The Community Planning Association of Canada (CPAC) was formed in the 1950’s by Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation - the federal housing authority.  The purpose of the Association was to promote interest in community development across Canada with citizen involvement in the design and planning of their communities.  The operation of the Association was funded by grants from Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation to provincial chapters.  Membership was in the thousands with up to 3,000 delegates attending national conferences held in various cities across Canada.

In the mid-1970’s the Federal Government instituted various cutbacks in funding for all associations in Canada with the philosophy that they should be completely self-supporting on the basis of membership dues and so forth.  Within a few years the elimination of the federal grant resulted in the demise of CPAC as a national association with a central office and staff.  A number of the provincial chapters continued as provincial chapters using the name CPAC.  Other chapters however folded.

Sanford Sydness had a deep conviction that the Alberta Chapter would continue and flourish. He very carefully conserved funds which the Alberta Chapter had received over the years when CPAC was in existence.  He updated the Alberta Chapter membership list, lobbied provincial ministers, deputy ministers and influential people for their support to keep the Chapter alive.  He convinced the Department of Municipal Affairs to make an annual grant to the Association and he maintained an office in Calgary with an executive director, in the person of Tom Priddle, and a secretary.  He also kept the annual provincial conference going no matter how small the attendance and he initiated a newsletter called “Alberta Planning Exchange.”  Sanford recruited a small nucleus of supporters to form a board of directors and held meetings anywhere, anytime that was opportune for the small membership and directors to attend.

As the financial resources of the Association declined, the position of executive director was eliminated, the office was moved to less costly quarters and the secretary became part-time.  Sanford personally negotiated and approved all expenditures, supervised the revenue, edited the newsletter, chaired the meetings and conferences and prepared newspaper, radio and television notices of the conferences, often delivering them himself or delegating the job to a member of the Board of Directors.

In 1979, the Board of Directors decided that the Alberta Chapter should not continue under the misnomer of Community Planning Association of Canada.  Phil Elder, who was on the Alberta Chapter’s Board of Directors, a professor of environmental design at the University of Calgary and also a lawyer, drafted a constitution for the incorporation of the Community Planning Association of Alberta (CPAA) under the Alberta Societies Act as a non-profit, non-professional association.

 

Unfortunately, Sanford had to vacate the Chairmanship of the CPAA due to poor health. Anna Parkinson succeeded him as Chair, and, in turn, was later succeeded by Al Suelzle, Jean Lewis, Tom Baldwin, Tim Burton and, currently, Gloria Wilkinson.

Shortly after its formation, the CPAA was approached by CPAC Chapters in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, as well as similar organizations in neighbouring U.S. states, to form a ‘loose affiliation’ for the exchange of ideas and information. The idea failed, primarily because of distances and costs of travel.

The CPAA continued to convene an annual conference to address current planning issues from a non-technical perspective. Conferences were held in Edmonton, Calgary, and Lethbridge, before Red Deer became the regular venue. Attendance has increased steadily over the past decade, currently averaging 200-225 delegates each year. Association membership, too, rose during the 1990s, but has recently levelled off.

During the Spring and Fall of 1982, Kurt Gesell, a CPAA Board Member and, later, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta for Gold Bar, organized a series of workshops conducted under the guidance of Board Members and led by Chairman Anna Parkinson. Held in Fort McMurray, High Prairie, Grande Prairie, Innisfail, Stettler, and other communities throughout the Province, they focussed on regional plans, general municipal plans, land use bylaws, and other statutory plans. They were well received, although the attendance varied widely - from 12 to more than 100!

In 2002, CPAA awarded two $500 scholarships to planning students, funded through the proceeds of a Silent Auction at the annual conference. This has now become an annual tradition, and the value and number of scholarships have been increased. An additional scholarship was created in 2007 in memory of a past Chair of the Board, Tom Baldwin. Valued at $1,000, it is tenable at, and administered by, the University of Calgary Faculty of Environmental Design.

In 2005, The Board of Directors took part in a Retreat and Workshop that led to the preparation of a three-year Strategic Plan for the Association. This confirmed the Association’s Vision and Mission while also identifying its target populations and outlining a set of goals in four areas: educational initiatives; membership development; outreach; and governance and management. Implementation of all but two of the components of the Plan was completed by the Spring of 2009. Work on the development of a second three-year Plan will begin in the Summer of 2009.

In 2006, the Association's office was moved from Red Deer to Edmonton, and a new contract for administrative services was signed with Vicki Hackl of Vici Designs.

Al Suelzle, Past Chairman of the CPAA, originally compiled this history in 1990.  Jean Lewis, also a Past Chairman of the CPAA, updated it in 2002. Tim Burton completed further updates in 2006, 2007 and 2009.