Three Heisler residents recently circulated a petition in the village, requesting a viability review of the Village of Heisler.

Janice Badry, Brenda Loesch, and Lorne Ingrey obtained 55 signatures from village residents, which Badry then forwarded to the Minister of Municipal Affairs.

“We wanted a low number of people circulating the petition so we could ensure that affidavits could be done correctly,” Badry says.

She says only four people the group approached refused to sign, and once they had obtained more than enough, they stopped.

The Municipal Government Act outlines the rules regarding petitions for viability, and a number equal to or greater than 30 per cent of the village electorate is required to request a viability review.

A viability review examines the municipality’s governance, finances, infrastructure, and services to determine whether changes are required for the community to remain viable.

A viability review is not intended to examine Council, decision making processes, roles and responsibilities, or conflicts within Councils. It is also not intended to assess administrative or financial processes and practices within the municipality.

A viability review can be initiated only through Council request, by petition from the electors, or if the municipality trips key measures of sustainability.

“We are concerned about the long-term viability of the village,” says Badry.

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Leslie Cholowsky
Editor