Time is right for municipal partnerships

CORNER BROOK - Regionalization appeared to be a word on the tongues of municipal leaders in Corner Brook this past weekend.

Municipalities Newfoundland Labrador (MNL) held a board of directors meeting here in conjunction with a Local Action for Developing Regions (LADR) workshop.

LADR is the economic development arm for MNL. Its purpose is to raise awareness of the municipal role in economic development. It provides innovative, yet practical, approaches to economic development, as well as a start-to-finish program as a foundation for municipal economic development.

Graham Letto, president of MNL, said development is an important part of what municipalities do and that all communities need municipal plans in place. The challenges with that is there are those that don't have these plans in place and/or the resources to do so.

"In the workshop, we are focusing mainly on rural municipalities," Letto told The Western Star on Saturday.

"They are the ones that are very challenged right now. When we look at the western region, the Northern Peninsula, and the south coast, there are municipalities facing enormous challenges with outmigration and the basic resources and opportunities to do what needs to be done."

While they are encouraged to hear government is putting more planners in place, the president said it needs to be accompanied by a focus on helping those municipalities do what needs to be done to survive. He noted municipalities have to play a role too.

To get there, Letto said a regional approach must be assumed and accepted.

"For the most part those municipalities are realizing that," he said. "Unfortunately, with these seminars - and it always comes up - the people that need to be here are not. They don't have the resources to do the plan or do what needs to be done. They don't have the necessary resources to come to these sessions to hear it.

"It's a catch 22 situation and that is why we need to pool our resources and work together to put something in place that a region can work with instead of municipalities. We have to get over this one municipality against the other. We have to get beyond that. We are at too critical a stage in our history now to be carrying on with that stuff."

The province's waste management strategy is a prime example of regionalization.

"The time is right," Letto said. "For environmental purposes alone, we have to be better stewards of our environment, and I think the provincial waste management strategy promotes that.

"If it works for waste management; why can't it work for fire departments, for provision of clean drinking water. One size won't fit all, but I think we have to at least approach it that way."

Mike Dolter, the City of Corner Brook's chief administrative officer, agrees. He said the City is interested in learning what surrounding municipalities are planning for the long-term, and how an integrated approach can be implemented.

There are examples of regional partnerships ongoing - the Humber Valley Land-Use Strategy, an example.

"I think the willingness is there," Dolter said. "I think there is trust that has to be built up between the communities. I think the biggest thing for the smaller communities is, to take on any of these tasks by yourself it is almost insurmountable. But, as a group, it becomes a little easier to do.

"I think that is one of the things that we have to look at, some level of regional co-operation. As to how far that goes? I will leave that to the councils to discuss."

As for the contentious issue of regional waste management in western Newfoundland, he believes it will play itself out.

"I think the most important thing, when you are dealing with a regional issue, is don't come in with any preconceived idea," he said. "Everybody involved with waste management needs to come to the table, look at what the facts are and get the information, and make a decision based on that. The danger of getting together and trying to co-operate comes when you have already made the decision before you have had the discussion.

"We need to discuss it with open minds, find out what the best is for the entire region, and make a decision based on that."

churley@thewesternstar.com