Project Milestones

Utilities Governance Model Review Project Process

October 2021 - January 2023
  • On October 29, 2021, a consultant was hired to provide an initial scoping study of the key points of consideration of a utility governance and business model review.
  • On January 12, 2023, after a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process, Deloitte LLP was hired to do the utility governance and business model review.
March 2023
  • On March 6, 2023, Council received information in a closed Council meeting on the Utility Governance Review. No resolutions were passed at the meeting of Council on this matter.
July 2023
  • On July 10, 2023, Council received information on the Utility Governance Review at a closed meeting of Council.
November 2023
  • On November 14, 2023, Council received information on the Utility Governance Review in both a closed Council meeting and an open meeting of Council.
  • At the open meeting, Council passed a resolution to approve the amended Electric Utility Governance Policy and Utility Governance Policy and to repeal some outdated policies.

Read the report and watch the November 14, 2023 Council meeting

News:

April 2024
  • On April 15, 2024, Council received information on the Utility Governance Review in a closed meeting of Council.
  • At the open meeting, Council passed resolutions on the Utility Governance Review, postponing the Utility Governance matter to the May 13, 2024 meeting of Council and directing Administration to update absent Councillors on the matter before that meeting.
May 2024
  • On May 13, 2024, Council received information on the Utility Governance Review in a closed meeting.  
  • At the open meeting, Council passed a resolution directing Administration to bring back an administrative recommendation for Council’s consideration including what it would take to prepare an implementation strategy to modernize The City’s utility governance model(s) including risks, estimated costs and timeline, by end of Q3, 2024. 
July 2024
  • On July 22, 2024, Council received information on the Utility Governance Review at an open meeting of Council.
  • At the open meeting, Council passed a resolution requesting more information on what an MCC would look like, and what a transition from a City department to an MCC would look like. 

Read the report and watch the July 22, 2024 Council meeting
View the July 22, 2024 Council presentation (pdf)

News:

September 2024
  • On September 13, 2024, The City published a news release about the Utility Governance Review summarizing the Utility Governance Review matter that will be heard at Council’s open meeting on September 16, 2024.  
  • On September 16, 2024, Council received information on the Utility Governance Review at an open meeting of Council.
  • At the open meeting, Council directed Administration to include the costs of investigating what an MCC would look like for The City in the 2025 budget.  
  • The motion was carried.  

Read the report and watch the September 16, 2024 Council meeting
View the September 16, 2024 Council presentation (pdf)

News:

October 2024
  • On October 1, 2024, Council was presented with the 2025 utility budget at an open meeting of Council. The 2025 utility budget included, and highlighted, the Utility Governance Review as a budget item. 
  • At that meeting, Council approved the operating and capital budgets for all utilities, and the Utility 10-year Capital Plan in principle. 

Read the report and watch the October 1, 2024 Council meeting
View the 2025 Utilities Budget document (pdf) 

  • On October 28, Council was presented an overview of the work completed so far on the Utilities Governance project at an open meeting of Council. The report summarized major project milestones, next steps and opportunities for public engagement. 

Watch the October 28 Council Meeting
View the Utilities Governance Report (pdf)

Why is Some of the Utility Governance Review Happening in Closed Council?

Transparency and accountability in decision-making is a core value and focus of The City, and the Utility Governance Review has generated information that has been shared with the public as Council approved next steps, and as the process permitted. But often people wonder why an organization that says it is focused on transparency has closed meetings.  

While the default is to have open Council meetings, there are times where we cannot publicly disclose information as it may either harm The City or a third party. Where there is legislative authority to do so, Council may discuss such confidential topics in a closed meeting.   

The primary reason that something is confidential or in a closed meeting is that it falls into an exception to disclosure under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the “FOIP Act”). The following provides a high-level explanation of the type of the information that The City and Council has kept confidential, and continues to need to keep confidential, during the Utility Governance Project: 

  • The value of the electric utility: Deloitte LLP did an analysis of the current electric utility (and other City utilities) to determine their value. This valuation is an important factor for Council to know, as one option they have now and in the future is the divestiture of the utility.  Under s.25 of FOIP Act, information that could result in financial loss to The City, prejudice the competitive position of The City, or interfere with contractual or other negotiations of The City may be kept confidential.  
  • Advice on specific risks: Public disclosure of confidential advice associated with each option could expose The City to financial or reputational risk. Under s.27 of the FOIP Act, information subject to legal privilege may be kept confidential. Under s.24 of the FOIP Act, information consisting of advice from officials, proposals, recommendations, analysis, or policy options developed by The City may be kept confidential. 
  • Information provided by third parties: Research done by, or for, The City involved discussions with other municipalities, municipally controlled corporations, and utility companies in Alberta and across Canada. Before releasing third party business information publicly, The City must evaluate whether such a decision could harm the third party. Under s.16 of the FOIP Act, information that would reveal trade secrets or the commercial, financial, or technical information of a third party must be kept confidential. Under s.25 of the FOIP Act, information that may harm the economic interests of other Albertan municipalities may be kept confidential.  

The City recognizes the gravity of the decision to be made by Council on the future of the electric utility, and has tailored its approach to strike a balance between information that needs to be kept confidential and information that can be provided to the public.