MOVING TOWARDS REGIONAL COOPERATION

Sharing Costs

Costs of a regional cooperation arrangement may be shared in several different ways, including division of costs based on:

Population – division of costs by total number of people to arrive at a per capita rate
Households – division of costs by total number of households (or occupied households) to arrive at a per household rate
Assessment value – costs divided according to assessed value of properties in each partner community
Per unit – costs divided per unit of resource supplied (e.g. water) or waste disposed (e.g. per tonne tipping fee)
Fee for service – partner providing a service sets a rate for service (pr unit or flat fee)

Governance Models

1. Informal assistance/support (verbal or unspoken agreements)
2. Mutual aid – formal/written
3. Contracts/purchase of service
5. Formation of a joint service provider - incorporated or unincorporated
7. Joint Councils
6. New regional municipal structures - mergers/regional municipalities
7. Legislative options: Regional Councils or Services Boards

Getting Citizen Input
This information will be available soon.

Planning Steps

The Alberta Department of Municipal Affairs suggests the following model in developing regional partnerships:

Stage 1 - Opportunity	Stage 2 - Parameters	Stage 3 - Ground Work	Stage 4 - Delivery
-meet to gauge support for working together - identify and discuss specific opportunities	- negotiate and establish parameters for the partnership, including: scope, governance, delivery, cost-sharing	- lay the groundwork for the partnership to function - set up required systems: may include governance body, obtaining voter approval and an information program	- begin functioning/delivering the service - may begin by commissioning/ completing plans, designs, surveys etc.

Source: Regional Partnerships Initiative Guidelines Alberta Municipal Affairs (2004, p.7)

Steps to Success:

Examine Legal Authority
Create a Study Group
Appoint a Drafter
Be Inclusive
Proceed in Small Steps
Allow Sufficient Time for Negotiation
Circulate a Draft Agreement Among Parties
Be Flexible and Patient
Circulate Final Draft
Obtain Official Approval From Parties
Share the Credit
Prepare for Success

Source: Municipal Cooperation and Partnership: Role, Pros & Cons, Benefits, Presenter John Robison of John Robison Inc., Municipal Cooperation and Partnerships Seminar at the AMA Fall Conference (2003)

The “Handbook on Inter-Municipal Partnership and Co-operation for Municipal Government” by the Nova Scotia Department of Community Services” (2003) provides the following suggested steps in the planning process when investigating inter-municipal agreements for service delivery:

Step 1

Prepare a list of current or previous cooperative arrangements
Review positive and negative aspects of each arrangement and how it could have been improved
Determine if it was the most efficient and cost effective way for your municipality to solve the problem

Step 2

Develop an inventory of resources that could be shared with another municipality, including:

Human resources
Facilities
Equipment
Programs

Step 3

Determine which of your municipalities might be potential partners
List pros and cons, possible issues and preferable arrangement in establishing a cooperative
Determine if potential partners have political authority, motivation and resources to become involved

Step 4