We know the status quo approach to growth won’t be sustainable for municipalities or their taxpayers.
With our proactive approach and a keen understanding of the Region’s dynamics, we stay ahead of emerging needs and challenges. Guided by our comprehensive long-range growth plan, we pinpoint areas for growth and improvement, facilitating collaboration with decision-makers to implement innovative and future-oriented solutions.
By operating as one cohesive entity, we unlock operational efficiencies, capitalize on economies of scale, instill investor confidence, minimize redundancy, and tap into the wealth of regional knowledge, experience, and resources available.
Nearly 160km² or 250 quarter sections of land saved
equivalent to an area the size of Elk Island National Park; or Sherwood Park, St. Albert, Spruce Grove and Bruderheim combined.
An estimated $5B of investment generated over 30 years
is equivalent to the total cost of building 300 schools in the Region or 5 years of roads and bridges.
Saving taxpayers millions & helping generate billions
An independent review conducted in 2023 by the firm MNP demonstrates the value EMRB provides to taxpayers, the province and our member municipalities by achieving cost savings, cost efficiency and value creation.
Cost savings
Since 2017, our growth plan has been directly saving Albertans a staggering $6.5 million in costs. The EMRB’s proactive initiatives have contributed an additional $12 million in cost efficiency savings.
These figures are a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering positive outcomes for our Region.
View the MNP report (PDF, 827kb)Cost efficiency
Smarter transportation systems planning
Adopting a custom-built modelling system to identify priority transportation projects is one of the ways EMRB creates cost efficiencies. Every year, data from the modelling system is used to create a regional transportation priority list for Alberta Transportation, instead of each individual municipality generating their own list. This has resulted in savings of time and money, eliminating potentially competing applications and aligning regional planning with provincial infrastructure planning in a way that optimizes investment to meet the objectives of our growth plan.
Cost efficiencies have been gained by building trust and strengthening relationships with the development community resulting in more efficient decision-making, shared investments, and joint initiatives that benefit the entire region.
$94 million
annual savings per one minute reduction in commute times
Improved intermunicipal disputes process
A change to the regional evaluation framework (REF) process in 2020 has led to a reduction in red tape, a decrease in the number of statutory plans under review, and reduced time, resources and costs associated with resolving disputes.
Savings of over $350,000
In mediation and arbitration for the Government of Alberta since 2017
Value creation
The EMRB has created great value in areas of economic diversification and employment, conserving natural living systems, agriculture and integrated land use.
Driving economic diversification and employment
As the EMRB works to secure key industries for the future and position the Region for success, it directly translates into the ability of local advocacy organizations, like EMRB-established Edmonton Global, to sell the Region to foreign investors, helping to grow and transform our economy.
The work of our 13 member municipalities enables Edmonton Global to deliver on their mandate and allows them to be a collaborator, connector, and storyteller for the Region.
Since 2017, Edmonton Global
attracted over $2.6 billion in investment to the Region
generated over 3,500 jobs
generated $160 million annual employment income
Conserving natural living systems
One of the key natural living systems the growth plan seeks to protect are wetlands. Wetlands are a critical ecosystem and research shows they provide a real, tangible economic value and benefit to carbon sequestration, flood mitigation, recreation, and our overall ecological environment.
$112 million
value of wetlands added from 2019-21
2,665 km2 of regional wetlands saved or restored
as of 2021, including open water, bog, marsh, swamps, and fens
775 km2 additional wetlands conserved
in the Region from 2019-21
$112 million
average value of the additional wetlands conserved in the Region from 2019-21
Conserving farmland
EMRB’s agriculture plan identifies and conserves an adequate supply of prime agricultural lands, and prioritizes wise management of these resources. Conservation of agricultural land is essential to meeting the economic targets outlined in the growth plan.
600,000 acres
agricultural land to be lost by 2046 without action from EMRB
$2.4 billion
2023 value of agricultural land to be conserved through the agriculture plan
Leaving a smaller footprint
By growing and building efficiently, the Region can welcome a larger population in a smaller footprint. This will reduce the need to extend infrastructure and convert primary agricultural land to non-agricultural uses. It will also reduce costs to residents and municipalities related to infrastructure servicing.
Total cost of the Region’s GHG emissions is in excess of $7.3 billion
(Government of Canada’s social cost of GHG emissions value)
$460 million
Estimated net present value savings from CO2 emissions reduced through densification by 2044