The Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board has voted to immediately initiate the process for winding down operations.
The board met in private for several hours on Thursday morning, then passed three motions related to its closure.
The EMRB is a group of 13 municipalities in the Edmonton area that worked on managing the region’s growth.
Last year the provincial government said it would stop providing funding for the Edmonton and Calgary growth management boards — and that membership would no longer be mandatory.
“Member municipalities have voted to not participate in a voluntary growth management board (EMRB) going forward,” the board said in a statement released after the meeting.
The statement said the province’s “unexpected decision” necessitated action by member municipalities, which held discussions and voted on future participation.
Spruce Grove Mayor and EMRB Vice Chair Jeff Acker said in the board’s statement that it will inform the municipal affairs minister of its plan and repeal the EMRB regulation effective April 1.
“While today’s vote marks the end of the EMRB, our members remain committed to collaborating for the benefit of our region,” Parkland County Mayor and EMRB Board Chair Allan Gamble said in the statement.
The EMRB’s dissolution follows that of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Transit Services Commission in 2023.