Alberta Municipalities not consulted on Bill 20 [Video]

The umbrella organization for Alberta’s municipalities says it hasn’t been contacted by the province despite a promise to consult before amending a bill that grants Premier Danielle Smith’s government sweeping authority to fire councillors and cancel bylaws.

The turnaround time for consultation appears to be tight.

Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver promised consultations on Thursday, and on Friday morning Smith said the amendments will be introduced as early as next week.

Tyler Gandam, the head of Alberta Municipalities, said in a statement Friday, “We are not aware of any broad consultation between municipal leaders and the provincial government.”

Alberta Municipalities represents towns, cities and villages comprising about 85 per cent of the provincial population.

McIver’s office did not immediately return a request for comment Friday on the state of consultations.

The bill, proposed last week, has met with a torrent of criticism from municipal leaders. They call it a dramatic and undemocratic overreach of power.

The legislation gives cabinet …