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27th Annual Northern Municipal Law Seminar

 

Coming to three cities in February and March, our Municipal Law Seminars will feature sessions from our industry leaders on timely issues and trends facing municipalities in Alberta.

Our 27th Annual Northern Municipal Law Seminar will take place in person on Friday. February 24, 2023 in Grande Prairie.

Topics at this year’s seminar will include:

Hearing Problems? Navigating Public Hearings under the Municipal Government Act

The Municipal Government Act requires municipalities to conduct public hearings in a number of circumstances. Navigating the procedural requirements set out in the legislation, and additional requirements that have been imposed by the Courts, can present a number of challenges for both administration and council. This session will explore the legal requirements and best practices for public hearings, with reference to case law. Topics will include when a public hearing is required, advertising and notice requirements, conduct of public hearings, the duty of procedural fairness, and challenges to public hearing procedures.

Employment Potpourri 2023

An update on the trials and tribulations of workplace issues of interest to municipalities, including:

  • Harassment/bullying;
  • New WCB policy on medical cannabis;
  • Post-incident and random drug testing;
  • Vicarious liability for privacy breaches;
  • Dealing with long-term disability cases and avoiding human rights complaints; and
  • Sick leave abuse.

As the law changes, so should your standard form contracts

In this session, we will discuss recent legal changes which may impact the interpretation, validity and enforceability of common terms found in standard construction contracts. We will then provide advice and recommendations for updating your standard form construction contracts. This session will review both common law and legislative changes, including the new provisions of the Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act.

LPRT – The Newest Acronym on the Municipal Block

It has been about a year now that the Land and Property Rights Tribunal (the “LPRT”) replaced the Municipal Government Board, the Land Compensation Board, the New Home Buyer Protection Board and the Surface Rights Board. With more subdivision and development appeals headed to the LPRT instead of local Subdivision and Development Appeal Boards, we will cover a wide variety of topics, including the critical impacts on municipalities, what you can expect in terms of timing and expense, and how best to navigate the shift toward decision-making at the provincial level.

Bear Pit

Registrants will have the opportunity to submit legal questions on matters affecting municipalities for discussion by our panel of lawyers.

Full agenda and event details will be sent to registrants closer to the event.