Council passes Community Standards Bylaw: A step toward enhancing neighbourhoods and communities

Bylaw amalgamates five existing Bylaws and adds new regulations for sump pump discharge, idling and panhandling

At yesterday’s Council meeting, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo’s (RMWB) Council passed Bylaw No. 21/010 Community Standards Bylaw (CSB), promoting enhanced neighborhoods, and addressing community concerns.

“The majority of regulations included in the Community Standards Bylaw have been in place for years,” said Deanne Bergey, Director, Community and Protective Services. “The CSB combines these regulations in one place, making it easier for residents to find the information and make informed decisions that improve our neighbourhoods.”  

The incorporation and modernization of these Bylaws allow for residents to locate information more easily about standards for neighbourhood issues including noise, yard and property maintenance and nuisances. The addition of regulations for sump pump discharge, idling, loitering, and panhandling are also included. The passage of the Bylaw will see the following repealed:

• Nuisance Property Bylaw No. 00/078
• Noise Bylaw No. 83/24
• Nuisance Weed Bylaw No. 91/05
• Public Disturbance Bylaw No. 02/11
• Multiple sections of the Roads and Transportation Bylaw No. 02/079

The CSB has been developed following extensive public engagement that started in 2015 and included nine town hall meetings, community café brainstorming sessions, information booth at 2015 Spring Trade Show, and online surveys in 2015 and 2020 that received more than 3,800 responses combined.

In the near future, an extensive public education campaign will launch, which will contain information on the changes that were approved as part of the Community Standards Bylaw.

For more information, please visit rmwb.ca/communitystandards.

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