The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo is among Canada’s largest and fastest growing municipalities. The region’s population is expected to more than double in the next two decades, requiring new homes, retail opportunities, transportation solutions, and access to parks and open space. Competing interests over land for development and resource extraction have driven up land values, influencing the attraction of development and long-term investment. Management services to lead the integration of land development and transportation in both rural and urban areas is of great importance.
Harry Harker of CitySpaces Consulting was retained on a 12-month contract to serve as the acting assistant director of planning and development for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. In his capacity he provided management services and supervised both long-range and current planning divisions of the planning a development department. At the time, the Municipality of Wood Buffalo had a rapidly growing department with leadership that was inexperienced in the northern AB planning context. The municipality was dealing with complex issues associated with the oil and gas development and its impact on the natural habitat and historic first nations civilization. Harry Harker provided management services and helped lead and restructure the municipalities planning department.
CitySpaces is responsible for providing advice and mentorship to professional and technical staff working within the Region as part of an effort to increase efficiency and promote a better working environment for the department. Much of our work depends on strong relationship building and an understanding of and sensitivity to the local culture and context of the planning department. Other management services included, but were not limited to the following tasks:
Tasks:
- Budget management
- Staff development
- Provision of professional land use planning advice
- Review and preparation of department reports
- Development of an alternative organizational structure
PROJECT TEAM:
Harry Harker