Cold Lake and M.D. react to achieving ID349 agreement

After years of intermunicipal relationship building and negotiations, the Municipal District of Bonnyville (M.D.) is overjoyed that the Government of Alberta and the municipal parties involved – the Village of Glendon, Town of Bonnyville, City of Cold Lake, and the M.D. – have all agreed, in principle, on how to distribute the linear property tax revenues from the Cold Lake air weapons range (ID349) moving forward.

Improvement District No. 349 will now be amalgamated into the M.D. with the tax revenue from the former ID properties being shared amongst all municipal partners.

“The M.D. is very pleased with yesterday’s announcement and the effort by the province through MLA David Hanson and Municipal Affairs Minister Tracy Allard to bring this longstanding issue to a close,” states M.D. Reeve Greg Sawchuk.

“We appreciate their willingness to not only consult with us, but to entertain our Made in the Lakeland solution.” Safeguarding the lasting sustainability of our four communities was the cooperative foundation of this historic agreement. Thank you to our urban partners and their Councils for concentrating on this shared vision.

“We believe this agreement, which was built in the spirit of collaboration, will provide stability to the municipalities involved and benefit all of the residents in our region,” Sawchuk said.

Although this agreement is subject to the approval of Cabinet, the M.D. is looking forward to working with the province on the necessary transition.

-M.D. of Bonnyville

Cold Lake

The City of Cold Lake joins its neighbours in celebrating the announcement of a resolution to the ID 349 agreement, announced by the Honourable Minister of Municipal Affairs, Tracy Allard, on November 30.

“This announcement brings closure to a long-standing file for the City of Cold Lake and will provide for sustainable funding that will put more Albertans to work by funding critical municipal infrastructure projects,” Mayor Craig Copeland said.

“Our thanks go out to Minister Allard, MLA David Hanson, and Reeve Greg Sawchuk and his council for their leadership and consistent effort to find a resolution.”

The agreement includes the City of Cold Lake, the Municipal District of Bonnyville, the Town of Bonnyville, and the Village of Glendon. It requires a unanimous vote of all four councils to alter the agreement.

ID 349 will be amalgamated with the Municipal District of Bonnyville, and the municipal property tax revenue from the area will go to the urban municipalities based on an agreed upon formula, which largely provides for a per-capita distribution while compensating the Municipal District of Bonnyville for road maintenance and administrative work.

“This is a historic agreement involving four municipalities who collaborated for the future sustainability of their region,” Copeland said. “Ultimately, the agreement respects the principles that the City of Cold Lake held to be most important, including that the agreement cannot be changed without consent and that it provides for regional sustainability.”

The ID 349 amalgamation is awaiting the final approval of Cabinet.

-City of Cold Lake