2025 was anything but quiet in the Keystone Province. Municipalities faced a complex mix of challenges: rising pressures on mental health response, growing concerns about public safety, vandalism and harassment aimed at local officials, and the day-to-day reality of delivering services with stretched resources. We watched municipalities call loudly for legislative reform, seek stronger federal commitments on housing, bail, and policing, and push for renewed investment in the

We’re taking a deep dive into a year that has been anything but ordinary for rural Alberta. Over the past twelve months, Rural Municipalities of Alberta have found themselves at a crossroads — balancing real challenges with emerging opportunities. It’s been a year marked by sweeping legislative change, growing financial pressures, and a renewed spotlight on the essential role rural communities play in the province’s economic and social fabric. From the passage of Bill 50 — wh

This year, SUMA has been hard at work — not just hosting events or conventions, but pushing for real change on behalf of urban municipalities. As part of the 2025‑26 provincial budget cycle, SUMA welcomed major investments in public safety, infrastructure, northern roads and airports, and health services — moves that will materially improve quality of life across the province. At the same time, SUMA has consistently called on the provincial government to step up when it comes

Today, we’re taking a close look back at the economic outlook of 2025—and what it means as we head into 2026. 2025 has been a year of contrasts. Across Alberta, municipalities have faced the ongoing impacts of global economic uncertainty—rising inflation, volatile markets, and the ever-present chatter about a potential global recession. At the same time, many communities have shown remarkable resilience, leveraging regional partnerships, strategic planning, and innovative ini

In this edition of Municipal Affairs, we’re turning our focus to one of the most pressing issues facing communities across Alberta: seniors and community housing. In 2025, the landscape of affordable and supportive housing continues to challenge municipalities large and small, from the bustling urban centres to the tight-knit rural communities where seniors are seeking to age in place. At the centre of this conversation is the Alberta Seniors & Community Housing Association,

Today, we focus on a remarkable moment of international collaboration. The Local Government Association of Zambia joined delegates from across Manitoba and beyond at the 2025 Association of Manitoba Municipalities Convention, held from the 25th to the 27th of November in Winnipeg. This year’s convention carried the theme “Leadership in Motion,”  a timely call for pragmatic leadership—leadership that not only imagines the future, but actively works toward shaping it. Over thre

Today, we turn our attention to a growing crisis in northern Saskatchewan—one that is being felt most acutely in La Loche and its surrounding communities. It’s a crisis rooted not in a single issue, but in a chain reaction: an overstretched RCMP, rising crime rates, strained local services, and a lack of the basic supports needed for residents and professionals alike to live and work safely. In La Loche, a community of nearly 4,000 people—alongside the neighbouring Clearwater

From healthcare and infrastructure to municipal funding, cell service, and RCMP policing costs, municipal leaders from every corner of Manitoba spent three days tackling the issues shaping communities across the Keystone Province. We wanted to hear directly from rural leaders about the challenges unfolding in their own communities—and how they’re preparing to address them as they enter the final year of the 2022–2026 municipal term. We spoke with the Rural Municipality of Car

From healthcare and infrastructure to municipal funding, cell service, and RCMP policing costs, municipal leaders from every corner of Manitoba spent three days tackling the issues shaping communities across the Keystone Province. We wanted to hear directly from mayors about the challenges unfolding in their own communities—and how they’re preparing to address them as they enter the final year of the 2022–2026 municipal term. We spoke with Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett about the