Alberta's Bill 28: Minister's Power Grab Over Cities

0:00It's April 3rd. I'm Cory with the story, and this is Canada News today, your AI-powered local news. Alberta's Bill 28 aims to give the Minister of Municipal Affairs major control over city operations, letting them set rules on everything. From counselor codes of conduct, to bans on higher taxes for empty homes, and new automatic permit approvals. It also tweaks development fees, limiting how cities collect and spend them, mostly for basic infrastructure like roads and pipes while blocking. Charges on charter and independent schools building on reserve lands. Leaders are split. Alberta Municipality's president backs some fixes for better oversight, but worries about overriding local know-how, the Minister. Calls it a provincial duty to set baselines, and developers cheer it for curving extra costs past to home buyers. Edmonton's mayor warns losing these revenue tools means hiking property taxes while the opposition in DP slams it as government overreach, joking the ministers basically mayor of the whole province.

1:03On top of transparency pushes like public salary lists for top earners and permit timelines, the bill eyes library content for kids sparking calls. For provincial cash since cities foot most of those bills, debates heating up as it heads to votes.