The Alberta Municipalities (ABmunis) 2025 Convention and Trade Show wrapped up last week, and Drayton Valley Mayor Nancy Dodds said it was a good opportunity to network and collaborate with other municipalities.
The conference was held in Edmonton from Nov. 12-15, and ABmunis said it was the largest municipal gathering in its history.
Drayton Valley did not put forward or second any resolutions, but instead, new council members had the opportunity to focus on strengthening relationships with other municipalities and provincial leaders.
“For council attending a conference like ABmunis, it’s about making sure that our community’s voice is heard, no matter what the concerns and issues are, and that we continue to build the partnerships and relationships that’ll help us to move forward,” Dodds commented.
Those concerns were shared by most municipalities, Dodds said, adding that it doesn’t surprise her to know many communities are in the same boat.
“It’s very complex, and whether it’s homelessness, whether it’s crime, whether it’s the lack of infrastructure funding, it is the same across all communities, particularly mid-size rural urban communities like Drayton Valley,” she explained.
Drayton Valley representatives did attend a meeting with Minister of Municipal Affairs Dan Williams during the conference to discuss the importance of infrastructure funding and ensuring there’s support for the town’s asset management plan. They also met with the Deputy Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors to discuss infrastructure projects that will be addressed during the 2026 budget deliberations.
Dodds stated, “The more that we can get in front of these provincial leaders, the more that they remember Drayton Valley.”
Town officials also spoke with the RCMP and heard concerns about mental health and addiction calls putting strain on resources. Dodds said she was able to hear from a few different municipalities about their unique approaches to this challenge at the conference, and may present them as local options in future council meetings.
“The RCMP are doing a fantastic job, but they’re dealing with a lot right now,” she commented. “As a community, I think we need to be proactive and we need to come together and look at other solutions to support everyone, including our RCMP in the community.”
The town has also requested a meeting with Minister of Justice Mickey Amery to follow-up on its discussion with the RCMP regarding prolific offenders and gaps in the justice system.
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