Annexation is legislated by the Province through the Municipal Government Act (MGA). 

The process for annexation is as follows:

1. The municipality proposing the annexation must provide notice to the Municipal Government Board (MGB) and the municipality that it wants to annex land from.
2. Both Municipalities must meet, discuss the annexation proposal and negotiate in good faith.
3. A negotiation report is prepared and sent to the MGB.
4. If the annexation is a simple and uncontested application (with signed consents from the landowners and the responding municipality), the application is processed.
5. If the annexation is contested (there are no signed consents), the MGB will advertise for objections and anyone can submit objections or concerns.
6. If there are objections, and there is not general agreement and mediation attempts have failed, the MGB will conduct a public hearing(s).
7. After the hearing, the MGB will prepare a recommendation for consideration by the Minister.
8. The Lieutenant Governor of Alberta will consider the Board’s recommendation and approve, approve in part or refuse the annexation proposal. 

The annexation process can take two to five years to complete.

There are three different reasons why a municipality would annex land:

• to expand its boundaries to accommodate future growth
• to relocate fragmented land parcels that may result from natural or highway boundaries
• to solve a development problem or provide services that are mutually agreed upon

Negotiating in good faith is the honest intent to negotiate without taking an unfair advantage, even when some legal technicality is not fulfilled. The intent is to achieve a “win-win” for each municipality and for landowners.

Sturgeon County will not have to maintain that portion of 66 Street north of the Anthony Henday that will be used to access the Edmonton Energy Technology Park.