BONNYVILLE – The MD of Bonnyville has made an item that came out of the ID 349 negotiations official.
Alberta Municipal Affairs confirmed last year they would approve and formalize the long-term revenue sharing proposal submitted to them by the MD, Town of Bonnyville, City of Cold Lake, and Village of Glendon, stated CAO Al Hoggan during council’s May 19 committee meeting.
“During the intermunicipal negotiations leading up to finalizing this proposal, the MD agreed to provide the village with a $200,000 annual contribution outside of the terms of the long-term revenue sharing proposal,” Hoggan added.
The amount, which wasn’t included in the current year’s budget deliberations, will come from the MD’s 2021 general operating budget.
“As everyone remembers, this was part of the ID 349 negotiations... and it was a long meeting with a lot of discussion,” noted Reeve Greg Sawchuk. “This was one of the results that helped to push it over the edge. Glendon was in favour of it and we’re just now putting it into writing.”
The “made in the Lakeland” agreement will see the city receive $15.37 million, $6.88 million will go to the town, Glendon will get $990,150, and the MD will receive $2.2 million. The funding amounts will change depending on the tax revenue that is generated by the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range (CLAWR).
The province also said ID 349 would become part of the MD and officially agreed to annex the land. It will be absorbed into the borders of the MD as a result of this decision. Three per cent of the annual revenue from the taxes will go to the MD to cover administration costs associated with the annexed lands.
Since the province formalized their acceptance of the proposal in May, MD administration was looking for council to approve the funding amount on an annual basis until 2045 or until the order regarding ID 349 isn’t in place anymore.
How long the ID 349 order was set to be in place was an issue for Coun. Ben Fadeyiw.
“I think if we’re going to be planning and putting money into having our planning and development part of it, this is only seeing a 25-year window into it and that’s very uncertain. I don’t like uncertainty, especially when it’s a big agreement like this.”
Hoggan noted that 25 years wasn’t something that he would worry about.
“I can tell you that it wouldn’t be uncommon for an order in council to have an end because it’s a long-term plan. Much like when all the other municipal districts were formed in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. They came in through an order in council with a very similar date and eventually they all rolled into legislation.”
He continued, “I would suggest that the 25 years is probably not a huge concern. At least, it isn’t for me as a CAO because probably between now and then, legislation will come in and there will be other things that will take place. It may be the province’s thinking that inside those 25 years, they’re going to walk away from it and it’s going to be the MD with the city and village that will have to figure out their relationships.”
The motion to add the $200,000 for the village to the general operating budget was passed unanimously by council.
