Brownlee LLP is pleased to offer its Municipal Helpline service as part of its continued commitment to municipalities, and the people that make them better.

As a result of decades of commitment to the needs of municipalities, we understand that brief discussions of legal issues can often avoid costly discussion, conflict and litigation later on. Through this continuous dedication to local issues, the Municipal Helpline has developed into an indispensable value-added service that is made available with no strings attached. It offers risk management through sound consultation and guidance, based upon unparalleled experience, resulting in risk avoidance. It defines what we call the “municipal relationship.”

The Municipal Helpline is an informal consultation service offered free of charge to Alberta and Saskatchewan Municipalities, and those of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, as well as quasi-municipal entities such as regional services commissions, municipal corporations, and authorities. The Municipal Helpline is offered through either our toll-free telephone service, or through direct e-mail contact, for the purposes of assisting in the avoidance of further or potentially larger legal problems:

No solicitor-client relationship is created by or pursuant to the Municipal Helpline, and consequently no legal fee or other charge applies to such inquiries.

• strict legal concepts including statutory, common law, and administrative law concepts.
• municipal best practices not just know-how, but knowing how to do it better.
• procedures and decision making appropriate process and procedures, and the operation and exercise of the decision making powers of Council itself.
• administrative law including general advocacy and prosecution, Subdivision and Development Appeal Board practice, procedure and decision making, and general counsel to various administrative boards and tribunals.
• municipal authority including authority under legislation, bylaw or resolution.
• municipal legislation proper drafting of municipal bylaws, policies and resolutions.

• land use, planning and development including proper land use bylaws, general planning issues, proper permit and approval conditions, development agreements, and off-site levies and other cost recoveries.
• municipal incorporations creating and operating commissions, municipal corporations and societies.
• commercial contracts and transactions, municipal borrowing, municipal land development, leasing, purchases and sales lands, buildings and businesses, and public-private partnerships.
• labour and employment wrongful and constructive dismissals, human rights complaints, reorganizations and employment contracts, risk management and best practices.

The Municipal Helpline is not a legal service: it is a support network for municipalities and related entities, and an integral part of any success strategy. It is part and parcel with the relationship that Brownlee LLP has always had with municipalities and their related entities. We are committed to ensuring the success of this service, and more importantly the success of our municipal colleagues.

We encourage you to take advantage of the Municipal Helpline as another essential tool for achieving all manner of goals and initiatives.

In the case of topics or issues that are of a more serious nature, or that cannot be appropriately handled by way of an informal verbal consultation, we would be pleased to a discuss more formal retainer in order to provide specific legal advice, opinion or action.