Viability review
Last week, Sturgeon County received direction from Alberta’s Minister of Municipal Affairs to take part in an expedited Viability Review of the Town of Gibbons. Earlier today County Council passed a resolution to agree to participate and begin this work immediately.
The Viability Review is an important step for both communities to understand the Town’s financial position, and the County believes that all residents should have clear and accurate information about what is happening and what could happen.
Viability reviews are led by the Province. This Review will look at several factors concerning the Town of Gibbons, including what may be needed to return the Town to a stable financial position, and what a dissolution scenario could look like. At the end of the review, Gibbons residents will be asked whether they wish to remain as their own town, or dissolve and become a hamlet within Sturgeon County.
“Sturgeon County shares the shock and frustration that residents and businesses have related to the severity of the situation in Gibbons. This is an unprecedented challenge for both our communities to navigate,” says Mayor Alanna Hnatiw. “We respect the Minister’s direction to commence a Viability Review, and the County will participate to the best of our ability in the process. The County’s goal is to approach its contributions to the Viability Review in a thoughtful way, focused on facts and the long-term interests of all residents.”
Participating meaningfully in the Viability Review will require Sturgeon County to work closely with provincial and town officials, to reprioritize existing initiatives of our own, and to allocate significant cost and staff time. The County’s work will include estimates of what things could look like if Gibbons becomes a hamlet. This will cover how programs and services would be provided, how local roads and buildings would be looked after, and how local costs and taxes might be determined. It will also look at if/how Town and County staff could come together, how technologies are integrated, what local governance and representation could look like, and other important details.
Sturgeon County also has its own financial realities and pressures to manage, and any potential change in municipal boundaries or responsibilities introduces additional risk to the County’s fiscal position and service delivery. The County will carefully assess all impacts, be transparent about findings, and continue to keep residents informed as more information becomes available.ing soon
