Less than a year after the dissolution of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board, municipal leaders across the region are expressing strong interest in reviving collaborative efforts to address shared challenges and opportunities.
Building New Relationships
Fort Saskatchewan is taking the lead by hosting a meet and greet in December that will bring together representatives from all 13 former board members, including Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack. The event aims to foster new relationships and identify areas where municipalities can work together effectively.
Fort Saskatchewan Mayor Lisa Makin emphasized that the desire to collaborate comes from genuine regional interest rather than provincial mandate. "I think there is a lot of appetite to try to come back together, not because the province is telling us we have to, but because we make better decisions for the region when we do," Makin stated.
Identifying Shared Priorities
The December gathering will serve as a starting point for discussions about regional cooperation. With several new mayors in the region, the event will provide an opportunity for all players to share their perspectives on important regional topics.
Makin identified several potential areas for collaboration, including transportation infrastructure, inter-municipal transit, and growth planning. These discussions follow initial conversations that began at the ABMuni conference held in Calgary from November 12-14.
Re-elected Parkland County Mayor Rod Shaigec has expressed enthusiasm about resuming talks about how the county, the City of Edmonton, and other regional partners can pool resources for mutual benefit.
Economic Development Focus
Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack highlighted economic development as a critical area for regional cooperation. He referenced a 2016 report titled "Be Ready, or Be Left Behind" that emphasized the importance of regional collaboration in attracting business, jobs, and development.
"The region needs to be working together when it comes to attracting business, jobs and development," Knack said. "The purpose of working together is to grow the pie that's available to everyone. The more we can do that, the better off we all are in the region."
Knack expressed hope that the informal December gathering could evolve into more formal collaboration structures. While the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board itself may not be revived, municipal leaders are exploring alternative models for regional cooperation.
"If we're going to build a stronger Edmonton, we need a stronger region which in turn helps the entire province," Knack concluded, underscoring the broader implications of successful regional collaboration.
