Municipal Grants

Municipal Restructuring Grant Program

The Municipal Restructuring Grant Program has been discontinued.

Municipal Sponsorship Program (MSP)

The Municipal Sponsorship Program (MSP) promotes innovation, cooperation and excellence in municipal practices by funding projects that improve municipal governance or administration, enhance municipal services or service delivery, and/or increase intermunicipal co-operation.

Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI)

The Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) represents the Government of Alberta’s commitment to provide municipalities with sustainable funding to assist them in meeting the challenges of growth and enhancing their long-term sustainability.

Regional Partnerships Initiative (RPI)

This initiative encourages three or more municipalities to jointly explore and implement regional identities and arrangements that work for them.

Municipal Financial Assistance Database and Handbook

A primary goal of Municipal Affairs is to ensure the safety and resiliency of Alberta communities by working together with  municipalities, other government departments, local authorities, local organizations, and the private sector.

The Ministry’s vision is to have an effective, responsive and well-managed local government sector in Alberta. To support this vision, Alberta Municipal Affairs prepared the Municipal Financial Assistance Online Database, and the Municipal Financial Assistance Handbook.

*NEW* As a companion to the handbook, Municipal Affairs has developed the Municipal Financial Assistance Programs Key Dates Calendar. This is a quick reference tool for municipal administrators applying for provincial grants, which lists key grant application and reporting dates in each month for the period January 1 to December 31, 2009.

Intermunicipal Dispute Resolution Initiative

The Intermunicpal Dispute Resolution Initiative encourages municipalities experencing conflict with their municipal neighbours to use mediation or other dispute resolution alternatives to resolve the conflict, rather than referring the issue to a higher authority. 

Collaborative Governance Initiative (CGI)

This program is to help increase the capacit of muncipalities to deal with conflicts internally or develop protocols for working collaboratively with their municipal neighbours through the development of cooperation protocols. This initative helps municipalities to design systems/processes that help reduce and/or resolve conflict when it occurs within their municipality. Funding from this program can be used to evaluate how conflicts are currently being dealt with and to develop new ways to manage them. There is also an implementation phase that can be used to use those new plans, protocols, train staff and create an evaluation process.

Unconditional Municipal Grant Program

The program provides unconditional grants to municipalities, improvement districts, Special Areas, and Métis settlements. Because the grants are unconditional, the recipients may spend the funds in any manner they wish. No municipal applications are required. The formula used to distribute the grants are based on the allocations made according to the 1994 business plan.

Grants in Place of Taxes

This program assists municipalities in the cost of providing municipal services. Although Crown-owned properties are exempt from assessment and therefore exempt from taxation, the Province of Alberta pays a grant equivalent to the property taxes that would otherwise be levied on many of these properties. Approximately 170 municipalities receive grants in place of taxes for 6,600 Crown properties.

For more information contact:

Municipal Services Branch
17th Floor, Commerce Place
10155 - 102 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4L4
Phone: 780-427-2225
Dial 310-0000 for toll-free connection
Fax: 780-420-1016
E-mail: lgsmail@gov.ab.ca