The Capital Region Board (CRB) got a ministerial nod for its growth plan into the future, but provincial officials still want the finer points ironed out.
Municipal Affairs Minister Ray Danyluk spoke at a CRB meeting Thursday when he officially endorsed the 25-member board's growth plan that is meant to establish how the region will develop over the next few decades.
The document establishes a vision for a regional transit network, affordable housing strategy and land use plan as well as a geographic information system.
The plan, passed in a 19-25 vote in March, and was officially submitted to the province for its approval. Sturgeon County along with several small rural municipalities voted against it, but their nay votes were not enough to derail the process.
Danyluk said he was impressed with the document and its vision for the area. "This is a good plan, a complete document and a solid foundation that can be built on."
He said despite the report's strengths there are still areas that need addressed.
"This is an excellent report, but do I see some more areas where there is work to be done? Yes I do and that is what I expect this board to do."
St. Albert Mayor Nolan Crouse said he was pleased the plan has the minister's support. "The spirit of endorsement is important because he is saying to the municipalities I accept what you have done."
When Premier Ed Stelmach first put the board together to help solve regional disputes, housing starts were at record highs and several upgraders were expected to bring even more workers to the region.
Danyluk said the plan will hold up under ever-evolving economic circumstances. He also said the ease in development was actually a boost to the board.
"It gave an opportunity for this board and the government to breathe for a second and to make sure we have development in a more co-ordinated fashion."
Difficult issues
Those unaddressed areas include some of the most difficult issues the board wrestled with over the last year.
The board agreed to concentrate growth in priority areas, but failed to specify where they should be. It also failed to come up with any kind of cost allocation formula for regional services or projects.
Danyluk also wants to see the board set density targets to make sure the region does not continue to sprawl outwards.
"We need to ensure the rural areas are not one or two units per acre. We need to preserve farmland and we need to also be able to have a density for us to provide services."
Danyluk gave the board until the end of this year to solve the remaining issues. He recognized that will be a challenge, but is confident the board can do it.
Board chair Chris Sheard, who has been managing the CRB for the last year, said he is also confident the mayors, councillors and reeves at the table can solve these issues.
"We certainly have some challenging issues that are primarily in the land use area, but I fully expect that by year end we will have dealt with them all."
Crouse also conceded there will be a lot of challenges ahead for the board, especially with so much on individual municipal agendas.
"It is hard and we have other challenges because we have summer months and then every municipality is going to go through budget pressures this fall."
Crouse pushed Danyluk on the issue of funding for the board's proposed regional initiatives.
Danyluk said the province doesn't have money set aside for the board's proposals, but when they get a request they will look at it.
Crouse chaired the group's transit committee, which developed a list of quick win projects that would make the region more transit friendly within the next five years.
"He said to us, bring us a proposal and from a transit point of view we will be bringing him a proposal."
