Town of Pincher Creek and MD of Pincher Creek sign ICF
On March 13th, prior to Covid-19, the Town and MD Councils signed and celebrated the newly formed Intermunicipal Collaborative Framework Agreement (ICF). A joint committee consisting of Town and MD councillors and staff started working on the ICF project in 2019 and met every two months to draft the agreement that has now been signed by both Councils. This project is a success for our region, and we’d like it to be celebrated by both Town and MD residents to reaffirm that we are all part of one community!
The purpose of the ICF agreement is to create the opportunity to better serve and provide quality of life to the residents of the MD of Pincher Creek and the Town of Pincher Creek through joint planning of specified land use, sharing of the operational costs of regional assets, and the offering of programs and services that have mutual benefits in the greater Pincher Creek region.
The following services are addressed in the agreement: transportation, water and wastewater, solid waste and recycling, emergency and protective services, and recreation facilities and services. The agreement also focuses on agriculture services and parks, third party services, Family and Community Support Services (FCSS), municipal administration services, joint funding, cemetery services, library services, groups, the Humane Society.
The agreement addresses services that can be shared and services that will continue to be provided independently by each municipality. Many of the items listed in the ICF agreement had previously been discussed on a case-by-case basis and had separate agreements. The ICF process has placed these agreements in one document and created a framework for future collaborations.
There are many successful examples in the agreement. One specific example is recreation facilities and services. The ICF committee explored recreation services and the value recreation facilities bring to the region. The consensus was that recreation contributes to the vitality of the community, enhances residents’ health, gives young people activities which contribute to skill development, and builds pride in the community. A recreation agreement has since been approved, and we are now moving forward with developing the Pincher Creek Recreation Master Plan as a collaborative community-wide project.
The ICF agreement also identifies potential future collaborations where the possibility of shared services would be mutually beneficial. Residents can view the agreement on the Town and MD websites. We expect there to be many opportunities for public engagement and for residents to help shape our region’s future.
The Town and MD Councils are proud to be building and supporting our community together!