Title
North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance (NSWA) Funding Request
Proposed Motion
Administration be directed to include the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance request for funding in the amount of $15,044.50, a request of $0.50 per capita, in the 2017 budget.
Body
Purpose
The purpose of this Report For Decision is to seek Council's direction on the NSWA's funding request for 2017.
Summary
The NSWA has submitted a funding request to Parkland County to help fund its operational expenses for 2017. Parkland County has participated in the work the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance has done to preserve and enhance the water quality of the North Saskatchewan River. The work of the association has also contributed towards the Sturgeon River basin with headwaters in Lake Isle. The request for funding has also been made to the other municipalities that border the North Saskatchewan River. Council has provided funding for this organization in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
The NSWA was appointed by Alberta Environment in 2005 as the watershed planning and advisory council for the North Saskatchewan River Basin under the terms and concepts embodied under the "water for Life: Alberta's Strategy for Sustainability". The NSWA has developed significant watershed planning capacity and knowledge, and this has been an asset to the County when preparing planning documents such as the Lake Wabamun Land Use Plan.
Strategic Plan/Policy/Legal/Staff Implications (As Required)
Municipal Development Plan: Goal - The County supports protecting environmentally significant areas, and in particular, it supports maintaining the environmental integrity of the County's rivers, streams and lakes.
Financial Impact:
Cost: $15,044.50
Source of Funding: 2017 Budget