Alberta to amend Bill 20 amid widespread backlash

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Facing widespread opposition, the Alberta government says it now plans to amend its controversial Bill 20 to further clarify elements that give cabinet new, unilateral powers to remove a councillor, as well as repeal or amend local bylaws.

Bill 20, the Municipal Affairs Charter Amendment Act of 2024, was introduced in the legislature last week but drew almost immediate criticism.

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Much of the backlash came in response to those new authorities the government was giving itself, with Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi describing the legislation as “bullying” and “an attack on local democracy.”

On Thursday, a week after the bill was introduced, Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver issued a statement indicating changes to the legislation were coming.

“We will work with municipalities to propose amendments to the legislation and clarify that this will only be used in very limited circumstances,” it reads in reference to the ability to remove councillors.

The bill would give cabinet the ability to remove a councilor if cabinet deemed it to be “in the public interest,” although it does not set out any criteria for how that would be determined.

By convention, discussions within cabinet meetings are kept secret.

McIver said last week that cabinet would decide “on a case-by-case basis.”

He said in his statement that such authority would be “used as a last resort,” echoing his comments last week that “our most fervent wish is to never use this authority.”

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The power to remove councilors already exists, but municipal leaders have argued that the bill changes what had been a public process to a private one with little oversight and accountability.

McIver’s statement Thursday presents a similar message about the possible ability to repeal or modify the statutes.

“We will also work with municipalities to propose amendments to the legislation and clarify that this would only be used in very limited circumstances related to areas that are primarily overseen by the province, such as health care, education, the provincial economy or public safety. “

Currently, cabinet can force councils to amend or repeal land use bylaws. Bill 20, as written, would extend that authority to all statutes.

The government has said that more details on the implementation of Bill 20 will come through regulatory changes.

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McIver’s statement did not address other parts of the bill, including the imposition of political parties in Calgary and Edmonton despite an apparent lack of support for doing so, as well as the ban on electronic vote counting machines that comes despite over objections from municipal leaders who say it will add millions to election costs.

Attempt to “get more power”: ABmunis

Opposition municipal affairs critic Kyle Kasaowski said the minister’s promise changes little and the bill remains an example of the United Conservative Party’s (UCP) “authoritarian, made-in-Alberta approach to government.”

“The UCP needs to recognize that it has too many flaws to amend it and withdraw it entirely,” he said, calling on the government to withdraw the bill.

“The UCP warden-in-chief still wants the ability to fire municipal officials who have been elected by Albertans and repeal municipal bylaws if they don’t have their approval.”

The legislation has also drawn criticism from both organizations that represent Alberta municipalities and have spoken out against it.

Alberta Municipalities President and Wetaskiwin Mayor Tyler Gandam said Monday the bill has created an atmosphere of distrust among the organization’s 265 municipalities.

“Some of our members fear repercussions if they openly disagree with the provincial government,” he said. “Bill 20 is an attempt by the provincial government to gain more power and exert more control over how people choose to live in their own communities.”

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Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA), which represents 69 counties and municipal districts, called the legislation earlier this week “an affront to democracy.”

“Imagine if the federal government decided to pick the provincial policies and leaders it agreed with and simply remove those it didn’t like,” RMA president Paul McLauchlin said in a statement.

“Something tells me the provincial response would be one of anger, so it’s no surprise ours is the same when such exaggerated scrutiny is directed at local councillors.”

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