Town of Coaldale office. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Province denies municipal inspection for Town of Coaldale, instead orders “municipal accountability program”

May 19, 2021 | 11:46 AM

COALDALE, AB – The Government of Alberta has shot down a request for a municipal inspection to be conducted for the Town of Coaldale’s work environment.

Over 2,300 residents had signed a petition calling for a municipal inspection last year, which would have investigated a wide range of community concerns about how the municipal government operates.

Some of the allegations and concerns levied against the town include:

• Bullying, harassment, and discrimination by the municipal government towards current and former town employees
• Many discussions and decisions made by town council being done during closed meetings
• A lack of consultations and openness on major capital projects including the new town office known as Civic Square, along with others such as a new high school and a recreation centre
• Residents feeling that their concerns are not being heard by the town
• Businesses getting “blacklisted” by the town and losing opportunities to bid on projects for not working with the municipality in a specific way

The number of signatures collected was adequate to prompt a provincial government-led municipal inspection but it was still on the Minister of Municipal Affairs to make the final decision.

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READ MORE: Province approves preliminary inspection into Town of Coaldale administration

Minister Ric McIver said in an email on Monday that he will not proceed with a municipal inspection.

“Municipal inspections are extraordinary measures and are not undertaken lightly. While the review noted there were some issues with respect to the governance and operation of the town, the concerns identified were not of sufficient severity to warrant an inspection of the town.”

Instead, the town will go through the Municipal Accountability Program (MAP).

“While this program does not include interviews with members of the public, I believe it will be beneficial for the town and assist in addressing some of the issues identified. I have requested ministry staff schedule the Town of Coaldale for a MAP review in 2021. I will reserve my decision on further actions, if any, until after the MAP review is completed, and council has received and responded to the report.”

MAP reviews are a multi-year process that aims to assist municipalities with their knowledge of requirements under the Municipal Government Act and aid them in achieving legislative compliance with the MGA and other legislation.

The decision is already proving to be divisive as the Town of Coaldale and the advocacy group Citizens for a Better Coaldale (CFBC) are having widely different reactions.

Mayor Kim Craig was pleased, saying CFBC’s September 2020 request for a town-sponsored municipal inspection was denied because it was “an unjustified, unwarranted, and unnecessary expense” that would distract the town from its work.

“Ultimately, we are pleased the Minister recognized what we’ve known from day one – that Coaldale is a progressive, vibrant and well-managed municipality,” says Craig. “I am proud of the work Town staff and management do on a daily basis to make Coaldale the exceptional place it is to live and do business.”

He continues to state that the minister’s decision to deny the inspection “reinforces and justifies Council’s position to deny the initial request for inspection and confirms the findings of the workplace audit. It demonstrates that many of the accusations made by the petition organizers were based on misinformation and unsubstantiated rumours.”

At the same time, the mayor says council took the raised concerns seriously, particularly the allegation of having a toxic workplace, commissioning an independent workplace culture audit.

That review found that the town’s culture is “not toxic,” yet still found several areas that could use some improvement.

READ MORE: Internal investigation finds Town of Coaldale workplace “not toxic”

Jack Van Rijn, CFBC Spokesperson, says, while the MAP review “falls short of a full Municipal Inspection, [it] is still a start and acknowledges there are concerns with how the Town is being run.”

“Further, I cannot think of a circumstance more deserving of a municipal inspection than what is going on with the Coaldale Town Council and administration.”

Van Rijn, however, is pleased that, because of the efforts of their group and efforts to publicize these issues, the town “appears to be at least trying to change its ways for the better.”

He is hopeful that this progress can continue to be made going forward.

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