Conceptually, inter-municipal planning enjoys broad support. The
efficient sharing of resources and infrastructure among, and
cooperative land-use planning along the boundaries of, neighbouring
municipalities make sense for taxpayers, municipal planners and
politicians alike. The Capital Region (Edmonton and surrounding
municipalities) has had inter-municipal planning regulation in
place since 2012. For the Calgary region, however, the
implementation of inter-municipal planning has proven to be
elusive. The proposed Calgary Metropolitan Region Board Regulation
("CMRB Regulation") is looking to fix that but it appears
to have missed the mark.
The Calgary Region, as defined in the CMRB Regulation, comprises
a vast area: the Cities of Calgary, Airdrie, and Chestermere, the
Towns of Cochrane, High River, and Okotoks, Rocky View County, the
Municipal District of Foothills, and a portion of Wheatland County.
The city of Calgary, with 1.5 million people, holds the majority
