Caroline one step closer to joining county

Minister of Municipal Affairs recommends amalgamation

By Diane Spoor
Staff Reporter

During the Tuesday, Sept. 10, meeting, Clearwater County council received a letter from the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Ric McIver, regarding the proposed amalgamation of the county and the Village of Caroline.

The two municipalities submitted their amalgamation report in July.

In the letter, McIver said, “I appreciate the hard work of both your councils and administration to date. Your collaborative effort to develop the (amalgamation) report is commendable and you have demonstrated how local councils can lead this process of amalgamation exploration voluntarily, proactively and in good faith.”

McIver went on to say that he is “prepared to move forward by recommending the amalgamation of Clearwater County and the Village of Caroline to Cabinet, effective Jan. 1, 2025.”

Once a decision has been made, McIver will inform the councils.