The Alberta government has made the decision to fire four elected officials, including Mayor Jeff Colvin, and three top officials at the City of Chestermere due to ongoing conflict and a failure to adhere to directives. The dismissals came after a provincial investigation identified concerns with the city's governance, including division on council and overreach by elected officials into administrative duties. While three councillors were spared due to their efforts to hold council accountable, they will not have an active role in the city's governance until a byelection is held to fill the vacant positions.
The province has appointed interim officials to run the city until the byelection, with a focus on stabilizing city administration and conducting a financial review. The dismissed officials and city administration had alleged that the investigation was unfair and biased, and the city is challenging it in court. If the current judicial review is successful, the dismissed officials could potentially be reinstated. The minister assured residents that municipal services will continue without interruption.