County responds to City of Leduc’s intent to annex lands

Official notice from the City of Leduc was shared with Leduc County Mayor Tanni Doblanko, Feb. 4, 2025, on their intent to annex County lands along the City’s south and southeast boundary.

“We believe greater outcomes can be achieved through collaboration when both municipalities are equal partners at the table, which is something we will continue to advocate for as we navigate this process,” says Mayor Doblanko. 

With any annexation request, a municipality must follow the defined process as outlined by the Land and Property Rights Tribunal (LPRT):

• They are required to demonstrate a need for the land they want to annex.
• They are obligated to engage with affected landowners and the public.
• Good faith negotiations must take place between local governments.

This must take place ahead of an official annexation application which goes for formal review by the LPRT.

“Planning together is always the right approach for everyone involved,” says Mayor Doblanko. “Collaboration through joint planning inevitably leads to positive outcomes and that is the message we will continue to share.”

Media inquiries: communications@leduc.ca

Backgrounder

Rural municipalities, like Leduc County, are accustomed to annexations. It’s a part of doing business and requires working with municipal partners within a county’s boundary. Leduc County’s preferred approach will always be to work together to protect the interests of everyone involved (directly and indirectly impacted).

Collaborate-first approach

Our core message is collaboration through joint planning, which includes a joint growth study and resurrecting a Leduc and Leduc County Intermunicipal Development Plan. This approach supports:

• Prioritizing the region first, in support of residents, landowners, businesses and developers
• Outlines future growth for both municipalities
• Defines and supports responsible, staged annexation
• Reduces the risks of land stagnation
• Addresses the municipal service needs of landowners and residents through a phased process

What we know

Dissolution of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board

Municipalities that are members of a growth management board, such as the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board (EMRB), are not required to adopt intermunicipal collaboration frameworks or intermunicipal development plans with each other. On March 31, 2025, the EMRB will cease to exist. This will require the City of Leduc and Leduc County to prepare and adopt an intermunicipal collaboration framework and an intermunicipal development plan. This process should be completed prior to negotiating an annexation.

Contested vs. uncontested annexation projects

Annexations happen faster, cost less and are more beneficial for local governments when joint planning is prioritized. We know from experience:

• Edmonton (contested) = $2.5 million and nine years
• Beaumont (contested) = $1 million and seven and a half years
• Devon (jointly planned) = $100,000 and five years
• Leduc (jointly planned) = $100,000 and five and a half years