Q - What is the Calgary Regional Partnership?
A - The Calgary Regional Partnership is a regional inter-municipal association incorporated in 2003. It is a strong coalition of municipalities that understands the synergistic relationship of local governments in the region.
The CRP's Vision: We are working together to live in balance with a healthy environment, in enriched communities, with sustainable infrastructure and a prosperous economy.
Q - What projects is the CRP currently involved in?
A - The scope of projects is fairly wide reflecting the diversity of regional issues, from regional growth planning and economic development to regional water and wastewater servicing and specialized transportation. They include:-
- A Regional Economic Development Program which markets and develops the region through coordinated and strategic projects.
- A Regional Transit Program which will develop convenient and reliable regional transit to reduce the region's vehicle dependency and create more compact, complete and connected communities.
- A Regional Water and Wastewater Servicing Program which will create a sustainable regional water and wastewater system based on water conservation, watershed protection and sustainable settlement patterns.
- A Regional Ecological Infrastructure systems plan including corridors, large patches, major stepping stones, watershed/riparian areas, publicly acceptable recreation areas and regional scale parks.
- A GIS Mapping program which is creating new web-based mapping tools to help municipal decision makers better plan at the local and regional level.
- A Regional Composting project will ultimately turn 50% of the region's waste stream going into our landfill into a valued resource - compost and/or energy.
The Partnership's priority initiative includes implementation of the Calgary Metropolitan Plan which protects the environment and agriculture; guides growth to where it should more efficiently go and should not go; and integrates planning for efficient infrastructure including environmental protection, regional transit and transportation, water and wastewater servicing, economic development, waste management and Geographical Information Systems (GIS).
Q - How many and which communities are involved?
A - Fifteen (15) - Our Partnership includes fifteen communities from Banff to Strathmore, Crossfield to Nanton, with Calgary and other municipalities in between.
Our members are:-
- Airdrie
- Banff
- Black Diamond
- Calgary
- Canmore
- Chestermere
- Cochrane
- Crossfield
- High River
- Irricana
- Nanton
- Okotoks
- Redwood Meadows
- Strathmore
- Turner Valley
Q - Is the CRP another level of government or bureaucracy?
A - No. The Calgary Metropolitan Plan is a made-in Alberta and made-in-the-region solution to the regional partnership and collaboration question. Distinct from B.C's fourth level of government and additional bureaucracy, distinct from Ontario's centralizing consolidation or amalgamation, and distinct from USA's complicated mix of private, public, NGO approaches, CRP is developing something unique and Alberta authentic - an optimum combination of voluntary-binding with limited compliance.
Q - What's the population of the area covered by the CRP?
A - 1.2 Million based on latest census figures.
Q - What does CRP have to say about or do about the region's exponential growth?
A - CRP is a proactive and inclusive approach to planning. Growth in the region is inevitable and our collaborative approach allows us to take into account all the demands on the region and to make decisions that are consistent and aligned with what the region identified as its priorities.
Q - Who is paying for the CRP, your projects and studies?
A - One fifth ($687,000) of CRP's $3.3 Million 3-year budget (2007-10) is raised from member fees with the rest coming from the Province and Federal Governments.
Q - Who is working on all of these CRP initiatives?
A - A combination of core contract CRP "staff" consultants and volunteer staff of member municipalities.
Q - What is the history of the CRP?
A - The 2002 Vision and mission and aspirational Business Plan of projects formed the foundation of where the CRP is now. We have had what we call three phases:
- "Aspirational Phase - (1999-2003) where the CRP's vision, mission and aspirational business plan was completed
- "Perspirational Phase" - (2003-2005) When a wide array of projects were started, the CRP became incorporated and began to identify some of the tougher regional issues
- "Inspirational and Incubation Phase" - (2006-onward) When the CRP decided to address the complex and tough issue of regional planning - its growth and sustainability framework and water waste water servicing.
