New bill would require Alberta cities, towns to get okay from province for federal funding

Alberta’s United Conservative Party government has tabled legislation in an attempt to take control of federal agreements with municipalities and other provincial entities.

Premier Danielle Smith introduced Bill 18, the Provincial Priorities Act, in the legislature on Wednesday — the act would prevent the federal government from entering into agreements with municipalities, unless the province is consulted first.

It would also apply to school boards, health authorities, post-secondary institutions, crown corporations, and housing organizations.

“Albertan’s are uninterested in the virtue-signaling from Ottawa and the related strings that come with it,” Smith said Wednesday. “We are interested in our fair share of federal funding.”

The government says the new bill will “ensure federal funding is aligned with provincial priorities, rather than with priorities contrary to the province’s interests.”

Smith says Albertans have paid far more in federal taxes than they get back in federal programs and transfers, and claims the funding the province gets comes with “ideological strings attached.”

In a release, the province cites the example of what it calls Ottawa’s “ideological push” to get electric buses in Canadian cities, which they say don’t work well in winter weather.

“Alberta’s government believes the funds that Ottawa allocated for unreliable and impractical electric buses would have been better spent on Alberta priorities including strengthening the province’s economic corridors with improved roads and commuter rail,” reads the release.

Smith also brought up the prospect of safe supply, where medications are prescribed as a safer alternative to the toxic illegal drug supply.

“We’re not going to allow them to go down a pathway of supporting safe supply in this province,” she says. “We’re looking at what’s happening in British Columbia — the nurses, they’re talking about what a disaster it is.”

Calgary mayor blasts new bill

Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek weighed on the new legislation on Tuesday, saying she was consulted on the matter and urged the province to stop picking fights with the federal government.

“It’s simply going to slow things down, that will make life worse for Calgarians, not better,” she says. “For a government that talks about cutting red tape and overreach, this is rich.”

She adds the lack of funding from the province is one of the reasons why property taxes in the city have had to go up.

“My question would be, are you willing to step in and pay for everything? Are you willing to build the relationships to make sure that money flows to us?” asks Gondek. “Because I don’t see that happening.”

Alberta’s municipal affairs minister says if a city or a town want something the province isn’t willing to approve, they can pay for it themselves.

“Municipalities have their own tax base, if they have a priority different than what the federal government’s might be, they collect property taxes and other sources of revenue that they have the right to spend as they see fit,” says Ric McIver.

The legislation is expected to come into effect before the end of the year.