Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said recent amendments to the Alberta government’s Bill 20 are in line with conversations she’s had with Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver.

Minister McIver delivered the Bill 20 amendments to members of the Alberta Legislature on Thursday afternoon, with two key changes that have clarified contentious portions of the legislation. Bill 20 – Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 makes changes to both the Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA) and the Municipal Government Act (MGA).

The amendments clarify the circumstances under which the provincial government could remove a councillor, and also around the repeal of bylaws approved by a municipality. These created consternation among municipalities because of the ambiguous nature of each. Cities were worried that councillors or bylaw could be pulled for political reasons.

The amendment on the removal of councillors would allow provincial cabinet to force a vote of the electors to determine if a councillor should be removed.

“An elector vote to remove a councillor is limited to councillors who Cabinet consider to be unwilling, unable, or refusing to do the job for which they were elected, or if Cabinet considers such a vote to be in the public interest by taking into consideration illegal or unethical behaviour by a councillor,” the amendment reads.

The amendment to bylaw repeals clarifies that a bylaw would only be repealed if specific requirements are met. This includes a bylaw exceeding the scope or authority of the MGA, conflicts with the MGA, contrary to provincial policy or contravenes the “Constitution of Canada.”

Minister McIver told MLAs that the amended changes should be approved, despite what the Opposition NDP says.

“The opposition doesn’t seem to care what’s in the bill. They just care about getting their sound bites,” McIver said.

“The changes in Bill 20 will improve the lives of Albertans it strengthens and improves local elections.”

Bill 20 is still unwarranted: Mayor Gondek

Mayor Gondek joined a chorus of opposition against the original draft of Bill 20, saying that it was considerable overreach on the province’s part.  

“Bill 20 is the perfect example of government overreach, the same kind of overreach the provincial government fought with their Sovereignty Act,” she said.

Mayor Gondek has said, however, that some parts of the Bill were welcome – including the tax exemption for non-profit subsidized housing providers.

While Mayor Gondek was happy to see the concerns of municipalities addressed, she said the changes overall weren’t needed, nor asked for.

“I appreciate the clarity of ‘public interest,’ as well as the rationale for why a bylaw could be repealed. These edits better define those actions and I feel that I was heard by the minister. However, fixing two pieces of a bill designed to enshrine overreach is not a victory for anyone,” Mayor Gondek said.  

“However, I remain firm that Bill 20 is not necessary.”

Kyle Kasawski, the Alberta NDP critic for Municipal Affairs called Bill 20 authoritarian and that the amendments don’t address concerns Albertans have about the bill, particularly around the addition of political parties into the municipal election mix.

“Municipalities and Albertans have made it clear they have no interest in having their councils and school boards fly partisan banners. Once again, the UCP are completely ignoring Albertans’ feedback as the amendments from the government don’t acknowledge this whatsoever,” Kasawski said. 

“(Premier) Danielle Smith wants to control everything, everywhere, all at once, and she knows this legislation isn’t being well received by Albertans. The Premier must admit this legislation is too flawed and have her Minister of Municipal Affairs completely shred the bill.”