The pandemic, combined with working from home, has challenged our perceptions of how we work. People are now able to “work from home” from anywhere, and the concept of a dis-aggregated workforce is gaining acceptance. The idea that being employed means staying in one place and following the same rules that we have followed for generations is crumbling, and people are adapting to this new normal.

But the changes have not been all positive. In fact, research shows that people are more stressed and overworked than they have been in decades, and that the technology that was supposed to make work easier has invaded our non-work lives and broken down the barrier between work and life.

How can employers decrease the stress that employees are feeling, and how can we rethink work? To discuss these ideas we are speaking with Linda Duxbury, Chancellor’s Professor at Carleton University, who studies work-life balance and the impact of technology on employees.

Some employers are indeed recognizing that the pandemic gave us an opportunity to change the way we work and reduce the stress felt by employees. One of these is our second guest, Barry Carroll, Chief Administrative Officer at the Municipality of Guysborough on the east coast of Nova Scotia. He transitioned his entire workforce to a four-day work week. Our third guest, Christina Bowie, is an employee at the municipality of Guysborough who now works four days a week. We will be discussing their experiences and how the change has impacted the lives of these employees. Listen to the Podcast below.

Tribute to Kevin Robins

1954 - 2021

Former City Manager, City of Leduc

Kevin Michael Robins passed away on August 20, 2021 in Leduc, Alberta. Kevin was the youngest and first full time Fire Chief at the City of Leduc at the age of 28. His career grew from there and after many years as the Chief he was promoted to the Director of Protective Services and finished his 25 year career with the City of Leduc as the City Manager of which he held that role for over ten years.

Kevin will be lovingly remembered by his family, his friends and the community which he was so passionate about building. Kevin was born in 1954 to parents Paul and Ruth Robins in Barrie, ON. He grew up in Barrie with his parents and his two sisters, Gayle and Alison and twin brother Christopher. Kevin was married to his adoring wife Rose for almost 50 years and built their life in Leduc with three beautiful children, Tammy (Darrell), Daniel (Tara) and Erica (Cory). Kevin proudly boasted about his grandchildren Alex (Fernanda), Sydney, Josh, Stephen, Gabby, Maya, Ben, Jacob and Arianna.  Always at Kevin's feet looking for snacks are his two dogs, Normie and Nelson.

Over his career, Kevin was a member of CAMA, the Alberta Fire Chiefs Association and the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Robins’ family at this time.

MITACS NOW ACCEPTING PROPOSALS FROM CANADIAN CITIES AND TOWNS TO ADDRESS INNOVATION CHALLENGES AND GOALS

With $708M in funding from the federal government and an expanded mandate to include municipalities, Mitacs is now accepting proposals from Canadian cities and towns to address their innovation challenges and goals.

Whether you are a major city, a smaller town, or a rural community, you can now access post-secondary reserachers with the knowledge and skills needed to advance policy, execute projects, and improve communities. And Mitacs can provide financial support for those projects, with the municipality contributing only 50% of the cost.

Discover how your community can benefit at this link.

2021 Willis Award for Innovation Nomination

Under 20,000 Population Category -

Sylvan Lake Capital Project Mapping Tool

The Town of Sylvan Lake was faced with a gap in how we presented information about, particularly, Capital Projects. Capital projects often have significant impacts on the community and information about the projects were presented on line. The online projects were in a list format, which often included long paragraphs of complicated technical text that would overwhelm even knowledgeable staff at times. In addition to knowing we needed to do better, a recent Communications Strategy initiative confirmed this by clearly indicating that the public wanted project information in a manner that was easy to access and understand.

Enter the Town of Sylvan Lake's new Capital Project Mapping Tool - an interactive tool that strips away the technical jargon that perhaps only an engineer can understand, and instead visually presents the location, while presenting key details, that we believe members of the public are most interested in when it comes to projects - what, why, how much, project status, and a contact or two for more information. The map and project description also include graphic rendering or links to master planning documents if and where relative.

The public is encouraged to visit Sylvan Lake's Website

To view the entire award submission, visit the CAMA Member's Section.

2021 Willis Award for Innovation Nomination

Under 20,000 Population Category - Drumheller Resiliency & Flood Mitigation

The Town of Drumheller Council hired a Chief Resiliency and Flood Mitigation Officer (CRFMO) under the provisions of the Municipal Government Act that allows Council to appoint an additional Chief Administrative Officer, with the powers of each defined by a bylaw. The CRFMO, as a CAO, reports directly to Council. This represents a new approach to public service delivery and project management which could revolutionize municipal government in the future.

This complex multiyear project doubled the size of the Drumheller Town budget overnight. This would have created major challenges for Administration. Drumheller is faced with the need to protect the town, people and property, from the devastating effects of extreme flooding events. This innovative approach allows Administration to function while also reaping legacy benefits including strong river-centric planning documents and new opportunities for tourism, economic development and alternative transportation.

To view the entire award submission, visit the CAMA Member's Section.