Questions from Fair Future Canmore

Will you vote to repeal or remove the vacancy tax if elected? Why or why not?

I remain open to all solutions that help the community of Canmore deliver much-needed below-market housing solutions. The Livability Tax Program may be part of the solution moving forward, so voting to repeal or remove it would be premature.

However, the Livability Tax Program must be driven and determined by a yet-to-be-developed tax policy that acknowledges the rights of property owners (regardless of whether they are primary or not) to have their property taxes fairly and reasonably determined through a transparent and accountable process. The Property Tax Task Force is expected to undertake that work.

Furthermore, the next council should create a comprehensive housing development plan that outlines over the next 20 years how the Livability Tax will be used to fund non-marking housing solutions. Developing that housing action plan will require direct engagement and input from second homeowners and the development/building industry. 

The Sept. 22 mandate letter from the Premier to the Minister of Municipal Affairs clearly states that the province will be involved in determining the future of the Livability Tax.

The wording, however, leaves me to believe there is still room for the Livability Tax to be a viable tool for the Town of Canmore. But there must be real and reasonable guardrails to prevent it from becoming a slush fund or source of discretionary spending for future councils that are in place. It should also be predictable in the future, so those who have invested in owning property in Canmore understand its impact clearly. 

What ideas do you have to fund, incentivize or otherwise address housing in Canmore, aside from a vacancy tax?

The comprehensive housing plan we must develop is key to funding, incentivizing, and addressing housing. It must include all avenues open to us for creating housing units. 

Canmore Community Housing's Vital Homes Program is a viable solution that can continue to deliver housing through the financing options available to us through CMHC and other financial institutions. As we build inventory and the rents pay off the financing, they are assets that we can leverage to build more housing. 

Additional incentives for accessory dwelling units and the permitting of duplexes without parking for suites are needed. Infill housing should be explored in established neighbourhoods. 

We also need to track the effectiveness of the changes and new initiatives this council has introduced. That includes tax breaks for purpose-built rental buildings and increased regulation of tourist homes. 

How will you bring more accountability and effective governance to the Council and Administration?

I can only bring more accountability and effective governance to the council and administration if my fellow council colleagues support such efforts and feel they are worth investing time and money.

I have and will continue to advocate for establishing a governance and priorities committee. Policy and bylaw development should be a public process. Our community interest holders should not be surprised by items being brought forward for final approval on a regular council meeting agenda.  

I have also included a review of the public participation policy in my platform. This is a great place to start work, as hearing from our community and interested parties is a key part of what I need to be an effective councillor and make decisions. 

That said, we now have an independent governance consultant, which was not the case before this term. This means we conduct regular governance self-assessments and independent reviews of the CAO's performance. I have completed my municipal elected leaders education certificate through Alberta Municipalities and the University of Alberta, and served one term on the ABMunis governance committee. 

Governance needs to be improved continuously. That is why I continue my professional development in governance and serve on the provincial committee. Effective decision-making and governance are key to delivering on the Municipal Government Act's duties of a councillor. 

Do you support Canmore pursuing Resort Municipality Status as a means of raising funds for the operation of the Town? Why or why not?

Resort Municipality Status is an idea that hasn't yet found the right time or place to gain traction in Alberta. It is a legitimate, viable way for tourism spending in Alberta to support the delivery of services needed for a visitor economy to be more successful and sustainable. The British Columbian model restricts those funds to tourism-related infrastructure, services, and programs. If established in Alberta, it could free up funds in Canmore's budget, for example, by paying for tourism-related services we already provide. Public washrooms, parks, trails, garbage, and event support are all services the Town of Canmore delivers at a level higher due to our high visitation numbers. Resort Municipality Status is not a direct path towards funding for housing solutions. 

Do you believe the province is supportive of the vacancy tax initiative?

Like all policy ideas, the Livability Tax Program will likely have support and opposition at the provincial government level. However, further development of this tax policy is still needed before it can be fully implemented. 

The mandate letter refers to protecting Albertans from this kind of tax initiative. It also contains language around limiting the size of tax increases municipalities can make to property taxes.

That language implies that there are solutions that must be discussed with the province before this specific tax program can move forward. 

Why do you think the town spends so much money on external consultants, including lawyers? Is that a worthwhile spend? 

Is there an amount compared to total operational or capital budgets that is a best practice among Canadian or Alberta cities or towns? Can you provide me with data points to contextualize what "so much money" means compared to what? 

The Town of Canmore has to spend money on consultants and lawyers based on our decisions, the projects we pursue, and the challenges we face. Capital projects, for example, sometimes require consultants with specific expertise in an area we don't have on staff. The bigger we grow as a community, the more projects we will undertake in our capital budget. Increased spending on consultants could be directly related to growth and the complexity of issues we face.

Regardless of why we spend money on lawyers, acting in the best interest of all Canmore citizens as a municipal corporation and as a governing body is not without challenge or risk. The courts are an essential part of our democratic system, providing checks and balances. Legal challenges of municipal decisions sometimes go all the way to the Supreme Court. This is an active area of jurisprudence, so I expect to spend money on lawyers.