The Municipal District of Lesser Slave River is looking to sell off unused municipal land, a move that could potentially bring in millions of dollars in revenue for the local government.

At the July 29 Committee of the Whole meeting, administration presented an inventory of over 200 properties currently owned by the municipality. Officials have been reviewing the massive list to figure out which parcels the M.D. actually needs and which ones can be safely sold.

To help councillors visualize the land, administration provided an interactive online map. The map colour-codes the properties, separating protected lands from empty lots.

During the review, some councillors questioned why the local government even owns some of these vacant lots and farming fields in the first place, especially since they do not generate any money.

The chief administrative officer (CAO) noted that the historical reasons for acquiring many of the lands are unclear.

“Why we have it, I’m sorry, we don’t have those explanations clearly,” the CAO said, explaining that historical context is often missing from the property files.

He added that it is standard practice for local governments to sell off excess real estate.

“Most municipalities that I see, unless they feel they’re going to be building something in the next 20 to 50 years, have been disposing of these assets because there is no real revenue coming from them,” the CAO said.

Administration went through the full inventory with senior leadership to remove lands needed for public utilities or future municipal development. Councillor Brad Pearson said he was glad to see a narrowed-down list to make things easier to understand. He did point out that the spreadsheet provided to the council was out of order, noting that property number 143 was listed after 170. The presenter explained it was simply an export from a larger file and could easily be sorted into ascending order.

Councillor Lester Vanhill asked about environmental factors. Administration assured the council that sensitive areas, such as municipal reserves, environmental reserves, and gravel pits, were clearly marked in red on the map and would be retained by the M.D. Only the green and yellow parcels, which include spots like the old Flatbush schoolhouse, are up for potential sale.

According to the Alberta Municipal Government Act, municipalities hold the power to sell or lease land they own, provided it is not designated as a protected reserve. Local governments must follow specific public notice procedures before finalizing a sale to ensure transparency.

Administration noted that the M.D. has a few different options for getting rid of the surplus land once it is officially listed. While a public land auction is one traditional method, the municipality could also hire a real estate agent to handle the sales.

There are also a few individuals currently renting some of the municipal land. Officials reminded everyone that council always has the option to simply leave the properties as they are, but selling the unused land could provide a major financial boost to the region.

Ultimately, council unanimously passed a motion to have administration bring the finalized list of surplus properties to the next regular council meeting. At that time, councillors will review the map in greater detail and officially decide which lands will hit the market.

Armaan Khanna 

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter