amongst ourselves, big and small. It remains our greatest strength and may come to be seen as the essence of success for future growth management boards,” Crouse said.
