(Airdrie, AB) – Alberta’s Mid-sized City Mayors are gathered in Airdrie today to refine their collective priorities and identify opportunities on which to partner with Premier Danielle Smith and her provincial government.
Alberta Mid-sized Cities are uniquely positioned to support the province’s long-term prosperity, and they are actively seeking partnerships with the province to leverage current and future opportunities.
“These 24 municipal leaders representing 33 ridings and one million Albertans – nearly 25 per cent of Alberta’s population. Their municipalities range from large suburban and urban centres to regional service centres for rural Alberta,” said Mayor Jeff Genung of Cochrane and Chair of the Mid-Sized Cities Mayors’ caucus (MCMC). “Our opportunities and challenges aren’t unlike those of the bigger cities; however, our access to funding and services isn’t the same.”
Earlier this year, the MCMC identified the following areas of focus:
- Building better relationships and partnerships
- Equitable and appropriate capital funding
- Community Safety and Wellness
- Healthcare
“We see opportunities for meaningful collaboration, and we want to ensure the new government understands that we are willing, knowledgeable and capable partners in helping the Province achieve long-term prosperity and putting Albertans first. We’re excited to get started on this important work,” he concluded.
The MCMC meets monthly to share best practices, discuss challenges faced by their communities and identify opportunities to work together to solve these challenges. They also meet in-person twice per year to identify areas for improvement, seek out partnerships, and leverage funding and collaboration opportunities.