Lacombe County council has ended a proposed annexation process with Red Deer County that was intended to simplify maintenance responsibilities along four range roads.

Council authorized administration to discontinue the project during its Sept. 10 regular meeting.

The proposal involved correcting a boundary inconsistency between the two municipalities. The southern half-mile of Range Roads 2-5, 2-4, 2-3 and 2-2, near Township Road 39-0 and Highway 11, falls within Red Deer County. The northern portions are under Lacombe County’s jurisdiction.

According to a report presented to council, the divided jurisdiction has created inefficiencies in road maintenance.

The possible boundary adjustment was first discussed by the Red Deer County-Lacombe County Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework Committee in January 2025. Red Deer County originally proposed the change.

Lacombe County council approved terms of reference for the project in January 2026 and directed staff to begin the annexation process. Because Lacombe County would have received the land, it was considered the initiating municipality and would have been responsible for the required notices, consultation and application under Alberta’s Municipal Government Act.

Before contacting affected Red Deer County landowners or issuing a formal notice of intent, the proposal returned to the intermunicipal committee in June. The review was requested because five members of Red Deer County council had changed since the annexation was initially discussed.

Red Deer County subsequently indicated it did not want to proceed, partly because of concerns about the future management of Township Road 39-0 and the costs associated with the road.

Lacombe County administration recommended ending the project.

The County said the proposed annexation was strictly intended to improve road and infrastructure management. It was not being pursued to obtain additional land for future development.

Ending the annexation process will not affect Lacombe County’s future development plans, according to the council report.