Calgary seeks to expand by annexing a section of Rocky View County

The City of Calgary wants to expand by annexing over 1,600 hectares of land from Rocky View County.

The annexation was first proposed in 2007 as part of Calgary's strategy for industrial growth and then formalized in a 2012 Intermunicipal Development Plan between Calgary and Rocky View County.

"The lands were identified as required for future industrial growth of the city and the annexation of these lands would see them developed within the city’s jurisdiction," Rocky View County said in a Nov. 1 news release.

The land in question is at the southeast corner of the city, to the south of Glenmore Trail and east of Shepard. Its southern boundary is the Canadian Pacific Railway mainline. 

While the area is presently farmland, it is expected to become an industrial hub as a result of Canadian Pacific's acquisition of Kansas City Southern. 

A 2007 filing by Alberta’s municipal government board notes there will be a minimal increase in costs the city faces as a result of the annexation, stating "the impact on the city’s road network and land area will be most significant, increasing them by 2.1 per cent and 13.74 per cent, respectively.” 

It says most of the costs will be offset by an increased tax base.

“If the property owners in the MD are assessed and taxed as if they remained in the MD, the proposed annexation is expected to increase the city’s net costs by an estimated $987,000 in 2007 and by $872,000 annually in subsequent years," the document said. "The findings suggest that the potential fiscal impact of annexation on the city is negligible.”

Calgary’s previous city council unanimously approved the 2007 annexation plan in September. 

On its website, the City of Calgary says the annexation will provide economic boost to the city.

“Developing these lands to the city’s standards for transportation and utilities services not only increases land value but is also a more efficient use of resources. Industrial lands also generate taxes to provide for various services," the city says. "By annexing lands, the city can continue to provide new economic and employment opportunities and spur economic growth within our boundaries in the long-term.”

Last week, the city submitted a letter of intent to Alberta's Land and Property Rights Tribunal seeking to formally begin the annexation process.

Both the tribunal and the minister of municipal affairs need to approve the process before it can proceed.

Rocky View County says it has not determined its position on the annexation proposal but says it is open to negotiations.

"The county will participate in annexation discussions with the city in good faith. This is often a lengthy process, and the exact boundaries of the proposed annexation may be subject to minor changes over the course of discussions," a news release stated. 

The City of Calgary says any annexation could be years off, and development of the annexed lands, if approved, even further off.

"Annexation of land does not mean immediate development," the city says on its website. "Development are a product of inputs such as planning, servicing and market demand. The city has a well-developed process to realize development in locations that are or can be serviced with high quality infrastructure such as transportation, safety, and utilities.”

"We are at the initial stages of annexation and cannot estimate how long this process will take. The annexation process can be lengthy as municipalities negotiate and work through the requirements set out by the Municipal Government Act.”