'I ❤️ SG' Conversation Series Topic #23- Communicating Advocacy Efforts
- Erin Stevenson
- Sep 23
- 3 min read
Spruce Grove Councillor Erin Stevenson is proud to launch her campaign for a third term under the banner “I ❤️ SG”—a positive, community-focused message reflecting her deep commitment to the people, places, and possibilities that make Spruce Grove special.
Advocacy That Gets Results for Spruce Grove
Advocacy is one of the most important but least visible parts of a councillor’s job. Many of the issues that affect Spruce Grove most—funding, housing, policing, transit—depend on decisions made by provincial and federal governments. As part of her “I 💙 SG” campaign for a third term, Councillor Erin Stevenson is highlighting the City’s role in advocacy, the progress made, and the opportunities to improve how residents see that work.
Watch the video:
LOVE: Advocacy Wins for Our Community
Spruce Grove is active in municipal advocacy networks at every level. The City is a member of Alberta Municipalities (ABMunis), the Mid-Sized Cities Mayors’ Caucus (MCMC), and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). Stevenson herself serves as Director for Cities Under 500,000 at ABMunis, ensuring mid-sized municipalities like Spruce Grove have a strong voice.
To strengthen this work, the City also created a new Intergovernmental Advisor position. This role helps Council navigate government legislation, refine key messages, and ensure Spruce Grove’s advocacy is focused and effective. Recent wins highlight the value of this approach. Through ABMunis, Spruce Grove successfully advanced a resolution (moved by Councillor Carter) requiring accessible playgrounds for new or refurbished school builds. The City also contributed to the development of the Local Government Fiscal Framework (LGFF), Alberta’s new funding formula for municipalities—though Stevenson notes the pot remains short by about $1 billion across the province.
Closer to home, Spruce Grove’s advocacy helped secure both a new high school and protection for Horizon Stage, balancing growth with cultural preservation. These achievements required coordination with the Parkland School Division and strong political will at every level. The City has also benefited from multiple grant programs, supporting local infrastructure, recreation, and sustainability projects.
IMPROVE: Fighting for Fair Funding
Despite these wins, Stevenson emphasizes that municipalities are under increasing financial pressure. “We need to continue advocating for increased funding back to previous levels,” she says.
Under the current LGFF, capital funding is limited and is less per resident than it was in previous years, essentially a cut to all municipalities to their budgets. That means cities often need to delay projects, raise taxes, or take on debt to build new infrastructure—unless grant opportunities appear. “When we built Heavy Metal Place, we held onto provincial funding for years until we had enough to make it happen,” Stevenson explains.
Spruce Grove has also pushed resolutions at ABMunis on a wide range of issues, including supportive housing funding, home care supports, watershed management, education property tax reform, increased FCSS funding, and mental health supports for first responders. At the federal level, advocacy focuses on housing, homelessness, infrastructure, climate resilience, and municipal growth frameworks that would give cities revenue tools that grow alongside the economy.
NEXT: Sharing the Story of Advocacy
Stevenson believes the next step is doing a better job of showing residents what advocacy looks like. “Spruce Grove is involved in so many efforts provincially and nationally, but we don’t always communicate that well,” she admits.
As one example, she points to e-scooters. Residents often ask why private scooters aren’t allowed in the city or why a bylaw hasn't been created to deal with them. The reason is that they’re currently illegal under Alberta’s Traffic Safety Act, except where provincial exemptions exist. “It’s not Spruce Grove’s decision,” Stevenson says. “But we are advocating for provincial law to be updated so municipalities have more flexibility.”
For Stevenson, advocacy is about persistence. “It doesn’t always grab headlines, but it’s how we ensure Spruce Grove’s voice is heard. And it’s how we deliver results.”
Share your thoughts with Erin and connect with her on social media and don't forget to use the hashtag #IHeartSG. Show Erin support in her re-election campaign by requesting a lawn sign (request form is at the bottom of every webpage).
Comments