ALBERTA MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS Office ofthe Minister Government House Leader AR76111 November 12, 2014 His Worship Peter Miller Mayor, Village of Forestburg PO Box 210 Forestburg, AB TOB 1 NO Dear Mayor Miller, Thank you for your recent letter to Doug Griffiths, MLA, Battle River-Wainwright, and me regarding your request for an increase to provincial library operating funding and provincial capital funding for Parkland regional library system building renovations. As Minister of Municipal Affairs, I am pleased to respond. Total provincial public library operating grants have remained stable at $26 million in 2014/ 15. While the operating grants are currently based on 201 O population due to budget limitations, Municipal Affairs has increased support to public libraries by investing $4 million in e-content, interlibrary loan delivery, and resource-sharing each year since 2010. Government considers a number of factors in approving projects for the capital plan. These factors include fiscal capacity, life cycle costs, health and safety, and overall government strategic direction. Municipal Affairs has updated and re-submitted a capital planning request that outlines the pressures facing library system headquarters (including the Parkland Regional Library System building in Lacombe), which will be considered by government in the upcoming capital planning process. I appreciate your comments and will raise them for government consideration. I assure you that Municipal Affairs is committed to supporting municipal and regional library system boards in the provision of equitable public library service to Albertans. Thank you again for writing. Sincerely, Diana McQueen Minister cc: Doug Griffiths, MLA, Battle River-Wainwright 204 Legislature Building 10800 97 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2B6 Canada Telephone 780-427-3744 Fax 780-422-9550 Printed on reqcled paper .