City to formalize intermunicipal committees

Summary#

Calgary’s Intergovernmental Affairs Committee recommended that Council establish the existing Calgary–Foothills County and Calgary–Rocky View County intermunicipal committees by bylaw and adopt updated terms of reference for each. The committee’s motion carried 8–0 on July 16, 2026; Council has not yet made the final decision.

  • The recommendation is to give three readings to each proposed bylaw, making each committee a Committee of Council.
  • The bylaws would make the updated terms of reference each committee’s mandate. Foothills’ updates cover committee roles, chairing, meeting location and virtual participation; Rocky View’s remove references to the former Calgary Metropolitan Region Board and update a privacy-law reference.
  • The committees already operate as forums for Calgary and each county to discuss shared issues. The change would formalize them by bylaw rather than by resolution.
  • The recommendation does not cover Calgary’s committee with Chestermere.

What it means for you#

  • Calgary, Foothills County and Rocky View County: If Council approves the bylaws, the existing committees would have formal status as Committees of Council, with the updated terms of reference as their mandates.
  • Residents: The decision does not create a direct application, service or decision-making process for residents. City staff describe the committees as forums for municipal officials to discuss shared issues.
  • Council: The committee only recommended that Council give the bylaws three readings. The recommendation is not itself the final approval.

Money#

City staff report no anticipated financial impact and say the work requires no additional financial or other resources.

  • The available material gives no cost estimate or breakdown.

What is unclear#

  • The revised bylaw attachments and full terms of reference are not included in the supplied material, so their detailed rules and mandates cannot be checked here.
  • The material does not say when Council will consider the recommendation or whether it will approve the bylaws.
  • It is unclear when Calgary’s committee with Chestermere might be established by bylaw; staff say that is expected when its committee directs amendments to its terms of reference.

Case for#

  • City staff say the committees are longstanding forums for Calgary and its neighbouring counties to discuss shared issues and develop joint solutions.
  • Staff say formalizing the committees by bylaw would align them with current legal requirements for Council committees.
  • Staff say the updated terms of reference reflect changes in legislation and the regional context, and support continued collaboration on issues that cross municipal boundaries.

Case against#

  • The full proposed bylaws and terms of reference are not available here, so the specific powers, procedures and limits Council would be adopting cannot be assessed from this material.
  • City staff say there was no public engagement and that public communication was not required. The material does not describe how residents could take part in committee discussions.
  • The committee’s decision was a recommendation, not final approval by Council.

Votes

Intergovernmental Affairs Committee, item 7.6 (Establishment of Intermunicipal Committees (Foothills County and Rocky View County) by Bylaw, IGA2026-0420): That with respect to Report IGA2026-0420, the following be approved, after amendment: That the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee recommend that Council: - Give three readings to the proposed bylaw to Establish the Foothills County – City of Calgary Intermunicipal Committee as a Committee of Council (Revised Attachment 2) with its updated Terms of Reference as the Committee mandate (Revised Attac…

For (100%)